"Art that arises out of the inner landscape and is connected to our lived experience, illuminates the darkness and heals the soul." Daria Halprin, Co-founder and Director of the Tamalpa Institute
The Life/Art process (L/AP) is an experiential tool, which is used to look at oneself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually through the lens of multiple art mediums. As it's starting point the L/AP believes that nothing is broken or needs to be fixed. It will, however, assist you in:
The primary tool within the L/AP is the use of movement, the body's first language. It is from this platform that we dive into our stories bringing in the visual arts (non-literal), creative writing and spoken word as needed to complete the exploration. It is not how this creativity is completed, but rather what it says to you that is important. After identifying any issues of concern, then we are able to confront, release and change them over time into a more desirable form. Only then is true growth able to happen in one's life.
I offer clients many different opportunities to engage in the life/art process through my weekly classes, monthly workshops and individual sessions. Some of the topics and areas I focus on are as follows:
- Body part mythology: During these classes/workshops, we look at individual body parts in not only it's physical sense, both form and function, but it's metaphorical sense as well. This allows students to focus on one particular body part and see the stories that are contained within and, most importantly, how those stories are visible in their current life situations. rt.
- Men's challenges and triumphs; As the title implies, these classes are specifically for men only. We look at the unique issues that we men face in the modern world we must all must live in. Here the guys are able to move and explore their challenges in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Particular focuses include: How do we lead in life and how do we follow? How do we deal with societal stresses put upon us? How can we work together to make our lives and all our relationships more fulfilling?
- Performance laboratories: Here we use our body movements, and the stories that are contain within, as performance. The word "performance" can be a bit intimidating, but it is used here as my teacher G. Hoffman Soto says, "to come out and share who we are in creative and inspiring ways that help us all to be more of who we truly are." These sessions are actively witnessed by other members of the class in a supportive role for the mover. Another form of these classes is using performance to explore our "characters", which reside in all of us. How might they look if you embodied them fully?
- Individual sessions: Here I work with clients on coaching movements, using visual arts and writing in a multi-modal expressive arts approach. Clients are coached, but not fixed. Nothing is broken here. It is the clients themselves, which find their answers. However, I assist in identifying the challenges and offer resources on ways to confront and, hopefully, release it.