First Night of Exciting Collaboration in Art Therapy Begins!

Recently Nicole was honored to be asked to serve as the Art Therapist for teenagers for a monthly event created by an exciting new collaboration among the Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara, Landon Pediatric Foundation, Ventura County Medical Center’s Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, St. John’s Cancer Center, The Teddy Bear Foundation, American Cancer Society and CMH Cancer Resource Center. Each innovative event includes a Family Dinner with break-out session support and therapy groups for parents, children with cancer and their siblings. Nicole is responsible for the Art Therapy for the Teen Group, aged 14 and older. Here is the photo of the completed first project - more photos to come soon!

-of Fancy Pens & Fine Papers

At last night Creativity Central, first we enjoyed a sneak peek of our now completed and assembled (but not yet framed) last Creativity Central project, entitled "Sea Scape":

"Sea Scape" by Creativity Central

 Many thanks to all the Creativity Central participants who worked so creatively as a fabulous inspirational team on this unique project - Joanie, Allyson, Carol, Anita, Hannah, Martina and Alex - I think you will agree - our "Sea Scape" creation is truly BEAUTIFUL!  We will be getting it framed and it will proudly hang along with our "Jammin Jungle" project at the Cancer Resource Center.

Then we first made pens with a flourish of ostrich feathers and color, and then used our special pens to write some thoughtful journalling on beautiful papers kindly provided by Kathleen of the Cancer Resource Center.  We did the journalling following the structure of Nicole's book, "Exploring the Successful You."  We shared quite a bit and used most of the paper!  The rest of the paper the group took home to continue their journalling work.  Here are some of the photos of last night's Creativity Central:

Some of our finished Fancy Pens, on the lovely Papers created by Kathleen

Allyson's Colroful, FUN Pen, dedicated to Sarah

Carol's Pen - we love the pink polka's!

Closeup of Carol's pen

Robert's Rainbow Pen

Allyson starting to work on her journal with her very COOL pen!

Robert and Carol thoughtfully journalling

The whole collection of pens and pretty papers!

Creativity Central Finds Mermaid and Treasure!

Last night's Creativity Central was filled with wonderfully whimsical colors and also real treasure - the "treasure" are the happy smiles we all shared.  -But we can't minimize the great work!  Carol's beautiful sculptures from last week, like the mermaid and the sea kelp, along with Allyson's fearless creativity (not to mention her toothpick prickly sea urchin) and Joannie's brilliant technique and eye for color, made this an extra special Creativity Central, and the wonderful underwater adventure we are creating is going to be truly spectacular and fun.  I am so proud of this team - and they are a beautiful team.  For example, Carol's impressive mermaid that Carol had so lovingly sculpted was colored beautifully by Joannie, and we all shared different elements of what we worked on with each other, getting the most of the group's collective creativity.  Here are some photos from this especially talented group:

Carol and Joannie's Beautiful Mermaid

Allyson's Whimsical Creations!

Vast treasure that added smiles!

Joannie applying color with skill and BEAUTIFUL results - so much talent!

Allyson inspiring us all to be more creative, sharing her pink spotted whale

Carol hard at work on creating a bejeweled crown

Joannie's gloriously colored creations.  We love them ALL!

Deep Sea Creativity Central Last Night!

Last night we had an incredibly creative time - and thanks to Allyson, even modern technology made an appearance!  Allyson shared images on her smart phone to help the group create more realistic sea images - and the results are GREAT!  I think you'll all be very impressed with the beautiful and fun creations we made last night.  These creations will be colored at the next session, and then added to the painting seascape we created at the last session (much as we did with the "Jammin Jungle").  Allyson brought sea glass for us to incorporate as well - this is shaping up to be an amazing piece!  Carol's mermaid will be a wonderful addition to the piece, and her kelp is beautifully sculpted.  Anita's shell will give some nice depth and texture, and speaking of texture...check out Allyson's sea urchin!  Here are some photos of the last session - and I think you'll agree this was one creative dream team!

Anita and Allyson and Carol working (Carol is chatting with Jay (off screen))

Allyson bringing technology to the table!

Allyson's playfully pointy sea urchin!  Great creativity!

Anita's beautifully textured and scalloped sea shell

Carol creating her amazing kelp

Carol's sculptural, beautiful kelp, fun mermaid, and great starfish! 
These will be wonderful additions to the painting!

A closeup of Carol's GORGEOUS kelp - WOW!

Allyson and Carol creating their masterpieces

Anita hard at work on adding texture to her perfect sea shell

Some of Allyson's fun creations - see the sea glass!

What's an undersea scape without bubbles?

June's Creativity Central a SPLASH

At our June Creativity Central session, we had a great time painting an under-water themed canvas as the starting background of our next masterpiece.  Joanie arrived first and gave everyone a running start with her beautiful fish, which was a lovely beginning.  Then, as people arrived, everyone joined in, making this truly a group project.  As background, before the Creativity Central session, Nicole draws the outlines and pre-mixes a set of colors, and then everyone paints all over the entire canvas - we all share colors, working the same sections - it's a beautiful sharing experience and a moment of pure collective creativity.   The music plays, the Cancer Center has beautiful dappled light at that time of day in the Summer, and everything is peaceful and yet alive with creative energy.  We laugh, we share, we learn, and we create. 

Following are the photos of this stage of our project.  For our next session, here's a secret - we might, if he is available, be joined at our next Creativity Central session (Tuesday July 31) once again by Dr. Kafka, who will treat us with more musical making magic while we craft some fun 3 D creations to add to our underwater masterpiece!  Hope to see you then!

Our underwater scape, and our beautiful painting team -
Hannah, Joanie, Allyson, Martina and Alex

Close-up of Joanie's fish, that started us off!

Allyson, Martina and Alex painting

Allyson painting while Joanie and Martina look on

Beautiful team creative energy

A happy moment

Hannah and Allyson paint while Alex and Joanie look on

Beautiful creative work

Allyson, Alex and Joanie painting

A big smile from Alex while Joanie, Hannah and Allyson paint

Creativity Central Makes More Grocery Totes!

We had both new friends and old friends at our May Creativity Central - and we had a magical, peaceful time - along with a few laughs and even some impromptu dancing!  Here are some of the photos of the lovely grocery tote bags we created using the fabric painting supplies generously donated by  iLOVEtoCREATE.  It feels good to be earth-friendly!

Allyson's elegant design says it all - each color ribbon represents both a different friend and a different type of cancer being conquered.

Ruth's whimsical design is sunny happy - and her bag, by its smile, looks like it is enjoying the process too!

A spring blending of paisleys and a pink ribbon creatively colored by Carol

Some great blending technique by Robert!

Ruth's finished creation!  You have to smile when you see this bag!

Carol hard at work!

Ruth and her super fun new grocery tote!

A great grocery tote proudly displayed by Robert, one of its creators - this bag was a wonderful effort by two friends!

Another of one of Creativity Central's new friend's creations

Robert making it look easy!

Allyson and Carol hard at work.