Art Institute student's journey: Rita Lisnevskyte at OCA Fine Art
**Art and Therapy: Rita's Journey of Discovery**
Rita, a student on the Fine Art Degree programme, has found her passion for exploring the intersection between art and therapy in her work. Her focus in Unit 2.1, titled Ideas, Research and Writing, has been on themes such as language, voice, and translation, but her work has evolved to encompass a more multifaceted and contextually rich approach.
Through her studies, Rita has uncovered new aspects of her practice, including art as performance, spoken word, and the written text as a form of artistic expression. Her approach to art is now expanding to include interdisciplinary blends of voice, video, text, and conceptual thinking.
As Rita prepares for the assessment and the start of Unit 2.2, Experimental Encounters, she is excited about the potential for collaboration in the next unit, particularly with the Fine Art and Music pathways. This could push her into new creative territory, leading to projects such as soundtracks for spoken word pieces and performative video works.
Rita's background in academic art and her current work with children with special needs has fueled her interest in how art can be used to support others emotionally and psychologically. She advises students to stay open-minded and experimental during Unit 2.1, as unexpected connections can lead to personal and meaningful results.
An interdisciplinary approach to a Fine Art degree, as Rita is experiencing, integrates creative practice with therapeutic principles to foster mental health, emotional growth, and social well-being. Such programs combine fine arts techniques with psychology, counseling, and evidence-based therapeutic practices, allowing students to gain skills in both creative expression and healing.
Key aspects of this interdisciplinary approach include therapeutic art training, integration with clinical practice, hands-on and applied learning, flexible degree customization, and contemporary themes and continuing education. Programs and professional development opportunities explore intersections like queer worldmaking in art therapy, highlighting the social, cultural, and identity-affirming potentials of art therapy in diverse communities.
In the long run, Rita's ambition is to deepen her artistic practice and continue to explore the intersection between art and therapy. For those interested in learning more, OCA offers a BA in Fine Art.
In her pursuit of integrating art and therapy, Rita is increasingly considering the application of her artistic skills in home-and-garden settings and interior-design projects. This lifestyle evolution could involve creating art pieces that promote emotional well-being and psychological growth in domestic spaces.
Expanding her interdisciplinary approach, Rita envisions collaborating with musicians and designers to create immersive art experiences that blend soundtracks, video, and conceptual thinking, thereby enhancing one's living space and lifestyle.
