Belinda Parten
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Project: Developing an Art Therapy Programme

Chiang Rai, Thailand

www.newlifethaifoundation.com

New Life Thai Foundation, Chiang Rai, Thailand                             (photos below)

For 4 months I lived at the foundation and developed an art therapy program for both volunteers who worked there and those there for drug/alchohol rehab.  It was extremely rewarding.


This is what they said in their blog while I was there:

"Belinda has been teaching Pottery and art therapy at the New Life  since she arrived three months ago. She is a ceramic artist based in partly in Amsterdam, and partly Singapore. Belinda works in her own ceramic studio designing and creating hand built porcelain and stoneware pieces which tell ambiguous snipets of stories from her life.

Using recycled clay, students use the ‘hand building’ technique (without a wheel) to create unique pieces of art. Classes usually start with blind pottery, ie. everyone is blindfolded to allow them to feel the clay and how it responds to their touch. The idea being that once one sense is taken away, the other senses are heightened. Also, while blindfolded, one’s self judgement or fear of creating art is usually not as present. The pieces are then wood-fired. We are looking for donations for an electric kiln or other equipment and supplies and plans are under way to create a primitive pit fire aside from using the wood kiln at New Life, which takes three days to fire.

The classes are small and unstructured, yet individualized, with students creating what they feel like  from recycled clay. The emphasis is on self expression rather than specific techniques, allowing the students the freedom to express themselves through the clay. The product is also less important than the overall experience itself.

Aside from self expression, pottery classes allow students to reconnect with their basic instinct to create something and by being in touch with these instincts; it is an unconscious opportunity to be mindful and present"




Art Therapy Programme/Teaching

Mud Brick Building

I was very excited to take part in the mud brick meditational hall designed by Phil and  although I was just another pair of hands on the projects, I was inspired by and learned a tremendous amount that I have been using in my work.   I was lucky enough to be a part of the project from mixing the mud and making the bricks, building and even till the roof came on!  If I had it to do over again I certainly would have wanted to devote a lot more time to it, and hopefully I will have that chance in the future.

I  was part of building a smaller house by Jon Jandai of Pun Pun Farms, who had a completely different style of working which was great to integrate with Phil's style.

www.punpunthailand.org

Life at the foundation

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