Creating Space: Mindfulness and Art-Making

This research investigates how mindful awareness practices, such as yoga, could enhance the art-making process for the adult learner. This investigation explores three psychological obstacles to art-making: fear, the inability to concentrate, and the effects of ego identification. To study these constraints, a form of qualitative study called dialectical inquiry was used. The author interviewed a non-practicing artist, a yoga instructor, and a teacher who combines yoga and art-making. The artist confirmed that there were psychological obstacles to art-making as described above. The yoga instructor suggested techniques for overcoming the identified obstacles, and the yoga art teacher explained how she combines these practices. This research does not confirm that mindful awareness practices have positive effects on the adult learner in the art classroom; however, it does suggest that future studies may prove that mindful awareness practices can have a positive impact on self-awareness, risk-taking, and creativity. Keywords: Mindfulness, mindful awareness practice, yoga, fear, concentration, ego, creativity

Author

• Kohler, Michelle Camille

Language

• en

Keyword

• Ego
• Creativity
• Fear
• Yoga
• Mindfulness
• Concentration

Date created

• 2011

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Art Education

Degree

• M.A.T.

Advisor

• Bladergroen, Karen
• Ascher, Rikki

Committee Member(s)

• Storr, Annie
• Honig, Selila
• Lawton, Pamela

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/vd66w008t