LOCAL EVENTS
As stress and anxiety grows it’s important now more than ever to find an outlet that allows one to express their thoughts, emotions and creativity. The Express Yourself class at the San Marcos Public Library offers a space for adults to explore much needed creative outlets in a safe and welcoming environment. The class consists of a welcome circle and then a group sound and movement practice that transitions into a freeform creative segment where students have a choice to draw, paint, dance, write and create in whichever way they feel drawn to at the moment. Ellen Rebecca Geis is an expressive arts therapy student, an artist and the instructor for the course. She developed the class as an extension of her studies. It is amongst many of the San Marcos Public Library's classes funded through the Libraries for Health grant from St. David's Foundation.
“Express Yourself is rooted in principles and practices from expressive arts therapy. So while it’s not therapy. It is therapeutic, and it is very much about giving people free, non judgmental access points to creative expression,” Geis said.
The class is open to anyone and everyone with a big emphasis on creating that non judgmental space.
“There is so much judgment we place on ourselves and that has been placed on us since we were like five years old about what creativity is and is not and what is and is not good creativity,” Geis said. “I think there is good and bad art, but I don’t think there is bad creativity.”
The class is designed as an open space for creative expression to flow. Participants start the class by gathering around a table lined with drawing paper. Geis walks the group through introductions, allowing the students to get acclimated to each other. During this time various drawing supplies are spread out and students doodle or even play with playdough.
“The class really kicks off with the authentic movement practice that allows us to really just tap into our body and get out of our head, shake off whatever we’re carrying for the day, and get into a clear, centered space,” Geis said. “With authentic movement, it’s really listening to how your body wants to move and learning to listen to those inner instincts.”
The next step in the class is to follow those inner instincts into the art making practice. Whether that’s drawing, painting, writing, dancing or whatever creative expression feels right in the moment.
“If we can learn to listen to our instincts of what we need to do for ourselves in this little creative lab of Express Yourself, then I think we can build that muscle and do it more in daily life as well,” Geis said.
The class ends with a group discussion about what everyone made and what they got out of the class.
Geis has been teaching Express Yourself classes at the library since 2023. She has added a Theatre for Adults class to her roster that guides participants in skits, performances and character exploration.
“As for the future of the [Express Yourself] class, we are going to be running every other week through the end of May,” Geis said.
In addition to the classes Geis has launched applications for the Unsung Creatives Workshop and Showcase, which is a free eight-week workshop where Geis will help students overcome creative fears and doubts, ending in a public showcase for participants to share their work. One can find more information about Express Yourself and the other classes Geis offers on Instagram at @expressyourself. arts or email Geis at ellenrebeccageis@ gmail.com to apply to the workshop.
