Art for Cancer Wellness: Altered Book Patients Group with Em, Fall 2023
Workshop Title:Â Altered Book Patients Group
Facilitator:Â Em Jones, MA, LGPAT, ATR-P, BFA
Dates: Wednesdays, 6 PM to 7:30 PM ET
- October 4, 2023
- October 18, 2023
- November 1, 2023
- November 15, 2023
- November 29, 2023
- December 13, 2023
In this autumn workshop series of six bi-weekly sessions facilitated by art therapist Em Jones, participants are invited to engage in the process of altered book artmaking. Each week, group members will be guided to creatively explore their thoughts, feelings, and current experiences through creative themes with the aim of facilitating self-expression and self-understanding, fostering hope and strength, and encouraging support in a creative and healing virtual group atmosphere.
Workshop Materials: Participants will be provided with basic artmaking materials, as well as a book to optionally use for altering and a few assorted magazines to use for collage. Participants are welcome to use any other materials they have available to them for this workshop, including finding their own book for altering. Participants will also be given a small notebook for writing.
Week-by-Week Overview: Each workshop will be structured as follows: check-in, introduction to theme, artmaking, discussion, grounding exercise, and closing thoughts.
Week 1 — October 4: Altered Book: Myself, Right Now
Materials:Â Hardbound book for altering, various art materials (collage materials, paint sticks, colored pencils, watercolor paints, etc).
- Structure: Group introductions, review of consent, and space to discuss group expectations and goals. Check-in; Introduction to Altered Book Artmaking; Review of materials & Intro to theme: Myself, Right Now. Free flow writing Exercise; Artmaking. Discussion; Controlled Breathing; Closing.
Week 2 — October 18: Altered Book: Blackout Poetry
Materials:Â Hardbound book for altering, various art materials (collage materials, paint sticks, colored pencils, watercolor paints, etc).
- Structure: Check-in; Review of materials & Discussion of Blackout Poetry;Â Artmaking; Writing; Discussion; Controlled Breathing; Closing.
Week 3 — November 1: Altered Book: Change
Materials:Â Hardbound book for altering, various art materials (collage materials, paint sticks, colored pencils, watercolor paints, etc).
- Structure: Check-in; Review of materials & Intro to theme: Change. Artmaking; Writing; Discussion; Controlled Breathing; Closing.
Week 4 — November 15: Altered Book: Storytelling
Materials:Â Hardbound book for altering, various art materials (collage materials, paint sticks, colored pencils, watercolor paints, etc).
- Structure: Check-in; Review of materials & Intro to theme: Storytelling. Artmaking; Writing; Discussion; Controlled Breathing; Closing.
Week 5 — November 29: Altered Book: Fear & Love
Materials:Â Hardbound book for altering, various art materials (collage materials, paint sticks, colored pencils, watercolor paints, etc).
- Structure: Check-in; Word Mapping exercise; Intro to theme: Fear & Love. Artmaking; Writing; Discussion; Controlled Breathing; Closing.
Week 6 — December 13: Altered Book: Lessons & Wisdom
Materials:Â Hardbound book for altering, various art materials (collage materials, paint sticks, colored pencils, watercolor paints, etc).
- Structure: Check-in; Review of materials & Intro to theme: Lessons Learned & Wisdom to Share. Artmaking; Writing; Discussion; Review of Fall Series; Controlled Breathing; Closing.