Effect of Creating

I recently started thinking how creating has always been a way to either calm me or uplift me, depending where life has taken me. I started to remember the time my husband joined the Air Force and I had to move with him to Colorado. I was leaving behind everything that I knew and that  felt comfortable. I was working and going to school and all of my family and friends were in Miami. Not to mention a BIG change in the landscape and weather. As a young girl, suddenly having nothing happening in my daily life, I was down in the dumps. My husband told me to go to the base and find something of interest. I decided to join a ceramics class. I did not know a thing about molds, slip and glazing, but I was soon immersed in creating. My entire family received something I made while healing. Just as I was in the swing of a new passion, we had orders to move to Fort Walton Beach. 

The only ceramic piece I have made in 1976.

Another major change, no family, no friends, no ceramics and the hormonal changes because I was pregnant. I was ready to pack up and move to Miami. A friendly, elderly lady in the building, saw me pregnant, and lonely,  and decided to teach me how to knit and crochet. She had no idea, but she was my life-saver. She got me the supplies, which I could not afford, and asked me to join the knitting group in the building.......all seniors.  The creative side of me took off with a brand new passion. 

One of the many pieces I have made since then.

After the baby came, I was very busy, but soon needed to do something,  since the baby already had blankets, booties, hats, sweaters, and more. My husband again stepped in and said that I should go to the town's recreation center and see what I could take up. He would watch the baby and give me a few hours to disconnect. I joined an oil painting class. I always sketched, but knew nothing about colors and mixing them. The rest is now history. I continued to paint for the next thirty years. As retirement was approaching eight years ago, I took up watercolors and acrylics. I also started to sell my creations on line in preparation for those long hours that awaited me with nothing to do. I must say that creating is a way of life for me now. I tell everyone that  making art is much cheaper than paying for a therapist. 

My first oil painting done in 1977.

Dance Therapy

One of the benefits of being a volunteer at the Lowe Art Museum is enjoying the lectures by artists and professors on a weekly basis. Our last lecture was a little different, not exactly a lecture. The University of Miami Dance Therapy Class came to perform for us. The interesting part is that they came to do their interpretation of two art pieces that we share with our visitors on a regular basis, "Shattered Illusions" by Jeffrey Spencer  and  "Fox Games"  by   Sandy Skoglund.

What exactly is dance therapy and how was this presented to us? "Dance therapy involves using movement to help people deal with physical, emotional, social problems, illness and other challenges. Therapists help people integrate their emotional and physical needs to relieve stress, build confidence, and overcome emotional problems." According to Wikepedia, Dance-movement therapy, ('DMT) or dance therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance to support intellectual, emotional, and motor functions of the body. As a form of expressive therapy, DMT looks at the correlation between movement and emotion. Although dance has been a method of expression for centuries, it  wasn’t until the past half century that it was characterized as a form of therapy. 

"Fox Games" by Sandy Skoglund

Through dance therapy,  the body was being used to share what they saw in the art pieces and how it made them feel.  They looked at each piece and let the images speak to them on a personal level.  Below are photos and videos of their interpretation.

Dance Movement Therapy can be used to heal serious disorders and diseases. It is also said that this therapy is very effective in helping to heal other disabilities and diseases. Examples of these include:

• Autism

• Learning Disabilities

• Intellectual disability

• Deaf and Hearing Impaired

• Blind and Visually Impaired

• Physically Handicapped

• Elderly

• Eating Disorders

• PTSD

• Parkinson's Disease

• Dementia

• Depression

Use this link ADTA to find out about becoming a therapist or finding one in your area.