student art on display march 19-27
The Alpine Fine Art Center is hosting a 1 1/2 week exhibit of art created by students attending the Florence Crittenton School. The gallery will be showcasing students' "Self Boxes," created under the guidance of Art Therapist Beth Erlander, MA, LPC, ATR.
See photos from the display and the opening reception here.
 Art Therapy at the Florence Crittenton School
Art therapy combines art creation with mental health counseling. It is based on the belief that the artistic process helps people to resolve problems, develop interpersonal skills, reduce stress, and increase self-awareness and self-esteem. Art therapy brings in elements of fun and play while looking deeply at difficult issues.
Art therapy provides a way to explore the main developmental task of adolescence – “Who am I?” This is especially difficult for teens to answer when motherhood is thrust upon them. At the Florence Crittenton School, art therapy is utilized in several ways. We currently offer two classes that combine art therapy with art education, as well as two weekly “Self Box” groups, and individual counseling sessions as needed.
 Self Box Project
The girls work on the “Self Box” project for five weeks. They are asked to pick out two boxes, one to represent themselves and the other their baby, their deepest secret, or something really precious to them. On the outside of their box, they are asked to depict the way they think the world sees them or the parts that they show the world. The inside is devoted to who they think they really are. Sometimes this is different and sometimes it is the same.
Another important part of the “Self Box” project is to show each young mother’s relationship with her child by playing with the way the boxes relate to each other. Girls who are pregnant will often glue the baby’s box to the inside or outside of their box. Girls who are parenting will also attach their boxes in a way that often reflects the complexity of the mother-child bond. Sometimes girls actually choose to be the smaller box and their baby’s box is the bigger box. In this way the art shows that their baby is a huge part of their life, so huge that they place themselves inside the box of the baby’s box.
Directions :
How to get to the Santa Fe Arts District.
MAP of Alpine Fine Art Center
Parking: Click here for parking options. |
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Alpine Fine Art Center
826 Santa Fe Drive, Denver
303.733.4847
www.alpinefineart.com
Student art is on display from
March 18-27, 2010.
Gallery Hours
Tuesday and Wednesday 11 am - 5 pm
Thursday and Friday 10 am - 5 pm
Saturday 10:30 am - 4 pm
Art therapy gives students a way to express what is going on for them and lets them visually answer the question—how do I balance motherhood with being a teenager?
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