MASTERS ART PROJECT: HE(ART) CARDS

THE MIECAT INSTITUTE

AS PART OF HER FINAL YEAR MASTERS PRACTICUM, RAIN FACILITATED AN ART THERAPY PROGRAM AT ST KILDA AND BALACLAVA KINDERGARTEN. OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, TWENTY VERY ENTHUSIASTIC 3-5YR OLDS PARTICIPATED IN ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL GROUP ART THERAPY SESSIONS USING THE MEDIUMS OF PAINT, CLAY, DRAWING AND LOOSE PARTS.

A SET OF 13 POSTCARDS WERE CREATED USING THE IMAGES AND WORDS OF THE CHILDREN, AS WELL AS THE EXPERIENCES THAT AROSE IN THE INTERSUBJECTIVE SPACE BETWEEN THEM. EACH POSTCARD SPOKE TO A THEME THAT ARISES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH CONTEXTS AND EXPLORED THE IDEA OF:

'WHAT IS THERAPEUTIC?'

WHAT EMERGED IN THE SPACE WAS AS UNIQUE AS EACH CHILD. SOMETIMES WHAT WAS THERAPEUTIC FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WAS FEELING SAFE ENOUGH TO DISCLOSE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT HOME. SOMETIMES IT WAS AS SIMPLE AS FEELING THE CARE OF SOMEONE PLACING A FEATHER IN THEIR HAIR.

IT WAS HOWEVER CONNECTION THAT PROVED TO BE THE MOST THERAPEUTIC EXPERIENCE FOR ALL THE CHILDREN, WITH ART-MAKING WEAVING IN AND OUT OF THE SPACE BETWEEN COMPANION AND CHILD.