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Help Christina manifest her dream

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Hello, my name is Christina Macadam.  I have been offered a place, starting on 24th September 2018, at Tobias School of Art & Therapy for training in Transpersonal Arts for Health and Wellbeing: City & Guilds ACGI Level 5 Award.  This is a 1 year course which leads on to a further 2 years for the Level 7 Masters equivalent training in Transpersonal Arts in Therapy.

http://tobiasart.org/transpersonal-training/ 

I have felt the calling to Art Therapy training for many years.  Creativity has always been my invitation to communicate with and look deeply inside myself.  I paint intuitively using vibrant colours, often on a large scale.  


I have found a language that makes sense; it inspires me to investigate my experiences through feelings, thoughts and emotions by playing with colour, texture, shape, plus exploring with other different forms of creativity: Crystal Bowls, sound, my voice, breath-work, drumming, journaling, dance and movement.  All of these practices generate within me a palette of skills, knowledge and awareness that I call upon to help me return to my true path when I have wondered off! 

My vision
Is to help people to get in touch with and reclaim the innate creative wisdom that is within each and every one of us.  I believe we are all born with a deep impulse and desire to be creative in our lives but sometimes it gets buried, suppressed, ignored, taken from us, or just forgotten.   

How I have shared my dream and passion with others
In June this year, I orchestrated and facilitated a two day free community art project and month long exhibition, which I called “Dare to Paint in St Leonards – Access to Art for All”. 

 
Dare to Paint in St Leonards

I set up an interactive installation in an outdoor venue of two large wooden, secured structures, which each supported an extensive primed board as a painting surface.  I invited the local residents to make their marks on the canvasses using paint, charcoal, marker pens, spray paints, etc and to express their response to “Dare to Paint in St Leonards”.



I wanted this project to engage, encourage, include, support and empower the members of the community by giving all an opportunity to be creative, curious and experiment with making art within the community space.  I offered this especially to those who had never painted or drawn before, or those who “hadn’t done any art since they were at school”.  The 2 days of painting workshops were attended by 88 women, men and children and facilitated in a non judgemental environment, where whatever marks are made were valued.

 
My aim was to reach sectors of the public that are often overlooked, and in a way that is not generally catered for - through creativity.

Why I have chosen Tobias School of Art and Therapy
Because working in harmony with the seasons and rhythms of nature brings us closer to our true creative selves, where we are more likely to feel safe enough to open and embark on our journey to health and wholeness.

 What I hope to achieve upon completion of my training

 ·         A greater sensitivity, understanding, knowledge and perception to
           all my creative practices and endeavours.
·         To inspire.
·         To continue facilitating my Mixed Media & Painting Workshops
           and Creative Times courses.
·         Facilitate 1-1 and group Therapeutic Art Counselling, plus
          Therapeutic Art & Sound sessions.
·         Run 1-1 and group courses on Self Empowerment through
          Creativity and Sound.
·         Take “Dare to Paint – Access to Art for All” out to other
           communities.
·         Use my skills in the community to work with children, young
           people and women who have suffered trauma.
·         Continue to collaborate with other artists and practitioners to
           bring new and exploratory therapeutic ideas for workshops and
           courses.
·         Offer Therapeutic Art Groups as a course for wellbeing for mental,
           emotional and spiritual health.
·         I was born and raised in Kenya, and have an ache in my heart to
          return one day to work with children in a creative therapeutic
          setting.

The funding that I need for this first year:
The course is for 2 full days a week, plus one intensive 5 day week per term plus a commitment to a minimum of 6 hours per week for home study, art practice and essay writing. 

Course Fees (Year 1)                                                                                           £5,910

Art Materials                                                                                                            £   125

Course Deposit                                                                                                       £   300

Accommodation       (36 weeks)

1-2 nights a week + 1 full week each term + Deposit                        £1,425

Travel        (31 weeks)                                                                                             £1,230

Personal Therapy       (40hrs)                                                                            £1,800                                                                                          
Sub Total                                                                                                                    £10,790

GoFundMe Fees
2.9% + £0.25p per donation                                                                              £   563

TOTAL                                                                                                                         £11,353

What I can do to support myself
I shall be continuing my self employed work of providing childcare, cleaning, Air BnB management, painting & decorating and my own art practices and commissions, with which to earn my living expenses for the remainder of each week.

