What do you think?
Rate this book
Art for Self-Care: Create Powerful, Healing Art by Listening to Your Inner Voice
Discover the healing power of making art—learn how you can process feelings of stress, change, uncertainty, grief, and fear as you create.
In Art for Self-Care, artist, designer, and online instructor Jessica Swift outlines a path to healing through artmaking for both artists and non-artists alike.
Going Inward offers guidance on how to get quiet, embrace the swirl of emotions and nonlinear thoughts without editing or judging, and identify and tune in to one’s authentic inner voice, along with prompts for expressing those messages. Inside Out shares advice on mediums and techniques to try, finding inspiration, and incorporating personal symbols, and emphasizes the value of simply showing up, allowing for mistakes, and focusing on the process rather than on the finished piece. Integrating and Honoring reveals how to accept healing and honor one’s truth and make a commitment to engage in an intuitive art practice.
Strengthen your relationship with your inner voice and begin to change your life, one piece of art at a time.
In Art for Self-Care, artist, designer, and online instructor Jessica Swift outlines a path to healing through artmaking for both artists and non-artists alike.
Going Inward offers guidance on how to get quiet, embrace the swirl of emotions and nonlinear thoughts without editing or judging, and identify and tune in to one’s authentic inner voice, along with prompts for expressing those messages. Inside Out shares advice on mediums and techniques to try, finding inspiration, and incorporating personal symbols, and emphasizes the value of simply showing up, allowing for mistakes, and focusing on the process rather than on the finished piece. Integrating and Honoring reveals how to accept healing and honor one’s truth and make a commitment to engage in an intuitive art practice.
Strengthen your relationship with your inner voice and begin to change your life, one piece of art at a time.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2023
67 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 24, 2023
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
Art for self-care is a book to be used as an avenue to healing, self-knowledge, and, of course, self-care.
The author starts off telling the reader of her life and a tragedy she endured and how her art helped her to heal and recover. The book then progresses to three areas for you to work on - going inwards, considering insides outwards and integrating and honouring. There are explanations on how to work through each area, and the author includes many examples throughout of her own pieces of art. I don't think this book would be to everyone's taste, but you can use it as a base board and create your own healing from it.
Art for self-care is a book to be used as an avenue to healing, self-knowledge, and, of course, self-care.
The author starts off telling the reader of her life and a tragedy she endured and how her art helped her to heal and recover. The book then progresses to three areas for you to work on - going inwards, considering insides outwards and integrating and honouring. There are explanations on how to work through each area, and the author includes many examples throughout of her own pieces of art. I don't think this book would be to everyone's taste, but you can use it as a base board and create your own healing from it.
August 13, 2023
If you are new to or have been recently introduced to art, this is a good resource for learning about various surfaces and creative materials, etc. I was looking for more about the self-care aspect, which certainly was explored, in probably more than half the book - just not in the depth I was hoping for.
However, if you’re looking for an introductory guide to encourage you to show up for yourself, to learn more about your inner self, and about some great materials to begin with, this could be a great place to start.
I got on the hold list for this book on Libby before the library even purchased it and there are now nine people behind me on that list. I’m glad to see a topic like this is gaining traction because creating art, particularly in an art journal (no pressure to have something worth hanging on the wall), is a guilt-free, healthy way to chill and unwind.
However, if you’re looking for an introductory guide to encourage you to show up for yourself, to learn more about your inner self, and about some great materials to begin with, this could be a great place to start.
I got on the hold list for this book on Libby before the library even purchased it and there are now nine people behind me on that list. I’m glad to see a topic like this is gaining traction because creating art, particularly in an art journal (no pressure to have something worth hanging on the wall), is a guilt-free, healthy way to chill and unwind.
June 19, 2023
“Art for Self-Care” by Jessica Swift is a transformative guide that harnesses the healing power of art. With personal anecdotes woven throughout, Swift outlines a three-stage process for self-care through art.
Readers will learn to embrace their emotions and thoughts without judgment. Swift encourages quiet reflection and provides prompts for expressing one's inner voice authentically.
Then she focuses on practical aspects of art-making, offering advice and techniques, inspiring readers to find their own sources of inspiration.
Then in the final stage, readers learn to accept healing and honor their truth. Swift guides readers in committing to an intuitive art practice that strengthens their relationship with their inner selves.
This book recognizes the therapeutic potential of art and presents it in a way that is accessible to everyone. Swift's writing style is warm, encouraging, and compassionate, making readers feel supported throughout their creative journey. The book is filled with inspiring examples, practical exercises, and beautiful illustrations, further enhancing the experience of self-discovery and healing through art.
I highly recommend “Art for Self-Care” as a valuable resource for anyone seeking a creative and meaningful way to process emotions and nurture their well-being. Through the power of art, Jessica Swift invites readers to change their lives one piece of art at a time, fostering a deeper connection with themselves and their inner world.
Readers will learn to embrace their emotions and thoughts without judgment. Swift encourages quiet reflection and provides prompts for expressing one's inner voice authentically.
Then she focuses on practical aspects of art-making, offering advice and techniques, inspiring readers to find their own sources of inspiration.
Then in the final stage, readers learn to accept healing and honor their truth. Swift guides readers in committing to an intuitive art practice that strengthens their relationship with their inner selves.
This book recognizes the therapeutic potential of art and presents it in a way that is accessible to everyone. Swift's writing style is warm, encouraging, and compassionate, making readers feel supported throughout their creative journey. The book is filled with inspiring examples, practical exercises, and beautiful illustrations, further enhancing the experience of self-discovery and healing through art.
I highly recommend “Art for Self-Care” as a valuable resource for anyone seeking a creative and meaningful way to process emotions and nurture their well-being. Through the power of art, Jessica Swift invites readers to change their lives one piece of art at a time, fostering a deeper connection with themselves and their inner world.
June 3, 2023
I was so excited to start reading Jessica Swift’s new book and I wasn’t disappointed. This book is all about using art as a form of self care, more specifically by tuning into your intuition and inner self for guidance on how to cope with negative or difficult situations. This guidance is then interpreted and turned into a piece of artwork. Jessica is quick to point out that you absolutely don’t need to be an artist to use this book and I agree - it is the action of making marks on the paper that is therapeutic, not the look of the end result. However, the advice in this book is useful for artists too - being able to tune in to your intuition to discover inspiration will help you to create a much more unique piece of artwork that is infused with your style, rather than doing what many others do which is copy pictures from Unsplash or find inspiration on Pinterest, making their art look eerily like everyone else’s.
