SEPTEMBER 2015
MAGAZINE
“Color & Play for Crafty Kids� program at the The Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (pg. 4)
Mission
Supporting emotional healing through art & creative expression for those living with pain, grief, fear or stress.
23011 Moulton Parkway, Suite I-5, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 Ph: 949.367.1902 | Fx: 949.367.1904 info@art4healing.org | www.art4healing.org
About Art & Creativity for Healing Founded in 2000, Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to helping children and adults process their feelings of pain, grief, fear or stress using the medium of painting on canvas. Art & Creativity for Healing provides classes taught by Founder/Director Laurie Zagon and her team of highly-qualified facilitators at our studio and on-site at nonprofit community organizations. Through programs offered in collaboration with more than 35 hospitals, schools, military bases, treatment facilities and nonprofit agencies, Art & Creativity for Healing has facilitated Art4Healing® workshops for more than 50,000 children and adults in the Southern California region since it was founded. The Art4Healing® method was originally developed by Zagon in New York City in 1987 as a workshop designed to help busy executives deal with stress. Zagon and Art & Creativity for Healing’s Board of Directors actively raise funds throughout the year by soliciting individuals, corporations and foundations for gifts and donations. For more information, please call (949) 367-1902 or visit our website at www.art4healing.org
EXECUTIVE BOARD Don Goodwin Board Chair
Sherri Elgas Board Member
Michelle Moreno Board Vice President
Jackie Fairney Board Member
Executive Vice President, Goodwin Co.
Operations Manager, Zumysas
Jennifer Boles Board Secretary
Community Advocate
Casey Kindiger Board Treasurer
Generation e Holdings/ Board Member
BOARD MEMBERS Sandra Bohi Board Member
Business Owner/ Entrepreneur
Matthew B. Burnias Board Member Financial Associate, Thrivent Financial
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Community Advocate and Speaker
Laurie Zagon-Sorrentino Board Member
Founder/Director Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. Artist/Educator/Author
Vice President, Human Resources HUB International Insurance Services, Inc.
STAFF
Vicki Merrill Board Member
Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. Artist/Educator/Author laurie@art4healing.org
CEO of Define Success and Make It Happen (DSAMIH) Consulting
Laurie Miller Board Member
Sr. Vice President of HR for Alliance HealthCare Services
Sue Stinson Board Member
Volunteer for community programs
Michelle Stogden Board Member
Executive Assistant to the Executive Director of St. Joseph Health Home Health, Hospice, Infusion Pharmacy, Private Duty
Interested in joining the ACFH Board? Contact us!
Laurie Zagon Founder/Director
Amber Harness Project and Event Manager
Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. amber@art4healing.org
Genna Conrad Assistant to the Director
Art & Creativity for Healing, Inc. genna@art4healing.org
Camp Pendleton, SAN ONOFRE SCHOOL
Illumination Foundation
GIVE PAIN A VOICE: 1,000 ART BOXES TO 1,000 KIDS When Life Hurts Little Lives. When you are a little kid, how do you talk about the very deepest of pains that life can present? Homelessness. Illness. Mom or Dad is deployed. Poverty. Hunger. A family member dies. When There Are No Words There is Art. We’re giving kids living with some of life’s biggest hurts a box full of paints, crayons, paper, canvases, watercolors, sponges, and pencils. With color and shape they are able to voice big hurts and big hopes without words.
OC ResCUE MISSION
But we need your help. Your gift of $20 means a homeless child can process their fears and insecurity. A young survivor of human trafficking can express new hope. A child in poverty can make their dreams visible. CLICK HERE TO START Working through our partners we deliver Art4Healing boxes to kids in need: MINNIE STREET FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER
PROJECT
HOPE ALLIANCE
A “Healing Art Box” is a special shoebox filled with 10 different art supplies distributed to a child 6-14 years old experiencing hardship such as death of a loved one, divorce in the family, numerous deployments in a military family, chronic illness or the stress of economic hardship. Through drawing, painting, and creative expression these children can say things they often have no words for.
