Art: The Value Of A Smile

Turn that frown upside down!

Matisse: Interior with Etruscan Vase

I have always enjoyed the saying 'Smile at the world and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone'. Those words fit in with my positive outlook and approach to life and seeing the world as a reflection of how you engage with it.

Matisse: Tabac Royale

Philip Hook's engaging art memoir 'Breakfast At Sotheby's' has an intriguing tale of the difference in the value of a painting based on the subject's facial expression. "Generally, people prefer happiness in pictures, serenity rather than conflict, intimations of pleasure rather than of pain."

Michaella

According to Philip, the line of a lady's mouth turned down into a scowl potentially reduces the value of a painting enormously as seen above with Michaella and below with Lorette.

If those ladies had only straightened their mouths into neutrality as the model in Mediation has it would have been enough to double or even treble the painting's value.

A smile as seen in Woman Sitting Before A Window would have quadrupled the value.



Matisse himself knew the importance of keeping positive when in 1940 he was forced to flee Paris from the Nazis. He continued working despite the horrors nearby and took his solace in his painting and the models sitting for him. " "That’s what keeps me there, surrounded by my fruit and flowers which I get to grips with little by little, almost without noticing and then I wait for the thunderbolt that is bound to follow.”

Do you agree that a facial expression should make such a disproportionate difference to a painting's value?

Handbags: Frida Giannini's Departure From Gucci

It's a highly competitive and sometimes very complicated world in the fashion industry as a Creative Director. Frida Giannini will testify to that. Frida left her position at Gucci this January with the company unhappy with profit levels for some time now.

I'm disappointed for her as design-wise she has been at the top of her game and clearly led the way with the omnipresent 70s trend. However it is not enough in the fashion industry to design amazing clothes, you need to make a lot of money for the company and this as always nowadays involves selling a lot of handbags especially in China.

http://hautehoskins.com/

The Chinese government clampdown on flashy gifts to officials has affected many luxury brands, some more than others. It's a warning to us all that even if you do your best you may be at the mercy of decisions or circumstances far from the realm of your control or anticipation. Gucci has promoted Frida's deputy Alessandro Michele to Creative Director with a clear brief to reassert the focus onto accessories.

Personally I wish him well and look forward to seeing where Frida gets to work her magic next. Handbags may pay the bills (and ever-hungry shareholders) but it's design brilliance that is a creator's legacy and she has much to be proud of.

Art: The Woman In Gold

This week sees the release of the the Woman In Gold movie starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds telling the true story of the Nazi theft of five Gustav Klimt paintings from Maria Altmann's family, whose aunt is portrayed above in one of the world's most famous paintings.

www.telegraph.co.uk

The plot sees Maria Altmann's character (played by Helen Mirren) attempt to recover the paintings after discovering them displayed in Austria's Belvedere Gallery. The gallery point blank refused to return the almost priceless paintings as they were now seen as the equivalent of Austria's Mona Lisa and to them almost unimaginable assets to lose. Maria Altmann is quoted on the long quest for justice
“They will delay, delay, delay, hoping I will die. But I will do them the pleasure of staying alive.”

As an art therapist I am particularly keen to watch the movie for it's association of art as important to society and it's reflection of society during troubled times and how art can be used as a healing tool to cope with harrowing and traumatic events. Ryan Reynolds who plays lawyer Randy Schoenberg in the movie states this nicely in this quote "It's not about retribution, it's a story about resolution. It's about making amends with your past."

The Woman In Gold is out April 10th. Do let me know your thoughts if you see it.

The Top 5 Benefits of Art Therapy

http://www.ibiblio.org

Below we have compiled the top 5 benefits that art therapy provides to our clients.

1) Improving Communication

Some clients have serious communication problems and find it hard to talk about these issues verbally. Art therapy aims to help people draw on their inner, creative resources to explore personal issues. The therapist analyses the client's art and then elicits deeper interpretations from the client with appropriate questions and support.

http://www.mskcc.org/

2)Emotional Wellbeing
One major purpose of art therapy is the act of healing and getting over one's trauma and stressful experiences. Art can help with emotional, behavioural and mental health issues. It can also provide support to those with learning or physical disabilities, neurological conditions and physical illnesses.


3) Self-awareness
As trust builds between therapist and client, communication can go deeper and explore issues in a strategic way that can help the client learn more about themselves, their complex and confusing emotions and how they can develop new ways of dealing with difficult situations with more positive coping strategies.


4) Creative Expression

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Using a wide range of art materials you can create art that reflects your dreams, nightmares, experiences and fears. Clients do not need to have any previous experience or expertise in art.


5)Personal Growth

Art therapists work with children, young people, adults and the elderly. It's emotionally restorative benefits enable clients to develop life skills, 

http://www.secureteen.com/

Qualified art therapists work in a variety of settings, these include:

• psychiatry
• learning disabilities
• special and mainstream education
• the social services
• prisons.

Testimonials

Below are some testimonials from clients of The British Assocation of Art Therapists (BAAT)

"I had so much benefit... real lasting benefits that I' ve been able to carry on with on my own, like a new way of doing things and different methods of coping. I think I got more from it than I ever thought possible."

"I don't feel a prisoner of my depression any more. I can't tell you how much that means. I'd rather die than go through another dark time like the last one. But this has given me a new way of being shown a different way of coping with being me."

"It's had a profound impact.  I consider this to be the most successful thing that has happened in my mental health history. I have taken away what I did there and used it."


Further information can be found at www.baat.org/

Treating Jihadists With Art Therapy

Drawing pictures of castles can represent patients putting walls up to prevent you gaining information from them.
Credit: Deb Ramos

I recently came across an excellent article on NPR's website  concerning a slightly more unusual form of art therapy specifically tailored to convicted terrorists in Saudi Arabia. It's a great example of how we can use art therapy to treat people who have gone to dark places mentally and re-educate them to have a more well-rounded view of life.

The Mohammed Bin Naif Counselling and Care Centre in Riyadh claims to have successfully treated 3000 patients with an 80% success rate of returning detainees to their families. The centre uses art therapy in tandem with psychological counselling, religious education,vocational training and financial incentives.

The article which you can view here: NPR is particularly relevant with the new threat of ISIS in the region. Although the centre has dealt with ex Guantanomo Bay in-mates and Al Qaeda members this new threat is seen as the ultimate challenge.

Do you think it will be successful or is it a step too far for art therapy to reach?

Fullspot O Bag On Lookbook

lookbook.nu/nuriajuangran

We have collated some of the best looks from lookbook.nu to show you 6 ways to rock the Fullpsot O Bag. Above Nuria Juangran goes with a greap mint colour pop to contrast with her monochrome dress. Jess A goes a little more casual with her converse and denim ootd.

lookbook.nu/fashionmugging

Alina Keller has  a dark and demure look full of sophistication.

http://lookbook.nu/alinakeller

Angelica Giannini rocks a pink beanie as part of a fashion texture masterclass.

http://lookbook.nu/angelicagiannini

Fabricia L does a soft boho look perfect for daytime outings.

http://lookbook.nu/fabricialeme

Another fab look by Alina Keller shows you a great way to enjoy Spring and look fantastic at the same time.

http://lookbook.nu/alinakeller