The book is split into three sections: ‘Going Inward’ teaches us how to listen to our intuition and gives guidance on interpreting the messages we hear. This part ends with a useful prompts section to help us to get started. ‘Insides Outward’ is where Jessica shows us the different techniques we can use to make our art, covering everything from mixed media, pencil crayons, digital art and different types of paint. She also covers different surfaces and finding inspiration. In ‘Integrating and Honouring’ we are advised on how to set up an art practise, how to keep going, to trust ourselves and our intuition and, most crucially, what to do with out artwork once we have finished it!
Jessica writes with a friendly, encouraging voice and weaves her personal story throughout the book. Her writing is easy to read, uplifting and enjoyable and I really enjoyed my time with this book. I would recommend it to anyone who creates art already or who would like to but thinks they can’t draw. This is different to any other art book I have read and is a very valuable addition to anyone’s collection because it covers dealing with universal issues and emotions through the very accessible medium of art. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Netgalley and Quarry Books for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
The book is split into three sections: ‘Going Inward’ teaches us how to listen to our intuition and gives guidance on interpreting the messages we hear. This part ends with a useful prompts section to help us to get started. ‘Insides Outward’ is where Jessica shows us the different techniques we can use to make our art, covering everything from mixed media, pencil crayons, digital art and different types of paint. She also covers different surfaces and finding inspiration. In ‘Integrating and Honouring’ we are advised on how to set up an art practise, how to keep going, to trust ourselves and our intuition and, most crucially, what to do with out artwork once we have finished it!
Jessica writes with a friendly, encouraging voice and weaves her personal story throughout the book. Her writing is easy to read, uplifting and enjoyable and I really enjoyed my time with this book. I would recommend it to anyone who creates art already or who would like to but thinks they can’t draw. This is different to any other art book I have read and is a very valuable addition to anyone’s collection because it covers dealing with universal issues and emotions through the very accessible medium of art. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Netgalley and Quarry Books for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
June 23, 2023
The subtitle of this book gives readers a perfect sense of the author’s goals. She believes that art can be used as a form of self-care, self knowledge and healing.
Ms. Swift begins by sharing her own story which included a tragedy. She then discusses who might benefit from spending time with this title (most of us). In the pages that follow, readers are invited to work in three areas. These include going inward, considering insides outward, and finally integrating and honoring. She explains how to approach each area.
This is a lovely book. There were so many wonderful examples of Swift’s own artwork. Kudos to this warm and insightful artist for opening up her world to readers and encouraging their art and ability to hear an inner voice.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
Ms. Swift begins by sharing her own story which included a tragedy. She then discusses who might benefit from spending time with this title (most of us). In the pages that follow, readers are invited to work in three areas. These include going inward, considering insides outward, and finally integrating and honoring. She explains how to approach each area.
This is a lovely book. There were so many wonderful examples of Swift’s own artwork. Kudos to this warm and insightful artist for opening up her world to readers and encouraging their art and ability to hear an inner voice.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
June 9, 2023
Art for Self Care is a guide to teach you to listen to that inner voice and your intuition, and create art for "the moment", trusting the process rather than the working towards a finished outcome.
The author/artist has been through hell and back, and the tips, processes and outcomes are what has helped her get through it all. Once you step back from the artwork within the book (noting that the illustration styles may not be everyone's cup of tea), you are guided in the art of slowing down, breathing, listening to your intuition, reconnecting with the inner child and creating for creating's sake. There are no rules.
This book leans heavily into the messages from the inner self, with words and symbols, and encourages daily art practice as a way of centreing oneself, acknowledging one's feelings and overall self-care. A message often repeated here is that it doesn't matter what it looks like; it just mattes that you DO it. No judgement.
Art therapy is an important tool for processing, healing and self care, and this is a good guide to assist.
*Note: I would have liked more examples of other art styles for self care. The graphics in this book are predominantly symbols, words and slogans in collages or bold colours. I understand this is the author's preferred style, but would have liked other styles to be included, too.
~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~
The author/artist has been through hell and back, and the tips, processes and outcomes are what has helped her get through it all. Once you step back from the artwork within the book (noting that the illustration styles may not be everyone's cup of tea), you are guided in the art of slowing down, breathing, listening to your intuition, reconnecting with the inner child and creating for creating's sake. There are no rules.
This book leans heavily into the messages from the inner self, with words and symbols, and encourages daily art practice as a way of centreing oneself, acknowledging one's feelings and overall self-care. A message often repeated here is that it doesn't matter what it looks like; it just mattes that you DO it. No judgement.
Art therapy is an important tool for processing, healing and self care, and this is a good guide to assist.
*Note: I would have liked more examples of other art styles for self care. The graphics in this book are predominantly symbols, words and slogans in collages or bold colours. I understand this is the author's preferred style, but would have liked other styles to be included, too.
~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~
May 18, 2024
A bit repetitive, and also very lovely and inspiring!
February 3, 2025
“You will be ok.
This will not stop you.
This will not break you.
This will not end you.”
p.8 – The voice I heard was my wise inner voice – the one that’s tapped into the universal mystery of life itself. We all have one. No exceptions. It wasn’t new; it had always been there. I just hadn’t been paying attention. “Ask yourself for the answers.”
So I started practicing listening to and paying attention to this voice, and the more I did, the more I saw how much I’d ignored it over the years. I also began to see the enormous amount of stress, anxiety, and fear that had built up in my body and in my mind. I started to realize that my inner world mattered more than anything else and that it would always lead me in the direction of growth, self-love, and my highest good. “Allow things to unfold.”
p.12 – Creativity, I believe is a powerful tool we can use in learning to take exquisite care of ourselves. Everything in life is intertwined. Life, art, grief, joy, pain, creativity, gratitude, sorrow, ease, disappointment… and through it all, our bodies and our wise inner beings know exactly what we need to do in order to return to balance and peace. We just have to be willing to listen.
The journey inward, back home to our truest selves, is a lifelong one, but it’s the most important journey of all absolutely worth taking. Plan is often a catalyst. If you’re a human who is going through or who has gone through something hard, know this: creativity as a healing tool is available for you, too.
p.20 – Six months after Ryan died and not long after my baby girl was born, I started a 100-day project called “100 Messages to Myself” […] as a way to show up for myself in a small way each day.
p.21 – I got quiet, I turned my ears inward, and I waited for a message from my innermost self – the voice that wants nothing but the best for me. “Let the waves move through you.”
Through listening, hearing a message meant just for me, and then drawing I was able to calm myself. To acknowledge where I was. To comfort myself. To figure out how I was actually feeling. To heal. I never had a plan. Each day was its own experience. I just had to show up and my inner self took over from there. “You deserve the best.”
Making art centered around my own words to myself was a lifeline. It still is. Sitting down to make art become a way to have a conversation with myself and to process the beautiful mess of my life. Because that’s what it was – a big messy swirl of all sorts of emotions that were hard to sort out. This was my way to untangle myself each day.