Click Here to Give a Box
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CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND OTHER NEURODEVELOPMENTAL
DISORDERS MAKE CRAFTS AND FRIENDS BY JAMES CLEAR
Art teacher Eve Andry dons her paintsplotched apron in front of a group of elementary school-age children, ready to begin instruction. This week’s theme is insects and flowers. “OK, today we’re going to make this beautiful bouquet of flowers,” says Andry, 26, pointing to a colorful sample made out of coffee filters, paint, markers, paper cups and pipe cleaners. But first, Andry asks the children to introduce themselves to one another. Instantly, their faces ripen red – shy to be introducing themselves to strangers. They respond to each other in a quiet tone, but everyone speaks. With the formalities complete, the children are eager to work on their next crafting project. This may look like a typical group of children coming together for an arts and crafts class. But all the participants have been affected by autism spectrum disorder or other neurodevelopmental conditions such as Down syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or Tourette syndrome. This summer, the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Santa Ana is hosting the crafts workshop, created through a partnership with Art and Creativity for Healing, an Orange County nonprofit organization. It is intended to expose the students to social activities. Autism spectrum disorder affects the brain and can make communicating and interacting with other people difficult.
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Article Featuring ACFH
ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
According to a 2014 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism affects approximately one in every 68 children in the United States. In Orange County, these numbers are higher. According to the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, one in 50 children locally have been diagnosed with autism. Andry’s Color and Play for Crafty Kids workshop, continuing through Aug. 28, is one of many programs offered through the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, which also provides clinical, education and outreach services, and conducts research into the disorders. The center is affiliated with UC Irvine’s School of Medicine, Chapman University’s College of Educational Studies and Children’s Hospital of Orange County. “There is such a need in the community for these services,” says Jennifer Smith, the center’s senior director of development. “We can’t keep up with the demand.” Color and Play for Crafty Kids has a new theme each week and a new activity each class. The workshops run about 1 1/2 hours and are open to all ages. Parents and siblings are welcome to participate. “This is a really fun space for the kids,” Andry says. “I try to incorporate different art mediums in our lessons. I love seeing how excited they get about making these crafts.” Yolandi Joose, a behavior specialist, organizes wellness programs at the center. She says the programs help develop the social skills of the children. “It is important to keep kids engaged and involved. Some parents decide to just hand their children tablets and it keeps them in a very solitary state. We have to keep kids involved in interactive play in order to develop the social skills necessary for their lives,” Joose says.
Smith says some parents may be apprehensive about enrolling their kids in recreational classes, because of their special needs. “We want families to know that our center is a safe environment for their children,” Smith says. “They can come in and know that their child is going to be welcomed with open arms.” MORENO, JOHAN. “Children with Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders Make Crafts and Friends.” OC Register 14 July 2015: n. pag. Web. <http://www.ocregister.com/articles/children-671623says-center.html>.
ACFH, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ACFH, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ACFH, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ACFH, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE “COLOR & PLAY FOR CRAFTY KIDS” SUMMER PROGRAM AT THE CENTER FOR AUTISM AND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS IN SANTA ANA, CA WAS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ON THE SPECTRUM. This was a wonderful opportunity for all family members to participate in a fun craft workshop together. The daily craft assignments included colorful sock puppets, sea creatures made with model magic, and bejeweled and feathered French berets. We facilitated these workshops in the months of June through August on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday—with Wednesday being a time for the higher functioning kids to participate in an Art4Healing® workshop, which allows each student to express feelings with abstract colors on canvas. A special thank you to The Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders therapist Yolandi Joost and Executive Director Cathy Brock for partnering with us for the Center’s Wellness Program.
Article Featuring ACFH
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Art on the spectrum By Katie Moissee Nestled between galleries in Manhattan’s art district is a studio like no other. It brims with the energy of 40 artists, most of whom have autism.
The 2,500-square-foot loft in the heart of Chelsea — just blocks from the 1960s home of Andy Warhol’s Factory — can barely contain the colorful canvases and bewitching sculptures produced by its pupils. From life-size replicas of parking meters to portraits of aging superheroes painted on pennies, the art is as diverse as autism itself. “We’re celebrating our artists’ differences,” says Sophia Cosmadopoulos, coordinator of the studio, called Pure Vision Arts. “I think a lot of times that’s what makes artwork so exciting and fresh and dynamic.” The studio is an initiative of The Shield Institute — a nonprofit organization that funds programs for people with developmental disabilities. “The idea was to create a community where like-minded people who are creative and artistic can come together and develop their bodies of work and actually turn it into a career,” says Pamela Rogers, director of Pure Vision Arts. On a sunny November day, the studio bustles with the sounds of artists mixing colors and measuring materials. Nicole Appel, a 24-year-old New Yorker whose drawings feature bicycles, bears, tools and oysters, introduces herself with confidence. Across the room, 26-year-old sculptor Chase Ferguson nods and says, “Cool, cool, cool” in response to compliments on his miniature taxicabs crafted from repurposed cardboard.
