Our group went well. There were three new faces and I was able to talk to each, having an opportunity to brainstorm with a client as to what he would wish for in the new year. He informed me that he wanted to be with his family to celebrate and proceeded to ask me how to write out his wish. I prompted the client to draw his wish, and he asked how. I suggested drawing the members of his family and himself celebrating as he imagined they would. The client was was able to do this well but was still insistent on using text. He asked me how to spell 'Celebrate' and how to write '2010', and waited with is marker poised to write. I took a crayon and wrote the words/numbers - the client was able to write the words without further assistance.
Another client was needy (for lack of a better word) - but not pushy. This client was writing "Happy New Years 2010" in bubble letters. He took nearly the entire session to draw out the words in pencil, and then 2o minutes (+/-) to color the words in. The client got stumped on some letters and I assisted by drawing an example. I had to ask the client to put down his pencil and pay attention to what I was doing, and not his own drawing - because he has asked me to help him with the same letter several times, after I had showed him the example a few times already.
I can see that this client has some perfectionist qualities that are apparent in the making process. He judges his won work - often erasing in order to try again. I think this is a positive quality, but may also hinder him in the making process - I feel it would be more beneficial for the client to allow looseness and freedom to enter his work - than to restrict it with his need for perfection.
{If the client gets stuck on one aspect, the concept of the rest o the work is sacrificed - or is it that the concept won't come through for the client without adhering to his own notions of perfection? }
I am not sure if it was just because the activities had been centered around holiday themes, but it seems that the clients feed off of each other's creations - feed off is not the right term - but repeat or reproduce. The group become static in that respect. While the clients are still greatly enjoying themselves there is less individual expression - it is almost as if they already know the cue of the holidays - the media or advertisements and gravitate towards representing that universal image as opposed to a want / need / thought / or feeling from within themselves.
It will be interesting to see with this group especially how we poise that groups whether in terms of production or just group - with no holiday connection.
Art-ing About it :}
Posts
