Autism Therapy: Art Therapy
Yesterday my husband and I went on a field trip. Yes, grown ups still go on field trips. This one was very special to us. We are the founders of a non-profit for children and families affected by autism and we received an email from the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art (http://www.brooksmuseum.org). Sidebar: what a wonderful place! Anyway, they were thinking of putting of putting on an exhibit in the fall that focused on autism therapy. And, they thought of The Dockery Foundation! We were thrilled, to say the very least!
In a previous blog, I talked about our art therapy program. How important I thought it was for children with autism to be engaged with art. Children with autism are (in my opinion) such visual learners. Art helps them connect, focus, and learn.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art has an art therapist on staff. Her name is Karen Peacock. 
She is wonderful! Art therapy is her passion! Most recently, she worked with veterans at our local VA. The work was extraordinary.
This is a chalk sketch one of the veterans drew. Karen said it started as a sketch drawn with the opposite hand, eyes closed. Scribbled, in circles. Then, the artist opened his eyes and finished the rest from the scribble with his artist’s hand. What a great art therapy project! And you can’t argue the results! What a beautiful piece it is!!
Our non-profit is in discussions with Brooks Museum to do an art therapy project with Karen Peacock. Selecting several of the children that we serve (that show promise in art) come and work with Mrs. Peacock. What an amazing opportunity this will be for the autism community of the Mid-South! And for our community as well.
Memphis Brooks Museum is one of those places that you know is always going to be there. You know you’re going to go “one of these days”….but you never quite get around to going? I encourage everyone who lives close to Memphis to take their families and go! What a gem we have in the Brooks! And I promise, our joint autism therapy project between the Memphis Brooks Museum and The Dockery Foundation. I will keep you posted on when it will take place and on all of the exciting details!