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ACFH Articles of Interest
Nicole Appel, Day of the Dead Masks, colored pencil on paper, 19” x 24”, 2013
“Some people, when they began coming here, were very withdrawn, very shy,” says Rogers. “[The studio] helps them to have greater selfconfidence and greater ease in social situations.” Many people with autism have unique sensory perceptions that make them particularly suited for careers in art. Warhol, a pioneer in pop art, is himself thought by many to have had Asperger syndrome — a form of high-functioning autism. “We call it the savant garde,” says Rogers, referring to the ‘culture of autism’ in art throughout history. “There may be a connection between genius and autism, prodigy and autism.” Ten of the artists at Pure Vision Arts have been there since the studio opened 12 years ago. They commute from as far as Sayville, Long Island — a two-hour trip each way. There’s also a long and growing waiting list. Beyond providing space and supplies, the studio also helps artists sell their work, which fetch up to $6,000 at exhibitions. The artists and staff also tour local museums and galleries to integrate with the community. “It’s total immersion in the arts,” says Rogers. “We’re trying to help them live productive, meaningful, successful lives where they can achieve as much as they can.” stronger there. Moisse, Katie, “Art on the Spectrum.” SFARI Simons Foundation Autism Research Initaiative. Simons Foundation, 22 Dec. 2014. Web. 2014.
Eric Sadowsky, Swans, ink on paper, 18” x 24”, 2013
Susan Brown, Her Mother, acrylic on canvas, 36” x 36”, 2014
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Oscar Azmitia, Muppets, enamel paint on pennies, 2014
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Jessica Park, The Chrysler Building with Perihelion and Transit of Venus, acrylic on paper, 17â&#x20AC;? x 23â&#x20AC;?, 2004
Make More Art: The Health Benefits of Creativity BY JAMES CLEAR
In 2010, the American Journal of Public Health published a review titled, The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health. In that article, researchers analyzed more than 100 studies about the impact of art on your health and your ability to heal yourself. The studies included everything from music and writing to dance and the visual arts. As an example, here are the findings from five visual arts studies mentioned in that review (visual arts includes things like painting, drawing, photography, pottery, and textiles). Each study examined more than 30 patients who were battling chronic illness and cancer. Here’s how the researchers described the impact that visual art activities had on the patients… “Art filled occupational voids, distracted thoughts of illness” “Improved well–being by decreasing negative emotions and increasing positive ones” “Improved medical outcomes, trends toward reduced depression”
Who wouldn’t want to reduce stress and anxiety, increase positive emotions, and reduce the likelihood of depression? Furthermore, the benefits of art aren’t merely “in your head.” The impact of art, music, and writing can be seen in your physical body as well. In fact, this study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine used writing as a treatment for HIV patients found that writing resulted in “improvements of CD4+ lymphocyte counts.” That’s the fancy way of saying: the act of writing actually impacted the cells inside the patient’s body and improved their immune system. In other words, the process of creating art doesn’t just make you feel better, it also creates real, physical changes inside your body. Create More Than You Consume The moral of this story is that the process of making art — whether that be writing, painting, singing, dancing, or anything in between — is good for you. There are both physical and mental benefits from creating art, expressing yourself in a tangible way, and sharing something with the world. I’m trying to do more of it each week, and I’d encourage you to do the same. In our always–on, always–connected world of television, social media, and on–demand everything, it can be stupidly easy to spend your entire day consuming information and simply responding to all of the inputs that bombard your life. Art offers an outlet and a release from all of that. Take a minute to ignore all of the incoming signals and create an outgoing one instead. Produce something. Express yourself in some way. As long as you contribute rather than consume, anything you do can be a work of art.
“Reductions in stress and anxiety; increases in positive emotions”
Open a blank document and start typing. Put pen to paper and sketch a drawing. Grab your camera and take a picture. Turn up the music and dance. Start a conversation and make it a good one.
“Reductions in distress and negative emotions”
Build something. Share something. Craft something. Make more art. Your health and happiness will improve and we’ll all be better off for it.
“Improvements in flow and spontaneity, expression of grief, positive identity, and social networks”
James Clear writes about using behavioral science to master your habits and improve your mental and physical health.
I don’t know about you, but I think the benefits listed above sound like they would be great not just for patients in hospitals, but for everyone.
