Client and Experience Portfolio

Client and Professional Experience Portfolio

Hope Dangler

2015

“Safe Place Canopy”

HOPE Community CenterAdrian, Michigan

December 2014

August 2014 was the beginning of a new experience that would change my life. I participated in an internship ata local community center for adults with cognitive impairments. Each week, my fellow interns and I created art

with members to form bonds and enjoy a safe, creative place. We designed simple projects that helped unleashcreativity and promote personal individualism and strength. By December, we had formed strong bonds with the

members and we hated to plan for the fnal project, which we called “termination.” I took the position of teamleader for this project and outlined an elaborate plan to create a permanent installation. We all decided the

project needed to be our most successful one yet, utilizing what we had learned the members did and did notlike about some art media. After deep consideration, the perfect project was conceived. The plan was to hang afabric canopy from the ceiling and to create decorations with festive, member-made artwork. I made individualplans for each intern regarding the steps that needed completed for a successful project. With this instruction,

each intern completed their portion of the work and helped create the hanging canopy and collect theappropriate supplies for the decorations. During termination, we assisted the clients with creating coffee flter

snowfakes, writing inspirational quotes on small cards, and painting ornaments. The projects had the membersbusy, giggling with one another, and making memories. The canopy was designed to give the clients a safeplace to relax and calm down. After all was assembled, the members took turns walking into the canopy and

reading the inspirational cards and looking at the decorations. We left feeling fulflled and knew we hadimpacted their lives as much as the members had impacted ours. A week later, I ran into a member outside of the

community center. She immediately hugged me and thanked me for inspiring her and her friends, and told methe canopy was used daily for games, quiet time, and leaving inspirational quotes to friends and staff. This is themoment I knew I needed to be a leader while introducing people to creativity and the use of the arts to express

themselves.

“Pom Pom Painting”

Montessori Children's House of LenaweeAdrian, Michigan

February 2015

These projects were created by 4 to 6 year olds. Children love to get messy, and paint is the bestmessy messy media I've found. These small canvases were created in spirit of Valentine's Day, but

they were a test for fne motor ability and color choice. Each child is unique selected different typesof pom poms, sizes, color of paint, and used a different painting technique. Some dotted the paint,others smeared it. Each child was given the same choices of paint colors, but each canvas is much

different from the next. The children explored the combination of colors along with the use ofwhite space and color.

Working with children is much different than most populations. They have shorter attention spans,less motor ability, and less experience with communication and vocabulary than the average

population. By learning to work with children, I feel that I can work with any population. Designingprojects for children never end up how you plan them. Each child shows his or her personal

experience through their art, even if they can't share it vocally yet.

“Pinch Pots”

Adult Transition Support ServicesAdrian, Michigan

March 2015

These projects were created by young adults and adolescents with documented mental disorders.The students typically work in a ranch-style house on living skills and procuring hobbies. A few

students were transported to the Adrian College Art Department where they worked withundergraduate students and socialized. Instructions were given on how to create a pinch pot;

additional tools and colored slip demonstrations were given later.

The students were asked to think about what types of items they could put in their bowls. Mostagreed that small items, like loose change, would be best. Some students made pots to give toclose friends or family members. After a pizza break, students created a second one. We asked

each student to try a new tool that they hadn't used on the frst bowl. We provided stamps, coloredslip, wooden tools, and metal tools. The faculty from LISD were helpful, but encouraged the

students to create their own projects.

Clay is manipulative and can be used for both creation and destruction. Creation works best whena client needs support; the clay is a metaphor for structure and stability. Destruction works best forbuilt-up anger and for a healthy release of agitation. Both can be used in a setting. In particular, this

group only needed creation in order to establish a sense of stability and mastery. The studentslearned a new skill while improving their social skills.

Projects from

Catherine Cobb DomesticViolence and Sexual Assault

Shelter

Adrian, Michigan

September-December 2015