Just got back from Miami, where we celebrated 49 years as the American Art Therapy Association. I had the honor of being the conference chair the last two years, with 9 total years on the committee, and have been really enjoying this role, even the part where I passed the torch to the next chair! I had a lot of fantastic support, of course, and many times just thought I was along for the ride, with the National office staff and the board of directors just on their A-game ready to pull off some fantastic stuff to make this an amazing conference. You can find more about the American Art Therapy Association here.
We had an amazing plenary session, with Patricia Isis leading the group in mindfulness exercises that we could take home. Followed by a performance of Hallelujah, buy the country singer Imaj– who was simply beautiful. It won’t be the same as when it was lively stage, but you can find a similar performance here. And she lives in Texas now! Spreading her message of hope through her performances.
Finally, our keynote, Dr. Joy DeGruy spoke about her work in Post Traumatic Slave Syndrom, and helped a group of mostly white women brush the surface of understanding of what our fellow Americans have endured post slave trade, and how the culture still exists in many hidden ways. I bought her book, and look forward to finishing up the story she started to tell us. You can purchase her book here, or find a ted talk here.
It was so powerful that day! Just to see how everything we are and can be doing as art therapists can be the foundation for some really great change in this world.
It was great to catch up with some friends! I brought some cards, prints and mixed media pieces to sell at the artists marketplace with my friend Rachel Mims, the founder of a great organization called Veteran Art Therapy- with 20% of my proceeds going to her organization- but I have a few left still! Check here if you are interested in having these in your home!
Skimmers and seagulls…..
and my Skimmer painting from several years back!