ABSTRACT

Therapists depend on a variety of materials to engage clients at all stages and levels. When clients create the materials they will use for self-expression, it slows the process down and imbues higher level of intrinsic value to the resulting artwork. With a clear goal, everything becomes easier and the people will know where to best place our efforts to obtain eco-art therapy materials. For many therapists and educators, having an art-material garden would make eco-art therapy approaches much more practical. To cultivate the garden, use nature as our ally, harness its tendencies so they are tasked with considerably less work. Beyond growing materials, when incorporating art making in the garden during eco-art therapy interventions, choose materials which will hold up to elements such as ceramic mosaics. When using plant-based watercolors, client focus can be on incorporating negative space the vacant space behind and around an object such as a background as well as positive space the figure in composition.