A common expression is “Art imitates Life”. It is not the finished product, but the process of making a painting that is like life. It starts with an inspiration to go in a specific direction. Then one has to gather the supplies and tools to pursue the goal. Along the way, certain choices are questioned; perhaps some brush strokes seem wrong and must be corrected. Sometimes whole sections must be repeated. At times it may seem that the original idea was more than one can achieve, too complicated, too far reaching. When one reaches that point they may feel like casting the goal aside. Knowing when to stop is so difficult. So many questions and feelings of doubt can creep in. You may ask yourself; will one more step bring it all together? Is this so messed up that there is no point in moving forward?
The need to salvage the work that has been started pushes one forward, but how to proceed continues to be a quandary? Then it is time to step back an assemble a framework around all the work that has been done. Getting some distance between the work and yourself can provide a different perspective – provide clarity around the next step. Feedback from a trusted friend can provide the spark that ignites the solution. The final piece can come together slowly, then suddenly, there it is, you know that you have it just right and the feeling is like completing a marathon. You have done it and it all has come together – that initial flutter of an idea flew and then softly landed, a feeling of accomplishment floods your heart!
To quote a lovely young lady who inspired me, “let faith replace Fear and pursue your dreams!” Remember it is the process that matters, not the finished product.
Art Heals!!
Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012
Showing posts with label Art Heals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Art Heals. Show all posts
Friday, 26 July 2013
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota Wins International Award for Therapeutic Art Program!
Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota received the top international award for “Use of Art in the Patient Environment” from the International Academy of Design and Health for its program “Arts & Healing and Urban Renewal.”
The Minnesota healing arts program was selected out of almost 100 submissions from organizations representing more than 30 countries around the world. The award honors organizations specifically for professional excellence and ability to bring research and design into creating a health-promoting environment.
Children’s Arts & Healing and Urban Renewal project, which was launched in January 2010, has been entirely supported through the generosity of the community, through individual, corporate and government grants. The program has been well received by patients and families with 80 percent indicating in a survey that they stop and personally interact with the art. In addition, for children participating in the hands-on art projects, 41 percent said they felt better after the project.
“A growing body of evidence suggests the integration of arts positively contributes to health outcomes and the health care experience for patients, families and staff,” said Theresa Pesch, RN, executive director, Children’s Foundation, and VP, Development, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. “We believe that the experience of art is healing and designed an integrated program where our patients and families can view and interact with art, make art and watch live performances.”
http://www.childrensmn.org/starrynight/about-the-event/art-award
I am so proud of Minnesota for being a leader in the field of art-based therapy. In order to continue growing this fantastic program, I have been asked to help co-anchor a live children’s television show broadcasted throughout the hospital! I am so excited and cannot wait to get going on this project and bring a little love, light and laughter to these young patients.
Art Heals!
Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012
Monday, 7 January 2013
The Science of Art Therapy
I recently came across a two part series that does a lovely job of explaining how art heals and the science that backs up what many of us know intuitively. As you prepare for your interview and on-stage questions, make sure you quickly and clearly convey your platform, why it is important to you and how you plan to promote it.
Please check out this link to learn why I have such a passion for this field:
Arts & the Mind, highlighting some of the leading arts programs in the world and showcases the positive impact of arts on the brain. Watch the two-part documentary, highlighting Children's Hospital's and Clinics of Minnesota on part two, starting at 07:21.
http://www.tpt.org/?a=productions&id=52#home
Enjoy!
Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012
Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Gold Guys
Help Krista’s Cause without Opening your Wallet!
As my blog readers may already know, I am continually raising money to provide healing arts to children who have been abused or neglected. I have already raised a 25% of my goal amount with the help of Wal-mart and several private donations. Here’s a way that you can help without opening your wallet.
The “Gold Guys” will provide me with a 10% commission for everyone who mentions my name when selling their old gold or silver jewelry. The commission I earn, does not reduce the amount of money that your earn! It’s a win-win for everyone - a little cha-ching in your pocket and a donation for the kids!
To find out where you can find a Gold Guys in your area click here: http://www.goldguys.com/locations.html
Check your old purses and dresser drawers for old class rings, broken chains and “lost-the-other-one” earrings. Throw them in a zip lock baggie and head to the Gold Guys. If you are not sure whether something is gold or costume jewelry, try placing it near a magnet. If it adheres to the magnet, it does not have any value at the Gold Guys. The representatives will be happy to let you know the value of your offer, which you can accept, or reject. If you accept the offer, they will give you a check on the spot.
