Postmarks from Planet Art Therapy:Art Therapy Without Borders
International Postcard Art Exchange
In 2010, Art Therapy Without Borders
organized a collaborative art event where art therapists and art
therapy students living all over the world
participated in an international postcard art
exchange. This presentation features the project, its impact, and
the role of art and social networking to connect
the art therapy community worldwide.
Founded in 2010,
ATWB is dedicated to
promoting international
art therapy initiatives in
mental health,
healthcare, & education
worldwide
About Art Therapy Without Borders
To allow community members from the Art Therapy Alliance, International Art Therapy Organization, and Art Therapy Without Borders to receive postcard art from art therapists and art therapy students living all over the world and to learn about each other's work and interests worldwide.
Create community, collaboration, and connection for the international art therapy community
Postcard Exchange Intention
Mail art is a worldwide cultural movement that involves sending art through the international postal system.
The term networking is often used to describe Mail Art activities, based on the principles of barter and equal one-to-one collaboration. The Mail Art phenomenon has gradually migrated to the Internet, whose “social networks” create opportunities for the interactive processes of postal collaborations.
Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_art
Mail Art
No special theme or media was designated to use.
A reminder was given that postcard art will go to destinations around the world and should be able to withstand this travel!
Postcards: On the Front
Nancy DominqueArt Therapist, Belgium
Include a brief paragraph about your work as an art therapist or art therapy student. Include whatever you think is interesting about your work/studies in art therapy and what art therapy is like where you live.
Postcards: On the Back
Who Participated & From Where
Who ParticipatedArt therapists and art therapy students participated from:
Singapore, France, Slovac Republic, Canada, Ireland, Australia, the UK, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium, New Zealand, Hungary, Honduras, the United States, South Africa, Germany, Peru, Bulgaria,
Indonesia, Jamaica, Chile, and Hong Kong, China.
Over 250 participants in 25 countries
The term Social Media refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue.
Social media are media for social interaction, as a superset beyond social communication. Enabled by accessible communication techniques, social media substantially change the way of communication between organizations, communities, as well as individuals.
What is Social Media?
Promotion and ParticipationAdministration, Photo, & Video SharingGlobal Connection, Dialogue & NetworkingParticipant Sharing & BloggingProject Archiving
Role of Social Media
Global networking among art therapy communityEmpowered art-makingCreated inspiration and hopeFacilitated connection and a sense of communityDecreased isolationLearning opportunity and awareness
Exchange’s Benefits & Value
“We believe that there is an invisible and unbreakable red thread connects all those who are destined to meet and to be together. Through the ATWB postcard exchange project, we’re connected via a red thread and a little piece of the attached art made by me a few days ago.”
Fiona Chang Expressive Art Therapist Hong Kong
I’ve received some postcards already, each time it is very exciting. I’ve really enjoyed this process of art making. It has also made me feel more connection with “our” community.
~Laurie Jarcho, Art Therapist New Haven, Connecticut
“This postcard art exchange gave me a lot of things. Process of creating my postcard helped me in different ways: I've found my motto, defined my job more, gave me inspirations to my art-project. Thanks for all those 16 postcards what I’ve got from thousands of kilometers far countries. It was a very good feeling to know about everyone in the world who use art-making for healing and helping people. As for isolation, this connection makes me stronger”.
~ Monica Kiraly, Budapest, Hungary
Each of my postcards have a thread on it which represents a symbolic weaving between all of us. I am enthusiastic about this exchange and I hope to meet each of you one day!
~Michela Baretti, Art Therapist, Piario, Italy
Caroline Maby, France
Postcards From Around the World
Yen Chua, Singapore
Louise Garland, Ireland
Postcards From Around the World
Elitsa Velikova, Bulgaria
Michelle Gerber, Greece
Danielle Deeke, Germany
Jihyun Hwang, South Korea
Janet McLeod, New Zealand
Mariana Santistevan, Peru
Postcards From Around the World
Anriet van Deventer-South Africa
Debbie Anderson, Canada
Postcards From Around the World
Renald Navilly, Australia
Ardhana Riswarie, Indonesia Johanna Pohlmann, Honduras
Lesli-Ann Belnavis, Jamaica
Jana Ratraova, Slovakia
Summary of work/studies, art therapy interestsHope for art therapy to become more recognizedEnthusiasm & passion for art therapyIncluding website, blog, Facebook page, e-mailLarge participation from students, new professionalsEducators introducing project to studentsGratitude towards project, intention, and participants
Common Themes
Individuals who signed up for the exchange and did not or could not follow through with making & sending postcards
Change in mailing address, misplaced mailing lists
How to safely mail postcard art, mail/post delivery
Making/Sending original art vs. reproduced art?
Challenges
ATWB Facebook Page
Google Virtual interactive map
atwb.org: Postcard Art Slideshow
View the Exchange
atwb.org
arttherapywithoutborders.org
Gretchen Miller MA, ATR-BC
Art Therapy Without Borders, Inc.