Group Art Therapy for Multiracial Communities

Every week, there will be a type of art project assigned for the group to do according to the type of project being assigned, and how we want them to reflect on their state of mental health, emotions, and feelings that help everyone understand everyone's different aspects, experiences, and perspectives that we originally may not understand ourselves, especially behind our multiracial backgrounds.

All the art supplies needed for the project will be provided for everyone in the group to use. Everyone will be given about 20-30 minutes to work on their art projects to help them put out what they are trying to display or express with their personal state of mind that they are trying to share with the group.

After about 20-30 minutes, everyone will get a turn to showcase their artwork to the group. As according to the scenario of the project every week, everyone will share what their piece of artwork expresses about themselves, as to how they are feeling that helps us all give a better feel of what they're trying to share and express helping us to understand behind their multiracial identity, we can help them and learn from each other's experiences.

In this project of creating acrylic paintings, clients will paint whatever they are feeling onto the canvas with acrylic paints. The painting doesn't have to make sense to how the paintings are being viewed, especially if we're trying to understand the situation they are experiencing. What matters is that we can understand the message behind the painting to what the client has demonstrated in their painting, as these paintings can also be an example of abstract art. The colors, values, textures, lines, shapes, forms, and space can help us understand the perspective behind the client's paintings as well, as to understand, and gaining a perspective of their multiracial background.

Materials needed:

1. Acrylic Paints

2. Canvas'

3. Easels

4. Paintbrushes

5. Water/Cups for Water

In this project, clients will make a collage with all the materials provided during the session for the project. While making their collages, they might end up creating a full image in their collage in the end, or just a collage where they're putting everything they're holding in into this piece of artwork. Just like in the painting, the colors, and images in the collages can represent how the clients are feeling in all sorts of different forms put together for others to understand all together, especially if their collage comes together showing a visual representation of their multiracial background.

Materials needed:

1. White Sheet of Paper

2. Colored Paper

3. Magazines

4. Newspapers

Once everyone has access to all the materials, they can rip up the colored paper, magazines, and newspapers to use for their collages.

In this project, clients will write a poem that pours out everything they're holding in and feeling. All their feelings, and emotions can be put and described in words of all sorts in poems. Poetry is a beautiful form of art in a wordy way that tells a personal story for the world to hear, which definitely makes this project a great opportunity for clients to use their voice and speak for themselves to and alongside with people they have a stronger connection to.

Materials needed:

1. White Sheet of Paper

2. Pencil/Pen

In this project, clients will express their output of their feelings, and emotions onto rocks. They can decorate them however they want connecting how they are feeling in whatever the scenario is for them, and even write how they're feeling, as long as no bad words are being used on the rocks in this project.

Materials needed:

1. Rocks

2. Paint Markers

In this project, clients will use the creative flow of the melted wax on crayons to let go of what they are feeling, and holding in. The colors that are used in the client's canvas can be used as a representation of how they are feeling inside, and once the wax melts, they're letting the flow of their emotions and feelings flow.

Materials needed:

1. Canvas

2. Crayons (Color of client's choice)

3. Bottle Glue (Elmers would be best)

4. Hair Dryer

Note: Need an adult to help with the hair dryer, and possibly more adults to help all the clients during the session to meet time.

Step 1:  Give all the client's a canvas, and if possible, each of them their own glue bottle.

Step 2: Have all the clients select the crayons of their choice, especially those associated with their choice of color.

Step 3: Glue each of the crayons to the top of the canvas all lined up.

Step 4: Have an adult use the hair dryer to melt the wax on the canvas.

Step 5: Once done, wait about 5-10 minutes to dry.

In this project, clients will have the chance of getting to tell a story about their experiences, how they're feeling, or whatever going through right through a visual aspect. Clients will be creating a visual piece of artwork onto white cardstock inside a picture frame, and using the materials provided helping to show their side of their story and can visually show everyone else what their story represents of how they are feeling, or what they're going through. 

Materials needed:

1. Black Picture Frame (Medium or large size would be good)

2. White Cardstock

3. Materials for the artwork inside the frame (e.g. construction paper, felt, sticky foam, stickers of any sort, markers, bottle glue, scissors) whatever else you're able to provide would also be great

Step 1: Give everyone a picture frame, and a piece of cardstock. 

Note: The cardstock must fit into the picture frame, the clients will need scissors.

Step 2: Cut the white cardstock into the right size of the picture frame.

Step 3: Put the sheet of white cardstock inside the picture frame on top of the board with the stand and the hangers.

Step 4: The clients will create their artwork inside the picture frame with all the materials that are provided and attaching some material with the glue. What they are creating must tell a visual story that they can tell and visually show.