Publisher's Synopsis
When it feels like intense emotions are trapped inside your body and you don't know what to do, make something. Creating a piece of art-a hand-drawn body map, a self-portrait, a zine, or a manifesto-gives your emotions a physical form. The act of creation is both a release and an invitation to shift your perspective. In this guidebook, artist and educator Caitlin Metz encourages readers to let go of self-judgment and make art as a way to identify and label difficult emotions, preserve feelings of wonder and joy, and embrace the multitude of feelings we, as humans, regularly experience. With an introduction on how art can fuel an individual's understanding of themselves, Metz offers insight into common emotional experiences and the five major function of art-making: to release, converse, question, document, and to ritualize or create a personal practice. What follows is a series of art tutorials for you to practice mindfully noticing your feelings and collaborating with them in a way that feels cathartic and deeply rewarding.