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Arting-Out Stress on Paper: The evolution of a piece.

Every once in a while I tell myself to just go "art-about-it". Since I can remember I have loved going elbows deep into art supplies. Becoming an art therapist made my love of art closer to an addiction (the art supplies are everywhere!). Recently I was prompted by a student to create what "stress" looks like to me.  The resulting image was a bit jarring to me, it didn't sit well. It made me feel 'unfinished'.

Created with watercolor and TomBow markers and water.

When there is a mismatch between the image and my emotions the best thing for me to do is get back in there and work it out. With this particular image I decided to document the process in case I ruined it. As these things go, some emotions tend to be messier than others and "stress" is one of those that has a consuming energy about it.

Splashed watercolors on it and added salt, then streaked some colors out.

Moving-on. As an image is 'worked-on' some of the original content gets processed. The energy gets used-up. The issues get ironed-out and ultimately it feels 'done'.

Began elaborating the shapes into flowers with old crayola markers.

Came back into the flowers with permanent fine liner pens.


Dissolved the marker markings with a water-brush.

...she wakes...

Part check-in & part exploration this piece turned into much more than I expected & I'm thankful to have followed it into the process. As I juggle many hats being able to dive into a piece like this when the need arises is a part of self-care. Definitely going to be arting-about-it more (as time allows).

 Thomas Merton. “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

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