Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Saving the world, one sock monkey at a time
There is good afoot (no pun intended) in Vancouver where Kat Thorsen, self-described art therapist, visual artist, sock animal maker and craftivist! conducts adolescent treatment programs using art as one of the paths to restoration. When you click on the link, be sure to visit all the options offered there...read the posts, learn about the program, visit the Etsy site and see the work offered by Kat and the program participants. Sock monkeys make me smile. I ought to have known they are capable of so much more. Stitched, stuffed healers, they and others of their handcrafted ilk carry messages of hope.
Felt doll by Hannah.
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19 comments:
i love sock monkeys: i used to have a collection, but they got left behind with the husband that i dont have anymore.
my stepdaughter and i had:
cindy
&
norma
&
little eric
&
dave. i miss them.
& i miss my stepdaughter.
uhoh, marylinn: you've rocked my boat...
xo
susan
Susan - I love their names and I'm sorry you don't have them and your stepdaughter any more. Switching metaphors, I think we all awoke one morning and found ourselves grown up and in the rodeo. xo
Sock monkeys, Yes. But I am not so sure how the very PERMANENT tattoos fit into the process?
Those things that make us smile. Never had a sock monkey, but still have my fish made out of felt.:)
Marylinn, thank you for your wonderful contribution, I'm reposting it this weekend so people can continue. :))
I always thought that art therapy seemed like a fine idea.
Robert - I'm not sure either but appreciate your checking the link. I know others who work with at-risk youth and feel strongly about supporting anyone who brings healing and hope to this population. They are our future.
Antares Cryptos - A fish made out of felt...what is not to love? Thank you for your posting...I know Kat will appreciate it...had a nice email when I told her about this.
Laoch - Art therapy really is fine and effective. Even without an intention, I find the focus of art or craft takes the mind to a different place, stills us and returns us to center. And this program helps them create a product...income, recognition, it's all good.
I'm missing something. Kat?
Isn't it strange that we started calling creativity and creating, art and craft specifically, art therapy?
It's where the current educational system started to fail, when they chose not to make it a mandatory part.
You reminded me of something that may make it's way into a post:), could have something to do with my fish, who traveled with me.
Antares Cryptos - Kat is the woman whose site I linked to...no possible reason you would know that...my mind seems to have drifted off someplace...I would like to read about your fish traveling with you...if I still had the sock monkey I made, well, I suppose I could always just make something up.
Well, that was awkward...
I read her name and linked, so why I didn't make the connection???
Then I assumed you were talking about my creative writing post to which you graciously added and thought...can't remember what it was that I was thinking about. It happens.
Turning a sock into a monkey looks tricky but making a sock horse-head was simple enough and my lovely beige hobby horse carried me over many hurdles and through many a paddock before the reins of imagination snapped.
Antares Cryptos - I get lost walking from one room to another...confusion is a state of being. Never let it concern you here. Have there been additional responses to your collective writing post...it was fun.
Penelope - Oh, yes. The sock-headed hobby horse...I think I made one of those as well. We can take a moment today to grieve the reins of imagination...believing the cardboard rocket would really reach the moon...
Thank you, I think the internet is to blame.
Not yet. I scheduled the re-post for this weekend, but instead another post went up. It is unclear at this point whether human error was involved or Blogger decided what it wanted to read first. I prefer blaming technology.
Thank you Marylinn Kelly for posting! I assure everyone that we only do watercolor tattoos in our art therapy that wash away! It's a great way for kids to celebrate their culture and wear impermanent art! Any permanent ones are on me or a students age 20! :)
Cheers Kat
Kat - Thank you for the additional information...and watercolor tattoos sound like an ideal trial run in preparation for the permanent variety, unrelated to your great program. Hope you are all thriving. Cheers back.
Watercolor tattoos are a gentle way as well to cover cutting marks and to dialogue around that. Very powerful. We're winding down the school year with some out days (e.g. taking 4 students out today for supply shopping and b-day lunches) and an art trip- 4 day art retreat on Savary Island. I have butterflies though as I am leaving my current position June 30 as our small, impoverished school is closing next year (budget cuts) and I am developing my own youth artisan program. It's all a big scary unknown full of amazing possibilities. Love K
Kat - I am sorry your school (small, impoverished, the most in need of support) is closing yet trust you will bring your creative, healing gifts to those who will be helped by them. I had not thought of the temporary tattoos as camouflage for cutting marks...many years ago in recovery programs I met young women who were also recovering from cutting. When I read your comment, their faces came back in an instant, as did the tears. Miracles and possibilities abound. Love, Marylinn
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