Can tie die be considered an art form? I believe it can. Tie die became fashionable in the late 1960s, popularized by musicians such as The Grateful Dead and Joe Cocker, becoming a staple for any true hippie of the 70s. The earliest examples of tie die date from 500 A.D. and originated in Peru. It was also popular in Japan, West Africa, and India before it was brought to the U.S. acting as a uniform for the hippie movement. If possible, I would tie die every single piece in my wardrobe. You name it and I would like it to be loud, colorful and spiraled. While this would probably be overkill, I think there are few people who would disagree with the idea of tie-died socks. Considering myself to be a self-diagnosed tie-dieaholic, coming to college meant no more dye sessions in my backyard. I finally got my chance to fulfill my tie die cravings at the Best Buddies meeting last week.
Best Buddies is a club here at UD that allows students to be matched up with another student from the Dayton area with special needs. I was lucky enough to be paired up with Michael who will be my buddy for the next four years. There are weekly meetings as well as events to attend with your buddy. You provide outside interaction for your buddy and your buddy provides a world of opportunities for you. Having a brother with special needs, being away from home has made me miss being around people with different needs making the Best Buddies club the perfect place for me.
Now for the art connection. My ultimate goal is to one day become an art therapist. Currently, I am studying to be an art teacher in hopes of receiving a master’s degree in art therapy after working as a teacher. The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as “the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development”. It is believed that “through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art”.
Using art to work with people with special needs has been my goal for years and I love that Best Buddies allowed me to begin doing that. Seeing people of all walks of life coming together to tie die was by far the highlight of my week. I believe that art is a powerful thing and if used correctly can help people get through a lot. Hopefully on day I will be able to use my love of art to help people in need. Perhaps tie die is the answer to everyone’s problems.
Art Therapy. Web. 25 Sept. 2010. <http://www.art-therapy.us/art_therapy.htm>.
No comments:
Post a Comment