Photos by Ashleigh Rogers
Narrated by Lushika Preethrajh
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.
Working with clay
Clay is used in a variety of therapeutic settings. It can be used to create a physical representation of difficult memories, as a method to release overwhelming emotion and reshape those memories. It can also be used as a tool for grounding and emotional regulation, bringing consciousness and connectedness that can be otherwise difficult to access.
Working with clay requires time, patience, and intention. It challenges us to release the constraints of our hurried society and the rush of productivity and deadlines. It allows us opportunities to feel empowered, and experience the satisfaction of creating something that did not exist before. Using our hands for creation provides an opportunity for tactile and sensory experiences that encourage us to dip into a place of mindfulness and flow, aiding our general mental wellness.
Ideas for getting started with clay
Clay as a grounding technique
Supplies: A small container of clay or play-doh to keep in your purse, on your desk, or in a jacket pocket.
By keeping a small bit of clay accessible, you can use it as a tool for grounding when distressing emotions or thoughts arise.
To start, reach for your clay and get as comfortable as you can — sink into your seat a bit, close your office door, or find a place to sit outside.
As you manipulate the clay, focus on the sensory experience and notice the texture of the clay or play-doh as you knead it and move it through your hands. Is it cool or warm? Sticky or smooth? Does it feel heavy in your hands or light? Notice how the shape changes as you pat, squeeze, knead, or flatten it.
Consider how you are breathing along with your movements. As thoughts arise, acknowledge them and return your attention to your breath and to the physical sensation of working with the clay. Notice again its color, shape, smell, and texture as you work with it. Repeat as many times as necessary until you feel settled.
Clay mosaics
Supplies: Air dry clay, found objects
This exercise provides opportunities for mindfulness while gathering and arranging supplies, it allows for opportunities to embrace imperfections and unexpected outcomes as your project comes together, and it gives you an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishment of creating something new as you complete your mosaic.
For this exercise, take 15 minutes to walk around your yard, your neighborhood, or the park, and collect any item that you find visually interesting.
At home, work on a flat surface. Start kneading a chunk of clay that feels size-appropriate for the selection of items you have collected. Flatten the clay into a shape that feels visually appealing to you.
Next, arrange your items on the clay. Take as much time as you like, arranging and rearranging until you find a composition that satisfies you. When you have the objects placed where you would like them, firmly press each object into the clay.
(Note that this project can go in many directions. For example, you may discover that you love the prints each object makes in the clay more than the objects themselves and you prefer to remove the objects to create a relief design, instead of a mosaic! Do what feels good in the flow!)
Once the clay is dry (usually 24–48 hours), you may choose to spray it with a fixative to help protect it, or you may paint it or glue additional objects to it. You may even decide to break it as a practice of letting go, and a reminder that your creativity is neverending.
Feelings sculpture
Supplies: Air dry clay, timer, acrylic paint
This two-part exercise will give you the opportunity to lean into your emotions without judgement and observe the fluidity of your emotional world, while giving your emotions a place to live outside of your body, hopefully resulting in feeling a little lighter.
Find a space where you can work undisturbed, and set the tone with lighting and sounds to help you feel safe and comfortable. Set a timer for 5 – 10 minutes. Select a chunk of clay, close your eyes, and begin moving it through your hands. Notice how you feel in your body as emotions, memories, and thoughts arise. Try not to assign any meaning or judgment to the feelings. Instead, imagine them moving down your arms to your fingers, and pinch, pat, roll, and knead them into the clay.
When your timer goes off, set the clay down and open your eyes. Are you surprised by what you see? How does your sculpture represent your feelings or experiences? Perhaps you can jot down a few thoughts you have about the creation and process before placing it in a safe spot out of sight and walking away.
In 48 hours, retrieve your sculpture. Sit with it for a few minutes and observe whether your feelings have changed since you created it. Do any new emotions or stories arise as a viewer that are different from the ones you experienced as the creator? Ask yourself what colors represent your feelings in that moment and use those colors to paint your sculpture. Or perhaps what best represents your emotional state will be to leave it exactly as it is, and seal it with a clear coat.
Ask yourself these questions: How does the shape of your sculpture flow with the colors you selected? Did your emotional state change between these two creative sessions? If the emotional experiences were vastly different, can seeing them exist together in your sculpture serve as a reminder that they can exist within you at the same time as well, whether that be grief and joy, fear and courage, connection and loneliness? If your emotional state remained congruent in both moments, can this sculpture serve as a visual reminder of your inner security and ability to ground and find stability for yourself?
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
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