how I use mindfulness techniques in art
the pain[t] process
learn how dKol has uses mindfulness techniques in her art to process & understand her own needs so she could release old beliefs and energies that no longer served her to show up more authentically with focus & an intentional plan for her to achieve her goals/dreams.
art changes me
my verb tense usage for “changes” is intentional. I can easily say art has changed me, however, I have made it a part of my conscious practice to allow art to continue to change me in an ongoing way. this is an active decision.
my mental health healing journey through traditional therapy (in a clinical setting working with CBT, EMDR, talk therapies), intuitive healing (with a spiritual healer), self-help (lots of books & podcasts), and leaning on family, friends and life experiences (homeschooling my children) have all been a part of how I’ve processed life thus far. it’s been weighing on me for a long while that I have a gift in what I have discovered along the way.
some random day I decided to buy some paint supplies too see what I can create. abstract art was something that drew me in and I felt I could at least give it a try.
little did I realize that my pain mixed with paint would morph into me offering therapeutic art sessions with you. and out emerged: pain[t] process.
through my own practice I have learned that there is a therapeutic pull that I experience when I am creating art. painting for me has given me a way to express emotions that I had buried as a protection mechanism. I noticed that incorporating music and low light has evoked a sense of safety for me. whether I have set intentions for what I am wanting to explore in my mind or if I just allow the painting to draw out parts of my memories stored in my subconscious I have learned to trust the flow of my art to tell me a story. in turn I am learning the differences between how anxiety lies to me and my intuition tells me the truth. slowing down my thoughts so I can listen to the quiet sound of my inner voice speak is how I am able to discern the difference between the loud intrusive thoughts in my mind and what my heart wants to share with me.
at the start of my art session I will allow my mood to decide on paper choice, brush size, and color. I then work on quieting my thoughts so I can focus on what I am intuitively being drawn to. it can vary on if a memory/emotion/situation is decided to be used for the topic of the session or if I am embracing what comes organically to me. selecting music with intention or pressing shuffle on my playlist to see where the journey takes me are the usual approaches. I then dip my brush into the paint and trust the process.
it is sometimes difficult to pause and let the paint dry. I will wrestle with what feels like a bad start. I will doubt that I am good at being a so called artist. I will contemplate throwing the paper away and question if I should give up on the practice for the day. if i’m lucky I will have patience and interest to see what happens to the painting if I just let it be. I will take notice to what is happening with the layers of color and the mixture of textures that are forming on the paper. and as it comes together I am in awe at the beauty that is transforming as I am assessing balance, simplicity and expression. somehow the unique power of using this modality of tapping into my subconscious allows me to begin to identify what the art is telling me metaphorically.
I am grateful I have trusted myself in these mindfulness techniques. it isn’t always conclusive, sometimes I need to go back to the piece and expand on. it can be frustrating and exhausting and my body will let me know if it’s best to rest and circle back at another session to build off of this important start.
the irony in the fact that I often love what my palette paper will have left behind after a session reminds me of what is all mixed into a therapeutic session. and from that I will often use these pieces and stamp quotes from my journal session that I will use to collect my thoughts and feelings that emerge out of the mindful art practice. for me I try to celebrate the beauty in each of the parts that make up the whole. I will often focus on parts of the artwork that I love more than the entire piece itself. there are hidden parts to the process no one else will necessarily know about. until one day I realized I could photograph the pauses, what it looks like as the paint is still wet, or draw the lens in to take notice to the texture of the thicker paints.
finding additional space to be reflective of the journey the art takes me on is eye opening. it is in those times I am able to appreciate what these therapeutic sessions have provided for my healing journal. and more over what it now is offering for you.
xo-d
I invite you to look at part of the process below:
