Unable to hold employment or successfully retrain/go back to school; I dove head first into the art of pottery. I have found a great therapy in ceramics upon my discharge from the military. My love of the arts has only helped to propel me forward, allowing me to excel in this artistic medium. I have been transitioning into more sculptural work and am truly loving the new direction!
I am a retired (yes, at 32), disabled Iraqi war veteran. I served for nearly 4 years in the US Army as a combat medic. Right around my seventh month in Iraq, my health took a drastic turn; I began having seizures. It has been a downhill slide ever since with more health issues arising as time continues. While the doctors have not yet been able to nail down a diagnosis, I continue to strive and to push forward everyday with the love and support from family. No matter the situation encountered, I choose to always look for the silver linings, focusing on the negatives serves no purpose.
I am also the founder of a non-profit organization called Healing Arts of Maine. The therapeutic effects that I found in clay has led me to be quite passionate about being able to bring this simple method of healing to the greatest audience possible. I hope you take the time to follow the link and check out Healing Arts of Maine, and if so inclined to make a tax deductible donation through our financial sponsor, Fractured Atlas.
For more information:
Www.Healingartsofmaine.com
Www.shawnabarnes.com
Www.facebook.com/HealingArtsOfMaine
SUMMARY:
Unable to hold employment or successfully retrain/go back to school; Shawna dove head first into the art of pottery. She has found a great therapy in ceramics upon discharge from the military. Her love of the arts has only helped to propel her forward, allowing her to excel in this artistic medium. She has been transitioning into more sculptural work and truly loving the new direction!
She is a retired (yes, at 32), disabled Iraqi war veteran. She served for nearly 4 years in the US Army as a combat medic. Right around her seventh month in Iraq, her health took a drastic turn; she began having seizures. It has been a downhill slide ever since with more health issues arising as time continues. While the doctors have not yet been able to nail down a diagnosis, she continue to strive and to push forward everyday with the love and support from family. No matter the situation encountered, she chooses to always look for the silver linings, focusing on the negatives serves no purpose.
Shawna is also the founder of a non-profit organization called Healing Arts of Maine. The therapeutic effects that she found in clay have led her to be quite passionate about being able to bring this simple method of healing to the greatest audience possible. Take the time to follow the link and check out Healing Arts of Maine, and if so inclined to make a tax deductible donation through our financial sponsor, Fractured Atlas.
Healing Arts of Maine is more than just a place to learn art. It is a place to heal. Offering both creative arts therapy services with certified therapists as well as general instruction in various art mediums, Healing Arts of Maine will be your safe haven. They will be offering classes in watercolor painting, various music related courses including theory and instrument instruction, hand-building in ceramics, sculpture, throwing on the pottery wheel, drawing, mixed media and collage, and soooo much more.
Both individual and group music therapy sessions facilitated by a Board Certified Music Therapist will also be available. Classes will be designated as CAT (creative art therapy) sessions, or art classes intended on helping you heal through the act of creating. Both are aimed to help the individual find their own path towards healing.
Healing Arts of Maine will be a place where veterans can feel safe expressing the thoughts and emotions that remain unspoken to help aid in their healing process. The effect of art therapy has been beyond measure through the years.