We are excited to have Melanie Rivers to join us for this interactive session to learn about the healing benefits of engaging in arts and creativity. Melanie is a mixed media artist and currently studying to become an Expressive Arts Therapist. Making art and being creative is a great way to bring balance, feel grounded, and express emotions. It is also a great activity to build into health programs in the community to aid in healing and increase wellbeing. She will share teachings from her Squamish culture on how everything can be medicine, how making art has many medicines to share, and how we can meet the medicine half way. She will facilitate a hands-on arts activity that you are welcome to join in on. No art experience is required!
Art and Photos by Melanie Rivers (www.melanierivers.ca/)
Along with being guided through a simple art activity, we will also discuss:
- Melanie’s personal experience with the arts
- Examples of expressive arts activities
- Discussion on the benefits of engaging in the arts
- Links to expressive arts resources and activities
Thank you for everyone’s interest and participation, this session’s Video is now available for viewing!
Date: Thursday, January 31st, 2019 (PST)
Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30 am
Where: Videoconference OR internet webinar.
View system requirements
A big thank you to Melanie Rivers for facilitating a fun, interactive expressive art session! Members of the CEIH loved participating as well!
Meet our Guest Presenter:
Melanie Rivers/Tiyaltelwet
Melanie is a mixed media artist from the Squamish Nation, who teaches online and in-person art classes to women around the world. She helps people build a joyful and self-compassionate art practice. She is studying at the Vancouver School of Healing Arts to become an Expressive Arts Therapist.
For the last 20 years, Melanie has worked in the Indigenous health field and holds a Masters in Public Health and a Provincial Instructors Diploma. She has had the honour of partnering with and teaching in most of the First Nations communities in BC.
Melanie says; “Creating art brings me into the present moment, into stillness. In this space I am not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. In stillness, I find myself. I find peace, clarity and connection with my real emotions. Art is good medicine for the mind, body and spirit”
In her art she depicts the strength, realness and vulnerability of women. She believes that art has many medicines to share with us—stillness, joy, connection– and by engaging in art and creativity, we can all experience these medicines.
Follow Melanie on her Social Media:
Additional Resources:
- Vancouver School of Healing Arts
- Expressive Arts activities and resources
- Melanie’s Step-by-Step video and PDF on the “Mind, Body, Soul Collage”
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