My name is Tatiana Amaral. I am a Senior Art Therapy Major with a minor in psychology. After I graduate with my Bachelors degree, I plan to continue my studies into the masters program offered here at Marywood University. When I create art, I often need some kind of background sound, whether that is sound from the classroom, music or videos, the sound helps keep my mind from getting out of the artistic focus. I have several art styles and mediums I love to use. Painting, digital, and traditional have been a handful of my favorites so far. I find digital art to be easy to use when I am idea planning or working on personal creation. Painting for me, while I find it a bit messier and tougher to us, is one of my favorites because of the processes and the methods used to get a clean blend or proper shading. Painting is also the easiest way to practice color theory in real time. Traditional art has always been a classic for me. I often use this to jot down quick ideas or plan ideas I had when I’m out in public.

When I was making that painting, I was still getting used to working with oil paints and knew I wanted to mess around with blending as well as testing how all the colors mixed together. I chose that spot as the chairs were a good accent of color with the colorful trees as it was nearing the start of winter. To me, this painting is an achievement of being able to master something new and keep the same colorful appearance I like to use in most of my personal art.

As an artist and aspiring art therapist, I have learned how art making acts as a tool for self-growth and internal reflection. My creative process truly revolves around letting buried emotions, memories, and connections breathe. Exploring themes of resilience, vulnerability, and growth is crucial to transformation within oneself. It is about the feelings and thoughts that often cannot be described. I aim to explore those emotions through composition, pigment, and texture.

As someone who enjoys detail and control, I always find myself using colored pencil, graphite, and even acrylic painting. The tactile experience of using these mediums allows for layering, texture, depth, and blending. The more you act on the piece the more it develops right before your eyes.

As a senior Art Therapy major, I have had the honor of working with diverse populations over the course of my time at Marywood University, including children, individuals with intellectual disabilities, and veterans. My experiences have only furthered my belief in the unspoken language of art. Acting in an art making process encourages the process of connection and understanding. I plan on continuing my passion through post-graduate study in the Marywood University Art Therapy Master’s Program. My goal is to create a space where individuals will always feel seen and empowered through not just art therapy, but through all creative arts therapies and expressive therapies.

It is not always about what’s created, but also the process and how you go there. Any piece I make is a reflection of my commitment to my interest in healing and growth. Anything can be found in the act of creating, whether its bursting with color or reaching out softly in hues.

During my internship, my class and I had the privilege of working with a large group of bubbly, life-filled clients. Although I only had an hour to engage with them, I was reminded yet again how art can go beyond language, background, and circumstance. Despite any challenges these individuals may have faced or are currently dealing with, they carried such an unwavering sense of positivity, joy, and curiosity. Their conversation and laughter filled the room before their bodies did.

In reflection of working with this group of clients, I created an art piece that is nothing but vibrant colors and dynamic movement. It symbolizes the contagious energy that bursts from their presence. I wanted to depict a joy that seemed to almost overflow beyond the paper edges. I was reminded that resilience and light can coexist in the face of hardship. Professionally, it enhanced my understanding of how crucial it is to meet the clients where they are at currently. Look to see one’s strengths and not just their struggles. Although I was one of many guiding the experience, these clients taught me it’s not only about processing pain and confusion, but also about celebrating the small moments of joy that sustain us.

The piece is derived from the art therapy directive of finding your safe place in your mind for you to always go back to in traumatic moments to ground yourself. I named the piece “A Child’s Safe Place” to allude to the directive but also to nod to the fact that pictured are my stuffed animals from when I was a kid. Growing up, my mom was out of town a lot and it was hard for me to sleep because I was so anxious. So I would surround myself with so many (like probably 15+) stuffed animals in order to bring my anxiety down and try to fall asleep. 

In terms of the process, I found all of my actual stuffed animals in my parents attic, and arranged them in a still life. I used my Fiancé’s camera to take a picture so I could work on it whenever I had time. I tinted my canvas and drew construction lines in a similarly colored pencil. Over the course of 4-5 days in minimum of 4 hour increments, I painted in acrylic paint while referring to the still life photo when I needed. Lastly, I used a micron pen to add small details in my baby blanket and called it a day. 

My dad made the frame for me and I stained it then added the canvas and the hanger to get it “exhibition ready”.

