ReMatriation for heARTivists. Circle of Indigenous Healing Arts. Response Art.
CATA-ACAT 2022 Symposium. Relationship & Reciprocity.
Sharing my response sketches and reflective jottings from Day 2 of the Canadian Art Therapy Association’s 2022 Symposium Relationship & Reciprocity. Feeling such a sense of deep gratitude post this 7 hour immersive experience of stories and art in community with others, gently held and guided by indigenous facilitators | art therapy peers | heARTtivists.
“Our symposium returns this Saturday for ReMatriation for heARTivists - an immersive full day of arts-making and learning facilitated by Dr. Fyre Jean Graveline, Jean Tait, Jennifer Vivian, Chris Larsen, Dr. Lana Whiskeyjack, and LIFE as Medicine: Circle of Indigenous Healing Arts @lifeasmedicine2022 collaborators.”
Artwork: Earth Guardian by Jean E. Tait • IG Post Art CATA-ACAT 2022
Invitation.
“This Symposium day will include invitations to use artmaking to claim Ancestral and Modern symbols of power and strength, to illustrate our connections to Mother Earth, to claim our own processes of re.Matriation, and to commit our Warrior WellBeing to actions moving forward. Messages may be both Personal and Political, and we can work big or small. ”
Materials.
We were encouraged to create with eco-art materials that included paints made from natural pigments, materials harvested respectfully from nature, and/or found objects and items from our home, office and recycling.
Reflection and Response Art.
Attendees were also invited to make art throughout the entire day so that is exactly what I did!
As doodling is often my personal go-to way to focus on and process information and learning, I found that the rhythmic nature of doodling (with simple lines and images), became a meaningful way to capture themes and emerging symbols while listening and viewing each presenter’s powerful and heartfelt stories and artwork. I share below a few of my small art creations through photo collages that reveal the simple initial pencil drawing, captured in the moment, playfully layered with natural pigment washes and then mindfully and leisurely drawn back into with pencil crayons during, and post workshop.
‘Connecting with Grandmother Moon’ • Response Art • Oct. 2022 • Inspired by Jean and all the HeARTivist Presenters.
My Process.
I began in my sketchbook as if I was going to create a mindful scribble drawing, methodically forming a loop. This initial loop became the head of a female figure and as my pencil wandered back upwards the lines created the suggestion of a body-like form …
‘Sacred Earth Elements’ • Response Art • Oct. 2022 • Inspired by Lana.
Continuous lines and loops and mark making, created heart images, energy spirals and far-reaching root systems (representing for me the heARTivists, their stories and their sacred rooted connection to the land).
‘Community of Light and Shadow’ • Response Art • Oct. 2022 • Inspired by Louisa
Imagery and symbols emerged and flowed, inspired by each of the presenters powerful stories, some imagery universal from their shared collective way of living as caretakers of the land and other images more specific to the individual narratives shared …
‘Footprints Beside the One Before’ • Response Art • Oct. 2022 • Inspired by Bonnie
Throughout the day I added washes of colours from my natural pigments, playfully layered and splattered (with paintbrushes and toothbrushes). I allowed the washes to dry and then layered again and scratched into the paper as it dried with a stick to create subtle texture …
‘Stitching Together History ‘• Response Art • Oct. 2022 • Inspired by Luella
Over the next few days I spent time with each of the 7 sketches and drew back into them with pencil crayons to intensify colour and define line, and the mindful and reflective process continued onward.
‘Warrior Wellbeing’ • Response Art • Oct. 2022 • Inspired by Fyre Jean
Each stylized doodle shared a central female figurative form, heart, energy spirals and connecting root system. In many the moon is featured. Powerful phrases within the storytelling prompted the individual images (feather, raven, music, footprints, scales, skirt, stitching, scars etc.).
‘Earth Dress’ • Response Art • Oct. 2022 • Inspired by Leanna
Gratitude Reflections.
I sit in a place of such gratitude for the experience, being invited into this sacred and connecting circle of strong indigenous women sharing their stories and wisdom. This generosity of sharing moves me beyond words. I also position myself (as I need to), as a white settler of privilege who now bears witness to the intensity of these life stories, that express unimaginable harm, horrors and loss, multi-generational trauma scars, with deep and embodied wounds both opened and now slowly healing. All of it - the light and shadows, sit hard and heavy on the heart as one bears witness. Inspiration and awe are woven into the threads of this experience, as my gaze rests on these powerful women. I respond to their individual stories, their challenging life journeys as daughters, mothers and grandmothers authentically told, with such poignant imagery and words (expressed within this collective art therapy space of hope, healing and learning).
A special thank you to the heARTivists and contributors for an amazing day, with a special thanks to Fyre Jean, Lana, Louisa, Bonnie, Luella, Leanna whose generous story offerings inspired each of my 7 response-art doodles shared above. Miigwech.
Gratitude Eco-Art • Created post ReMatriation for heARTivists • Life as Medicine • CATA-ACAT Symposium Oct. 22, 2022
I incorporate the gathered autumn leaves for my gratitude eco-art corsage above.
I create a single sunflower to reflect upon the strength and resilience of each of the presenters, the heARTivists. A tiny wreath and ring of care gently placed in a bird’s nest at the flower’s centre.
And, within a slower and more meditative process of my ongoing nature art (inspired here by witnessing the collective eco-collage by Fyre Jean Graveline and Life as Medicine collaborators), I add natural elements to create a larger connecting circle for the day to honour all those who entered into this collective space. I gather fallen garden leaves to celebrate the harvest season, small grass wreaths to illustrate the moon stories (and rings of care), all encircled by rocks and hardy weeds to represent grounding presence with the land and perseverance with the journey (echoed through the central rock upon which sits a formed nest of hair, grass and dandelion flower).
“Touching the earth – digging, planting, harvesting – connects us literally and spiritually to those who have dug, planted and harvested before us.”
‘I Am Here’.
I slow down and connect to the gorgeous outdoor moments that nature creates,
I land in a place of curiosity, wonder, and creative play.
I engage with these nourishing natural resources that quiet my chaotic mind,
I Am Here!
“The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.”
Follow and Learn More about Life as Medicine. Circle of Indigenous Healing Arts.
Instagram • @lifeasmedicine2022
Website • www.lifeasmedicine.ca
“First Nations, Métis and Inuit Creative Arts Therapists who are envisioning and enacting, reviving, promoting Collaborative Relational Healing Arts.”
Additional Resources.
• Supporting Indigenous Art, Learning & Initiatives 〰 links and resources for continued learning, ongoing awareness, and the need to be active as an ally. The initial list and many links were generously provided through the 2021 webinar series ‘Durham Indigenous Voices: Reconciliation, Resistance, Resilience, Resurgence’.
Follow Canadian Art Therapy Association.
Instagram • CATA-ACAT @cata_photos_acat
Website • www.canadianarttherapy.org
Relationship & Reciprocity Symposium 2022.
• ReMatriation for HeARTivists • Gallery link
• CATA-ACAT Virtual Symposium: Relationship & Reciprocity OCT 22, 2022 - info. page here.
• September 24, October 22, November 26 2022 - Online via Zoom
• 8am-4pm PT / 9am-5pm MT / 11am-7pm ET / 12pm-8pm AT
• Register for last day of Symposium here.
• Information post here
“Join us in three days of arts-based workshops this fall, exploring land-based practices and social justice in art therapy, with facilitators bringing a broad range of experiences in art therapy and a shared passion for individual and collective healing through the arts. Together we will creatively explore these questions central to not only our professional practices, but also our ways of being in community and the world.”