On August 12, 2013 Arts & Dreams visited the New York Public Library at Kips Bay with an empowering art workshop for adults. We were thrilled to share creative ways to feel more hope and love in such an inspiring institution as the NYPL. We came early to select books from the shelves on the 1st floor that might inspire - art books on Matisse and American painters, photography landscapes, and decorative books about horses and flowers. And we pulled Louise Hay's book "You Can Heal Your Life" which illuminates the importance of loving ourselves and using affirmations. In a closed room on the 3rd floor, where we were free to decorate and play soft classical music from a playlist, we gave a free affirmation art workshop for teens and adults. Patricia and I (Laura) shared our experiences with depression, self-doubt and self-hatred. We demonstrated how making hopeful affirmation art, by creating a kind sentence and personal imagery, can serve to heal our negative inner-talk. Affirmation art combines language and color to become a beautiful, resonant thought-drawing. The act of discussing feelings and creating new hopeful phrases to reflect upon has the potential to empower us to believe in our dreams. When our creations were done, we all said something sweet to ourselves while looking in Patricia's silver hand mirror. We have permission to share photos of some of the participants and their beautiful affirmation art. Thank you to Kaydene and the Kips Bay NYPL library staff for welcoming us. And thank you to Elizabeth McCall Walsh and Patricia Geremia (PatriciaG Photos) for the fabulous photos.
