Image courtesy of Ashleigh Rogers
It is a well-researched and scientifically backed principle that therapeutic art practices can aid in overall wellness, whether that be physical, mental, or emotional.
Art practices are used in treatments for Parkinson’s, PTSD, Alzheimer’s, substance use disorder, pain management, and more with great success.
While many of us do not have access to an art therapy program, there are art practices that have therapeutic benefits, require few supplies, and can be performed in the comfort of your own space.
Collage
Collage is a super accessible form of therapeutic art that can be practiced with a wide variety of supplies and does not require technical skills aside from cutting/tearing and taping/gluing. Collage entails selecting, arranging, and affixing a variety of materials in a way that expresses or organizes a thought, feeling, or idea into a meaningful image.
Collage is a great place to dip your toes into creating art for yourself if you feel a little intimidated by other modes of creation like drawing or painting. It can be used as a way to record moments, visualize goals, practice mindfulness, explore emotions, organize your thoughts, process experiences, illicit memories, or unravel stories of identity.
Getting started
Supplies
- Scissors (though materials can also be torn to create an interesting visual effect)
- Glue or tape
- Paper or another surface for a backdrop
- Materials to cut or tear (photos, magazines, newspaper, wrapping paper, old ticket stubs, packaging labels, napkins, etc. Anything you want!)
Prompts to kickstart your process
Expressive color collage
Begin by collecting materials to tear imagery from, choosing materials with color in mind. Wrapping paper, tissue paper, napkins, and old magazines all offer lots of choices.
Select music to play while you work.
Arrange your materials in front of you and take a moment to thumb through them as the music plays, focusing only on the colors you see and how they make you feel. Tear things out, intuitively arranging the snippets of color in a way that feels pleasing to you. Glue each snippet down as you place it.
When you look at your completed piece, ask yourself if the colors reflect your mood or emotions in the moment. Does the imagery remind you of a certain time or place? How do you feel when you look at it?
Safe place collage
This collage begins with a few minutes to journal, brainstorm, or visualize what your safe space looks like. A great way to start this exercise is with a guided meditation like this one: https://youtu.be/0u3jNOYWinU
Once you have felt your way into what your safe space might look like, collect the materials you want to use in your collage. Arrange your images in a way that represents the safe space you imagined.
Ask yourself what the most important pieces of this collage are. What boundaries are in place to keep your space safe? What objects or images bring feelings of comfort or peace in your safe space? Which elements were most important to include? How do you feel in your body when you visualize your safe space? What elements of your imaginary safe space can you create in your actual physical space?
Inner self collage
This collage begins with a surface that can be used to illustrate two sides: the ‘self’ you present to the outer world and your inner, private self. This could mean using the back and front of a mask, the inside and outside of a box, or simply folding a piece of paper and collaging on the outside and the inside. Feel free to come up with more abstract methods to express your identity!
Once you select your surface, find visual representations of both your inner and outer self in your collage materials. When you have completed both the inner and outer portions of your collage, ask yourself the following questions: What feels too vulnerable to share with others? What parts of your outer self align with your inner self? What parts of your outer self contradict your inner self? Are there parts of yourself you only share with certain people? Are there emotions, ideas, or thoughts that you felt hesitant to record in your collage?
Ashleigh Rogers is an artist, art instructor, and facilitator in Tri-Cities, Washington. Her work explores the themes of connection and intergenerational stories through experimentation in painting, photography, installation, and sculpture. Ashleigh is passionately dedicated to facilitating accessible arts programming in her community.
Find her on Facebook: fb.com/AshleighRogersArt or Instagram: ashleigh.a.rogers
