CPD Life drawing at BAAT

 

It was great to start life drawing again.. albeit a lot different to the life drawing sessions at Camberwell College of arts! BAAT offered a more chilled out drawing experience. 

Using technology in art therapy

I’m quite disheartened that most of my research on art therapy and new technologies lies in America rather than the UK (as art therapy varies around the world I would ideally like to find research from the UK). This must be because it is so current but it could be incorporated into the future of the profession. I find the limited research available slightly frustrating however on the bright side this could appear as an advantage as I can, once I qualify, take part in advancing the profession in terms of research. This is an inspiring thought!

I found this article that has opened my eyes in terms of who can benefit from art therapy. So far on the course I have learnt that anyone can benefit from this as long as they can engage with art materials, leading me to think that only people who can physically pick up a pencil reach the benefits. From reading this article however, Parker-Bell (2011) reviews computer programs that enable children who are physically challenged to engage in visual material, meaning that people suffering from disabilities can benefit from art therapy. This hasn’t been mentioned so far in the course but I think it is an area I would like to research into further. If computer programs enable therapeutic communications why can’t the use of a tablet?

I am more interested in the range of materials used by art therapists in more general terms but I would like to research the use of tablets further, as this is a developing area.

Parker-Bell, B (2011) Embracing a Future with Computers and Art Therapy, Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 16:4. 180-185. Available at:https://uhvpn.herts.ac.uk/doi/pdf/10.1080/,DanaInfo=www.tandfonline.com+07421656.1999.10129482 [Accessed 5 January 2014]

More Kindle experiments

Drawing 6

Drawing 7

I find I am thinking more about drawing during the last few days as I’ve been working on my Kindle. I think this is because working via Kindle rather than traditional art materials is ready to go whenever the moment chooses however the prospect of rummaging through my art box seems too slow. I usually work at a fast pace, as I’ve mentioned before but now I feel I want to do everything now. Right now. Upon reflecting on this idea I feel it is because this full time course is very demanding. I feel as though I am being stretched from researching art therapy techniques, to working with my placement group, working with the school as an institution, keeping up with the University assignments and doing self exploration each Monday with my personal therapist. It is a lot of work that varies however blogging about all these different elements is bringing it all together for me. It does make me think what I would be like without the blog! At the beginning I didn’t necessarily see the benefit but now it is drawing to an end I want to keep it up. A thought I did not anticipate previously.

Perhaps my reluctance to ‘finish’ the blog highlights my reluctance to bring matter to an end.

Do I find endings difficult?

I guess I do to some level. Even ending a job is difficult for me, I find it hard to say goodbye in these situations. For instance, I was a Christmas temp working in retail (I left just before Christmas) and I found it hard to say goodbye to the people that I slipped off without mentioning it was even my last day.

This is another thing I must take to my personal therapy sessions, as this will inevitably impact my therapeutic work with children. How will I be able to end therapy? This is an ending I cannot avoid! I wonder how I will cope with this. I know it isn’t solely about my issues with endings but also that of the client. How will they cope with ending therapy? Will they lash out? Will they be upset? …Angry? …Frustrated? These are all questions I’m considering currently. People are all different so I cannot predict how the ending will go. I will have to again sit with the unknown. The ever so familiar unknown!

I must add that although my work with the Kindle is at the forefront I am still continuing to make paper on the sidelines.

Kindle drawings

Fig. 2 View of living room

Fig. 3 View of bedroom

Fig 4

Fig 5

After producing these initial experiments on my Kindle I have come to the conclusion that I like the process of drawing in this way. I will definitely use this ‘Paint pad’ app as a tool in my future work. I relate to what Hockney says here from an interview online, “…you can pick up a color from another color. And you can 
work very fast. And that's something every draftsman is interested in." (Hockney, 2013) The slow pace of working with paint and canvas is a disadvantage that deters me from using the medium altogether; I want to use ‘paint pad’ further in the future because of it’s swiftness oil/acrylic paints lack. I have reflected on why I like to use this app and have come to the conclusion that I tend to use materials in a fast paced approach. Leaning towards charcoals, pencils, when I make 3-D artwork I usually work with media that’s fast so I can experiment quickly. I have always chosen materials I can use at pace so I can produce more work in order to work more efficiently. I’m not sure why this is exactly but I like to make as much as I can. It’s like I’ve got a lot of ideas racing in my mind that I have to create them to decide what works and what doesn’t, then move on to the next thing. I’m finding the way I work is beginning to change on this course mainly because I don’t have the time to create all my ideas; being on the course full time I only have one day a week for artwork which is a completely new way of working. I would usually immerse myself into my art making. I feel making on the Kindle is a step towards my previous way of working because I can literally paint on the Kindle anywhere with no worries on if I’m going to make a mess or not. Additionally, the Kindle has a small screen meaning what ever I make will be quicker than my usual work (normally a scale of A1 when working 2-D).

Reflection on drawings
The subject matter of the drawings look very voyeuristic. This is something I did not think about too much as I drew them as I was concerned primarily with familiarising myself with the Kindle app. Upon reflection it makes me wonder who is behind the image and who they are watching. It looks like I as the artist is looking from the outside in. I am not involved in what I am drawing, it is like I am on the outside documenting the setting of the living room or bedroom. I guess this is a direct reflection on my life at the moment and how I generally feel with a group of people. Like I am on the outside observing. This is probably why I am drawn to the profession of art therapy, because I am a watcher rather than a participant.