They also buy unwanted sterling silver; flatware, candlestick, or tea sets. Even silver foreign coins. Don’t forget to tell them that Krista Wanous sent you!
Krista Wanous
Saturday, 27 October 2012
Free Arts – Art Heals Breakfast!
Registration is required to attend!
While this is a fundraiser, there is no minimum or maximum gift expected.
Art Heals! Breakfast 2012
Thursday, November 8Metropolitan Ballroom 5
418 Wayzata Blvd
Minneapolis, MN 55416
8 - 9 am
See you there!
Miss International 2012
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Sponsor a Child – Free Arts Minnesota
They need an opportunity to express difficult emotions while rebuilding trusting relationships with adults in their community. The Pohlad Family Foundation has graciously provided a matching grant for all new donors. Please help by donating funds, art supplies, or your time as a volunteer. Only $10 a month will make a significant difference in a child’s life.
Click here to donate.
http://www.razoo.com/story/Free-Arts-For-Abused-Children-Of-Minnesota
This week donated funds that were matched to provide four children Free Arts mentoring every single week for a year. I have also worked with the Wal-Mart Foundation to provide Free Arts Minnesota with a $1,500 Grant for programming and over $1000.00 for Free Arts office and supply needs. I will continue to help raise funds to keep arts mentoring available to children in need. I challenge you to do the same!
www.freeartsminnesota.org
ART HEALS!
Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Dr. Ashfaq Ishaq
I am the Healing Arts spokesperson for the International Child Art Foundation. This organization was founded and lead by Dr. Ashfaq Ishaq. He is an extremely accomplished man with incredible background. Here is a link to an interview he did recently pertaining to the International Child Art Foundation and the increasing popularity with cyber networking and digital technology. http://www.icaf.org/about/Dr.%20Ishaq%20interview%20with%20Cybertherapy%20&%20Rehabilitation.pdf
Ashfaq is a huge role model and inspiration to me. He is kind, generous, welcoming and one of the most interesting men I have ever encountered. Below, is a brief paragraph about his credentials and history. Ashfaq has a unique perspective that we can achieve global peace through art.
Ashfaq Ishaq, Ph.D.
Chairman, International Child Art Foundation
Dr. Ashfaq Ishaq founded the International Child Art Foundation to harness children’s imagination for positive social change. His belief that creativity and empathy are preconditions for a more just, prosperous and nonviolent world is based on his seminal research at the World Bank and the George Washington University on entrepreneurship and small business development, military burden and security needs, digital divide and the new economy, and private provision of public services. His familiarity with the power of the arts as an effective channel for children’s creative and empathic development stems from his experience as an award-winning child artist. The Arts Olympiad program he developed to overcome the “4th grade slump” in creativity documented by E. Paul Torrance is today the world’s largest and most prestigious arts and creative education initiative for children ages 8 to 12. Nearly 3 million children worldwide participated in the 3rd Arts Olympiad (2005-2008). The 2007 World Children’s Festival he produced on the National Mall in Washington, DC was the world’s largest international children’s Celebration. Dr. Ishaq has obtained an exclusive license from the U.S. Olympic Committee for the ICAF to use “Arts Olympiad” and related marks as well as secured support from some of the world’s most creative companies – Adidas, Disney, Faber-Castell, Hilton, and LEGO.I am so honored to be able to work with such a distinguished man. His unique view on the world always inspires me to keep reaching out no matter how often I get turned down. I know that art heals, and by working with the International Child Art Foundation, I can make a significant difference in the lives of children by giving them the gift of imagination and creativity.
Art is everything!
Xo,
Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012
Friday, 5 October 2012
Stories of Success, Stories of Hope
I feel it is necessary to share the stories of the children I advocate for. Through art, they found their voice and the courage to tell their story. Below, are a few of my favorite stories and thank you letters from children who have gone through a Free Arts MN mentoring program. These programs are more than just an arts and crafts class; they are a respite and place of freedom to express inner thoughts and emotions.
Here are two great links to videos where kids tell us how
they feel about Free Arts programming.
