Not just child's play

Wayne State professor and art therapy coordinator Dr. Holly Feen-Calligan will be hosting an event that allows participants to make dolls.

The event is sponsored by the art therapy program for continuing education credit and will be held Saturday, June 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the WSU Community Arts Building in room 158.

For 17 years, the art therapy program has offered Saturday workshops.

“Doll making is an activity that seems natural to use in art therapy,” Feen-Calligan said. “Dolls can be symbols for ourselves or something greater than ourselves. They teach and have power, stimulate the imagination, have the potential to speak and provide companionship.”

During the event, participants will create a rag doll that reflects how they see themselves. The workshop will then focus on the application of doll making techniques in educational and therapeutic settings.

According to Feen-Calligan, when dolls resemble human beings, children and adults seem drawn to interact with them as if they were real people, and such interactions become opportunities to work on relationships.

For people who enjoy the upcoming workshop, there will be an opportunity to sign up for another. However, the workshop is only available in the winter semester from January to April for 10 weeks. They accept children and adults to the program, which costs $25, with the proceeds benefitting the art therapy program.
Because there are only 25 spots available, those interested should call 313-577-1823 to register.