Last Wednesday I was able to return to common art with a lot more energy after a week’s break. It reminded me how important self-care is when it comes to being able to care for others. That day we began working with clay in order to make beads for jewelry. Each week we normally have volunteers who lead beading up on the stage in our space. They will be away, however, for a few months. In their absence we are working to provide other activities for the community, especially for those who would normally engage in the beading.

In an earlier post, I discussed my difficulties engaging with clients. Prior to my break, I was leading a table making pompoms with yarn but struggled to pull people in. Last week, however, people came to me;  without much reaching out, I found my table filled. I believe this difference was a significant for my learning here. People may have been attracted by my renewed energy and enthusiasm for being back, or perhaps by the change of materials.

In art therapy, materials hold great significance. Art therapists study what materials can mean to different clients and within different contexts. Both yarn and clay were fairly novel materials in our space, yet one drew so much more attention.  I noticed several ways in which the latter worked better with our community. Yarn had a limited purpose as we were making pompoms, which have a very limited use. Although we were using it for a specific purpose of beadmaking, clay allows for so much more creative expression and exploration. It is simply more exciting.  Because it related more closely to what would normally be happening on the stage, the beadmaking proved to be a better fit with the community. It provided a great alternative to making jewelry but still contributed to that kind of artmaking.

I also noticed the clay’s power in our group setting. I was able to try a technique and inspire others to try it as well. When this happened, people started doing variations on the technique, which, in turn, inspired me back. The group was able to pull ideas from each other and explore their creativity more than any of us could have done alone. This rewarding day made me feel more engaging.  I am excited to make more beads in the coming week and continue to see the community express themselves in this novel way.

– Marielle Carpentier