September 6, 2018
Blanche C. Brown, BS, BA, MBA is pursuing her MS in Art Therapy with Concentration in Counseling at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, WI. She is a Chicago-native, multi-media artist, whose work adresses social injustices and the psychological and psychosocial impact on undeserved and underrepresented groups. An Ex Fabula fellow, storyteller, poet, and coach, Brown uses “the art of storytelling to assist people of various populations to be empowered to share their personal stories, enabling them to establish meaningful connections with others thereby breaking down walls of oppression, racism, misrepresentation, and other barriers that seek to diminish human dignity.” Read more about her work here.
Brown values her AATA membership for the access to the Journal and the networking opportunities and is passionate about art therapy because it “offers therapeutic intervention in ways that talk therapy is unable to,” and is “accessible to everyone, no matter what their background or life experience.”
"Yall Never Looked so Good” by Blanche Brown. December 2017. Mixed media fiber.
Artist’s statement: “A container is more than just a physical vessel used for storage. One’s identity (the self) can be shaped or determined by one’s ability to maintain their container (psyche, emotions, will). People can serve as containers for healing through the expression of their experiences whether pleasurable or painful. As an art therapist/practitioner my work involves holding space for those who need a sense of safety. As an art activist my works represent my belief in the power containers have in creating a welcoming environment for upholding another’s dignity and humanity. My art studio can serve as a therapeutic container for art creation. However, art making by itself is not the only thing to consider; my container (present, compassionate self) must be able to hold the space.
Each new day we cope with the realities of life which surround us including threats that attempt to disrupt our container’s balance. Tragically, those who have experienced trauma live in a state of unresolved pain unable to recognize the damage to their container. The pieces here present the viewer with real-life issues depicted in a comical, whimsical way. How do we see ourselves resolving imbalance? How do we hold space for ourselves or others?"