INSIGH Art no
ing
therapy is much more than just i other form of communication seem: how best to treat a patient's distur
Pictoral art constantly provides us with insights into the mind of the artist, and this highly subjective aspect of painting is the 'starting point' of art therapy. At the end of the last century, creative work began to play its part in psychiatric developments and both Jung and Freud drew on their patients' work when developing their schools of thought. The importance of art as a portrayal of the way in which society works and the way individuals within society act and interact developed considerably during the early part of this century. Many educational pioneers emphasised the importance of the visual arts so that the therapeutic potential of creative work developed in two spheres. It was not until the 1940s, however, that doctors, psychotherapists, teachers and artists came together to crystallise ideas and the first art therapists began work mainly in hospitals. The following years saw tremendous developments in art therapy mainly channelled through the inspiration and ideas of individuals, working in hospitals and many kinds of schools. There was a great deal of discussion and much writing about the relationship between visual arts and mental illness. But how does art therapy actually work} What does it try to do? Art therapy is not easy to categorise but it falls somewhere between psychotherapy and -
-
teaching. Certainly the teaching role of the therapist is played down and the patient is encouraged to express himself freely whilst, at the same time, being given
art
do so. So the main purpose every encouragement is not the conventional educational one acquisition of information or a skill. The purpose is the acquiring of knowledge, but knowledge about the person/ patient himself, his innermost feelings, his fears, his to
-
32
~
5 THROUGH ART '
Alison Wertheimer activity'
J'e
or
3te of
it
to
can
keep patients occupied. It can be a bridge to progress wh provide a psychiatrist with a valuable clue when it comes to dec
J
mind.
Doodling
can can
lead on to to lead on
for writing for
many
patients
^;
:
a
skill
they
several years. may not have used for several
i
t
t
^jsr1 ?1
i
i-'.
:
'?
nmkiulic*
3
'*
?
?
177xZ_b /1
.
??JMLI V'
S:^S^?-
Adding features
to three three 'balloons'
provoked
a a
VA-
*
peal of laughter from from
a a
V
?'
??'
previously silent previously silent
woman woman
in in her her 30s. 30s.
This kind of 'knowledge' is often someconflicts which can only be expressed on canvas or paper it sometimes involves thoughts and feelings of which the patient himself is not conscious. Even if he is aware of them he may be unable to express them verbally, but through art therapy the expression of these feelings in pictorial terms he can share them with the therapist and perhaps start to come to terms with them. The therapist, in sharing this knowledge, is able to attempt an assessment of the .
.
.
thing
aSliilS
-
-
person's particular difficulties and, in some cases (where the patient agrees) the work can be shown to the psychiatrist involved, to help him reach a diagnosis.
r* m 9
"
In 1964 the British Association of Art Therapists* formed. One of its aims is to act as a clearing
was
Self-portrait of
a
lonely
woman
in
a
park.
?Secretary: Miss Diane Waller, 13c Northwood Road, London, N.6.
house for information and ideas
about the role of the and education. The Association therapy recently staged an exhibition, 'Art in hospitals', at the new St. Pancras Library as a joint venture with the Camden Association for Mental Health. Over 50 drawings and paintings, as well as some ceramics, were on show from 8 different centres these included day centres, child guidance clinics, occupational therapy units and psychiatric hospitals. At its most basic level art therapy may be just a series of doodles done by someone with their eyes open or closed. One of the exhibits showed how one Patient's doodling (with closed eyes) led him on to writing something which he had not attempted for years; so the doodling became a channel through which communication could be re-established. Another, more sophisticated, example of this breaking through non-communication was provided by a vivid painting of three faces done by a severely retarded woman in her mid-30s. This woman did not sPeak at all. But, in an art session, having originally drawn three balloons and been encouraged to experiment further, she then drew these three faces; her response to what she had done was her first attempt at verbal expression a burst of laughter: a rewardlng and worthwhile experience for both patient and therapist and a starting point for improvement. Art therapy is often a means of expressing subconscious feelings in visual images feelings or emotions of which the patient is aware but is unwilling to express in words. A 17-year-old Jamaican boy, separated from his Mother and younger brother and living with a strict, demanding father, is outwardly quiet and compliant although he occasionally exhibits irrational outbursts anger. These feelings of suppressed anger were clearly expressed in one of his paintings by his depiction of pent-up lava erupting in a violent purple and yellow stream from a volcano.
in
afts
At the end of the exhibition
was a series of paintdone over a number of years. The nude sketches were done while he was an art student and show considerable talent.
ings by
one man,
-
-
-
X
J*
-
-
Another 'violent' painting was a self-portrait of a Patient suffering from a breakdown brought about
by family problems. Outwardly a very mild character, he never reacted violently, even in the face of undeserved provocation from other patients. But, just before his release, he painted an aggressive selfPortrait in violent reds and yellows which, to his surprise, revealed feelings of anger that he had always kept subconsciously suppressed. A less obvious 'self-portrait' on show was a painting by a rather isolated woman, fond of painting children and animals In the park, children are happily Playing on the swings while one figure stands watchlng alone except for the 'company' of a cat. Quite ^terally, she is not 'in the swing of things'. ...