What do I need to hear today?
What do I need to know?
What will make me feel better right now?
As I asked these kinds of questions while sitting in the quiet, I discovered the answers were already inside of me. All I had to do was ask and then listen. “Do your best. Be kind. Tell the truth. Love people.”
p.26 – If you can, try to create a routine and sit down to create around the same time every day. Set an intention for how often you’d like to play and practice. I’d suggest at least a few times a week to really get into a good rhythm.
Create a ritual for yourself to get into your intuitive space. Perhaps you could light a candle, recite a little intention / prayer / mantra for yourself, close your eyes and take some deep breaths, bring a cup of your favourite tea with you… anything that will help you settle in and mark the beginning of your artmaking time for self-care.
p.28 – Your relationship with your intuition and with yourself will deepen, soften, and expand.
• Whatever you do, just keep showing up.
• Keep going.
• Let yourself be a beginner.
• Take a tiny step. Then another.
• Allow your path to veer.
• Make a mistake.
• Keep going.
• Give yourself permission to not have all the answers.
• Allow heartbreak. Allow joy.
1 – Going Inward
p.36 – As with anything, the more intention and energy you put into this practice, the more you’ll get out of it. The process is not meant to be difficult, but that’s not to say it’s easy. Some days you won’t want to show up, but the more you do, the bigger the reward will be: Calm. Satisfaction. Pride. Connection. Presence. Comfort. Self-Care.
p.37 – Invest in yourself and your well-being. Take yourself seriously. Show up for yourself. Keep your word to yourself. Treat your creative process with care. Treat it with kindness. Treat it with respect. Nurture it by showing up, and then by continuing to show up, even when parts of your mind are saying you don’t want to. Sometimes showing up in those particular moments is the most potent and important of all.
“Every bit of light matters.”
p.39 – So, where ever and however you choose to create, believe that it matters. What you’re doing for yourself matters! Every bit of light that each of us adds to the world in the form of learning to love ourselves more matters. (That includes you!) It adds beauty and goodness to our world, which our world needs in a big way.
p.40 – I used this time as a way to check in with myself – to sink down and settle in. It felt like a relief. A big, long, deep breath. A pause. I’m not used to pausing. Pausing feels like a luxury that I don’t have time for. But ironically, when I make pausing a priority, everything flows more easily – in artmaking and in life in general. It’s all intertwined.
When you sink down and settle in, you’re forgetting about the to-do list. You’re forgetting about time and obligations for a little while. (Don’t worry – they’re not going anywhere!) You’re pulling all those strands of outward-reaching energy back into your body and into the present moment.
“Let yourself relax completely.”
p.42 – Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Inhale and exhale, as many times as you want to. What feels good? What do you need right now? How can you offer it to yourself?
Practice getting back inside your body. All the worries, all the fears, all the judgments and voices and people and roles you play can all melt away, just for a little while… Anytime a thought pops in, simply imagine pulling that outward energy back into yourself.
Stay there until you feel settled. Relaxed. Open, soft, calm, light and loose.
When you’re there, you’re ready to listen and receive.
p.43 – The point is that you’ll need a way to get into your body and let go of the chatter and your scattered energy. As you practice, you’ll find it easier and easier to drop into that state whenever you need to, whatever you happen to be doing. It won’t take as long as you’ll be able to spiral in and out of yourself to get what you need, when you need it. You’ll be able to drop down and check in with yourself anytime you please.
p.47 – While I was out for a thinking walk one day, listening for a message for myself, I heard these words: Everything is working in my favour. Since then, this has been my favourite lens to look at my life through. If everything is working out in my favour, then every experience must be useful to me in some way. […] It helps me get curious. It reminds me to accept what’s in front of me rather than resist it. Because the fact is, in the moment, things can’t be any other way than the way they are. There’s no way to change it. And that’s where the radical acceptance comes in. it’s a willingness to say yes to life, however it shows up.
p.48 – The resistance to what is, is what causes the suffering. The surrender and the curiosity about what is, is what causes expansion. Joy. Magic. Miracles.
“Everything happens for me, not to me.”
Every moment is a new chance for a new awakening into the reality of the present moment.
In every moment, acceptance is available.
Setting an intention to accept your day / your situation / your life as you settle in to listen for messages for yourself will allow your intuitive inner voice to share new perspectives and insights about you and your life. Ask your inner voice to show you how to accept and to show you the way.
p.50 – Thinking Walks – I’ve learned to discern my fear voice and all my mental chatter from my real and true voice that only wants the best for me. The messages I receive on these walks feel like a deep knowing. Like clarity. Like something that simply showed up in my mind without me having to thing about it. There’s a sense that I get when the message is just right, like a piece of a puzzle that clicks into place. Sometimes I bring my phone or a small notepad with me so I can write down the message(s) I receive so I don’t forget by the time I get home (that’s happened before)!
p.51 – Meditating – Meditating is one of those things that can feel intimidating and like you have to get it “right,” but really it’s just about getting quiet and calm and turning inward.
• Close your eyes.
• Take a few deep breaths.
• Set an intention to receive a message from yourself.
• Each time you find yourself carried away by thoughts, bring your focus back into yourself.
• As you breathe, keep a curious and open awareness for any voices, words, or images that you might see, feel, or hear.
• [Write them down afterwards.]
“My peace is my priority.”
“Trust your hunches.”
“Move your body.”
“Go outside.”
p.64 – You Inner Voice Always
• Wants the best for you and will lead you toward self-growth and self-love
• Only speaks to you kindly, compassionately, and encouragingly (and perhaps firmly sometimes!)
• Feels like a confident, calm knowing in your body, not only in your mind
• Wants to help you create inner peace
• Tries to get your attention, so trust your hunches.
• Speaks kindly about others
Your Inner Voice Does Not
• Speak negatively to you
• Judge, shame, criticize, or intimidate you
• Want to keep you small
• Create internal chaos or anxiety
• Speak negatively about others
• Justify bad behaviour or decisions
• Always give you the answer you want (this is why we so often ignore it!), but always gives you the answer that’s right for you and is what you need
p.69 – Your respect for yourself will skyrocket. You’ll trust yourself above all else, because you know that you inner voice will never lead you down an unkind path. People who live life guided by their intuition and their inner voice are guided by light, not darkness. You will move closer and closer to being internally unshakable.
p.74 – I can inwardly ask myself questions like:
• Is this useful for me?
• What can I learn here?
• How can this help me know myself better?
“Heart forward, mind inward.”
p.78 – Some days your messages will be more universal and generic, and other days they’ll be laser-beam specific to whatever you’re currently experiencing. Some days you may get one word, some days you may get a sentence, some days you may get an image with no words at all. It really depends. What every message will have in common, though, is that it’s tailor-made for you and exactly what you need to give to yourself in that moment for comfort and support.
p.80 – The most important thing to remember is that the messages you receive will be in service of your highest good. Your wise inner self wants only the best for you and knows exactly what you need to feel inwardly comforted, supported, and loved.
