ABSTRACT
Without media and tools, there can be no art . While there is such a thing as mental imagery, and people of all ages do think in pictures, in order for such images to become art they must be concretized in some way. In the visual arts, this is done through the use of materials. Art therapists tend to prefer simple media and processes to more complex ones for several reasons. First, the more unstructured the medium, the more an individual will be able to project upon it. Since all art therapists hope to evoke personally meaningful creations, it would make sense that they would not wish to impose in any way on the patient's own natural imagery. To paint by the numbers or pour clay into molds is /lot an art activity, although art media are used. Such rigidly imposed tasks involve simply following directions-a laudable capacity, but not related to the essence or the goals of art therapy. Even the making of a pot holder or a ceramic tile trivet severely restricts the kind of imagery possible, despite the fact that there can be individual choice in colors and arrangement. While every art medium imposes its own intrinsic limits, there is in each the possibility of highly personal work by different individuals.
