… What is wonderful about creating from nature delights and discoveries that have fallen to the ground, been pruned, weeded or uncovered, is that you are honouring nature and seasonal cycles in a moment in time, while encouraging reflection, presence and bonding in your creative process - nature as kin!

… Lisa remembers and shares a creative prompt inspired by a yoga and visualization experience.

As Mom celebrates another year, that we were not expecting to have together, I thought “let’s share this story with my creative community, and maybe encourage or inspire others to explore ways to create legacy art with their loved ones if they are able.”

There is a tapestry of diverse human experiences, created and held together with the common threads of understanding. So many of us during intensely stressful periods of our lives, feel alone with our problems, and if compounded by social isolation, this sense of uniqueness and aloneness increases. When we reach out to others, and as sharing and disclosures occur, there is comfort in knowing that others may have been effected by similar experiences.

Nuances: Art Therapy Research and Disability Justice.

Mark your calendars and see you there in person again this year for continued professional development in art therapy with OATA’s Conference Retreat and AGM 2025!

As OATA gears up for their next Conference-Retreat later in 2025, I thought it would be enjoyable to revisit moments and share photos from 2023. OATA members and TATI faculty and students mixed and mingled at this lively Art Hive Community Social.

…“For me, everything starts with a sketch. There’s always a story to tell and you never quite know how it’s going to end. I love the immediacy of graphite, charcoal and pastel. I love the handiness of watercolours, and the power of ink and acrylic media. All those pigments have history and chemistry. They make music for the eyes.”

The TATI and OATA community members gathered together for the first hybrid art hive at the beautiful new TATI location with the theme: Mending, Weaving and Repair.

Sharing information about the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre with news about current student groups in 2025.

Sharing with consent Jill Hewlett’s recent Mailing from Brain and Life Reset and her wonderful story The Friendship Bench..

Sharing reflections by OATA member Wanda Sawicki about the Heritage London Foundation Exhibit written and curated by Emmy Meredith on the history of Irene and Selwyn Dewdney and Art Therapy in London. The Opening on January 18th was very well attended, a full house!

New & Ongoing: Sharing Updates, News and Stories on the Connections Blog from the Ontario Art Therapy Association and its Members

Sharing eco-art and earth sculptures created in community on Monday September 30th for Truth and Reconciliation Day. Moments spent in reflection on this important day and in response to the natural materials.

Sharing in this post powerful poetry and artwork by Luke Gustafson created this year during his training at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute.

Sharing an engaging community project co-facilitated by Art Therapist Aldona Morrison. at Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville for the month of November to honour National Grief and Bereavement Day and Children's Grief Awareness Day.

Sharing information about the TATI Student Art Therapy Centre with news about current student groups in December through January, and an invitation and link to participate in a Research Survey on the ecological crisis.

Sharing in this post a recent creativity afternoon to celebrate Seniors’ Month. The day included resident art displays and 5 interactive creativity stations.

Creatively Connecting to Life at ALL ages… Sharing resources, links rationale around aging and the arts!!! A huge thank you to Andrea, Erminia, Gilda, Hannah, Lisa, Marillyn, Meg and Susan for their beautiful reflections about the value of creativity as we age.

…”Armatures are literally the backbone of what I gravitate to as a creator. Whether it’s static or animated, three inches or three metres, every creation starts with an armature. Some artists doodle on paper. I doodle with wire.”

Sharing resources, links in relation to aging, creativity and the arts. This is an ongoing evolving list. Do you have something to add? Please reach out and share if you do!!