“Focus on gratitude.”
Prompts:
• Identify a feeling
• Identify simultaneous conflicting feelings “love and sorrow.”
• A message in one word “Rise.” “Breathe.”
• Cheer yourself on “You got this.”
• Complete this sentence: it’s ok to… “It’s ok to start over.”
• Respond to your day “Life is messy and complicated for us all.”
• What would a best friend tell you? “You are a blessing in this world.”
• Give yourself permission “
• Address unkind thoughts “Complaints can be gratitude in disguise.”
• Active listening throughout the day – listen for messages as you go about your day. Stay curious in conversations, while reading books, listening to podcasts, in yoga class, in music lyrics, you never know when or how an insight or a message will come to you!
• Complete this sentence: I am… “I am always right where I am meant to be.”
• Change your tone of voice “Girl, choose well.”
• Complete this sentence: You are… “You are free now.”
• Allow you own experience “Feel what you feel.”
• Express gratitude “Thank you for this moment, where everything is calm and quiet.” “Thank you for good sleep.”
• Write a message to you fear voice from your inner voice “Garbage thoughts breed garbage days.”
More Prompts:
Complete these sentences:
• I can accept…
• I get to…
• My superpower is…
• I appreciate…
• My pain teaches me…
• Today is…
• If I could start today over, I would…
• I can believe…
• I can stop believing…
• My biggest wound that still needs healing is…
• I can let go of…
• I’m ashamed of…
• I’m proud of…
• If I could change one thing tight now, it would be…
Ask yourself these questions:
• What’s true for me right now?
• What do I need to be fully happy?
• What have other people told me that I believed but isn’t true?
• What does my childhood self have to tell me right now?
• What do I need in this moment?
• How can I practice self-kindness today?
• What drains my energy?
• What can I do to feel better?
• Where am I out of alignment in my life?
• What does my future self want for me?
2 – Insides Outward
p.97 – Once you’ve spent some time navigating your inner world, and you’ve started to get a feel for how your inner voice communicates with you, it’s time for the artmaking fun to begin!
p.99 – Depending on the type of person you are, you might like to have a creative plan for yourself, or you might like to just wing it and create your artwork however it feels right each day.
p.101 – My favourite painting professor in college used to tell me that I had to be willing to make the bad art in order to get to the good art. What he meant was that it’s all part of the process. Nothing is wasted. You just have to be willing to start creating and to trust the mystery of the creative process.
“You know what to do.”
p.109 – Your inner child – Think back to when you were a child. What did you love to do the most? How did you do it? What came naturally? What did you lose yourself in?
While making intuition-based art is most definitely a “serious” thing to do in some ways, it’s also not meant to be taken too seriously.
p.112 – Your childhood self is still alive within you. Every past version of yourself still lives in your energy field and in your memory somewhere. It can be incredibly healing, profound, and FUN to ask your inner child to come help and create. Try imagining yourself as your childhood self and listening through your childhood ears. Does that change the way you hear any messages from your inner voice? Are the messages similar? Different?
“Find balance.”
“All of this is you finding your way.”
p.170 – Albert Einstein famously said, “Creativity is the residue of time wasted.” Get out there and do something unproductive. The times when you loosen up and disrupt your usual patterns are often times when inspiration flows in effortlessly.
• Get outside! Go for a walk in the woods. Sit by a river. Examine trees, bugs, birds, plants, and flowers
• Go to a bookstore and look at beautiful books
• Go to the library and find books about things you find fascinating
• Go somewhere brand new
• Read poetry
• Watch documentaries about creative people
• Take a class and learn something new
“Every experience has a deeper invitation.”
p.184 – Life is always trying to wake you up in order to help you grow. Every moment is asking you to step into your wisdom… the wisdom that already exists inside you.
Sometimes you’re not going to want to show up and make time and space for your artmaking practice. And in those moments you’ll have a choice. Will you keep your word to yourself, or won’t you? Will you grow, or will you stay the same? Will you explore your inner world, or will you tune it out?
p.185 – There are no right answers here; some days you’ll choose to show up, and other times you won’t.
Showing up for yourself means checking in with what’s true for you in the moment. If you’re paying close attention, you’ll discover that every day and every moment are different.
“Your life is always trying to wake you up. Listen.”
p.190 – You don’t edit or judge along the way; you just let your subconscious take over and get your thinking mind out if the way.
If your judging and thinking mind tends to get in your way as you’re making art, try practicing this technique: as you create, just keep your hand moving – drawing, painting, collaging, or whatever. Don’t try to guide your image in any direction at all; just make the next move that feels right. Intuitively choose the next color. Whatever comes to mind first is the right choice. Let the process unfold. Let it guide you instead of you trying to guide it. Loosen up. Let go of control. Pay attention to what’s going on inside of you rather than what’s happening on the page or on the canvas. Think of it all as a big experiment. Whatever happens externally doesn’t matter. What matters is following your inner guidance.
“Slow progress is still progress.”
This will not stop you.
This will not break you.
This will not end you.”
p.8 – The voice I heard was my wise inner voice – the one that’s tapped into the universal mystery of life itself. We all have one. No exceptions. It wasn’t new; it had always been there. I just hadn’t been paying attention. “Ask yourself for the answers.”
So I started practicing listening to and paying attention to this voice, and the more I did, the more I saw how much I’d ignored it over the years. I also began to see the enormous amount of stress, anxiety, and fear that had built up in my body and in my mind. I started to realize that my inner world mattered more than anything else and that it would always lead me in the direction of growth, self-love, and my highest good. “Allow things to unfold.”
p.12 – Creativity, I believe is a powerful tool we can use in learning to take exquisite care of ourselves. Everything in life is intertwined. Life, art, grief, joy, pain, creativity, gratitude, sorrow, ease, disappointment… and through it all, our bodies and our wise inner beings know exactly what we need to do in order to return to balance and peace. We just have to be willing to listen.
The journey inward, back home to our truest selves, is a lifelong one, but it’s the most important journey of all absolutely worth taking. Plan is often a catalyst. If you’re a human who is going through or who has gone through something hard, know this: creativity as a healing tool is available for you, too.
p.20 – Six months after Ryan died and not long after my baby girl was born, I started a 100-day project called “100 Messages to Myself” […] as a way to show up for myself in a small way each day.
p.21 – I got quiet, I turned my ears inward, and I waited for a message from my innermost self – the voice that wants nothing but the best for me. “Let the waves move through you.”
Through listening, hearing a message meant just for me, and then drawing I was able to calm myself. To acknowledge where I was. To comfort myself. To figure out how I was actually feeling. To heal. I never had a plan. Each day was its own experience. I just had to show up and my inner self took over from there. “You deserve the best.”
Making art centered around my own words to myself was a lifeline. It still is. Sitting down to make art become a way to have a conversation with myself and to process the beautiful mess of my life. Because that’s what it was – a big messy swirl of all sorts of emotions that were hard to sort out. This was my way to untangle myself each day.
What do I need to hear today?
What do I need to know?
What will make me feel better right now?
As I asked these kinds of questions while sitting in the quiet, I discovered the answers were already inside of me. All I had to do was ask and then listen. “Do your best. Be kind. Tell the truth. Love people.”
p.26 – If you can, try to create a routine and sit down to create around the same time every day. Set an intention for how often you’d like to play and practice. I’d suggest at least a few times a week to really get into a good rhythm.
Create a ritual for yourself to get into your intuitive space. Perhaps you could light a candle, recite a little intention / prayer / mantra for yourself, close your eyes and take some deep breaths, bring a cup of your favourite tea with you… anything that will help you settle in and mark the beginning of your artmaking time for self-care.
p.28 – Your relationship with your intuition and with yourself will deepen, soften, and expand.
• Whatever you do, just keep showing up.
• Keep going.
• Let yourself be a beginner.
• Take a tiny step. Then another.
• Allow your path to veer.
• Make a mistake.
• Keep going.
• Give yourself permission to not have all the answers.
• Allow heartbreak. Allow joy.
1 – Going Inward
p.36 – As with anything, the more intention and energy you put into this practice, the more you’ll get out of it. The process is not meant to be difficult, but that’s not to say it’s easy. Some days you won’t want to show up, but the more you do, the bigger the reward will be: Calm. Satisfaction. Pride. Connection. Presence. Comfort. Self-Care.
p.37 – Invest in yourself and your well-being. Take yourself seriously. Show up for yourself. Keep your word to yourself. Treat your creative process with care. Treat it with kindness. Treat it with respect. Nurture it by showing up, and then by continuing to show up, even when parts of your mind are saying you don’t want to. Sometimes showing up in those particular moments is the most potent and important of all.
“Every bit of light matters.”
p.39 – So, where ever and however you choose to create, believe that it matters. What you’re doing for yourself matters! Every bit of light that each of us adds to the world in the form of learning to love ourselves more matters. (That includes you!) It adds beauty and goodness to our world, which our world needs in a big way.
p.40 – I used this time as a way to check in with myself – to sink down and settle in. It felt like a relief. A big, long, deep breath. A pause. I’m not used to pausing. Pausing feels like a luxury that I don’t have time for. But ironically, when I make pausing a priority, everything flows more easily – in artmaking and in life in general. It’s all intertwined.
When you sink down and settle in, you’re forgetting about the to-do list. You’re forgetting about time and obligations for a little while. (Don’t worry – they’re not going anywhere!) You’re pulling all those strands of outward-reaching energy back into your body and into the present moment.
“Let yourself relax completely.”
p.42 – Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Inhale and exhale, as many times as you want to. What feels good? What do you need right now? How can you offer it to yourself?
Practice getting back inside your body. All the worries, all the fears, all the judgments and voices and people and roles you play can all melt away, just for a little while… Anytime a thought pops in, simply imagine pulling that outward energy back into yourself.
Stay there until you feel settled. Relaxed. Open, soft, calm, light and loose.
When you’re there, you’re ready to listen and receive.
p.43 – The point is that you’ll need a way to get into your body and let go of the chatter and your scattered energy. As you practice, you’ll find it easier and easier to drop into that state whenever you need to, whatever you happen to be doing. It won’t take as long as you’ll be able to spiral in and out of yourself to get what you need, when you need it. You’ll be able to drop down and check in with yourself anytime you please.
p.47 – While I was out for a thinking walk one day, listening for a message for myself, I heard these words: Everything is working in my favour. Since then, this has been my favourite lens to look at my life through. If everything is working out in my favour, then every experience must be useful to me in some way. […] It helps me get curious. It reminds me to accept what’s in front of me rather than resist it. Because the fact is, in the moment, things can’t be any other way than the way they are. There’s no way to change it. And that’s where the radical acceptance comes in. it’s a willingness to say yes to life, however it shows up.
p.48 – The resistance to what is, is what causes the suffering. The surrender and the curiosity about what is, is what causes expansion. Joy. Magic. Miracles.
“Everything happens for me, not to me.”
Every moment is a new chance for a new awakening into the reality of the present moment.
In every moment, acceptance is available.
Setting an intention to accept your day / your situation / your life as you settle in to listen for messages for yourself will allow your intuitive inner voice to share new perspectives and insights about you and your life. Ask your inner voice to show you how to accept and to show you the way.
p.50 – Thinking Walks – I’ve learned to discern my fear voice and all my mental chatter from my real and true voice that only wants the best for me. The messages I receive on these walks feel like a deep knowing. Like clarity. Like something that simply showed up in my mind without me having to thing about it. There’s a sense that I get when the message is just right, like a piece of a puzzle that clicks into place. Sometimes I bring my phone or a small notepad with me so I can write down the message(s) I receive so I don’t forget by the time I get home (that’s happened before)!
p.51 – Meditating – Meditating is one of those things that can feel intimidating and like you have to get it “right,” but really it’s just about getting quiet and calm and turning inward.
• Close your eyes.
• Take a few deep breaths.
• Set an intention to receive a message from yourself.
• Each time you find yourself carried away by thoughts, bring your focus back into yourself.
• As you breathe, keep a curious and open awareness for any voices, words, or images that you might see, feel, or hear.
• [Write them down afterwards.]
“My peace is my priority.”
“Trust your hunches.”
“Move your body.”
“Go outside.”
p.64 – You Inner Voice Always
• Wants the best for you and will lead you toward self-growth and self-love
• Only speaks to you kindly, compassionately, and encouragingly (and perhaps firmly sometimes!)
• Feels like a confident, calm knowing in your body, not only in your mind
• Wants to help you create inner peace
• Tries to get your attention, so trust your hunches.
• Speaks kindly about others
Your Inner Voice Does Not
• Speak negatively to you
• Judge, shame, criticize, or intimidate you
• Want to keep you small
• Create internal chaos or anxiety
• Speak negatively about others
• Justify bad behaviour or decisions
• Always give you the answer you want (this is why we so often ignore it!), but always gives you the answer that’s right for you and is what you need
p.69 – Your respect for yourself will skyrocket. You’ll trust yourself above all else, because you know that you inner voice will never lead you down an unkind path. People who live life guided by their intuition and their inner voice are guided by light, not darkness. You will move closer and closer to being internally unshakable.
p.74 – I can inwardly ask myself questions like:
• Is this useful for me?
