Connecting With Mandalas

Esther's Tattoo

My original mandala drawing

I wanted to share a very cool story and an example of how art can connect us all, even from across the ocean...

Almost a year ago a woman named Esther from the Netherlands emailed me after finding this blog while she was looking for mandala inspiration for a tattoo. She had found a mandala of mine that she really connected with and asked if she could use the imagery for her first tattoo...so of course I said YES! 

A few days ago I received an email from her with her finished tattoo (pictured on left) and this is what she wrote about it:

A time ago I send you a mail with the question about your mandala drawing and my idea to make a tattoo.

So I just seemed nice to me to let you know my tattoo is finally placed on my back!!

It is my first tattoo and it means a lot to me:

It symbolizes the birth of my daughter (now 1.5) in the middle and the tiny circle. The other circles are my partner and me; both worlds come together in the middle circle and the triangle figure pointing towards it.

The details are filled with fire-dynamic elements: my constellation is aries (which is also the triangle element fire).

I feel very honored that Esther resonated with this mandala and reached out to me. I also found it interesting that when I draw these interconnected mandalas I do it as a way to explore my connections to loved ones in my life as well - how we overlap, connect, and impact one another. Esther's interpretation of the mandala was similar in depicting the intersecting deep connections between her daughter, partner, and self.


Just as there are three interlocking circles, in this story there are three artists linking together as well! Esther is an artist and you can visit her site here: http://www.esthermeijer.nl/

And here is the site for Xander, her tattoo artist: http://www.mana-ink.nl/

While thinking about the way mandalas connect us to ourselves and to one another, I found this quote by Carl Jung to be especially relevant:

“In view of the fact that all mandalas shown here were new and uninfluenced products, we are driven to the conclusion that there must be a transconscious disposition in every individual which is able to produce the same or very similar symbols at all times and in all places. Since this disposition is usually not a conscious possession of the individual I have called it the collective unconscious.”

From an art therapy perspective, I have utilized the intersecting circle mandala drawing with my clients quite often. Each circle can represent a person in the client's life (including the self) and I ask them to place the circles in relation to their current feelings and experiences with each individual. 

Another variation I've used that my clients have found illuminating is to draw three overlapping circles and label one past, present, and future. After the circles are drawn or traced I encourage my clients to fill each circle in with colors, shapes, symbols, and imagery that symbolize their past, present, and future. This is a way to create a visual timeline, gain perspective on future hopes and dreams, and explore how they perceive their present reality. 

Creating art within the circles is naturally centering and can help contain triggering memories while still allowing the client to review their life experiences. Art therapy group members often enjoy sharing and processing their mandala timelines at the end of group and after this experience there is often a sense of deeper connection within the group.

I'd encourage anyone interested to experiment with creating interlocking mandalas as a way to center the self and gain insight into the ways we are connected. Please feel free to leave comments and share links to your art here if you feel inspired!

Art Therapy Perspectives Interview

"Dreaming of Hokusai" Sara Roizen

I'm excited to share that I was recently interviewed on the blog Art Therapy Perspectives by Victoria Scarborough. 

Victoria is an art therapist, and her blog is devoted to interviewing other creative arts therapists from around the world to share their experiences and provide readers with new insight into the field.

The interview was broken down into two parts and you can click on the links below to read:

Art Therapy Perspectives Interview ~ Part 1

Art Therapy Perspectives Interview ~ Part 2

We covered many areas during the interview including my path to the field of art therapy and populations I work with, my approaches as an art therapist, favorite self-care techniques, the integration of my artist and art therapist identity, sources of inspiration, and my hopes for our field as we continue to grow.

I really enjoyed the process of thinking about and answering these questions and it provided me with a framework for reviewing and exploring the past number of years I've been in the field. In addition I gained more insight into my evolving hopes and plans for my career as it continues to unfold.

A huge thanks to Victoria for creating her wonderful blog. It is an invaluable source of inspiration and connection for creative arts therapists and everyone that is interested in learning more about our field. There are many fascinating interviews on the blog and it illustrates how varied creative arts therapists are in the places we work, the populations we serve, and our creative paths. Read up and be sure to share with anyone else that might be interested!

More Artist Trading Cards in Progress

Artist Trading Card ~ Sara Roizen ~ 2013

Artist Trading Card ~ Sara Roizen ~ 2013

I just wanted to share a few more images of my Artist Trading Cards in progress for the Pocket Change project. I'm truly enjoying this process. 

I'm working with a variety of materials, from pen and ink, to watercolor, collage, paint, and the incorporation of found objects. 

