Shattered glass studio: a proposed community for coping with trauma

Abstract

Traumatic experiences are an unavoidable part of life as a human being. These experiences can drastically change the way we see the world, and how we interact with others (Horowitz 193). The inability of the human brain to effectively break down and process traumatic experiences can have a life-long effect on the way an individual sees themself and the world around them (Perryman 82). This can result in a shift in thinking that can lead to profound creative growth. Many renown artists cite childhood trauma as a source of their creative thinking or inspiration for their work (Foregeard 246). Not only can traumatic events serve as inspiration for artistic endeavors, these creative pursuits can actually be a means of recovering from trauma. The execution of a step-by-step process, like glassblowing, can help individuals contextualize traumatic events, establish a narrative of what has happened to them, and effectively process their trauma (Perryman 84). Shattered Glass Studio is a proposed organization to help individuals learn to shape molten glass as a way of gaining a sense of control in their lives and working through traumatic experiences. The following is a design campaign for the proposed Shattered Glass Studio. The culmination of this campaign is a Process Video, available online at the following link.