CAT - Creative Arts Therapies, Bristol

15/07/2022

Whole day intense multisensory fun with my creative, cheeky little 4 y old client.
We explored the instruments, painted with different tools, had fun in the hanging chair and the hammock, built fantasy lands, conquered the elements of ice, steel and wood as well.
🌟 Well done B for being so curious and for going through the day without a single meltdown! 👏

06/06/2022

Geometry in Art

With our wonderful residents in the nursing home we made a geometric art piece with acrylic paint and paper adhesive tape.

Geometric shapes generally dominate architecture, technology, industry and crystalline structures. We explored this form of art, because we usually create with organic forms and sometimes it is good to try something different. The shapes with straight lines and angles symbolise structure and order which we also need in our lives, especially when we are older.

The 6th century BCE Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras believed that geometry was the rational understanding of God, man, and nature. Many of the shape meanings in western philosophies arise from his writings.

In our pictures the triangle form dominated.

The orientation of a triangle can be important to its meaning. Point-up triangles represent a strong foundation or stability. Earth and water symbols are formed from point-up triangles; pointing upward stands for the ascent to heaven. The point-up triangle can also represent male energy, and fire and air are masculine elements.

The point-down triangle can represent female energy, and water and earth are feminine elements. Symbols for air and fire are formed from point-down triangles; point-down triangles can represent the descent into the physical world.

We listened to uplifting music while painting. All of us enjoyed it and the residents were satisfied with their creations. They also appreciated each other’s paintings, it was a really nice social interaction at the end of the session.

16/05/2022

Art therapy in a nursing home

Listen and Paint group session
Inspired by Doris Day songs

4 residents attended with the help of a lovely new student nurse from UWE Bristol.

There was singing, painting, socialising, sharing thoughts...

A truly wonderful morning.

11/05/2022

11/05/2022

NATURE AND ART
Painting on and with natural elements
A Collaborative Art Project in St. Monica Trust, John Wills House

“Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical universe, material world or material universe. “Nature” refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general.” /Wikipedia/

Artwork based on nature can take many forms and serve many purposes.

We can connect with nature and our inner self through art and through natural elements.

Painting on a branch, holding and creating art with twigs and flowers can be fun and also can create a deep connection with our roots, our primeval human nature.

Collaborative art projects are important in a community such as our Orchards unit in John Wills House. They foster cooperation, eliminate competition, and most importantly they are social and fun.

Our residents enjoyed being involved in this project.

04/05/2022

Paint and Listen
Group Art Therapy Session

Abstract art is modern art which does not represent images of our everyday world. It has colour, lines and shapes (form), but they are not intended to represent objects or living things. Often the artists were influenced by ideas and philosophies of abstraction. Abstract art is found in painting and in sculpture.

What does abstract art have in common with music?
An abstract painting is like a frozen moment of time with the musical sound of that moment turned into colour, shape, scale and texture.

How is music and art connected?
Artists and musicians create works that not only unlock emotions, but also alter one's mood, trigger memories, and act as a source of comfort and inspiration. Visual art and music have numerous parallels because they share elements such as harmony, balance, rhythm, and repetition.

About the session

We listened to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and got inspired by the music.
4 residents attended with different mental and physical abilities.
We used various art materials such as acrylic and watercolour paint, ink, different size paint brushes, palette knives, art roller, sponges, stencils - so every resident was able to express themselves through the universal language of art.
The residents were deeply involved in the process, enjoyed it and were happy with their pictures. They all seemed to be satisfied and content at the end.

27/04/2022

Art therapy session in John Wills house nursing home.
This lovely lady is not able to leave her bed and she is living with severe dementia.
This is the first time in a long-long time she held a pen in her hands and she was able to use it!
She even recognised and recalled some colours.
The layers were on top of each other just like her thoughts are.
She used various movements with the pens: lighter, smoother, like the lines were dancing, sometimes playful marks which she accompanied with a singing voice of enjoyment.
💗

18/03/2022

1-1 Art therapy session in the nursing home
"Poppy field"
This wonderful lady is always in her room, she is on oxygen, not able to go out.
She loves nature and we travelled together to this fantasy land, full of sunshine, bright sky and poppies. Her eyesight is impaired, but she created this beautiful picture for us to adore.

26/01/2022

Working on emotion regulation, attachment issues, body image - just to mention a few. Also having so much fun! 😉

30/11/2021

True.

100%!

24/11/2021

Today our residents enjoyed another artsy gathering. They immersed in the process of creation and expressed their feelings through their paintings as well as their words.