Born and raised on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Tessa D’Agostino began her creative career at Cape Cod Community College (4C‘s). “…It is there I realized my passion for the arts as well as my interest in psychology,” D’Agostino says. After obtaining an Associates in Visual Arts Degree at 4C’s, D’Agostino continued her artistic journey at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Tufts University. While studying a wide variety of studio arts, she independently studied the therapeutic and psychological benefits of the artistic process. “I learned much of what I know through first hand experiences and personal life challenges, but developed a heightened understanding through independent research.” In 2007 she obtained a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from Tufts University. Ever since D’Agostino has been exhibiting her work in galleries, and shows, while implementing therapeutic and expressive arts programs at various organizations.

Currently D’Agostino teaches therapeutic and expressive arts at many different organizations in the Cape Cod community. She expresses readily that it is her passion and life purpose to teach individuals the benefits of heightened self awareness through the creative process. In addition to learning fine art skills, D’Agostino teaches students  to analyzing their artistic journey in comparison to their life and vice versa. “I strongly believe the artistic process is an essential tool in teaching self reflection. As a result, when one understands their inner self one can create the essential lifestyle unique and necessary for their wellbeing…”

D’Agostino’s words fill the remainder of this article, as she clearly explains the reasoning behind her methods and observations of the therapeutic and self benefits of art making.

Tessa D’Agostino’s Art Process Theory & Practice

Art is a reflection of who we are. We can learn much about an artist by analyzing their work. We can learn much more about ourselves by sensing our reaction to it, and by engaging in our own creative process. As in the butterfly affect, positive reflection and expression is contagious and ever expanding. It is by our individual health, mentally, emotionally, and physically that we will collectively change our complicated world in a positive manner. If more of us learn to understand ourselves at deeper levels, we can live our lives in balance, and exert positive energy. I strongly believe the artistic process is a gateway to heightened self awareness and consequently manifests a healthy balanced lifestyle.

When we are confused, or feel lost or scattered, it is because we are not identifying with who we are and what we truly need. It is easy in today’s world to forget what is truly important; the well being of ourselves. If we are in balance, then our environment is in balance. If our environment is in balance, then all things that come into contact with our environment will be affected positively by its balance. Therefore, those things affected positively will then carry on to affect their environments positively and so on. It may be difficult to comprehend how this theory fits into the creative process, but it does.

When one engages in the creative process, it is a form of internal reflection and meditation. During this process, if we slow down our active minds, we can tune in to our inner chatter, or self talk. Our thoughts are always going and sometimes that can be a negative or confusing thing to listen to. We all develop patterns in thinking and by slowing down our stimulatory selves we can tune in to who we are on deeper levels. We can listen more clearly to our inner talk, and decipher what we are thinking about and why. We can digest old habits of thinking and re-invent our perceptions of our lives.

During the creative process we can pause, intentionally recall our thoughts, and consciously, analyze the art in comparison. The art becomes a visual tool in in this process of mindful creating.

A finished art piece contains in it the process, and therefore it is the journey that explains the outcome of a finished piece. Each piece of art tells a story, and that story can be evaluated by the individual who created it, as well as its audience. In my teachings I encourage artists to think about what they are creating, why they are creating it, what they are thinking about, is this old or new thought, how do they feel about what they are doing, why are they feeling this emotion, does this emotion come out in the artwork, etc. Once an individual trains themselves to analyze their creative process this way, in a natural manner the artist can connect much stronger not only with the process but with themselves. The artist begins to see more of who they are, begins practicing more positive reflection in their work, and as a consequence integrates this positive energy into their lives. As a result of heightened self awareness, old thought patterns are replaced by new positive formations.

Our thoughts directly affect how we feel. Therefore, it is important to understand how you think. The benefit of thought awareness allows an individual to recognize when their thoughts may be taking control of their well being, gives them the ability to regain control, and prevents a negative thought pattern from developing. This is just one aspect of the mental. and emotional benefits of art making while being self aware.

Thank you and be well

…

Tessa D’Agostino

Founder, Artistic Director, Artist

MakeInsideArt@gmail.com