From my childhood to my time as an undergrad, my relationship with art has evolved and continues to develop into a complex creature. I believe my love and knowledge of art, combined with my interest in psychology, could be used to help people in distress. I have realized that art making has the ability to fill in the gaps between verbalization and the psyche. Creating a piece of art offers the opportunity to externalize the shadows in one's mind--to examine and confront them. Darkness can fester and it can consume, but it can also act as unintentional inspiration. I believe that even the seemingly uncreative individual can be guided through a creative release of tension, which will allow self-exploration through the exploration of materials. The beauty of art as therapy is that catharsis does not have to meet an aesthetic ideal; it can be ugly and it can be imperfect. I believe that art can be used as a medium to explore the ugliness of one’s psyche and turn it into something beautiful. As an artist, I have explored the reality of refining catharsis to create work that can connect visually to the viewer. As an aspiring art therapist, my goal is to help people realize that the process of art making can help one to understand their mental state or their psyche in a way that is often unexpected. With this understanding comes the potential of positive change, which is essentially a universal goal. I believe that if a person understands their mind on a higher level, it allows a more clear and positive perspective on the world outside of themselves. Once a person can foster self-efficacy through a medium such as art, this practice can be applied to more constructive solutions to life events. I look forward to continuing my education and furthering the exploration of my personal relationship with creativity, while learning new therapeutic techniques in an effort to share the healing potential of art.
~ Jenny Asaro
[email protected]
~ Jenny Asaro
[email protected]