Ink Brush Art Therapy and Brush with Clay studio open to public

Staggered wooden shelves contained glasses of brushes and utensils, a collection of bits and bobs acquired in hopes to be used in a future artwork, moulds for preformed bases and smaller chocolate moulds for tiny details, hundreds of unique glazes for painting, and buckets of pre-used clay to be recycled once more through the use of a cotton pillowcase.

Unfinished clay sculptures for an upcoming Melbourne show covered the table in front of her, some twisted with finely cut scales, bloomed in softly-shaped florals, nestled proudly upright with feathers, and even ruptured to capture a deeper emotion.

"All of my work is kind of inspired by Mexican concepts around Ex Voto which [are] the sacred symbols and it's to do with healing certain aspects of yourself through the saints," Bella said.

"I'm sort of looking for something in my work, and it's to do with interpersonal stuff, so I do lots of hearts because I'm into relationships, and how we're affected by [them]."

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As a registered art therapist, Bella helps support people "aged two to 102", of varying languages and abilities in the community through ceramics, painting, collage, watercolour, printmaking, plasterine, art mediums used in a non-prescriptive way.

While she has the studio available, she also teaches classes within different organisations and schools, even allowing primary school children to process their emotions from the bushfires using these creative outlets.

"I think art in particular has the potential to be therapeutic, like making anything creative is quite an act of courage and it can be really healing," Bella said.

"But with art therapy, what we're adding to that mix is a therapeutic relationship with a clinician who has particular training in that field.

"It's good for people who can't talk about things for whatever reason, or have had trauma that has occurred in the preverbal time of their lives, or they want a different way of looking at something."

An Australian Ceramics Open Studios event will occur on November 11 and 12, and Brush with Clay Studio invites the public to "pop in for a cuppa" and see the studio from 10am to 4pm at 1 McPherson Circuit, Pambula.

For more information regarding the Open Studio event, click here

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