Justine Keim

Project title: The Journey of the Body

As a child growing up in an artistic household, I expressed myself creatively from a young age, using drawing and creative expression as a tool to understand the world, reflecting upon my observations, and expressing my feelings. After high school I studied a Bachelor of Design majoring in fashion design in Sydney where the body was used as a means of inspiration for clothing like architecture for the body. I also trained and was involved in the performing arts where the body was used as a tool of expression through acting, movement, dance, and music. I have since developed my skills as a visual artist practicing mostly with drawing and painting using these modalities to reflect upon my work in mental health, my own bodily sensations, and expressions of the world. I work mainly with oil paint as layering is an important aspect to my work. I also love the messy quality of charcoal and pastel. I do however use a mixed media approach, allowing my material choice to be dictated by the art and intuition, at times this can be a combination of drawing, painting, installation, and sound. Creative expression has been a constant in my life since a very young age, understanding its power on a personal level for healing, connection, and reflection.

Working with people with disabilities and supporting them in developing their own artistic modalities as well as working as a counsellor and crisis supporter has developed my own understanding of support, trauma, and the importance of creative expression for not only myself but other people. These workspaces have taught me the importance of creativity in the lives of many as a healing, reflective, exploratory, and preventative tool. I am inspired by people and have a fascination of how we connect to ourselves and the outside world. I am interested in bodily sensations and the connection with the brain where memories and stories of the past can influence behaviours and perceptions of the current moment. I am fascinated with the developments in neuroscience which reflect current perceptions of how trauma is processed and how activation of the brain through different creative means and materials allows for traumatic material to be processed. The Expressive Therapies Continuum is a valuable tool when accessing trauma in the art therapy space.

My current research has been into Body Mapping where I have been investigating the impact of my work as a crisis supporter through creative exploration. By firstly outlining my own body I then creatively fill the space with colours, drawings, symbols, feelings, and ideas that have emerged through my work as a crisis supporter dealing with suicide and trauma. Through this process I have developed new insights into myself, been able to reflect upon the work and developed a new understanding of myself.