Painting the Ceiling

One thing that I have learned about art therapists is that we can manage to work almost anywhere. This is a double edged sword. By being so creative and adaptive, often our employers are reticent to provide a more appropriate studio space, with counters, storage, and a sink, among other essentials. I traveled with my makeshift art therapy cart for about five years before the school program received a large donation that provided for the renovation of a former cafeteria area into two large rooms, one an art therapy space and one a music therapy space. By this time, the school had also hired another art therapist and a music therapist and we were building the creative arts therapy program to include individual sessions, groups, staff support and training, and community projects. Once the new studio was operational, it was a game changer. We now had a confidential space for individual sessions, lots of cabinets and a walk-in closet for storage, and a studio room big enough to facilitate groups easily, not to mention a large sink! For me, this was a huge accomplishment. I was thrilled that the program was expanding and it seemed as though the Administrators recognized the benefits the program brought to the students.

Once we had dedicated space, I worked to help the students make it their own. Due to the high level of distractibility of many students, we needed to keep the wall space fairly open and neutral so instead, I decided to help the kids paint the ceiling tiles. What a blast. I am sure many coworkers were skeptical but I was determined to empower the students to add their marks in the studio and really create a sense of creative space there that belonged to them. Each group was given one ceiling tile (approximately 24”X36”) and together created a design or pattern to cover the tile. Together we decided to use primary colors to create some cohesion among the tiles. The children were so excited! Some were shocked that they were allowed to actually paint the ceiling (of course we took the tiles down to be painted and then reinstalled them in a group decided pattern) and others were intrigued with the textures and materials being used to paint. The project took over a month, as I recall, working with each group once per week. It was amazing to see how a simple project like this moved children toward so many of their personal goals while also strengthening the community as a whole and imparting a sense of empowerment to the students who were able to direct most of the project themselves. You could feel the sense of ownership and place growing within them after each session. Finally, we coordinated with a facilities staff person to help install the tiles and some of the older students decided how the tiles should be placed when reinstalled. In the end, we had a vibrant grid in the center of the studio ceiling right above the group tables. There were splashes of blues, reds, and yellows that filled the room with life, energy, and reflections of those who created them, in handprints, words, shapes and the like. I still remember that time so fondly. I have been back to the school on several occasions since I left about 10 years ago and it warms my heart that the mosaic ceiling tiles are still in place. It is one of those reminders that humbles me and lifts me up at the same time. We often do not know the value of an action until well after we’ve completed it. What started out as a fun way to add color to the art studio, had such a deeper impact on the students and the school for a longer time that I ever would have imagined. I learned so much through letting go of rules and preconceived notions and engaging in an unexpected way with my art therapy student groups.