Artist Trading Card ~ Sara Roizen ~ 2013

I'm noticing that I am intuitively drawn to nature-based imagery in many of these little cards - leaves, wave motifs, abstract flower shapes, and the moon. Being in nature has always had a transformative and recharging effect on me. Therefore, while exploring the theme of gratitude, change, and kindness it seems natural that this type of imagery is surfacing in my pieces. In addition the theme of change is a powerful and innate aspect of nature in terms of the seasons, cycles of growth and decay, hibernation and new life.

Artist Trading Card ~ Sara Roizen ~ 2013

While writing this post, I realized that a trip out of NYC (even for just a day or weekend) is called for!
Time to soak up some nature, fresh air, and center myself outdoors. And of course...more inspiration for ATC's and other creative ventures.

Stay tuned. :)

Artist Trading Card ~ Sara Roizen ~ 2013

Artist Trading Card ~ Sara Roizen ~ 2013

Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) & Building Community

Getting started on some ATC's!

“They always say time changes things,
but you actually have to change them yourself.” 
- Andy Warhol

It's hard to believe that 6 months have flown by since the 6 Degrees of Creativity 2 workshops began. I was thrilled to be one of the 6 art therapist instructors as well as a participant in the other workshops. What struck me most about this experience was the creation of community and artistic collaboration. Each participant in my workshop brought a unique and beautiful voice to the process of creating and exploring texture and mixed-media. In addition, the level of encouragement and inspiration during these workshops supported me in my ongoing process to carve out art-making time and space.

In the spirit of continued community building and creative exchange, Gretchen Miller, Hannah Klaus Hunter, and Beth Rommel have created a collaborative project called Pocket Change: Creating Change Through Small Creative Acts.

Follow this link for details and to participate: Pocket Change

A quick summary of the project from the site: 

Participants will create 4 ATCs and will get back 3 from others who are participating in the exchange. Our swap’s theme: Pocket Change is all about how simple and small acts can create and instill kindness, gratitude, and change. For your ATCs, think about the power of your mini artworks as a means to express and share a positive image, message, or intention with others and the world.

I eagerly signed up for the ATC swap and began playing in my studio this afternoon. Like many, I've been watching the popularity of ATC's rise in the past few years and was drawn to the small size of the cards (2.5″ x 3.5″) and the idea behind creating them. You can make your own ATC surface or buy them very inexpensively at most art stores and craft stores such as Michael's. Since measuring precisely it not my strong point and I was excited to dive in right away, I bought a few packs of pre-cut ATC's at Michael's. I chose a few different types of paper as I plan to do some mixed-media as well as drawing. 

ATC's beginning ~
Collaging with paper Tibetan Prayer Flags

As I began to set up my art materials, I explored my associations to the words kindness, gratitude, and change and also thought about how transformative this past year has been for me on many levels. Going into 2013 I am looking forward to expanding upon all of the positive growth and experiences from this past year. 

I decided to grab any materials that spoke to me and ended up with chunks of peeled acrylic palette paint, some Tibetan Prayer flags that I have received in the mail, decorative paper, skeleton leaves, and some other small found objects. 

I enjoyed working on the foundation for a number of cards at once. As usual I worked intuitively with the materials and imagery. I looked around my studio for mod podge but couldn't find it, so I ended up using the Elmer's clear glue (best find of the year!) I used a small palette knife to spread the glue and then covered each collage with a thin layer of the glue as I would with mod podge to serve as a protective layer and sealant. 

The beginning of 2 more ATC's

I was aware of how different it is to create on a small scale. Although I found myself working rather quickly at times, at other moments the small size helped me to slow down and become more familiar with the details. The other paradox was that the ATC's seemed rather delicate while I was starting them, but when I returned later to look at them I was struck by how durable they felt. 

As these ATC's were drying, I decided to begin some pen drawings on my bristol paper cards. I was drawn to the use of mandalas and repeating circles. I had recently read a quote by Mother Teresa that inspired my imagery. She once said, 

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

I was drawn to this imagery of ripples...interlocking circles and the way that we are all connected. It also looped back directly to this project's theme of building community and change through small creative acts. We never know what one smile, word, or act can mean to another human being at the time. A small act may create a ripple effect that builds momentum and starts the process of positive change. 

I will share the finished ATC's in a future post! Until then, happy creating and perhaps you'll join us in this wonderful project!

Starting some mandala ATC's

Update: Mind full or Mindful Image...Artist Mystery Solved!

Art: Henck van Bilsen

Way back in June 2011
I posted a wonderful image that I had found while exploring the topic of mindfulness. 
Mind full or Mindful?


The only problem was that I could not find the artist! I received many emails from my blog readers asking if I knew the creator of this illustration.

