A mini El Duende was difficult for me to process to understand because I felt it removed time to reflect, add, or change the artwork without it being forced. Then again, I understand working in an acute setting, sometimes we don’t have a lot of time with certain patients/clients, and we must make every moment count in order to help. I approached my El Duende as a quick “process painting” that took about an hour or two, and after each engagement, I would quickly write down a few thoughts and reflected for about two to three minutes each. I was surprised at how much came up and going back and forth between using chalk pastels, paint, and other mediums, I felt as if I was fluidly moving between the kinesthetic, sensory, and affective components. This fast-paced approach pushed me to make connections, and I tried my best to focus on each of the ETC components separately and simultaneously at times to get the most out of this experience. I believe using different mediums, rather than just focusing on paint allowed me to do so.
With this mini El Duende approach, I chose adolescents with feeding and eating disorders. I felt that this process would help clients connect with the body and possibly change that relationship. Adolescence is a challenging time period in which the body is constantly changing. The body is scrutinized by external forces that can influence one’s perception and their relationship to their body. The El Duende Process can “help identify feelings and beliefs that arise with the spontaneous imagery of the painting” (Wolf, 2020). The images that appear from the chosen canvas can help bridge connections between unspoken externalized symbols and internalized feelings and aspects of the self, which members would verbally process in the group. It is a very transformative process. By breaking down the ETC components into tasks, even if it is a mini El Duende, therapists and clients can work together to unfold authentic affective, creative expressions that emerge within the artwork.
References: Chilton, G., Lynskey, K., Ohnstad, E., & Manders, E. (2020). A Case of El Duende: Art-Based
Supervision in Addiction Treatment. Art Therapy, 1-9.doi:10.1080/07421656.2020.1771138
Wolf, D. (2020). Class 6: Mini El Duende: Presentation, PowerPoint.