-
V
is?
Two Two sketches when he he was was man when sketches of of nudes nudes drawn drawn by by aa man aa promising art ill student before before he he became became ill promising art student ..
..
..
two more sketches with a Bosch-like quality done just before his admission to hospital when he was exvery strong feelings about his body. The figure in the mire is a self-portrait depicting a fear of pressing two more sketches with a Bosch-like quality done just before his admission to hospital when he was e 'letting go'. pressing very strong feelings about his body. The figure in the mire is a self-portrait depicting a fear 'letting go'. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I,
IB
?
!i
.
.
.
and a final
drawing
done three years later when
the style has changed completely and become and a final drawing done three years later wh unemotional. the style has changed completely and beco unemotional. .
The next two sketches arose almost unconsciously these from doodles andtwo have a Bosch-like quality The next sketches arose almost unconsciously were done just before his admission to hospital. At from doodles and have a Bosch-like quality these about the time he was feelings to hospital. At his strong admission were done expressing just beforevery his body which are reflected in these drawings. The the time he was expressing very strong feelings about his own is a self-portrait expressing in the mire ligurehis reflected in these drawings. The body which are in his own madness?). fear of letting (of drowning go figure in the mire is a self-portrait expressing his own is done some three years Hisfear final later, own of drawing, madness?). letting go (of drowning in his an abrupt shift away from his previous work. He has His final drawing, done some three years later, is no lost all feeling and apparently preoccupied work. He has an abrupt shift previous away from hislonger with his emotions, he has turned away completely apparently lost all feeling and no longer preoccupied from with of the human depictions body. his emotions, turned away completely he has So from art therapy has a double function. On the one of human the depictions body. and therapist hand, both are acquiring new patient So art a double function. On the one therapy has and understanding of inner thoughts and feel- new insight both patient and hand, therapist are acquiring on the other, the very act of ings, while, and painting, of inner and feel-
insight understanding thoughts or doodling can act as a drawing therapeutic on the other, the of painting, ings, while, very act process in itself. drawing or doodling can act as a therapeutic process in itself.
.
.
ing
therapy is much more than just i other form of communication seem: how best to treat a patient's distur
Pictoral art constantly provides us with insights into the mind of the artist, and this highly subjective aspect of painting is the 'starting point' of art therapy. At the end of the last century, creative work began to play its part in psychiatric developments and both Jung and Freud drew on their patients' work when developing their schools of thought. The importance of art as a portrayal of the way in which society works and the way individuals within society act and interact developed considerably during the early part of this century. Many educational pioneers emphasised the importance of the visual arts so that the therapeutic potential of creative work developed in two spheres. It was not until the 1940s, however, that doctors, psychotherapists, teachers and artists came together to crystallise ideas and the first art therapists began work mainly in hospitals. The following years saw tremendous developments in art therapy mainly channelled through the inspiration and ideas of individuals, working in hospitals and many kinds of schools. There was a great deal of discussion and much writing about the relationship between visual arts and mental illness. But how does art therapy actually work} What does it try to do? Art therapy is not easy to categorise but it falls somewhere between psychotherapy and -
-
teaching. Certainly the teaching role of the therapist is played down and the patient is encouraged to express himself freely whilst, at the same time, being given
art
do so. So the main purpose every encouragement is not the conventional educational one acquisition of information or a skill. The purpose is the acquiring of knowledge, but knowledge about the person/ patient himself, his innermost feelings, his fears, his to
-
32
~
5 THROUGH ART '
Alison Wertheimer activity'
J'e
or
3te of
it
to
can
keep patients occupied. It can be a bridge to progress wh provide a psychiatrist with a valuable clue when it comes to dec
J
mind.
Doodling
can can
lead on to to lead on
for writing for
many
patients
^;
:
a
skill
they
several years. may not have used for several
i
t
t
^jsr1 ?1
i
i-'.
:
'?
nmkiulic*
3
'*
?
?
177xZ_b /1
.
??JMLI V'
S:^S^?-
Adding features
to three three 'balloons'
provoked
a a
VA-
*
peal of laughter from from
a a
V
?'
??'
previously silent previously silent
woman woman
in in her her 30s. 30s.
This kind of 'knowledge' is often someconflicts which can only be expressed on canvas or paper it sometimes involves thoughts and feelings of which the patient himself is not conscious. Even if he is aware of them he may be unable to express them verbally, but through art therapy the expression of these feelings in pictorial terms he can share them with the therapist and perhaps start to come to terms with them. The therapist, in sharing this knowledge, is able to attempt an assessment of the .