 I have been given two donations so far to start my fundraising, totalling £120, from Carolina and Mary.

How can you help
I would be so grateful for any donation you can offer to assist me with my quest to do this training.  The smallest amounts all add up. 

Also, to help me get my Fundraiser out there, you could share my link on your Instagram, Twitter, Texts and Facebook Timeline.

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my fundraiser. 
With love,
Christina
 



Some of my Achievements
 
Training/Practice
2011 –present            Soul Plan Practitioner Training (2016), Atlantean Shamanic Healing (Paddles), & Soul Transformation Therapy Training (2018) with Blue Marsden; Attending various Life Drawing, Marie-Louise Miller’s Experimental Art, Vedic Art Level 1, Hero’s Journey, Crystal Channelling, Shamanic drumming, Embodied Awakening Dance classes, Paint effects class, Makaton Beginners, Co-Counselling 12 week fundamental course & 2 ½ years practice.   

2001                            ‘A’ Level Art & Crafts (B)

1993 - 2004            Reflexology; Aromatherapy & Massage; Swedish Massage; Indian Head Massage; Thermo Auricular Therapy; Crystal Therapy; Basic Counselling Skills; Dowsing for Health

1993 – 1994            BTEC GNVQ    - Art & Design (Distinction)
                                         GCSE   - Art & Design (A* Star)
 
Art Career Summary
2008 – Present           Painting for myself, undertaking commissions & the creation of “Soul Plan Mandalas”, creating Sacred Name Mandalas for an Oracle Card Deck

Since 2015 I facilitate monthly Group & 1-1 Mixed Media & Acrylic Painting workshops.  

November 2016 – Facilitated 2 group Batik Workshops at HEDGE Home Education Group

June 2017 – Co facilitated a 7 week Colour Art Course, as “CreateAbility” collaboration with Anna Atkinson.  

January 2018 – A 1 year, monthly Zodiac Art Workshop, as “CreateAbility” collaboration with Anna Atkinson. 

April 2018 Facilitated an 8 week experimental “Drawing on Sound” course. 

July 2018 – Co facilitated a day workshop Earthly Inspirations as “Sounding into Creativity”, a collaboration with Sarah Stephenson, Voice & Sound Practitioner & Coach.  

November 2017 – present, I set up and facilitate a small art & craft group at my home studio to teach new skills, tools and techniques whilst in a communal setting.  The purpose of the group is to encourage members through their own creativity to facilitate their own artistic workshop for the other group members. 

June – July 2018 - Orchestrated my idea for an interactive community art project & exhibition at The SPACE, St Leonards - “Dare to Paint in St Leonards – Access to Art for All”. 

All of the work that I offer is for mixed age groups and for mixed abilities.

Dec 10 – 2011    Inspire Artworks, Hastings – Mixed Media & Illustration class.  Co Facilitator

Sept 06 – Oct 08        Northampton & District Mind, Northants - Support Worker - I facilitated group therapeutic art sessions in two centres, which would involve up to 10 people at a time.  I organised trips to Art Galleries based on our Theme each week & an Art Trip to Coventry for drawing plus exhibition visits.  I supported and guided group members to create artwork for a National Mind Art Competition.  I accompanied the group to see the Installation at Brick Lane, London.  I facilitated workshops to design T shirts for a sponsored run.  The workshops I ran included:  Acrylic Painting, Mixed Media, drawings skills, Batik (individual & group work), Printing, Oil Pastels, Watercolour Painting, Pottery, Papier Mache, Crafts

2007-2008       I worked for 9 months with a 34 year old woman with brain injury after a heart attack, Northamptonshire -    Mainly focussing on: Basic Drawing Skills, Painting using fingers & brush, Batik, Colouring with Crayons, Oil Pastels, cooking

2007              Changing Minds /PTC, Northamptonshire - Sessional Work
6 weeks of 3 hours per week of art & craft sessions for people with mild depression

Organizer

Christina Macadam
Organizer
England

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