James Clear writes about using behavioral science to master your habits and improve your mental and physical health. If you enjoyed this article, click here to visit his blog http://jamesclear.com Link to related article published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health: “The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804629/
ACFH Articles of Interest
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Upcoming Workshops
SEPT., OCT., NOV., DEC., 2015 & Jan. - Feb. 2016 Expressing Feelings with Color
Volunteer Orientation
Sunday, September 27, 2015 – 2:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday, October 25, 2015 – 2:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday, November 29, 2015 – 2:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday, December 27, 2015 – 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Sunday, October 4, 2015 – 2:00 - 4:00 PM Sunday, January 10, 2016 – 2:00 - 4:00 PM
This monthly 3-hour workshop teaches participants how to express their feelings with color on canvas, using the Zagon Method of Art4Healing®, while learning about color, composition and other elements of art. Fee: $55 (includes art materials)
Having it All
A workshop that focuses on what it means to have it all. Each participant will be guided through a series of signature exercises that focus on our deepest desires in pursuit of peace and happiness. This creative approach taps in to what is most meaningful in our lives. Fee: $55, (includes art materials) Saturday, September 19, 2015 – 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Painting from the Heart
A workshop that focuses on abstract painting from the heart. Each participant will be guided through a series of signature exercises that focus on the lightness and darkness within all of us. This creative approach teaches participants a way to say things with color and paint when there are no words. Fee: $55, (includes all art materials) Saturday, October 10, 2015 – 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Bereavement 4-week Workshop Series:
Dealing with the loss of a loved one. This Art4Healing® workshop series designed for children and adults. Teaches participants creative methods to help process grief through color and expression.
The orientation will give a brief history of the organization and a better understanding of the volunteer opportunities we have. Participants will be given the opportunity to experience a mini Art4Healing® workshop. No art experience necessary! Please wear clothing appropriate for painting. Fee: FREE
NEW! Glorious Colors
A workshop designed to reflect on the spiritual nature of color. No previous art experience necessary! Fee: $55, (includes art materials) Saturday, November 7, 2015 – 9:00 AM -12:00 PM
Painting Prayer
In this 3-hour workshop you will learn to pray with paint using scriptures and music, ideal for those seeking clarity of calling and direction in life. Participation in an Expressing Feelings with Color workshop is recommended but not required. Fee: $55, (includes art materials) Saturday, December 5, 2015 – 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Art4Healing® Revealed
This 3-hour workshop is especially designed for individuals that are interested in experiencing the Art4Healing® methodology. You will be encouraged to create abstractly using color and acrylic painting as the vehicle for expression. (No Previous Art Experience Necessary!) Fee: $55, (includes art materials) Saturday, January 16, 2016 – 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
CHILDREN: FREE for children (6-12 years) Wednesdays, October 14th, 21st, 28th, & Nov. 4th Time: 3:45-5:45 PM
The Language of Colors
ADULTS & TEENS: Fee: $135 (includes art materials) Thursdays, October 15th, 22nd, 29th and Nov. 5th Time: 6:00-8:00 PM
Saturday, February 6, 2016 – 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
An introductory workshop for anyone wanting to experience the Art4Healing® method. (No Previous Art Experience Necessary) Fee: $55, (includes all materials)
All workshops are held at our Laguna Hills Studio 23011 Moulton Parkway, Suite I-5 Laguna Hills, CA 92653 To register please call 949.367.1902 or enroll online at: www.art4healing.org
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Click here for full list of workshops
UPCOMING ACFH EVENTS NEW MEMBER POTLUCK BRUNCH
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH - 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM Every last Thursday of the month the Guild meets... The HeARTs for Healing Guild will be hosting their annual New Member Potluck Brunch at the ACFH Studio in Laguna Hills. Must RSVP. Space is limited! Click Here for more information
FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2015
We are inviting all kids attending the Festival of Children to create an art tile that will reflect their interpretation of colors to express love and caring to people in their family or community who are suffering from pain, grief, fear or stress. Click Here for more information
VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4TH - 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Our fantastic volunteers help provide workshops in our community. Come join in, be surrounded by giving people and be touched by an art experience like no other. Held at the ACFH Studio in Laguna Hills. Must RSVP. Space is limited! Click Here to register online
PALETTE OF COLORS
SATURDAY, JUNE 11TH - 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM Held at the beautiful Mission Viejo Country Club In order to fund these programs, Art & Creativity for Healing holds its annual The Palette of Colors Dinner and Auction Gala. For 2015 our theme is: A Colorful Caribbean Evening. The evening is full of art and includes a gourmet dinner, live and silent auctions, music, dancing, and much, much more.
You can learn more about these events on our website at www.art4healing.org
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