• What can I learn here?
• How can this help me know myself better?
“Heart forward, mind inward.”
p.78 – Some days your messages will be more universal and generic, and other days they’ll be laser-beam specific to whatever you’re currently experiencing. Some days you may get one word, some days you may get a sentence, some days you may get an image with no words at all. It really depends. What every message will have in common, though, is that it’s tailor-made for you and exactly what you need to give to yourself in that moment for comfort and support.
p.80 – The most important thing to remember is that the messages you receive will be in service of your highest good. Your wise inner self wants only the best for you and knows exactly what you need to feel inwardly comforted, supported, and loved.
“Focus on gratitude.”
Prompts:
• Identify a feeling
• Identify simultaneous conflicting feelings “love and sorrow.”
• A message in one word “Rise.” “Breathe.”
• Cheer yourself on “You got this.”
• Complete this sentence: it’s ok to… “It’s ok to start over.”
• Respond to your day “Life is messy and complicated for us all.”
• What would a best friend tell you? “You are a blessing in this world.”
• Give yourself permission “
• Address unkind thoughts “Complaints can be gratitude in disguise.”
• Active listening throughout the day – listen for messages as you go about your day. Stay curious in conversations, while reading books, listening to podcasts, in yoga class, in music lyrics, you never know when or how an insight or a message will come to you!
• Complete this sentence: I am… “I am always right where I am meant to be.”
• Change your tone of voice “Girl, choose well.”
• Complete this sentence: You are… “You are free now.”
• Allow you own experience “Feel what you feel.”
• Express gratitude “Thank you for this moment, where everything is calm and quiet.” “Thank you for good sleep.”
• Write a message to you fear voice from your inner voice “Garbage thoughts breed garbage days.”
More Prompts:
Complete these sentences:
• I can accept…
• I get to…
• My superpower is…
• I appreciate…
• My pain teaches me…
• Today is…
• If I could start today over, I would…
• I can believe…
• I can stop believing…
• My biggest wound that still needs healing is…
• I can let go of…
• I’m ashamed of…
• I’m proud of…
• If I could change one thing tight now, it would be…
Ask yourself these questions:
• What’s true for me right now?
• What do I need to be fully happy?
• What have other people told me that I believed but isn’t true?
• What does my childhood self have to tell me right now?
• What do I need in this moment?
• How can I practice self-kindness today?
• What drains my energy?
• What can I do to feel better?
• Where am I out of alignment in my life?
• What does my future self want for me?
2 – Insides Outward
p.97 – Once you’ve spent some time navigating your inner world, and you’ve started to get a feel for how your inner voice communicates with you, it’s time for the artmaking fun to begin!
p.99 – Depending on the type of person you are, you might like to have a creative plan for yourself, or you might like to just wing it and create your artwork however it feels right each day.
p.101 – My favourite painting professor in college used to tell me that I had to be willing to make the bad art in order to get to the good art. What he meant was that it’s all part of the process. Nothing is wasted. You just have to be willing to start creating and to trust the mystery of the creative process.
“You know what to do.”
p.109 – Your inner child – Think back to when you were a child. What did you love to do the most? How did you do it? What came naturally? What did you lose yourself in?
While making intuition-based art is most definitely a “serious” thing to do in some ways, it’s also not meant to be taken too seriously.
p.112 – Your childhood self is still alive within you. Every past version of yourself still lives in your energy field and in your memory somewhere. It can be incredibly healing, profound, and FUN to ask your inner child to come help and create. Try imagining yourself as your childhood self and listening through your childhood ears. Does that change the way you hear any messages from your inner voice? Are the messages similar? Different?
“Find balance.”
“All of this is you finding your way.”
p.170 – Albert Einstein famously said, “Creativity is the residue of time wasted.” Get out there and do something unproductive. The times when you loosen up and disrupt your usual patterns are often times when inspiration flows in effortlessly.
• Get outside! Go for a walk in the woods. Sit by a river. Examine trees, bugs, birds, plants, and flowers
• Go to a bookstore and look at beautiful books
• Go to the library and find books about things you find fascinating
• Go somewhere brand new
• Read poetry
• Watch documentaries about creative people
• Take a class and learn something new
“Every experience has a deeper invitation.”
p.184 – Life is always trying to wake you up in order to help you grow. Every moment is asking you to step into your wisdom… the wisdom that already exists inside you.
Sometimes you’re not going to want to show up and make time and space for your artmaking practice. And in those moments you’ll have a choice. Will you keep your word to yourself, or won’t you? Will you grow, or will you stay the same? Will you explore your inner world, or will you tune it out?
p.185 – There are no right answers here; some days you’ll choose to show up, and other times you won’t.
Showing up for yourself means checking in with what’s true for you in the moment. If you’re paying close attention, you’ll discover that every day and every moment are different.
“Your life is always trying to wake you up. Listen.”
p.190 – You don’t edit or judge along the way; you just let your subconscious take over and get your thinking mind out if the way.
If your judging and thinking mind tends to get in your way as you’re making art, try practicing this technique: as you create, just keep your hand moving – drawing, painting, collaging, or whatever. Don’t try to guide your image in any direction at all; just make the next move that feels right. Intuitively choose the next color. Whatever comes to mind first is the right choice. Let the process unfold. Let it guide you instead of you trying to guide it. Loosen up. Let go of control. Pay attention to what’s going on inside of you rather than what’s happening on the page or on the canvas. Think of it all as a big experiment. Whatever happens externally doesn’t matter. What matters is following your inner guidance.
“Slow progress is still progress.”
July 16, 2023
A mini pep talk for the artist, this book is both beautiful and comforting.
Honor yourself, keep showing up, trust yourself, you are magic. Great reminders for the creative.
Thank you Netgalley for this gorgeous book.
Honor yourself, keep showing up, trust yourself, you are magic. Great reminders for the creative.
Thank you Netgalley for this gorgeous book.
March 15, 2024
Beautiful and inspiration with tips and affirmations to creating art using your inner voice. Very inspiring.
June 29, 2023
This absolutely amazing book is everything you need to begin a journey inwards through art. As an artist and art teacher who has moved into the world of intuitive art I feel uniquely situated to highlight how special this book is.
Introduction: The introduction to this book, including Jessica’s story, gives us a real understanding of why connecting to our inner voice is deeply important. In sharing her story with such raw vulnerability, I was inspired to actually start finding this time for myself, rather only than thinking about doing it. (As a parent this is a common thought!)
Going inward:
This part of the book supports us to understand what our inner voice is and offers tips to make connecting to it easier making this book more than an art therapy book. It is a gift to ourselves where we start to see art as simply the vehicle to move us towards our inner world. This takes the pressure off the creation part of the process and opens us to the experience. The author covers all we need (in great detail) to feel like we can confidently get started connecting immediately.
