Grief, in Colour: An Art Therapist’s Practice for Sitting with Loss
Grief asks much of us—patience, courage, and the willingness to feel what can’t always be spoken.
In my work as an art therapist, and through my own loss, I’ve seen how grief lives not just in our minds, but in our bodies, gestures, and even the colours we’re drawn to. Art can offer us a language for grief when words feel too small or too sharp.
This gentle grief practice is something I’ve used myself and with clients navigating the aching landscape of loss. Whether you are grieving the death of a loved one, a relationship, a season of life, or a version of yourself that no longer fits—this is a space to come home to yourself.
Free Grief Art Practice Download
Inside this free printable PDF, you’ll find:
A brief introduction to art therapy and grief
A journaling prompt to explore the nuances of your loss
An art activity designed to externalize and express your grief visually
A dialogue prompt to engage with the piece you create, offering insight and reflection
[Download the Grief Art Practice PDF here]
Why Art Therapy for Grief?
Grief often bypasses language. You may find yourself repeating, "I don’t even know what I’m feeling"—and that’s valid. Art therapy allows for non-verbal processing, making space for the parts of us that don’t know how to name what we carry.
Using imagery, colour, and symbol, we begin to make sense of the sense-less. We honour what was lost, and we honour what still lives.
A Glimpse Into the Practice
Journal Prompt: What has grief changed in you? What hasn’t it touched?
Art Activity: Choose a medium that feels accessible—pencil, pastels, collage, paint. Create an image of your grief. Let it take form without judgment. This might be abstract or representational. Let the materials lead.
Dialogue Prompt: When you look at your piece, ask:
What do you want me to understand?
What do you need from me?
What do you want me to carry forward?
Write down the responses as if your artwork were speaking directly to you.
Final Thoughts
This practice won’t erase your grief, but it can help you feel less alone in it. You might revisit the same prompt weeks or months later and notice how your inner landscape is shifting. That is the quiet, slow work of healing.
If this practice resonates with you, you’re welcome to explore more grief-informed tools through my blog or therapy services.
With tenderness,
Arin Clarke, MCP-AT, CCC Art Therapist & Counselling Therapist