My Story… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cYachviFn8
Free Arts Is… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-9o5t2jb9U
Thank You Poem
“Free Arts has been more than just a group of volunteers,
It's a movement, a esteem builder and a learning tool all in one.
The people of Free Arts has taught us lessons that will help carry us through a life time, and that is to believe, believe in your self and the power to move others through art.
We also learned that art doesn't just happen with a pencil and pen but it really starts from within.
Art is a healer for the mind, body and soul,
Free Arts helps us recognize talents that we thought could never show.
From dancing, singing, putting on plays to drawing, writing and learning about artists that made the way.
Free Arts helped us find something we can never forget,
Talent and with that all we can do is win.
Thanks Free Arts, from us to you here’s an art form we learned from you.”
Charlie, Age 4
Four-year-old Charlie was worthless. At least that’s what his mother would tell him as she slapped the small boy across the face or punched him in the chest. Why would the young boy think otherwise? Charlie was left at home alone all day only to be greeted by his drunken mother's abuse at night. He never knew what a loving adult relationship felt like.
When Charlie was finally removed from his mother’s custody and introduced to Free Arts Minnesota, he would flinch anytime a volunteer would raise his or her hand. It was Free Arts Minnesota volunteers who reached out to Charlie, teaching him that not every adult wanted to hurt him. By the end of his first year with Free Arts Minnesota, it was Charlie
who was reaching out, giving all the volunteers he had grown to love good-bye hugs.
Tia, Age 18
"...I think that Free Arts is an amazing program. It has helped me and changed my life, and I have witnessed it do the same for my peers. It is a great way for me to connect with my peers when we all work on a project together.
Some of them struggle with projects, others dive right in, but almost everyone creates something every time. I don’t know what my day treatment or my life would look like without my involvement in Free Arts.
There are many reasons why Free Arts is great. One reason is that I know there are other kids like me who do not have the resources or support they need to create art.
There are also kids who have trouble expressing themselves, and Free Arts teaches them to do that. Finally, Free Arts is great because it is made almost entirely of volunteers.
It is good to know that they choose to spend their time with us every week.
It is good to know that someone thinks we are worth their time, and that they want to share their passion with us.
I know that this program has a deeply profound effect on all those involved.
I like to think it is a necessary part of our community. I believe that art is an important part of life, and whether or not someone loves art, it is still important to experience it. Free Arts helps bring art to those who may not have had the opportunity to make it before.
I am forever grateful to Free Arts for reigniting my love of art. I think, and hope, that other children get to experience everything I have with Free Arts."
Terron Age 10
By the time Terron reached his 10th birthday, he had already spent three months in a psychiatric hospital. His cocaine-addicted mother routinely exposed him and his four siblings to abuse at the hands of other drug addicts, often locking Terron in a closet for hours while his brothers and sisters were beaten. Even after Terron was removed from his mother’s custody, therapy alone was not enough to help him deal with his feelings.
It was the Free Arts Minnesota program and volunteers that helped Terron find a new way to express himself. His drawings were his escape and allowed Terron to channel his feelings into something other than hurting himself. When asked what he liked about Free Arts Minnesota, Terron replied, “It’s a secret place… where you can go and think about anything and everything or nothing.”
Evans, Age 9
I think about my mom and sister. Beautiful like this flower.
I think about what I want. I want to create robots.
I want my own room. I want to get better at math.
I think about what I need. I need a family.
I think about what I fear. I fear heights. A little bit.
I think about what I wish for. I wish I had a family. I wish I was a professional soccer player. I wish to have a good paying job.
I think about what I hope for. I hope to find a good family.
I think about what I expect. I expect to have a good family that loves me.
I think about what I love. I love my mom and candy.
Well, I think we can all agree, candy is great… but these poems give children a sense of themselves and an opportunity to think abut what they want out of life. In school, kids are constantly being crammed full of memorized facts, numbers and information. We need to be able to provide them with a chance to think their own thoughts and ideas. Art can do this. Children who have been through traumatic situations can greatly benefit with the programs provided by Free Arts Minnesota and their mentors and they help foster emotional growth, safe adult relationships, great self-awareness and self-esteem.
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
-Frederick Douglas
ART HEALS!
Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012
Here are two great links to videos where kids tell us how
they feel about Free Arts programming.