Art has always been something close to my heart and a steady presence throughout my life. When I was younger, I had a court-appointed counselor who would unofficially make art with me during our sessions to help me feel more comfortable. That experience stayed with me, and as I grew older, art, no matter the form, became a coping mechanism during difficult times. No matter what was happening around me, I knew I could make art and be in my own world for a little while. Those feelings and experiences are what drew me to art therapy. I want to help others through art, the way it has helped me and continues to help me. Art is a powerful form of expression when feelings and thoughts can’t be put into words, and I believe it truly helps people grow and transform mentally and emotionally, just as it did for me. 

Art therapy is a complex yet simple method of therapy that uses creative expression to explore emotions, experiences, and events that may not be easy to verbalize at first. It is not about making “good” art, it is about processing life. The value lies in the process, not the final product. Because of this, art therapy can be used with any population at any skill level. During art therapy, the therapist’s role is to hold a safe, welcoming, and supportive space while understanding that no single method works for everyone, as well as different clients’ needs may require different approaches. 

For my career, I have always pictured myself working with younger children who may be experiencing abuse, neglect, addicted parents, or similar challenges. I’ve always imagined doing this work within a state or county setting. Later, once that career is well established, I would love to have my own studio where I can run sessions or host open studios for the community.

As for why Marywood University, when I picture graduate school, this is where I see myself continuing my education. After earning my associate degree at a community college, followed by one semester at another university, coming to Marywood, it was the first time I felt at home during college. It’s the first time I’ve truly enjoyed being at a university, and for that I’m grateful. I hope to continue my time here as I move forward on this path.

I am Chloe Kiernan. I am a senior Art Therapy Major with a double minor in Psychology and Art History at Marywood University. Coming into college, I knew I wanted to keep art in my life but use it in a way that I can help aid in healing others. Whether that was helping somebody with a mental or physical disability. But also not limited to helping others in other forms of capacity that may feel the need to seek extra care and support through their personal challenges. And this is why Art Therapy is the major I chose to pursue during undergrad. Mental health is a stigma I feel that needs to be addressed more and something I am truly passionate about advocating for. That includes advocating for myself and others to expand their knowledge on this area. My creative process always starts with an idea then I personally add my own creative twist on it. I am mainly an abstract artist but during my time here at Marywood, I have discovered that I love to create with mixed media materials. Having this skill is so fun for me and it is rewarding because I can tell a new story each time I present an art piece I am working on. It is important to try new mediums and discover what mediums are fit for you and what makes you feel the most comfortable. As I get ready to graduate with my Bachelor’s in Arts in Art Therapy and hopefully pursue my education to a Master’s level in a field expanding my skills I obtained in psychological counseling, I look forward to seeing where my education leads me into finding the best job possible in my career.

“Just Keep Swimming” is one of my favorite pieces I have created during my time at Marywood. I created it during my junior year for the MUSATA: The Art of the Art Therapist show back in Spring of 2025. I have always been drawn to koi fish and the style of zentangle line work. So it was naturally easy for me to put the two together. When creating the piece, I wanted to find a way to incorporate a single color to make the piece more alive. The color red became the obvious choice. The piece also is a symbol of mental health awareness of those who struggle with anxiety. As a person with mental health challenges, I wanted the fish to draw in all sorts of directions to symbolize the many emotions and thoughts a person with anxiety faces everyday and having one fish being a different color than the rest. That one fish being different than the rest represents the individual who has those feelings of anxiety, as someone with everyday anxiety can feel like a target or even feel alone. Overall, this piece is very meaningful in different ways and being able to share my love and chance to advocate for the mental health stigma through my art is what makes this piece one of my absolute favorites.

This ceramic piece I threw and shaped on the wheel. I later glazed the pot using San Miguel and painted the blue flowers with underglaze. I chose this color scheme because the colors are cohesive, and I was inspired by flowers I saw over the summer.

One of my favorite pieces I did was called “Bloom For Me”. It was an explorative piece for me, and opened up my eyes to a new way of creating. I used mixed media on the piece, including acrylic paint, sewn-elements, and gold foil. The process was really fun for me, as I experimented with a bunch of different symbols, techniques, and compositional elements. I had actually never created a piece like this before, and it opened my eyes to a new way of creating art that implements importance of not only the product, but the process too. This piece, titled “Bloom For Me,” is representational of how I have bloomed in terms of my art making, and an inspiration to viewers to also be open to experimenting and growing in terms of their hobbies, work, and even their lives!