arttherapy

ART THERAPY Art News | Work | Artists

The Art Therapy program at Athelas serves between 80 and 100 artist-individuals each week at the Community Resource Center, The Behavioral Communication Resource Center, Experiences Unlimited and The Gwynn Oak Center in a schedule consisting of nine visual arts classes and two music appreciation classes. The visual arts classes, four of which are offered through the Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville, include an increasing exposure to three-dimensional media such as clay, wood and styrofoam sculpture, as well as traditional two-dimensional media such as watercolors, acrylics, oil pastels, markers and colored pencil.

Since October 2007, when artists from Athelas sold five paintings at the Art in the Round exhibit at The American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore, another 30 paintings and sculptures have sold, thanks to supportive staff, family and friends who appreciate beautiful, authentic art expression. This year we submitted another 20 artists' work for the 7th Annual Art in the Round exhibit, sponsored by The Arc of Baltimore. We are very proud and honored that of all the worthy art submitted from all over the state, that 11 of our artists pieces were accepted and sold.

The art classes at Gwynn Oak have made three field trips to various cultural arts venues this year, attending a performance of "Brigadoon" in Dundalk, a dance performance in Brooklyn Park at the Chesapeake Art Center and appreciating the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. We are planning a trip to the Baltimore Museum of Art, as well.

The Saturday Art Program has done an even more exentsive touring schedule including trips to the Walters, the BMA, the Mitchell Gallery at St. John's College, The Chaney Gallery at the Maryland Hall for Creative Arts and to the Hirschorn Museum of Modern Art in Washington, D.C.

A mosaic stepping stone workshop has been held twice, creating over twenty beautiful pieces and a jewelry-making workshop will be held at the annual picnic. Everyone who participates seems to be having fun, feeling good about his or her own unique styles and abilities, creating self-defining work and looking forward to future developments.

Any donations of art supplies, old paintings for recycling, art frames, wooden furniture for re-painting, flat files, light tables, easels, nature magazines or books, National Geographics, etc. would help that future development and be greatly appreciated. See our "Give" page for details on making your tax-deductible donations.