Tillsonburg library offers a community for self-expression and creativity through art therapy

Friends Margaret Yakubovich, left, and Lesley Blake create gratitude trees at the Tillsonburg Library's Art Therapy Open Studio Group. (Robin Krafft Photo)

Robin Krafft, Post Contributor

The Tillsonburg branch of the Oxford County Library hosted their first Art Therapy Open Studio Group for adults on Feb. 5 and will continue to meet every Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for the month of February.

The sessions are facilitated by professional art therapist Nadine Nash-O'Neil B.Sc., DCIIAT.

“My overall goal for the group was to foster a calm, non-judgemental and inclusive environment that encouraged self-expression and connection in a community-based setting,” Nash-O’Neil said. “The feedback from the participants reflected genuine appreciation for having access to this kind of creative space.”

The sessions are not art classes, and no previous art experience is required - curiosity and an open mind are all you need. There will be new prompts and instructions for participants to explore every week.

“Art therapy is like traditional talk therapy, but we use art in addition to that," Nash-O'Neil explained in her introduction. "Some people have difficulty talking about their feelings, but they can express their emotions visually instead of verbally."

In these open sessions, however, sharing is optional and the activities are gentle invitations. A variety of media is arrayed in the centre of the table, from pastels and paint sticks to coloured pencils and markers. Participants are encouraged to choose intuitively, according to their preferences.

"There is no right or wrong way to create," Nash-O'Neil said. "It's about the process, not the product. While you're working, notice how the media moves on the paper, the sounds, and sensations."

Three activities were presented, beginning with a warm-up that involved making random marks or scribbles to fill a page. Participants then looked for shapes, pictures or numbers and added shading or more marks to emphasize what they saw. People made interesting observations during the optional sharing; some leaned into a child-like experience and others noticed self-consciousness that needed to be set aside.

Another activity involved tracing of hands and using one hand to write or draw things to let go of and the other for things to keep and bring forward into the new year. The room was noticeably quiet, and many participants later commented that it was a good question to ask yourself.

“This has been delightful,” said Lesley Blake. “It's about living well; what we can look at expanding and what to leave behind. All the colours and the media, you can't do that at home!”

The third activity involved cutting or tearing paper to create a gratitude tree, with leaves for writing down things to be grateful for. Throughout the evening, there was plenty of laughter, but more serious thoughts were also offered. Many participants commented about how interesting it was to see the unique way that each person interpreted the prompt or put their thoughts on paper.

"They were good questions, and the order that we did things made sense," Margaret Yakubovich said. "And you don't have to be artistic to do it!"

“I’m extremely grateful that the group was met with such positive feedback,” Nash-O’Neil said. “Art therapy is a wonderful therapeutic modality. The therapeutic value lies in both the creative process and the relational containment provided by the therapist, rather than the aesthetic outcome of the artwork.”

“We are always looking at opportunities to host new programs and events that will appeal to the broader community,” Branch Services Librarian Heather Mathers said. “Art and craft programs for adults have always been popular, but the art therapy aspect is something different that I felt would engage participants in a unique and meaningful way.”