Slow Art, Somatic Practice, and Creative Rest

Being in conversation with art, process, and our senses.

This is a therapeutic art immersion.

A space to be in conversation (and collaboration) with our art materials, creative process, and the sensory experience(s) of art making. To focus less on technique, and control — and more on how we FEEL when we’re engaging with art materials.

A space to think about the practice of art making as part of a creative care practice. Something that we build into our lives, that feels good …that nourishes, supports, and grounds us.

Small, simple practices – repeated.

Through creative meanderings with both solo and collective art processes, we’ll work on slowing down, noticing, softening in. Creative rest.

We’ll indulge in curious play — with colour, texture, light/shadow, sound, sensation.

We’ll watch paint move.

We’ll create collaborations with our art materials… ongoing conversations, maps, stories.

We’ll get curious about an expansive understanding (and practice) of mapping, nesting, gathering …documenting our bumblings and creative intersections with the world, with ourselves, and with art. Folded, and layered, glued, wrapped, and stitched together.

This program is an intentional dilly-dally. A space to pause, and play …that is grounded in art-making as a sensory, somatic, mindful, and creative care practice. Something that we can build on, and repeat — to take care of ourselves and our communities.

No experience with art is required to participate.

What You’ll Experience

• Repetitive mark-making
• Bilateral drawing
• Slow stitch (with paper)
• Leaf stitching
• Watercolour mucking and blobs
• Wrapping, crumpling, folding …unfolding.
• Uncomplicated bookmaking and printmaking
• Frottage (rubbings)

What You’ll Learn

• Experience in sensory art making (how does your whole body experience different materials and ways of using them), and material exploration (using materials in some less traditional/formal ways)
• Develop and deepen your creative care practices, through an expanded understanding of what that can look (and feel) like
• Experiential understandings of the connection between therapeutic creative arts practices, mental, and physical health. Conversations and learning are supported by contemporary neuroscientific research

Who This Program is For

• Folks that are curious about exploring art making that’s less about product, and more about process (and sensory/somatic experience). Less about controlling our materials, and more about being in conversation with our materials
• Folks that maybe don’t think of themselves as artists (or creative) at all, but want to learn about ways they can play with art materials (in a non-judgemental environment)
• Folks that maybe already integrate art-making in their work (and/or life) and are looking for some new ideas, and inspirations (artists/makers, art therapists, therapeutic arts practitioners, teachers, counsellors, artists…).
• Folks that might be experiencing creative blocks (in life/work).
• Folks that want to build more creativity into their day-to-day.

Material Fee

Additional supply costs ($45 CAD) for this program are included in the package pricing.

Daily Schedule

A detailed schedule will be emailed to you about 30 days prior to your program. Click here to view a sample program schedule.