JILL RUBY-WAHBA, MA, LMFT, ATR-BC

For as long as I can remember, I have turned to art making for relaxation, fun, comfort and company… As I grew up, artmaking began to take on a self-soothing role and now is my go-to process for understanding myself, situations and what is happening in the world around me. I have a fascination with figuring out how things are made and discovering what may happen next. I love immersing myself in the creative process especially when I can use a variety of materials to play with and sharing that curiosity with clients.

Various situations or experiences need containment, room for expansion, unraveling, or creating chaos, reflection. Sometimes senses need to be activated in specific ways, and I take that into consideration. Often, my mood determines which kind of project I will engage in. When opportunities arise, I welcome novel experiences that unbalance, challenges and excite me, recharging my vitality and soul. I find it exciting to observe others as they become more attuned to their own creative inclinations and start recognizing what they need to help express or process whatever arises within them at any given moment.

Vessel [Resting Cat]
(5.5" x 4.375", Soapstone) 

This Cat Vessel sculpture was created this past spring. An old injury acted up during a ski trip. I wanted something fun to do while my friends skied all day. A local sculptor was offering classes at his shop. Banging at a hunk of stone was just what I needed at that time. It was challenging to imagine what a block of stone could become, how to begin shaping it. As art often imitates life, this piece turned out completely different from how I had envisioned it. I made tons of mistakes that led to opportunities for re-shaping and re-imagining this sculpture. This piece feels unfinished, unresolved, curious about what will come next.

I had not carved anything in stone for about 15 years, nor had I sculpted anything “realistic” since high school…. It was an exercise in reconnecting with the playful, experimental part of me that I had thought was lost, along with making light of a frustrating situation. Much like the past several years, from the onset of Covid 19 and the lockdown, through the waves of safety and outbreaks, there was an ebb and flow to this carving process, and it took longer than I expected it would.

The process of transforming a solid block of stone into its sculptural form tested my patience and faith. It surprised me that I could actually figure out how to do something so far out of my comfort zone. This pandemic has similarly tried my confidence as a clinician, a parent… forced me to reassess my goals for my practice and make modifications.

This new post-covid landscape is proving to have many perverse opportunities for insight and growth. While I felt (and still at times feel) directionless, chaotic, and distressed, I have been able to tease out the skills I have available to me, notice what needs to be addressed, see through the clutter and messiness. Despite some setbacks, overall I remain hopeful and motivated to keep moving forward.

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