To create Your Plate, begin by choosing pictures, phrases, or words cut out from magazines and/or colorful paper, that represent all you are carrying in your life. Ask yourself, “what responsibilities do I have, how do I care for myself, or others, how do I spend my time, do I have margin, etc.”? Then glue them down on your plate. The medium of collage may help you communicate stories in which there have been no words for. You may use magazine pictures, colored papers, or fabric to represent emotions or events such as joy, hope, pain or loss etc.
After creating, take time to share with a safe person or group. Making art often helps us reach straight into our soul, and things long hidden may surface and be brought to the light. It is usually very healing to be heard and seen by others who show compassion, empathy, and grace. At this point in the workshop, you may want to pray for one another, thank the Lord for the graces in your life, and bring for comfort in the hard parts of your story. Through prayer and wise decision-making, some of these items can be taken off “your plate.”
You are encouraged to date you projects and journal about the process of creating this project and what you discovered.