Artful Healing provides an opportunity to practice a series of hands-on activities inspired by artworks in the galleries. Bodhi Simpson, LCPC, ATR, is an art therapist with a private practice in Waterville, Maine, called Conscious Art Therapy. She is also a teaching artist, an adjunct college instructor, and a workshop and retreat facilitator who incorporates creative expression and work with imagination, intuition, and metaphor into the healing process.
During each Artful Healing session (third Monday of the month), Bodhi will gently guide participants through a 30-minute creative healing exercise inspired by a work in the Museum’s collection under a monthly theme. This offering will support the development of creative expression, increase your self-awareness, and teach you simple tools to support your emotional wellbeing.
This month’s Artful Healing offering is inspired by Theresa Secord’s Penobscot Barrel (2019). Grounded in nature, this beautiful Penobscot Barrel was handmade with strips of sweetgrass, ash, and cedar bark. These plants wove together a container to provide a safe, nurturing space where we can connect more deeply to ourselves and to the Earth. Using our imaginations and the creative process, we will learn how to create and work with our own Grounding Tree Painting, cultivating the experience of being mindful and present in our physical bodies.
Recommended Materials:
Cardboard cut to 8” x 12” (you can also use canvas, wood, or paper)
Assorted colors of acrylic paints
Different sized paintbrushes
Cup of water
Paper towel
Paper plate or piece of cardboard to use as a palette
*The materials listed above are only a recommendation. Feel free to use any materials you have on hand at home or are inspired to use.
This program is part of the Museum’s wellness initiative, Let Art Inspire, which includes a variety of programs that connect the mind, body, and art in innovative ways.
While we are closed to the greater public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ll bring Artful Healing to you in the safety, comfort, and convenience of your home. Artful Healing is available online through the Museum’s website and Facebook page.