Processing Emotions: Art it Out
When I am dealing with shit or processing emotions happy or sad, easy or hard. I go to my art. That’s where much of my dealing with things happens. It is a safe place where I can just let it all out. Last year I started art journaling which opened up a whole new way of thinking about art and how it happens. The art journal lets me explore more and play even more without feeling that I am destroying expensive paper or supports.
My art journal is where I go to art it out as I like to call working through the shit via art. Arting it out means I drop the notion that I am creating a work of art and move into a mindset of just creating to create. Creating to emote. There are times where the themes spill over into the “proper” art.
Let’s talk about this self portrait. As a piece of art it is not very good, the composition is off and the colors while fine aren’t all that well placed. I’d be bummed out over this piece if I had tried to make it “proper” art. Now this piece as an emotional outlet, well it worked. I’m not sure what’s going on with the washy tape hair around my face but by the time I finished this page. I felt better. The issue I was dealing with came out on the page instead of me freaking the fuck out on family.
I set out to create something just to create. I had no outcome in mind for the art or my emotions. It all got to flow without much control. This flow of emotion and art can create change in a profoundly subtle way that is not always apparent right away. It lets you get out what is hanging out bellow the surface in your subconscious. It also let’s the surface emotion have something to do. You have something to aim your hurt, anger, and fear or joy, happiness, and warm fuzzies, whatever emotions are there. It has a place to come to light and come out in a safe manner.
