CLEAR AS MUD - Art Therapy

Some members from the Brantford Christian Creative Guild [and a couple others who joined us] met at a local potter's studio to explore and experience a little Mud Therapy.

Therapeutic? 

Let's see....Therapies are meant to bring healing and restoration; usually under an enviroment of mountains, fresh air, ocean breazes-

or perhaps a little cottage away from unnecessary ''noise'' and ''clutter.'' [I am laughing as I type]Therapies are for healing and to  remove emotional pain. Therapies are suppose to refresh and restore. 

Where am I going with this?  Well, I am trying to tie in 'therapy' to our little adventure with 'art' and hopefully redeem some experiences we had.  :)   I am trying to employ the word  'art therapy'.   Not sure about that! [laughing some more]

We had many experiences and many types of therapies tied up in that one event.  There was some 'pet therapy' going on with the four birds, five cats, two dogs, [I am guessing at how many] I believe most of us [animal lovers] took time out to talk, feed,  and stroke, most of the animals.  There was an Ocean drum decorated with bird droppings,  beakless birds,  and a  poop-anywhere-you-want-kitten, a shaggy dog, and more.    One friend said, "It was like being at a  zoo where the animals had all escaped and yet there was encouragement to be creative."  Hmmmmm weird, very weird.  Another member exclaimed, "The room had a funny smell and the animals were a bit 'hmmmm' ...but since I do not live there it was FUN.."   We had food therapy - as we ate pizza on site - not sure that was healthy- ;)   Oh, and then the music Therapy.  Everytime the instructor left someone ran over and turned it down. [I agree it was a bit loud as we couldn't talk]  Which brings me to Talk Therapy - - otherwise known as a Psychotherapy - there was a lot of talking going on but most of us knew when to be quiet while certain others  ;) - no mentioning of names - continued to talk  which resulted in being centered out and they did seem to get in trouble - a lot. lol   Our dear friend became the point of interest for our comic relief.  Comic-Therapy- that's it!  Now our friend needs real thearapy.   Speaking of REEL-Therapy --that is what my husband did - he went fishing instead of doing pottery.

I guess it is time to talk about the art or pottery itself.   The putting together of the project was not hard and did not take much thought until it came to the 'decorating part' .  It is hard to know what you want to make on the spot.  I had lots of cool ideas afterwards.  It really did not take long to acually put the piece together.  I believe most of the night was listening to stories about animals and instructions on how to trust ourselves and not to worry about what we were doing.  Well, personally when I put out a chunk of money for a project I do want to put some planning and thought into it.  After all it is my keepsake- conversation piece.  I believe all who attended that night will have some funny thoughts and memories everytime they look at their materpiece.   I can't wait to see what all the 'thingys' look like after firing!  A few weeks will tell..  then we will post some more pictures!  Finished Product. 
It has come to my ears that a few would like to go do that again...   hmmmmmm 

The whole experience took me back to the days when I was working on my Fine Arts Foundation, at Mohawk College. I threw mud about three times a week. I loved getting my hands dirty..  I loved the feel, I loved the smell of the clay-earth; and I loved all the hours of creating.  When my life slows down I think I will return to the earth.   lol   That was prophetic. 

All joking aside, experiences like these are events that open up the spirit.  To laugh, play, create, be artistist, be playful, have fun; these are all part of keeping our spirit awake and not dull.  I have been camping in a book by the Sandford`s called `Waking the Spirit`.  Many people do not see the value in playing, exploring, with any of the arts but it does stir up creativity as it wakes up imagination, vision and prophetic creativity.  It primes the pump for more-  yes I want more.

I am a creative being; I have a creative God who lives in me who would love to use my being to express Himself to others....  so yeah,  I will yeild to creativity!

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