Fun Making Pocket Shrines

I facilitate an ongoing women's expressive art group, which has come to be called the Medicine Art Group. The name comes from art therapist, Shaun Mc Niffs's book, "Art as Medicine"  Over time the name as morphed and changed, it was once called the Art Spa fondly by group members.  Medicine Art has not only become the official name, but also now seems to  also refer to all the groups that I offer at the studio, being part of the Medicine Art Series.

The idea being that doing art is healing on a deep level, whether it is process or product oriented, whether one likes the tangible outcome or not.  All art making is healing, because we move into the moment, become more aware and our brain waves shift and we move into a deeper, healing awareness.  Art therapists call this approach Art As Therapy, not necessarily art therapy.  But to me and to participants in all these groups, it is one and the same.  ART is MEDICINE.   

 This past Friday in this ongoing group, we began to make pocket shrines.  Creating small containers to hold a specific energy, thought, intention or honoring.  Whether playful or deeply meaningful, the experience was fun and filled with energy.    

We started altering a various of sizes  of tin containers, although any container can do.  We used lots of altoid tins and small candy containers.  Altering is the name of the game here.  We painted, collaged and filled them with pieces, papers and items that moved us, in the moment, for whatever reason that emerged spontaneously.

 Everyone really got into it, to say the least.  These are some of the shrines that emerged during the group.

 Many of us were not complete and are going to continue on with this process the next time we meet in 2 weeks.

 So here are some of the small, portable shrines that emerged that day, for your viewing pleasure.

 I truly love show and tell, which is what this blog has become for me, showing off what emerges in my groups as well as my own personal art process.

                                       Aren't these all so wonderful, charming and magical?

                                 Each with deeply personal meaning for the shrine maker.

                                            This last one is mine, which is till in process.

After continuing to work on my pocket shrine after the group ended, I moved into another personal shrine.

A dear woman to me, who was my fathers girlfriend for many years, recently, and in many ways was another mother figure to me, recently died.  Interestingly enough, she shared the same name as my mother.

So, I took a holy card that I received the other day in mail from Addie's memorial service and an old tin nichio that I have been wondering what to do with and created another shrine,
honoring Addie, my mom and all the mother figures in my life.