My Story… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cYachviFn8
Free Arts Is… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-9o5t2jb9U
Thank You Poem
“Free Arts has been more than just a group of volunteers,
It's a movement, a esteem builder and a learning tool all in one.
The people of Free Arts has taught us lessons that will help carry us through a life time, and that is to believe, believe in your self and the power to move others through art.
We also learned that art doesn't just happen with a pencil and pen but it really starts from within.
Art is a healer for the mind, body and soul,
Free Arts helps us recognize talents that we thought could never show.
From dancing, singing, putting on plays to drawing, writing and learning about artists that made the way.
Free Arts helped us find something we can never forget,
Talent and with that all we can do is win.
Thanks Free Arts, from us to you here’s an art form we learned from you.”
Charlie, Age 4
Four-year-old Charlie was worthless. At least that’s what his mother would tell him as she slapped the small boy across the face or punched him in the chest. Why would the young boy think otherwise? Charlie was left at home alone all day only to be greeted by his drunken mother's abuse at night. He never knew what a loving adult relationship felt like.
When Charlie was finally removed from his mother’s custody and introduced to Free Arts Minnesota, he would flinch anytime a volunteer would raise his or her hand. It was Free Arts Minnesota volunteers who reached out to Charlie, teaching him that not every adult wanted to hurt him. By the end of his first year with Free Arts Minnesota, it was Charlie
who was reaching out, giving all the volunteers he had grown to love good-bye hugs.
Tia, Age 18
"...I think that Free Arts is an amazing program. It has helped me and changed my life, and I have witnessed it do the same for my peers. It is a great way for me to connect with my peers when we all work on a project together.
Some of them struggle with projects, others dive right in, but almost everyone creates something every time. I don’t know what my day treatment or my life would look like without my involvement in Free Arts.
There are many reasons why Free Arts is great. One reason is that I know there are other kids like me who do not have the resources or support they need to create art.
There are also kids who have trouble expressing themselves, and Free Arts teaches them to do that. Finally, Free Arts is great because it is made almost entirely of volunteers.
It is good to know that they choose to spend their time with us every week.
It is good to know that someone thinks we are worth their time, and that they want to share their passion with us.
I know that this program has a deeply profound effect on all those involved.
I like to think it is a necessary part of our community. I believe that art is an important part of life, and whether or not someone loves art, it is still important to experience it. Free Arts helps bring art to those who may not have had the opportunity to make it before.
I am forever grateful to Free Arts for reigniting my love of art. I think, and hope, that other children get to experience everything I have with Free Arts."
Terron Age 10
By the time Terron reached his 10th birthday, he had already spent three months in a psychiatric hospital. His cocaine-addicted mother routinely exposed him and his four siblings to abuse at the hands of other drug addicts, often locking Terron in a closet for hours while his brothers and sisters were beaten. Even after Terron was removed from his mother’s custody, therapy alone was not enough to help him deal with his feelings.
It was the Free Arts Minnesota program and volunteers that helped Terron find a new way to express himself. His drawings were his escape and allowed Terron to channel his feelings into something other than hurting himself. When asked what he liked about Free Arts Minnesota, Terron replied, “It’s a secret place… where you can go and think about anything and everything or nothing.”
Evans, Age 9
I think about my mom and sister. Beautiful like this flower.
I think about what I want. I want to create robots.
I want my own room. I want to get better at math.
I think about what I need. I need a family.
I think about what I fear. I fear heights. A little bit.
I think about what I wish for. I wish I had a family. I wish I was a professional soccer player. I wish to have a good paying job.
I think about what I hope for. I hope to find a good family.
I think about what I expect. I expect to have a good family that loves me.
I think about what I love. I love my mom and candy.
Well, I think we can all agree, candy is great… but these poems give children a sense of themselves and an opportunity to think abut what they want out of life. In school, kids are constantly being crammed full of memorized facts, numbers and information. We need to be able to provide them with a chance to think their own thoughts and ideas. Art can do this. Children who have been through traumatic situations can greatly benefit with the programs provided by Free Arts Minnesota and their mentors and they help foster emotional growth, safe adult relationships, great self-awareness and self-esteem.
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
-Frederick Douglas
ART HEALS!
Krista Wanous
Miss International 2012
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