Balinese Ambience Art Therapy with Maralyn Nash

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Take your artmaking on an exotic journey



Balinese Ambience Art Therapy is an unique artmaking experience combined with exploration of Balinese music and art and a series of guided imagery exercises. It was a brainchild of Maralyn Nash, an art therapist with 20 years experience and an accomplished photographer and artist herself.



Our workshop with Maralyn took place at a tranquil courtyard, which was filled with tropical plants and warm sun beams on a Saturday morning. We started by sharing some intimate travel photos of when Maralyn was in Bali for a Bali Art Therapy Conference in 2012. All the photos, which featured art and craft, architecture, gourmet food and fashion fabrics, gave us so much inspiration for our own art, in terms of colour combinations, exotic symbols, patterns and forms.



After the photo sharing, our meditation facilitator, Julia, put on some exotic Balinese music and guided us on an imagery exercise, casting our minds into the future of our life. What will you be doing? Where will you be? With the sounds and the beats of the traditional Balinese gamelan, (which reminded me of my travel days in Bali for my Yoga Retreat) I could see the colours and patterns dancing in my mind, which eventually came into a form expressing what my was heart desiring; it transformed from an invisible source into the visible world.



All the materials were provided, all I had to do was to pick up something. I started to make my art coming from my imagination. It was a beautiful and focused moment - filled with serenity and bliss, just like in the flow of creation.

Time flew so quick and we were all making our own art regardless of whether we were experienced painters or just a beginners, because everyone's art is unique.

After the art making, we shared our thoughts and exchanged our ideas about what we thought about each other's artwork and what we have learnt from each other's creation. It was very intriguing that our art had revealed part of us that we might not even be aware of and our expression through the art also carried out some hidden messages - showing us our desires, concerns, preferences and emotional statues. It was inspiring to learn from each other.



Our workshop also included a lovely lunch. As Maralyn is a vegetarian, all the food was very healthy and organic - there were vegetables, fruits and herb teas.

Our workshop continued after the lunch break. This time, we were taken into the past. How did I do when I was 5 years old, 10 years old, 15 years old, 20 years old. Can you create a single artwork that can represent both your past and your future? It was a challenge, but as I knew everything came from the heart, not the head, I choose to feel, not think. So I followed my heart and created a beautiful rainbow hovering over our planet of earth, with footprints decorated at the bottom, representing a little creature of the Universe, who is on a journey of exploring the beauty of the world with her curious mind and restless feet.

Balinese Ambience Art Therapy is a short spiritual retreat for your body, mind and spirit and allowing you to connect with the source of your creativity, through inspirational Balinese ambience.

For the dates of upcoming Balinese Ambience Art Therapy workshops please contact Maralyn Nash or visit her website .

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