Date of Award
Spring 5-2008
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
EVMS School of Health Professions
Program/Concentration
Art Therapy
Committee Director
Matthew Bernier
Committee Member
Daria Halprin
Committee Member
Vicky Wilder
Abstract
Why have pioneers of art therapy and modern art therapists discussed the importance of body movement in art therapy and yet not one study has been conducted to test its benefits? How can an art therapist overlook body movement in an art therapy session when one must move in order to create art? Observing the need for more research in this area, this study explored how body movement may affect art using one of Florence Cane’s (1951/1983) arm exercises and the scribble technique.
Four adult volunteers were individually videotaped while completing the scribble technique, then the arm exercise, and then again the scribble technique. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. The artwork and the recorded movements of the participants were analyzed to see if any changes occurred after performing the arm exercises.
To observe the artwork, three elements were considered, including: space used on the paper, prominence of color, and line quality. These did not change, but other elements did. There were no significant changes in the body movement of the participants after the Cane exercise, although their movements may have reflected some of their verbalized thoughts during the interview. The lack of significant changes may be accounted for by the use of a functional movement exercise rather than an expressive movement exercise as the stimulus for change.
This study was too small to make statements about the effect of body movement on art, but implications for art therapy and further research were suggested.
Rights
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DOI
10.25777/5p4v-tv78
Recommended Citation
Hurst, Alicia K..
"An Exploration of the Effects of an Arm Movement Intervention Upon Artwork: Implications for Art Therapy"
(2008). Master of Science (MS), Thesis, EVMS School of Health Professions, Old Dominion University, DOI: 10.25777/5p4v-tv78
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/evmshealthprofessions_etds/56