Amanda Austin-Bassett, “Soul Collage: My Savage Garden”

My Inner Soul’s image.

When you look into your soul, what do you see? Welcome to my Inner Soul and the Demons I hide inside. Stay and browse and see what you will.

Art can be the outlet you need to release the demons that are gnawing at your brain. Ripping, Cutting, Glueing–let these simple acts be the release that you need. All that’s required is some old magazines, scissors and glue, and a bit of your time.

Soul Collage is often a tool used in group therapies but is something that can be done in the comfort of your own home. You can assemble your cards with purpose or purely without thought; either way, the relaxing use of art to express your emotions is both therapeutic and fun. Once you have a good size deck established, now is the time to ask the cards your life’s questions and hopefully get some helpful answers.

For my own deck, I found great photo material amongst discarded magazines, such as National Geographic (after all they have the best photos out there), along with other random nature, travel and women’s magazines. The cardboard backings and plastic covers can be bought online at either crafts stores or the official soul collage website, which I’ve included in a link below. It is up to you what size you want your cards to be. I found that the standard 5″x8″ was more than enough room to express what I needed to show.

Once you have a good size “deck” of cards completed the next stage of this project is underway: journaling. It is helpful to look at your cards and to ask them this simple question: “Who are you? What are you trying to tell me?” You will be surprised that even the most simple of cards can have the deepest meanings. This is where the true therapy begins, where you can start to deal with your emotions and issues.

Here is a website with information to get you started along with a place to buy supplies if you are interested.
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To view the digital content of “Soul Collage: My Savage Garden,” click on this hyperlink.