New York Expressive Arts about us
welcome to new york expressive arts!

most recent updates…
• Expressive Arts Training program: New classes begin in September! Join us for a free introduction. Click here.
• Volunteers needed! Art on Lark, June 21. Click here.
• Women's Writing Retreat, featuring Denie Whalen. July 20-25. Click here.
• Expressive Painting continues throughout the summer. Plus free Open Painting Studio in July. Click here.
• Speak out for peace with Operation Art Attack. Through October. Click here.
• New book title from EGS Press, honoring the life and work of Stephen Levine. Click here.

ABOUT US
We have been providing opportunities for personal development and community-building through the expressive arts for over 20 years. Central to our mission is addressing individual and societal needs by incorporating feeling, intuition, imagination and creative thinking into daily life. Founded by Markus Alexander in 1986 as Glass Lake Studio, we are now known as New York Expressive Arts, under the direction of Denie Whalen. We are based in Albany, N.Y., but the outreach of our community is far and wide. Training intensives are also conducted abroad. Through professional training, workshops, community outreach programs and individual and group work, we create opportunities for the use of the visual, kinesthetic, written and performing arts as a way of opening to the deeper dimensions of life and the universal need for self-expression. We are focused on bringing people together to counteract the isolation in our communities. We believe that the expressive arts are a natural vehicle in this process, enabling society to benefit from the unique talents and perspectives that each individual can contribute.

OUR FACULTY
is made up of experienced, highly-qualified expressive arts therapists, artists, teachers and consultants, and includes professional members of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA). New York Expressive Arts is a member of the International Network of Expressive Arts Therapy Training Centers and is involved in two international events each year: the Spring Symposium, held in Europe or the Middle East; and the Harvest Symposium, held in North America. Students and graduates are welcome at both these events, where major figures in the expressive arts come together for master classes and community building.

WHAT WE OFFER
• Training programs in expressive arts coaching and consulting, including three-year, one-year and advanced study
• Painting classes
• Individual, group, and institutional retreats
• Community arts events and workshops

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"My two granddaughters, CeCe (5 years old) and Ava (4 years old) teach me a lot about the value of the arts. I notice how their growing up in a non-judgmental environment that nurtures playful art making, where art materials are readily available and their work is cherished shapes their capacity to wholeheartedly encounter their world and creatively navigate their way. For them, making art is a natural and joyful part of their everyday life."
— Denie Whalen, New York Expressive Arts director

"At a time when people are questioning their ability to put together their fragmented lives, the expressive arts create an arena to give each fragment its own voice, and an opportunity for all individuals to experience a powerful glimpse into the heart of their own truth."
– Markus Alexander, Glass Lake Studio founder