2025 Hannah Gravitt Beyond the Canvas

Step into the future of art therapy with Hannah Gravitt, a visionary graduate student at the Herron School of Art + Design, part of Indiana University Indianapolis. In her pioneering thesis video, "AI as Art: Revolutionizing Art Therapy with Generative AI," Hannah explores the groundbreaking intersection of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and art therapy. By treating AI as an art material rather than just a tool, she uncovers its unique role in emotional processing and therapeutic practice.

Through a six-session self-study grounded in the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC), Hannah compares creating art with traditional materials—like paint and cardboard—to using generative AI. Her findings reveal that AI excels at cognitive and symbolic levels, fostering problem-solving and reflection, but lacks the tactile, emotional immediacy of traditional media, which promotes stress relief and catharsis. By tracking her materials, emotions, and flow states, Hannah demonstrates how AI can complement, not replace, traditional art-making, offering new possibilities for tailored mental health interventions.

This innovative research, produced as part of Hannah’s graduate work at Herron (https://herron.indianapolis.iu.edu), positions AI as a transformative tool in art therapy, enhancing accessibility and insight for clients. Discover how technology can integrate with the expressive traditions of art therapy and learn more about Herron’s Art Therapy program at https://herron.indianapolis.iu.edu/academics/gdegrees/art-therapy/index.html. Like, share, and subscribe to support this cutting-edge exploration of AI in mental health care!