Colorado Art Therapy Association
Summer Newsletter - 2021
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#empathywalls
Every Human Project
Moe Gram
mixed media panels
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Dear Colorado Art Therapy Association Members,
PRIDE is a month of inspiration, love, authenticity, and acceptance. There have been many bills passed that go against the care for the LGBTQIA+ community and it is all the more important that we engage with our communities to bring connection. CO-ATA has been inspired by the desire to expand our care to effectively serve all of the people that make the Colorado community colorful, hopeful, and bright.
We hope to continue fighting for a world that celebrates authenticity, as authenticity is the key to honoring expression. Through art, we can recognize the power of expression; letting the world see you. Remember to be proud of who you are, celebrate yourself, and honor your connections.
Sincerely,
Jacenta L. Irlanda
President, Colorado Art Therapy Association
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Colorado Art Therapist in the Spotlight |
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Meet Evan Honerkamp,
MA, LPC, ATR
(he/him/his)
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Honerkamp implements art as therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Transpersonal Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Grief Work, Emotion-Focused, Compassion-Based and Relational Therapy to for a truly integrative approach to therapy.
Through his private practice, Studio Spectral, Honerkamp is committed to drawing from many perspectives, to see the fullest spectrum possible of his clients. He says, "our therapy together is about best serving you and your life, today, in a process of mutual collaboration and commitment. There is no question that wisdom and power is innately within you, even when or if it feels lost, skewed, stolen or dormant."
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Colorado Art Therapy Association News |
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A Warm Welcome to Student Liaison:
Sarah Tuttoilmondo
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Sarah is a second year student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Transpersonal Art Therapy at Naropa University. She is a Colorado Native who enjoys spending time with her husband, two dogs, and one cat in their 111 year old home in the small town of Platteville. Trained as a Fibers artist, Sarah loves weaving, sewing, and embroidery.
Art therapy has been personally impactful for her during the grieving process. She believes art can act as a window into awareness and provide insight, confirmation, and exploration into the human experience. As a Registered Behavior Technician she works primarily with kiddos who are autistic or have developmental disabilities; helping them gain social, personal, and life skills to become the best person they can be. She has experience working in various settings, such as, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, schools, clients’ homes, and in the community.
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UPCOMING EVENT:
The Warrior
Embodiment Workshop
with Jacenta Irlanda
August 22, 2021
12-2pm
Free for Members
$5 for Non-Members
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Jacenta was invited to participate in the July 30th event at the Denver Art Museum to offer 15 minute art as therapy sessions relating to the Warrior Embodiment and wants to share it with you all! The Warrior Embodiment is a strengths-based art intervention where participants are guided through ways to create their warrior/superhero self. This workshop is meant to hold a space to honor our strengths-based selves for self-care. Celebrate you by honoring your strengths and warrior selves. |
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Soul Collage Transforms Colorado Art Therapy Association |
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Nissa Jackman hosted a wonderful Soul Collage virtual workshop in June with art therapists joining from various different states across the country!
Attendees were able to come together to talk about Soul Collage and create their cards together.
We are so grateful to Nissa for putting this workshop together for the art therapy community.
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Art Therapy Intervention: Folding an Origami Crane |
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"I will write peace on your wings,
and you will fly all over the world."
-SADAKO SASAKI
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"'Origami' comes from the Japanese language - 'ori' meaning folded and 'kami' meaning paper. Once you crease paper, the crease never goes away. This is like difficult memories that we share. Paper is a metaphor for life. We only have one piece of paper to make a shape, like we only have one life. We can use our difficult memories and have awareness that our memories can transform, just like paper. We use what we have to make something beautiful. We all have infinite potential to make something beautiful. We do it bit by bit, if everyone can help, we can do it. We can make the world better if everyone works together."
Kyoko, One Thousand Cranes video (link below).
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Mindful Looking at the Denver Art Museum
Mindful Looking invites you to slow down and spend time with a single work of art from the Denver Art Museum. Discover overlooked details, pose questions, and explore ideas as we linger, look, and connect from home with art and with each other.
To participate via Zoom:
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Gram’s work involves themes of identity, empathy, human connection, and self reflection. Immediately upon viewing her work, you are met with a boom of vivid colors, movement, noise, and texture that settles into a controlled and intentional vibration. The viewer’s eyes harmoniously dance across the piece along the lines and curves of her brush strokes, and end on the powerful, simple message at its core. The beauty of Gram’s work is beyond the aesthetics of her carefully curated color palette, and found within her request of encouraging the viewer to dig deeper within themselves.
This is illustrated in her mural for Black Love Mural Festival in 2020, a recent example of Gram’s social justice work; inspired by her personal experience, observation, and self reflection, she presented a potent message of empathy.
The audience contemplates the meaning of empathy, how it pertains to the self, and what it truly means to extend empathy to others. Her dedication to social justice is integrated into her work with the Denver community and youth.
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Gram, a mentor and educator, is involved in numerous youth collaborations and community-building organizations, with notable projects like Our Voice, Our Views, Our Vote (PlatteForum Art Lab), Here is Our Heart (Boettcher Boys and Girls Club), and Our lives, Our growth (Elevation Ability Services).
Her passion for community and social change lead to Gram’s participation in Babe Walls 2020, a mural festival celebrating women and non-binary folk; her involvement was a firm reminder to a male-dominated community that their permission and acceptance was never needed.
The Colorado Art Therapy Association is excited to collaborate with Gram on an upcoming community-based art project and workshop related to intergenerational trauma.
Learn more about Gram's work here:
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Support the Colorado Art Therapy Association!
We are seeking to fill these board positions:
Vice President
Secretary
Government Affairs Chair
What's on your mind?
Consider submitting content themes or articles for our next newsletter.
We want to hear from you.
We are here for You!
Do you have an event, group or
service that you would like to promote?
Send us your information and we will post it on
our social media platforms.
Attend the COATA board meeting
to let us know your thoughts:
Next member time board meeting: July 25, 2021 3:00-3:20pm
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