Foundry Ridge Meadows to help youth express through art

Foundry Ridge Meadows has recently introduced art therapy in the form of an open studio, to get youth to open up and express through art.

According to Alicia Erenli, program supervisor and operations lead with the Foundry, while the open studio may be new to Foundry Ridge Meadows, the idea of open studios for mental well-being has been dated back to 1946 by Mary Huntoon at the Winter VA Hospital and by Edward Adamson at the Netherne Hospital.

“The art-maker is seen as the expert on themselves, and the art therapist is there to encourage them towards self-reflection,” she said.

Like all programming at Foundry Ridge Meadows, this is also a free program for youth aged 12 to 24 years explained Kristen, the art therapy student running the program.

“The outcomes we are hoping for are to encourage personal growth and self-reflection, foster a sense of community for youth, and provide support for mental health concerns,” said Kristen, “Everyone can benefit from participating in the open studio, and previous art experience is not necessary because the focus is on self-reflection.”

The open studio model is built upon choice, explained Kristen, where those who participate are free to choose what materials they wish to use, how long they want to work on an art piece, when and how often they want to drop-in, and what type of art they wish to create.

Directives will be given to encourage self-exploration e.g., create a self-portrait that represents your own strengths. However, these directives will be given as an invitation and whether the participant wishes to follow them is up to them, said Kristen.

“The creation of art is used to help people explore emotions, develop self-awareness, cope with stress and trauma, enhance self-esteem, and develop social skills. Beyond the artwork, an open studio fosters community among the participants. Fundamentally, we all have a need to belong, and a sense of community is vital to fulfilling this need,” she said.

The next open studios will be held on Feb. 3 and 17, from 4 to 6 p.m.

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