Well the mystery was solved a few days ago by one of my readers and I'm grateful and very happy to  be able to pass this information on. And I'm going to order the Socks of Doom book myself! See below:


In case you're still looking for the artist, I found him! It is by Henck van Bilsen, Consultant Cognitive Behaviour Therapist & Consultant Clinical Psychologist. It is from his book, The Socks of Doom, (LOL!). It has more cartoons with these characters: Zee Beatty (the man), and his much happier dog (Mr Percy). You can see details here, http://www.socksofdoom.com/, where they also post their conversations.

The Art (Therapy) of Collage

The creation of an art collage from the soul is an inner journey that allows your soul to speak to you. Your soul's voice can be heard through the images, feelings and insights that surface...

                 ~ Kathleen Carrillo

Collage as an art therapy technique is a versatile, engaging, and evocative (yet often playful) approach to working with clients. I have used collage with children and adults from all different backgrounds. It can be appealing to individuals with or without any prior art experience. When working with a group of more resistant clients or any group that is hesitant to start making art, collage is often a non-intimidating introduction to art therapy and creative expression.

I believe that part of what makes collage an effective medium is that it utilizes aspects of free-association and play. Each person selects images based on what they are drawn to, even without a conscious understanding of why they select a certain image. I encourage my clients to use images that 'jump' out to them from the pile, rather than trying to select photos that fall under a certain category. In many ways, this type of collage-work has parallels to exercises such as free-association writing, where the person just writes without editing their thoughts.

In the past I would bring in piles of magazines and lay them out on the table, so that my group members could flip through them and cut or tear out the images that appealed to them. Over the years I have found that this approach often results in my group members spending more time reading the magazines and getting distracted by waiting for a magazine until someone else has put it down. My observation was that this held up the creative process and broke up that feeling of 'flow.' Now I have an ever-growing collection of images that I have pre-cut or torn out of magazines. 

(Hint: Ever feel non-productive while watching your favorite TV show? Just grab a pile of old magazines and start cutting out pictures while you watch :-).

My clients have commented that they prefer this approach because they enjoy exploring the piles of torn out images just as much as flipping through the magazine and they still decide which images to select and how to cut them up (I encourage them to cut them or tear any way they choose). I've observed that their choices seem to be more spontaneous with this method and they approach the image treasure hunt in a playful and engaged way. 

Ideas

• I have found that photography magazines are an amazing source for powerful and diverse images. (Good thing I'm married to a photographer who lets me cut up his old magazine issues!) I also use my old art magazines because they are full of inspiring images and clients also enjoy exploring the work of other artists. Magazines such as National Geographic and Time work well too.

• Be culturally sensitive- try to provide a diverse array of images, especially when including photographs of people. (Another great reason to use photography magazines, as many of the photos will be from all over the world).

• Don't shy away from intense images. I don't include any images that might be insulting or overly provocative, but it's important to include imagery that can represent the entire range of human emotions and experiences. As you can see from some of my client's collages on this page, many of them gravitated towards 'charged' imagery, but it was exactly the collage they needed to create that day.

• The images can speak for themselves, however some individuals find it helpful to add a word, phrase, song lyrics, or poetry to the piece (see the orange collage above). I'll often ask my group members what they would title the finished collage, and if they come up with a title I ask them to write it on the back of the piece. This helps to frame the experience and is a good way to wrap up the group.

• I encourage clients that are comfortable to share their collage with the group during our processing time. My general guideline is to ask other group members to absorb the person's collage first, before sharing any feedback. Then instead of giving an opinion on the piece, I ask group members to speak about the collage as if it was their own - focusing on what the imagery would mean to them if they had made it. This opens up dialogue and also models a way of communicating that connects rather than divides.

• My overall approach is to be non-directive with collage work. I have found that the theme usually creates itself as the group progresses. However, if I sense a higher level of anxiety or if the energy of the group feels more splintered I will sometimes provide a more concrete directive such as 'create a collage that shows us how you are feeling today' or 'create a collage that represents your future goals.' Sometimes concrete directives are very useful in terms of problem-solving techniques. For example, since I work with clients that are actively using drugs and alcohol, I've had them create two collages - one that illustrates the 'pros' (payoffs) of continuing to use drugs, and a second collage that illustrates the 'cons' of continued drug use. Clients are often surprised to see the finished pieces, and the collage can then serve as a visual reminder each day that helps to frame their goals and choices.

There are countless variations on collage - including collage combined with painting, collaging onto 3-D surfaces such as masks, and creating large group collage pieces. Experiment and enjoy!

Top 100 News!

After being nominated a few weeks ago, I just found out that Art Therapy Spot blog was included in the current Top 100 Counseling Resources on the Web here:

Masters in Counseling: Top 100 Counseling Resources on the Web

I'm thrilled to be a part of this list and even more excited that creative arts therapy sites feature so prominently in this compilation of therapy and counseling resources.

Let's keep up the momentum - spreading the word about art therapy (all of the creative arts therapies) and spreading knowledge about this incredible field!