A Case Study of the Development of Bruce's Spontaneous Drawings From Age Six to Sixteen:

Abstract

"Art has the capacity to be a means of healing. Healing in this context is that of "making whole." This is not necessarily the weaving together of the disparate parts of an individual into one fabric, but rather the recognition and acceptance of what it is that constitutes the self. In our culture, the healing role that art can play has largely been lost or relegated to the professional realm of art therapy. It is the position of this thesis that this represents a loss of our human birthright. This narrow conception that art is for the talented few and has to do primarily with making beautiful products has robbed art of its innate power. Three areas of my personal experience in exploring the relationship of art and healing are presented in this thesis: the development of my work as an artist; my work with adults individually and in groups that use art for personal growth, and my work as an art educator in a secondary school art classroom."