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THE MOON AND THE STARS
by an 8 year-old boy
8 in. x 8 in. Acrylic paint, foil and string.
This graphic image was constructed of layers of materials
and each time the artist reached the next step in the process
he had to assert his preferences. His completed art survives
as a record of his determination to achieve unique and satisfying
results. He narrated his courage to face uncertainty as he
added finishing touches, saying, ‘If you don’t
get to be a star down here, there’s plenty of room in
the sky.’ Art is a celebration of individual potential,
choice and aspiration, and children living with HIV/AIDS know
this instinctively. They take advantage of its invitation
to make their own decisions and to affect others in turn.
Even if they may never see their dreams fully realized, their
art can keep them alive. |
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INSPIRATIONS
by a children’s group
24 in. x 8 in. Acrylic paint.
These signs were produced during a structured art therapy
activity that focused on developing a positive outlook. Each
of the participants selected a single word that helped them
to deal with the daily stresses of their lives. After they
decorated and personalized them, the finished pieces were
placed over the doorways inside Pediatric Care as daily affirmations.
During the creative process the children shared their insights
and suggestions for getting through tough situations, finding
ways to guide each other from personal experience. This mutual
peer support reinforced their sense of belonging and mastery
and the display of their artwork enhanced their sense of community. |
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RAINBOW PEACE
by a 5 year-old boy and a 16 year-old girl
12 in. x 18 in. Glue and watercolor paint.
The pleasurable enjoyment of making art is a direct and
thrilling part of the creative experience, especially for
children living with HIV/AIDS. Spontaneous artwork brings
an emotional release and energizes the artists. This benefit
of art therapy is deceptively simple, but to witness the vitality
of the discovery process proves how essential such positive
events are to restoring balance and joy in the troubled lives
of children living with HIV/AIDS. The title these artist chose
confirms that the gratifying effect of their work was visible
to them. |
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PLEASE HELP ME
by a 32 year-old mother
20 in. x 16 in. Tempera paint and collage.
Adults living with HIV/AIDS often fear catastrophic crises that
the virus can suddenly cause in their families, all while they
struggle with the many chronic ways their lives are already
compromised by their status. They usually recognize their pressing
need for real options and will readily access resources in their
environment if these are sensitive and suitable. When
they are provided with appropriate assistance and support, they
are able to shift out of crisis mode and establish comprehensive
systems to plan for both the present and the future of their
families. Still early in her recovery from substance abuse,
this artist does not hesitate to appeal to the viewer to respond
to her situation and help her move forward. |
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THIS WAS OUR HOUSE
by a 10 year-old boy
18 in. x 12 in. Watercolor paint.
The theme of home often appears in the artwork of children living
with HIV/AIDS. When this artist’s mother died, he had
to move from the family home and leave behind many possessions,
as well as his pets. At first he tried to encourage himself
with words borrowed from adults, 'When God closes a door he
opens a window,' but instead his emptiness overwhelmed him.
Here he shows us the love leaving the home through his mother's
bedroom window, as he believes her spirit also did. The skeletal
form of the house expresses the fragile feelings that it can
barely hold. Art therapy allowed him to articulate his grief
about these losses and his anxieties about his future, informing
his other
family members and his future caregiver. |
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MY MOTHER’S FUNERAL
by a 7 year-old girl
8-1/2 in. x 11 in. Markers.
The art therapy process can guide and support children who are
actively going through the loss of a parent to AIDS. This young
girl illustrated her many stages of grief in explicit images
that she created for a memory journal—a keepsake that
chronicled their relationship.
Here she depicts herself declaring her final message to her
mother while at her funeral service. Since her mother died just
shy of her fortieth birthday, this child also made a beautiful
birthday card for her
that she tucked into the casket. The many age appropriate bereavement
activities allowed her to work through her own experiences at
her own pace, contributing to her general well-being. |
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FAMILY MATTERS
by a 27 year-old mother
18 in. x 12 in. Collage.
Parents living with HIV/AIDS often feel the strain of multiple
responsibilities—taking care of their children and other
family members, attending to practical necessities and working
with tight budgets, all while maintaining their health and planning
for the future. Some of the mothers find art therapy to be a
vital resource for looking closely at their lives to gain a
deeper understanding of their current circumstances
and concerns. This artist used the creative process to reveal
distinctions and connections between past, present and future
generations in her family as she sorted through her options
for her permanency plan. It helped her to eliminate distortions
in her perceptions and to clarify her true wishes. |
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OUR GARDEN BLOOMS
by a children’s group
5 ft. x 3 ft. Tempera paint.
Art therapy provides an immediate opportunity to create beauty
and hope where it was not evident before. An art directive with
a simple structure allows children to work within a set of boundaries
that invite innovation and growth. During this directive, the
children made flowers that they later combined into a collective
mural, requiring negotiation and a cooperative effort. Each
individual witnessed their ability to contribute to the welfare
of the whole and reminded them of the power of teamwork in achieving
more than a single person can accomplish on their own. |
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THE BOX ROOM
by an 11 year-old girl
12 in. x 18 in. Watercolor paint.
Children affected by HIV/AIDS deal with a unique set of issues,
especially as their lives change with the introduction of an
HIV+ relative into their home. This artist communicated intense
ambivalence about the adjustments that accompanied her cousin
when he moved in after her aunt died. While she looked forward
to having a new playmate, she was anxious about sharing her
bedroom and her mother’s attention. Given
the opportunity to process this confusing transition through
art therapy, eventually she was able to welcome this member
of her family and to begin to see him as one of her own siblings. |
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Last page from Self Journal
by JeNeen, age 36
12 x 18 inches. Collage.
While many clients seem to lack their own voice in giving expression
to their personal issues, they tend to be surprisingly capable
of borrowing the words of others to communicate about themselves.
This client struggled to reconstruct memories about her own
life but eventually was able to compose a hopeful message about
her own future. This final effort helped to ground her in making
life plans for her family members. |
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