ABBY STONE | Reporter
The Psychology Interest Club held “Grape Juice and Paint,” an activity mixing learning and fun in the pavilion Thursday afternoon.
It was a sunny and slightly cool day for an outside activity and many students and professors came to learn about art therapy.
The club invited an art therapist, Chelsea Wire, to walk them through what art therapy is and why it’s important.
Wire graduated from Truman State University with a major in psychology and a minor in studio art. She completed her master’s at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville and now practices as an art therapist.
“I’d always had art in my life growing up; my grandma really supported that. She was an artist as well,” Wire said.
The event began at 4:30 p.m., and students poured sparkling grape juice while Wire spoke about art therapy and its importance.
Wire brought canvases, paint and bubble solution. The group used old water bottles with mesh on the bottom to dip into a mix of paint and bubble solution to blow on the canvas.
This created a mix of colors and shapes and was also an exercise in deep breathing and self-expression.
“I hear a lot of laughter; I hear a lot of conversation,” Wire said. “It’s bringing people together in various ways, and that’s really what the goal was.”
Wire said it’s important for students to join these activities to learn how to let go. She said students often hold themselves to high expectations and this is a way of practicing self-care.
Wire left the students with one piece of advice: “Always be curious; you can’t be disappointed.”
