“The aim of art is to represent NOT the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” – Aristotle

 

For nearly 50 years, Art Therapy Studio has endeavored to make visual arts accessible, meaningful, and useful to individuals throughout Northeast Ohio. Central to our mission and organizational philosophy is the belief that, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, abilities, socio-economic status or any other dimension of difference, the creative process of art making can improve and enhance an individual’s quality of life and overall well-being.

 

In our line of work, creating art is about more than just making nice pictures. Artwork can be messy, disorganized, and render traditional rules of composition meaningless. Instead of a finely-tuned finished product, what a participant ends up creating are pictures that depict a feeling or state of mind: this is where the process of art therapy begins.

 

What Is Art Therapy?

You may already understand in a general sense what art therapy is. If you have ever lost yourself in a doodle, took your frustrations out on an innocent slab of wet clay, or meticulously arranged photos in a scrapbook, you’ve likely experienced the healing potential inherent in such creative endeavors. Through an in-depth understanding of human behavior, psychopathology, and therapeutic processes, art therapists are able to maximize the healing potential of creativity and use it to assist participants in problem solving.

 

As with more widely known therapies, such as psychotherapy, art therapy is most often used as a treatment.  However, it can also be used to relieve stress and relax. Alternatively, one can utilize art to empower and stimulate a sense of self-confidence and pride.

 

Art Therapy At Our Studio

We are unique in that we provide both art-centered therapy as well as art for relaxation. Throughout the years, we’ve served than 50,000 people throughout Cuyahoga and neighboring counties. In 2015 we reached over 3,000 individuals providing services to children and adults with challenges ranging from addictions and mental health to developmental disabilities and chronic illness.

 

More than measuring our impact in numbers, the images created in our programs showcase the inward significance of our services for participants. See it for yourself! Our traveling collection will be on display downtown at Cleveland Public Library’s Main Library through June 30. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

 

Can’t view the show? You can still get involved. Head to our website, arttherapystudio.org, and sign up for our newsletter to be notified of news and upcoming events. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for ideas and tips on how to incorporate art into your life.

 

 

Art Therapy Studio

12200 Fairhill Road

Cleveland, Ohio 44120

arttherapystudio.org

216.791.9303

 

Healing Through Art: Art Therapy Studio at Cleveland Public Library, Main Library: April 4 – June 30, 2016

 

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