.
.
thing
aSliilS
-
-
person's particular difficulties and, in some cases (where the patient agrees) the work can be shown to the psychiatrist involved, to help him reach a diagnosis.
r* m 9
"
In 1964 the British Association of Art Therapists* formed. One of its aims is to act as a clearing
was
Self-portrait of
a
lonely
woman
in
a
park.
?Secretary: Miss Diane Waller, 13c Northwood Road, London, N.6.
house for information and ideas
about the role of the and education. The Association therapy recently staged an exhibition, 'Art in hospitals', at the new St. Pancras Library as a joint venture with the Camden Association for Mental Health. Over 50 drawings and paintings, as well as some ceramics, were on show from 8 different centres these included day centres, child guidance clinics, occupational therapy units and psychiatric hospitals. At its most basic level art therapy may be just a series of doodles done by someone with their eyes open or closed. One of the exhibits showed how one Patient's doodling (with closed eyes) led him on to writing something which he had not attempted for years; so the doodling became a channel through which communication could be re-established. Another, more sophisticated, example of this breaking through non-communication was provided by a vivid painting of three faces done by a severely retarded woman in her mid-30s. This woman did not sPeak at all. But, in an art session, having originally drawn three balloons and been encouraged to experiment further, she then drew these three faces; her response to what she had done was her first attempt at verbal expression a burst of laughter: a rewardlng and worthwhile experience for both patient and therapist and a starting point for improvement. Art therapy is often a means of expressing subconscious feelings in visual images feelings or emotions of which the patient is aware but is unwilling to express in words. A 17-year-old Jamaican boy, separated from his Mother and younger brother and living with a strict, demanding father, is outwardly quiet and compliant although he occasionally exhibits irrational outbursts anger. These feelings of suppressed anger were clearly expressed in one of his paintings by his depiction of pent-up lava erupting in a violent purple and yellow stream from a volcano.
in
afts
At the end of the exhibition
was a series of paintdone over a number of years. The nude sketches were done while he was an art student and show considerable talent.
ings by
one man,
-
-
-
X
J*
-
-
Another 'violent' painting was a self-portrait of a Patient suffering from a breakdown brought about
by family problems. Outwardly a very mild character, he never reacted violently, even in the face of undeserved provocation from other patients. But, just before his release, he painted an aggressive selfPortrait in violent reds and yellows which, to his surprise, revealed feelings of anger that he had always kept subconsciously suppressed. A less obvious 'self-portrait' on show was a painting by a rather isolated woman, fond of painting children and animals In the park, children are happily Playing on the swings while one figure stands watchlng alone except for the 'company' of a cat. Quite ^terally, she is not 'in the swing of things'. ...
-
V
is?
Two Two sketches when he he was was man when sketches of of nudes nudes drawn drawn by by aa man aa promising art ill student before before he he became became ill promising art student ..
..
..
two more sketches with a Bosch-like quality done just before his admission to hospital when he was exvery strong feelings about his body. The figure in the mire is a self-portrait depicting a fear of pressing two more sketches with a Bosch-like quality done just before his admission to hospital when he was e 'letting go'. pressing very strong feelings about his body. The figure in the mire is a self-portrait depicting a fear 'letting go'. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I,
IB
?
!i
.
.
.
and a final
drawing
done three years later when
the style has changed completely and become and a final drawing done three years later wh unemotional. the style has changed completely and beco unemotional. .
The next two sketches arose almost unconsciously these from doodles andtwo have a Bosch-like quality The next sketches arose almost unconsciously were done just before his admission to hospital. At from doodles and have a Bosch-like quality these about the time he was feelings to hospital. At his strong admission were done expressing just beforevery his body which are reflected in these drawings. The the time he was expressing very strong feelings about his own is a self-portrait expressing in the mire ligurehis reflected in these drawings. The body which are in his own madness?). fear of letting (of drowning go figure in the mire is a self-portrait expressing his own is done some three years Hisfear final later, own of drawing, madness?). letting go (of drowning in his an abrupt shift away from his previous work. He has His final drawing, done some three years later, is no lost all feeling and apparently preoccupied work. He has an abrupt shift previous away from hislonger with his emotions, he has turned away completely apparently lost all feeling and no longer preoccupied from with of the human depictions body. his emotions, turned away completely he has So from art therapy has a double function. On the one of human the depictions body. and therapist hand, both are acquiring new patient So art a double function. On the one therapy has and understanding of inner thoughts and feel- new insight both patient and hand, therapist are acquiring on the other, the very act of ings, while, and painting, of inner and feel-
insight understanding thoughts or doodling can act as a drawing therapeutic on the other, the of painting, ings, while, very act process in itself. drawing or doodling can act as a therapeutic process in itself.
.
.
