Examples of Past Art Invitations

In the northern community where this capstone project was conducted, an art as therapy group was introduced as a new method of mental health support to be offered at this Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) location. Through 6 art invitations and final formal art showcase, the intention of the group was to provide a space that allowed participants to creatively explore the theme of identity. Those with mental illness are considered to be a vulnerable population, however, through the anti-oppressive practice, the overarching goal was to promote wellness despite the participants diagnosis and illness. The participants were empowered to develop themselves and their art into the artists that they were and allow their artist identities to flourish with other aspects of self to which they felt connected. They became a cohesive collective which the researcher was fortunate to witness and document their experiences for the phenomena that presented in the here and now moments of each art invitation. With this anti-oppressive approach and phenomenological description, the voices of the artist participants made this documentation a base model for the future of art therapy within this northern community and other mental health agencies. With the artist’s experiences as the focus of this documentation, the outcomes surrounding their identities and ways of being, draw the benefits to a cumulative close of an experience that made an impact beyond their artwork.