I particularly liked the prompts with examples of artworks that she has created from those prompts as it gives a solid place to start.
Insides outward: This part of the book offers such a wonderful exploration of the creation process. There are examples of artworks, support to lean into your own artistic expression, suggested techniques and supplies discussed and artistic process to try.
Integrating and honouring: In this section the journey comes to a well supported conclusion, where the author encourages a journaling approach to the experience with ideas, prompts, and examples. As she talks us through this part of the process we realise that it sparks new thoughts and opens us to more artistic experiences which guide us inwards again.
I will be purchasing this book for myself and to use with my children and keeping it in mind for gifts in the future too. I hope that this book reaches many people as it has the potential to have a huge impact.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book, all thoughts are my own and are given voluntarily.
Introduction: The introduction to this book, including Jessica’s story, gives us a real understanding of why connecting to our inner voice is deeply important. In sharing her story with such raw vulnerability, I was inspired to actually start finding this time for myself, rather only than thinking about doing it. (As a parent this is a common thought!)
Going inward:
This part of the book supports us to understand what our inner voice is and offers tips to make connecting to it easier making this book more than an art therapy book. It is a gift to ourselves where we start to see art as simply the vehicle to move us towards our inner world. This takes the pressure off the creation part of the process and opens us to the experience. The author covers all we need (in great detail) to feel like we can confidently get started connecting immediately.
I particularly liked the prompts with examples of artworks that she has created from those prompts as it gives a solid place to start.
Insides outward: This part of the book offers such a wonderful exploration of the creation process. There are examples of artworks, support to lean into your own artistic expression, suggested techniques and supplies discussed and artistic process to try.
Integrating and honouring: In this section the journey comes to a well supported conclusion, where the author encourages a journaling approach to the experience with ideas, prompts, and examples. As she talks us through this part of the process we realise that it sparks new thoughts and opens us to more artistic experiences which guide us inwards again.
I will be purchasing this book for myself and to use with my children and keeping it in mind for gifts in the future too. I hope that this book reaches many people as it has the potential to have a huge impact.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book, all thoughts are my own and are given voluntarily.
February 10, 2024
This book was therapeutic for me, as both text and images were so beautiful. The author, who is a talented artist, starts the book with her personal story and how hardship in her life made her get inward and pay attention to her inner voice. I felt connected with her story and her penmanship, reflecting honesty and truth in her words.
The artist suggests doing intuitive artwork every day by creating a space for yourself, getting quiet, and tuning in and asking your inner self: what do I need to know? You write that message, which could be one word or a several words or even no words and only an image, and then create improvised art around it.
I am not an artist, but I got really encouraged with the simplicity of the advice and have started a routine at night to tune in. I have put a box of crayon and a drawing notebook in the living room. After my daughter sleeps, I make a herbal tea for myself. I sit on the couch next to the crayons, get quiet for a few min, and then start drawing with crayons however I feel like it with any colors that seem right. At some point I get to a certain mood and some words inside me feels like the ones I should pay attention to and write down. For example, these are words that I wrote down in my art works and helped me stay positive and focused the day after: You Are Amazing, Slow Down, Kindness, Faith, and Life is Joy.
Turning pages of this book was meditative for me due to so many beautiful art works by the artist with a wise message included. I have been recommending this book to every friend I spoke to since I have started the book. I recommend it to you too.
The artist suggests doing intuitive artwork every day by creating a space for yourself, getting quiet, and tuning in and asking your inner self: what do I need to know? You write that message, which could be one word or a several words or even no words and only an image, and then create improvised art around it.
I am not an artist, but I got really encouraged with the simplicity of the advice and have started a routine at night to tune in. I have put a box of crayon and a drawing notebook in the living room. After my daughter sleeps, I make a herbal tea for myself. I sit on the couch next to the crayons, get quiet for a few min, and then start drawing with crayons however I feel like it with any colors that seem right. At some point I get to a certain mood and some words inside me feels like the ones I should pay attention to and write down. For example, these are words that I wrote down in my art works and helped me stay positive and focused the day after: You Are Amazing, Slow Down, Kindness, Faith, and Life is Joy.
Turning pages of this book was meditative for me due to so many beautiful art works by the artist with a wise message included. I have been recommending this book to every friend I spoke to since I have started the book. I recommend it to you too.
June 20, 2023
I thought this would be a perfect fit for me and I’m not sure why it didn’t fit me well. There’s a lot of encouragement about self love and such here, and lots about the author’s own struggles. There are many examples of the author’s work and it tends towards word art and multimedia— colorful motivational sayings, collages, art journal pages and so on. There are lists of ideas to create different art but I am visual and would prefer less talk and more pictures of art ideas in all different styles. Maybe like here’s a project for one day, pick 10 symbols for what you want from life and draw them in a piece of art, and here’s an idea, put on music that soothes you and paint in the colors it inspires (these are my ideas, not in the book). This is a great book and does have lots of colorful art and encouragement. I’d recommend peeking inside to see if it’s a great resource for you.
I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.
I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.
June 18, 2023
I enjoyed reading through this book, and whilst I don’t think that all of it is for me, lot of it was. I do generally believe that being creative, regardless of what that creativity looks like, is good for you and can definitely be a form of self care.
One of the things I really liked was the Feelings Tracker, but even more than that, the lists of different feelings, because there are times when you so desperately need the self care, but your mind can’t even begin to process how you are feeling.
I really liked the way the author shared her own experiences and was open and honest with her readers, for me that validated the content in the book.
I would definitely recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and the for gifting me this book. I’m leaving this review of my own volition.
One of the things I really liked was the Feelings Tracker, but even more than that, the lists of different feelings, because there are times when you so desperately need the self care, but your mind can’t even begin to process how you are feeling.
I really liked the way the author shared her own experiences and was open and honest with her readers, for me that validated the content in the book.
I would definitely recommend this book.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and the for gifting me this book. I’m leaving this review of my own volition.
May 21, 2023
I always like seeing art as therapy. In Art for Self-Care, we get just that! Like most self-help books, the author is repetitive with their message(s) and Ms. Swift is no exception. The book felt like reading an illustrated pep talk from a friend. I appreciated how she told her own story to make herself more relatable and broke up the monotony of the text. I really enjoyed the prompts provided & her artwork is beautiful. If you want more guidance with techniques and tools and less talk, skip over to page 66.
"Don't regurgitate; innovate."
Rating:
Text: 3 ⭐
Artwork throughout: 5 ⭐
Techniques/Tips: 5 ⭐
Overall: 4 ⭐
Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy. All quote(s) are being used prior to editing.
"Don't regurgitate; innovate."
