Artist, Art Therapy, Psychotherapy and Belief Statement

I believe all people have the need and ability to create. Using various art and therapy methods I provide a safe and empathetic environment, to encourage life-enhancing expression that brings wholeness, physically, emotionally and spiritually to people's life.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Summer Time

Summer Time is here. How do I know? Because I must use my summer quilt!


Yes, I still quilt - piece, quilt on my long-arm - create: both artistic and practical quilts. As you can see, I love colour. Colour makes my heart sing. And this time of year the world is full of colour. Flowers, trees, people's clothes and the gay pride rainbow.

This week has been difficult for the LGBTQIIA+ community. The catastrophe in Orlando highlights how discrimination and hating create pain in all of us. This is not just a 'them' problem, we must all love and accept one another despite differences and disagreements. We are all responsible and part of a society which allows it to be okay to hate and cause pain. So, instead of alienation, let us ask, 'How can I help, and How can I understand you?' Love one another.

These two tiles were created in combination with the Kumomi painting and Zentangle. I enjoy the colour, and then finding ways to integrate Zentangle patterns among the random colours. I worked on these while I was in the waiting room at the doctor's office. Zentangling while waiting reduces my anxiety about the often very long waiting times. In the end, I feel productive about my artwork, and I also enjoy the beauty that I have created. 

Try it! Zentangling is a great way to reduce anxiety and depression because it follows the simple idea of taking action. Taking action while in the midst of anxiety and depression changes the direction of the brain patterns from the downward spiral to the upward spiral. The act of starting a pattern with placing line on paper creates new brain patterns that develop positive and healthy neuronal networks. 

Try it. Move on the upward way with activation. Do something. Anything. Just change the direction in a positive way and your brain will develop the new positive "using the positive" to move forward rather than remaining stagnant and not going anywhere.

And if you want to learn a simple way to be creative, to develop a meditation using art Join me for my Zentangle 101 class on Sat. June 25, 10:00-12 noon. deb@kopeschny.ca.