Poems …

A poem does not have to rhyme. For me, a poem is also one beautiful-sounding sentence.

Writing and collage

1. Find an bigger image in a magazine that symbolizes this moment, this day.
2. Cut out a character (symbol for yourself). Try cutting, if you want, in one go, without any pre-drawing. Just cutting out a figure that represents you. No need to be perfect.
3. Cut 3 words from a magazine that appeal to you. Work on intuition while choosing them.
4. Use those words to build a sentence. The sentence doesn’t have to make sense. It may even be a bit poetic. Cut out some more words to finish the sentence or write them.
5. Make a collage with the whole. What poetic phrase does your character say? I did it on black paper, but chose what you would like to use as backround.

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought, and the thought has found words.”  – Robert Frost

What if … you work with a child who cannot read or write? Then let it choose three words by feeling. You read them and have them draw something in the speech bubble that combines those three words (so don’t just illustrate those three words ;-)).

TIP: The words you cut out do NOT have to belong together. On the contrary. The more ‘haphazardly’ it is, the more fun it is to make the puzzle.

Important to know:

Working in a Creative Diary is NOT about results, it’s about expressing you inner self. It is NOT about techniques, techniques only help you to express yourself in more different ways. The exercises I give are an INVITATION, not an obligation. You can do the exercise, or not, you can do it differently, it’s at your choosing. The most important thing to remember is that you’re putting yourself and your (inner) world on paper, you are NOT making art. So feel inspired by images, but don’t compare yourself ! Fun and self-expression come first.

What do you need?

• markers
• coloured pencils
• writing materials
• scissors
• glue
• watercolour
• soft pastels
• oil pastels
• some magazines

And of course: a journal/diary. I recommend an 8,3 inches x 11,7 inches notebook (A4 format) with blank paper, but take whatever you find in your house. Blank papier is good too.

More information:

The exercises used in this Creative Diary are based on a method described by Lucia Capacchione, American art-therapist and author of the book The Creative Journal, by Anne-Marie Jobin, Canadian art-therapist and author of the soon to be coming book The New Creative Journal, and myself, Sarah Timmermans, Belgian art-therapist and psychologist (Dutch book: Het Creatieve Dagboek). The method blends knowledge from writing therapy, art-therapy, psychology and basic creativity. It’s a simple method that doesn’t requires any artistic skills and has been used with many ages, many individuals and many groups of people. More questions? Please write me.

Who am I?

I’m Sarah Timmermans, Belgian art-therapist, naturopath and psychologist. I’m trained by Jungian art-therapist/psychologist Csilla Kemenzcei. I work with individuals and with groups. I’m specialised in using diaries, tarot (archetypes) and dreams.