ART WITH IVAN

Ivan Vesely, a professional artist, guides participants to connect, create, and communicate through art. Ivan Vesely is a professional artist with decades of experience. Unwittingly, he discovered early in life that art making is a form of therapy, regardless of how informal it is. He found that he could work through the unspoken feelings inside him using the creative process. While Ivan does not

claim to be a therapist of any kind, he is passionate about sharing his experience as an artist with others. Ivan and his wife Carrie, who is his business partner, promote social emotional wellness through art. Their business Art with Ivan is built upon the three pillars of Connect, Create, and Communicate. The goal of an art session with Ivan is NOT to produce a technically perfect piece. Instead, the success of a session is determined by the client taking the opportunity to connect, create, and communicate. As a session begins, Ivan encourages the participants to connect with themselves, with others, and with the world around them. Participants are given time, space, and a means (i.e., paint, paintbrushes, water, paper, clay) of expressing their feelings and thoughts. They can share as much or as little as they like. As the session progresses, Ivan guides and collaborates with participants to use drawing tools to create lines, shapes, textures, and designs. This transitions into creating with other materials such as paint on canvas. Towards the end of the session, the participants are given the opportunity to reflect on what they have created and to communicate their personal meanings with Ivan and anyone else they would like to share with. A piece is not always finished within a single session. Participants take their unfinished work home with them to continue connecting, creating, and communicating until the next session. If there are more ideas and emotions to explore in this piece, the client will bring the piece with them to the next session. Research shows that anyone who is given the opportunity to create art will naturally express themselves. Over multiple sessions, the participants’ work will become more authentic, intricate, and meaningful.