Providing a reference list of all blog post titles.

Sharing in this post heart creations and response art shared by a variety of artists that are beautifully expressed using different approaches, materials and creative intentions.

Found and Formed Heart Art! There are so many ways to engage creatively and mindfully with the heart image around the theme of love and gratitude.

Just an invitation to connect with the heart image this month. The heart shape is such a simple yet powerful image and universal symbol. Themes such as gratitude, love, loss or sadness can be contemplated, explored and meditated upon … through ‘noticing’ heart forms in your home… out in nature… through creating heart related artwork, writing, assemblage or found art and personal narratives…

As the world around me has been blanketed and transformed by layers upon layers of snow, my reflections around silence and stillness have been gently nurtured and brought to mind . Those initial moments upon stepping outdoors and viewing the untouched setting where everything is coated and serene, have prompted and encouraged my individual moments of quiet stillness…

A heart-felt thank you to all of the 2021 contributors listed below who shared individual stories, or added to collective posts by providing quotes, art, photos or writing for the Connections Blog. I am inspired by you all and filled with such gratitude. Your sharing, gifted our creatively-connected-community in so many rich and meaningful ways.

JAN 2022… “The Art Hive at the Toronto Art Therapy Institute is back for spring art-making! An art hive is a community art studio and a welcoming place to talk, create, connect, share skills and build community”

Before the world turned upside down with the Pandemic, Jenny and I had celebrated a wonderful collaboration of over 10 years, designing and facilitating a creative community gathering for sensory engagement for older adults struggling with cognitive decline. We wove various types of stimulating experiences and activities within the weekly group format at our long-term care setting.

…”One serendipitous day in June 2013, I stumbled across a creative method that would change my life. Aimlessly scrolling through the latest submissions in a Facebook photo a day group, an image of one member’s in-progress black pen drawing caught my eye. More than merely a simple doodle, something about the beauty and complexity of its design appealed to me, and I knew I had to investigate this intriguing artform for myself”.

I invite you to gather decorative natural items and create for yourself (or someone else) a nature corsage or boutonnière. This personal eco-art prompt is a fun way to celebrate nature in the moment, spend time being creative outdoors and honour yourself with a nature gift!

Sharing images below to inspire potential art-making. Glistening frost crystals and light dustings of snow can create such lovely and delicate outlines, patterns and textures in the winter garden. Before the snow completely blankets and transforms outdoor florals and greenery into their winter sleep states, the concentration of frozen dew highlights leaf and petal edges and sharpens colours in quite a vibrant and dynamic fashion.

Sharing in this post offerings of golden autumn moments, experienced and captured with reverence and gratitude through the camera lens.

Shara continues to design and facilitate meaningful community projects for McNally Hospice and shares her most recent community art therapy legacy piece titled: ‘Message in a Bottle’ on display at the Grimbsy Public Art Gallery this month.

Sharing my 2021 eco-art journey, a personal and reflective nature inspired project to honour the relationships and various connections in my life, and a way to establish a mindful, creative and sustainable daily practice in pandemic times. And, a much needed and beautiful excuse to spend hours outdoors in my garden sanctuary engaging with natural elements!

Have you thought about your self-care routine much lately? Have you noticed the need for more self-care throughout the pandemic? This post invites you to reflect on your self-care practice and provides templates and resource links to prompt that needed self-care journey in these continued stressful times.

Global Dignity Day 2021 is October 20th. Sharing links and resources below. Show someone they matter and take a moment to reflect upon what dignity means.

Who knew wee Roxy would have such a story? From street rescue to mascot, from inspiration to muse to thesis companion to diva, she has had many roles including a brief yet enduring role as a therapy cat. However, Roxy being a fickle feline, the training or experiences did not stick! Although she did not blossom into a full time therapy cat, these moments were brief, impactful and very memorable.

As Summer blends into Autumn I thought a post sharing some beautiful summer skies would make those memories linger, and encourage a pause as we celebrate nature and the glorious change of seasons.

Introducing the current Ontario Art Therapy Association Board for the 2021-23 term and a well deserved thank you to the 2019-2021 Board. Sharing in this post a couple of photo collage pages from the recently sent out 2021 OATA Tapestry Newsletter.

For those of us who participated in this recent OATA group supervision online, Hannah generously gifted us through her words of guidance, gentle questioning and wise attunement. By creating this regulating space she transported us into a virtual art therapy capsule - an open-ended, art-making, and sensory space where self-directed expression, sharing and her community supervision approach are based on the ‘one-canvas’ supervision model.