This simple, mindfulness drawing meditation will help you be more GROUNDED and CALM by tuning into your breath. This activity will help you de-stress through drawing. It will bring you into the present moment and immediately feel more relaxed. Designed by an art therapist, this intuitive drawing bring self-care together with art and mindfulness for an honest & authentic view of yourself in this moment. #arttherapy #artastherapy #arttherapynearme #arttherapyclassesnearme #den

This simple, mindfulness drawing meditation will help you FEEL into your energy level and assess what you need to be more ENERGIZED and filled up! This activity will help you de-stress through drawing. It will bring you into the present moment and immediately feel more relaxed. Designed by an art therapist, this intuitive drawing bring self-care together with art and mindfulness for an honest & authentic view of yourself in this moment. #arttherapy #artastherapy #artandmedita

You may not know this but paintings and drawings have a "hard stage." It's in the middle of your process somewhere, you've been trucking along, feeling good... and all of a sudden you don't like it. And you don't know what you don't like! Something is off and you're feeling deflated, discouraged and wondering if you have to start over. Shannon likes to call this, "the ugly stage." 1st lesson: this is NORMAL!!! It doesn't mean anything about you as a painter or drawer. (insert

When you want to draw (or paint) a figure, don't just start drawing head, shoulders, etc... We look at people all day long but when it comes to drawing them, we need a system to help lay down what's really there and truly see. In order to draw or paint a figure we want to begin by laying down the axis of the body to create a "grid."  Axis are: imaginary lines that help divide the body into planes and help explain orientation. In this lesson we drew in axis for the spine, the

There's more than 1 way to paint a sunset! Shannon shares her favorite blending technique: Cross-Hatching. It makes for a more "painterly" looking sky and you can use it for any subject matter you want! Want to join our Creative Community?! A good place to begin is with our Class Schedule or the Getting Started page! #Denverartclass #Denverpaintingclass #Denverartstudio #Denverpaintingclasses #learntopaint #artclasses #artclass #artschoolDenver #paintingclassesDenver #paintin

Here’s the secret: we’ve got it all wrong. What feels important, what we give so much of our time and energy to, it’s NOT the answer. We actually need to nourish the soul. We need to come back into balance...as people and as a culture. One of the best ways to care for the soul is by making art. It gets you tuned into your inner wisdom. It naturally brings you into flow. Expression is VITAL to the soul. And there's a beautiful energy exchange that happens when you make art

Art Therapy is helpful for people of all ages and its benefits go beyond the field of mental health into many other areas of life. Including an art therapy practice along with other recovery methods when dealing with traumatic life events is essential for expressing our emotions (particularly the more negative ones) rather than letting them control our day-to-day. Making art allows for the opportunity to be fully present in the moment and offers a sense of relaxation and peac

“I can’t make art! I’m not creative. Art is for those people, over there with “natural talent.” If these are some thoughts that go through your mind, we have something to tell you! No one is “naturally” good at art. It truly takes practice to be good at anything. And it really, really helps to have someone teach you and guide you. With MBodied, we have a 5-step system for helping students with NO experience go from “I’m not creative” to “I can’t believe I did that!” We

Did you know that Hitler banned modern art while he was in power? He declared it was “un-German” and held an exhibition in 1937 called the “Degenerate Art Exhibition” to mock the art and convince viewers to see it as a symptom of an evil plot against German people. The curators even hired actors to mingle with the crowds and criticize the works. Why did he go to such lengths to slander modern art? Hitler was trying to control people’s perceptions through art. He wanted ar

Did you know most kids stop making art around the age of 11 or 12? At this point in cognitive development, kids begin to want their art to look real and if they can’t accomplish this feat they give up on art altogether. Many adults have affirmed this to be the story of when they stopped making art. I tend to agree, if art had to be realistic, I wouldn’t enjoy it much either. But that's the thing…it doesn’t have to be like anything! That’s why I love abstract art, it allow

I’m sitting in a roomful of people who are silent, totally absorbed in what they are doing, soft music playing in the background and a sense of community and belonging. This is one of my favorite things as an introvert, enjoying the company of others while totally engaged in what I am doing. Now, we’re not silent all the time. We talk, we laugh and engage. The difference is, that’s not the focus of our gathering. We gather to paint, our focus is on creative expression and

I know I’m not alone here when I say that my intentions to make art greatly outweigh my actual art making endeavors. I’m not alone because I know the truth about creativity as I’ve seen it play out the same for every person I’ve known: creativity is a discipline just like going to the gym or going to work. Sometimes you don’t want to do it and sometimes you have to make yourself do it. “You can’t force creativity!” Yes, yes, we like to believe creativity is this fleeting

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Be encouraged. Find insight. Explore your creativity. Feel enthusiastic. Find a vision. These are some synonyms for being inspired. Sound like something you’re craving? Inspiration is the fuel for my life. I need it, I feed off it, I seek it out. Why? Because it feels amazing to be inspired. It’s tingly excitement for what’s happening and what’s coming next. It’s like being really alive in this moment. I love it! I am offering this wonderful experience to you as w

Do you know what the art process is, really? When I want to paint a canvas, for example, what are the steps I got through to complete this task? First, I need an idea. “What am I going to paint?…What do I want to share with the world?” Then I have to visualize it and figure out what it’s really going to look like. Third, I need materials. Gather up the paint, brushes, palette, canvas and any other things I might need to begin. As I work on my painting there will be inevi

I love the community that is forming among the painters at MBodied! If you walk in during Introduction to Acrylics or Open Studio you will hear people chatting about life, about their painting process, making jokes or singing along to the music. Other times you hear nothing at all. That silence is the absorbed focus of painting known as the “flow state.” Making art can take you into a deep state of presence where it feels like only you and the painting are there. How coo

A lot of people use art as a means to deal with sadness, stress and trauma. Others use it to explore their inner talent and creative voice. While other forms of therapy rely on verbal language to express thoughts and feelings, art therapy uses art media as its primary mode of communication. Keep in mind, though, that you don’t have to be an artist to enjoy the benefits of art therapy because it is focused on the process of making art rather the final product. If you are curio

Traumatic events can happen to anyone at any time. People may experience mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety following a traumatic event. Some may even suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. This is not a sign of weakness. These symptoms are our brain’s normal response to an event that one perceived as dangerous or life threatening. They need to undergo therapy in order to overcome their symptoms and help them heal emotionally. It may surprise you to learn that art can

When a person is diagnosed with illness, our first instinct is to focus on the physical health and alleviate the pain. In addition to the physical health, we should also keep in mind that these individuals also suffer emotionally. Concerns about health can be a source of stress and anxiety, not only for the patient but his family and loved ones as well. The good news is, patients and their families can get through this emotional turmoil with the help of art therapy. Today, ar

Art therapy, also referred to as creative arts therapy, uses visual arts to communicate feelings that cannot be expressed by words alone. A lot of people have little understanding about the purpose, principles and origins of art therapy. We decided to write this article to broaden your knowledge of art therapy and see how it can benefit you. Art therapy dates back to 1940 Margaret Naumburg, the founder of art therapy, was the first to define art therapy as a distinct form psy