Lynette Gawron, clinical supervisor and licensed creative arts therapist at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse (GCASA), proudly presented clients' artwork at the "Fall Recovery Art Show" on Saturday.
Organized in groups of eight people or less, art therapy sessions focus less on the finished product and more on the creative process. For this reason, Gawron likes to meet with people individually before they start. She says people sometimes come into it with the misconception that it is "arts and crafts" or training in how to be a better artist.
In reality, the process is quite different.
"It's about getting in touch with your true self," Gawron said, adding that the "true self" tends to be suppressed by addiction.
Gawron said art therapy helps to bring the unaddressed problems and issues that fuel or are suppressed by addiction to light.
"The emotional bubbling-up can be overwhelming," Gawron said. "(Art therapy) can be a way to channel that."
Samples:
The artist made this to show how her faith in God is helping her to "pick up the pieces" of her life and move forward.
Another made and showcased three masks:
One representing lovableness and happiness, but with memories of his/her deceased father, uncles and grandmother on the inside...
...another with various colors symbolizing the artist's hopes, fears and mistakes throughout the years...
...and a third depicting a calm exterior with "chaotic" emotions inside that come out "a little at a time."
This poster reflects the unidentified artist's anger at what addiction has done to his/her life.
Here is the bottom half:
Here is the artist's own description of this work: "This is about Light on the face and a path like the 'yellow brick road.' I look through the windows on my path at new things as I make choices in my life."
The artist who made this was present at the event. She said this represents, at the same time, the oppression of her addiction and the freedom (symbolized by the butterfly) of her recovery.
Other projects in which the clients are involved include:
1. Altered books...
...such as this one containing tiny drawers, pockets, pictures and other items. Gawron described it as a kind of journaling. Each page might have a separate theme relevant to the artist.
2. Writing about all the negativity in one's life, painting over the writing and overlaying it with positive words and/or imagery.
For more information, call Gawron at 815-1850 or e-mail llex@gcasa.org.