Rating:
Text: 3 ⭐
Artwork throughout: 5 ⭐
Techniques/Tips: 5 ⭐
Overall: 4 ⭐
Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy. All quote(s) are being used prior to editing.
August 23, 2023
"Art for Self-Care" is an absolute gem. I love how it gently encourages and gives me permission to spend time with myself through art. I've always wanted to give art a shot for self-care, but never found the right push. This book was exactly the push I needed to get started. Having it with me is like having a friend cheering me on.
The book is full of easy-to-follow steps that helped me conquer any doubts I had. I love the creative ideas it offers, which have really sparked my own imagination. This book has shown me that taking time for myself is important, and it's made a real difference in my life. If you're curious about using art for self-care, this book is your answer. It's been a true blessing for me.
The book is full of easy-to-follow steps that helped me conquer any doubts I had. I love the creative ideas it offers, which have really sparked my own imagination. This book has shown me that taking time for myself is important, and it's made a real difference in my life. If you're curious about using art for self-care, this book is your answer. It's been a true blessing for me.
July 24, 2023
**Important note below.
A solid 4*! I'm not sure why I enjoyed this so much and my reason for liking it is probably why others might not: her approach is very flexible, full of ideas, with no rules per se.
The big positive is the same as the negative for this book - it's so personal! I think that it suffers from not having a variety of art styles and examples, because if you hate "instagrammy" images, you might want to skip this; then again, I usually don't like them yet it didn't bother me, because Swift's writing voice was authentic and her life's challenges were real.
**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, I received access to a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A solid 4*! I'm not sure why I enjoyed this so much and my reason for liking it is probably why others might not: her approach is very flexible, full of ideas, with no rules per se.
The big positive is the same as the negative for this book - it's so personal! I think that it suffers from not having a variety of art styles and examples, because if you hate "instagrammy" images, you might want to skip this; then again, I usually don't like them yet it didn't bother me, because Swift's writing voice was authentic and her life's challenges were real.
**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, I received access to a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2024
Jessica Swift inspires the artist in us all with this stunning and heartfelt guide to making art that is full of love, personality and inner wisdom. After becoming a widow at a young age, this determined mother of two small kids found her own healing by listening to her inner voice and using her art to express the things she wished to say to herself as she struggled with her grief. Filled with her own artwork, helpful technical instruction, and methods for getting in touch with your own special wisdom, this book is a treasure trove of inspiration for using your own unique creativity to heal and care for yourself in a vital and loving way.
June 4, 2023
Oh bummmmer.. I thought this was an interactive art journal. The cover is absolutely beautiful and I thought there would be similar pieces within to colour and create.
Although I'm disappointed this wasn't the case, the book did end up being as equally lovely. This is a short self-help book. The author talks about her own life struggles and how you can use art for self-care and healing.
I loved the warmth within this book and I was so happy to find there were so many gorgeous art pieces to accompany the advice on every page 🎨 💖
*Temporary access to e-copy received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Although I'm disappointed this wasn't the case, the book did end up being as equally lovely. This is a short self-help book. The author talks about her own life struggles and how you can use art for self-care and healing.
I loved the warmth within this book and I was so happy to find there were so many gorgeous art pieces to accompany the advice on every page 🎨 💖
*Temporary access to e-copy received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2023
This was a great jumping off point into the purpose and practice of art journaling. It didn’t necessarily reveal anything new or revolutionary, but even flipping through the pages and looking at pictures inspired me to try it— and that’s pretty much the whole point. It’s hard to instruct on something like this, but it’s enough to read that it’s a valid way of expressing yourself and that there’s no one right way to do it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
May 27, 2023
Art is wonderful for self-care, and this book is a good guide to dare doing art, even if you don't feel artsy or creative. There are a lot of art pictures that can give you inspiration if you don't know how to start.
Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2023
I had read Jessica Swift's story before but I didn't remember it until I saw it again it this book. What a terrible tragedy she's had to survive and what a wonderfully inspiring book this is. This is not a step by step book. It won't teach you how to draw or paint. Instead if will teach you how to go within and access that part of you that can then create beautiful, amazing, meaningful art.
The book is also full of Jessica's inspiring, colorful and beautiful art. It will make your fingers itch to create as you read it.
with gratitude to Quarry Books and edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
The book is also full of Jessica's inspiring, colorful and beautiful art. It will make your fingers itch to create as you read it.
with gratitude to Quarry Books and edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
November 11, 2023
Three words that describe this book: healing, helpful, beautiful.
This is a valuable book for those interested in art therapy and art as self-care. 100% recommend as a novice artist --fun and easy way to chill after work and reconnect with your heart and spirit while processing the emotions of the day.
This is a valuable book for those interested in art therapy and art as self-care. 100% recommend as a novice artist --fun and easy way to chill after work and reconnect with your heart and spirit while processing the emotions of the day.
September 22, 2025
This book is simplistic yet powerful- exactly what you need when struggling through difficult times. The messages & instructions in each chapter provide easily followed guidance & every single page has beautiful coloured pictures. The author provides wonderful examples of her work & there is meaning in every page. Absolutely wonderful book for someone wanting to try art therapy.
May 25, 2023
I Love the encouragement to use art for thearpy. This book is for everyone. I fell art is therapeutic to begain with. I think everyone can benefit fom art thearpy. This book is a great way to start.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author so i can review the arc.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author so i can review the arc.
March 17, 2024
Beautiful book
I love Jessica Swift’s challenges and workshops. This book, her story, and the practice of intuitive art are laid out beautifully. I really enjoyed this book, and since beginning to read it, I’ve started my own intuitive art practice.
I love Jessica Swift’s challenges and workshops. This book, her story, and the practice of intuitive art are laid out beautifully. I really enjoyed this book, and since beginning to read it, I’ve started my own intuitive art practice.
July 30, 2024
A significant topic is being discussed in this book. Taking care of oneself goes beyond the physical. Art helps in many ways and the author does well and elucidates this topic. A very interesting read.
August 8, 2024
this book, at the least given the way I used it myself, provided a lot of interesting ideas to draw and make art writing and drawing with creativity. Cute but unnecessary, maybe... Anyway a great way to spend my alone time.
February 18, 2025
Beautiful and Inspiring
At first I was afraid this book was a little too mystical for my taste but I persisted and loved every beautiful word and hopeful prompt. The art is truly inspiring and motivates me to get creative. Thank you Jessica!
At first I was afraid this book was a little too mystical for my taste but I persisted and loved every beautiful word and hopeful prompt. The art is truly inspiring and motivates me to get creative. Thank you Jessica!
July 2, 2023
Too woo-woo for me, but good for more spiritual types who lean into “live laugh love” positivity. The art would make for an engaging activity with children.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews