Most of the work I do is helping my clients (from age 4 - well into their lives) to integrate the inner critic. This is a name given to the internalised voice of authority that is unique to each and every person. It develops in response to our surroundings, circumstances and central nervous system. It loves to rear it's head in all it's glory when we are embarking on a creative project or doing something out of our comfort zone.
Once I gave drawing classes to a little guy who was just 4 years old and was the harshest person towards himself I have never come across: He was brutally critical towards his drawings.
He is a privileged child, his parents are both creatives and are seemingly good kind people doing the best they can. What I gathered was that the young guy was fiercely comparing himself to his father who is a successful artisan making technical drawings for a living. The boy couldn't easily separate himself out from his dad and see that what his dad knows was learned and comes from years of experience. He was in effect a 4 year old comparing to himself to a 30 odd year old professional.
We worked on-line together because I find many young kids these days are focused on YouTube and computer screens and they can digest instruction in this way better than they can in person.
He is a very very talented young boy and his drawings kick the arse of many people but he most definitely couldn't see it. So we began working on giving him some respite from that voice and, in doing so, some space appeared for him to make a drawing before shutting it down by saying he was no good, it was a mistake etc etc.
By the end of our time together he had begun internalising a more gentle voice and he was making drawings that were his own. A huge success! And a wish and a hope is that he carries that forward into his life and is able to ease off of himself allowing himself to enjoy his talent and not sabotage himself in his life.
We all do it, we all have that inner voice some of us are vocal about it and some keep it to themselves.
Drawing is by it's very nature is process orientated. You start with a mark which becomes a line and develops into an image. Making drawings you are therefore processing.
Hi my name is Monique Pelser I am a South African artist producer, researcher, educator, creative recovery coach and Chi Gong practitioner.
I teach drawing as a skill as a wellness practice to children, as well as, adults.
On my blog I share the experiences and insights I have gained in my life and research process. The methods I use are breathing, drawing and writing, which support self-awareness, mindfulness, self-development as well as creative problem solving.
I am the co-founder of The Art Of Wellbeing, an organisation working with multi-disciplinary researchers focusing on well-being practices for individuals as well as the corporation.
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