Our faces hold emotion, express love and peace, and tell our stories and dreams. Healing in Arts was honored to partner with Creatives Unleashed in Budapest, Hungary to explore how portraits can help us engage in self-reflection and healing.
HiA artist and board member Yeram Leonard partnered with me in the four-day art workshop series. Starting with a session on the art of creative care, I challenged participants to think about new forms for artistic expression and storytelling. The presentation included the inspiring story of Jochebed, Moses’ mother, and how she used her artistic skill to save her son by weaving a basket. Following examples of how I have told my story through handmade postcards, paintings, or public exhibits, the group turned to their own self-portraits to nurture and inspire personal creative care.
Participants gathered after a quick drawing demonstration to sketch their self-portraits on large pieces of Japanese paper made from the mulberry plant. Due to the paper’s long fibers, the two-dimensional self-portraits could be “lifted” and transformed into three-dimensional works. Though it was an independent process, this exercise allowed for creativity to develop in a safe environment with mutual support, bringing a smile to each face.
