Alyssa is an art-therapist in training from Madison, Wisconsin. She has a background in psychology research, childcare, and art. Alyssa hopes to combine her interests in research and art and work as an art therapist with children who have experienced early childhood trauma. Outside of graduate school, Alyssa enjoys biking, reading, making crafts, and cuddling with her kitties.

Artist Statement

Before I was an art therapist, I was an artist. At a young age I learned that art was a window to my fantasy world and helped take me to places that existed within my imagination. Art has always been a safe space where I can exist endlessly. As an artist I crave learning every type of medium and have explored drawing, photography, painting, ceramics, sewing, craft, printmaking, and neon. Diving into art projects takes me away from the present and transports me to wherever I need to be in the moment.

You have found yourself about to enter my personal “safe space”. While sitting in the space, I invite you to create art of your own and imagine what your own safe space would look like. I have created a world that feels safe to me, and I remember the willow tree I used to love when I was a child. I remember climbing her trunk and reading a book in the perfect nook where her branches parted. I remember being small enough to swing on her branches. I remember hiding knick knacks in her tree hollow for other children in the neighborhood to find. The willow brought me comfort and safety and is the center of my room. The mushrooms help facilitate communication between trees, and act as symbols for what can be said through unspoken language. The watercolor and acrylic pieces are studies of objects you would find in a forest, and each time I painted one I was transported to my favorite woods behind my grandmother’s house. The painting of the Woman in the Willows is a comforting female presence that brings me a sense of calm, friendship, and happiness. Sometimes when I look at her, she resembles myself, other times she is a completely different entity.

This space was created with the intention of learning how art therapy can be used to create safe spaces for children who have experienced domestic violence. While this space is very personal to me, I learned the value in creating individual art pieces with the goal of finding safety within them. I hope to use what I have learned while creating this project and help others find spaces that are safe to them through art.

Watercolor bark study Watercolor on paper, 5.5 X 8 inches, 2022
Clay mushrooms Polymer clay on wood, 6 X 3 inches, 2022
Watercolor mushrooms Watercolor on paper, 5.5 X 8 inches, 2022
Woman in the Willow Acrylic on canvas, 40 X 30 inches, 2022
Acrylic Mushrooms Acrylic paint on canvas, 2022