Art Play For Wellness

Discover Expressive Arts

Awaken The Joy of Creativity


Increase energy levels, improve concentration, enhance communication and dial up positivity. Invest in your heath. Are you overwhelmed by the loss of a loved one or changes to a relationship? Do you have sadness, anxiety. Maybe you had a career change or moved to a new community. Explore your creative side and discover the keys to positive well-being and good health.

Therapeutic art box. paint, charcoal, pens, watercolours, paper, canvas, brushes, glue, instructions
Breathtaking colors of our planet
Button
Art Play class Margaret McKenzie facilitating art experience
Exploring family attachments through art expression crayon pastel on paper

Sands of Time

Stark beauty of desolate dunes
Button

Happy Students

woman engaged in expressive art

Explore your Creative side and discover the keys to positive well-being and good health. Engage with others in art expressions that open up new ways of coping with life's challenges.

Incorporating a variety of art, discussion, writing and meditative creative activities you will be guided in a healing journey.

Ted Harrison inspired art in Art Play class

Art as Therapy

Many new neuroscience studies are showing that anytime we engage in creative activities our mood may change, our brain increases neural pathways, and we relax, lowering stress hormones.


Therapeutic arts practitioners will facilitate experiences using a variety of art media, movement, outdoor actions, writing, tactile activities, visualizations and grounding techniques to guide participants in discovering the positivity in their lives. 

This leads to these psychological functions of art: 

                                                                   

·      Remembering

·      Sorrow

·      Hope

·      Rebalancing

·      Self-understanding

·      Growth

·      Appreciation


In therapeutic art you will be guided through these stages after establishing a comfortable and emotionally safe environment. This process may take several occasions, and the skills learned may be used on your own at home to support your continued well-being. Or you may like to join an Art Play for Wellness weekly group.

Outcomes of creating art include:


·      Creative expression

·      It’s fun!

·      Learn new skills / a sense of accomplishment

·      Feel relaxed

·      Establishes a self-care routine

·      Sense of Well-being

·      Develop non-verbal communication skills

·      Builds self-esteem through other art-makers

·      Ability to observe yourself through the world

·      Explore environmental issues

·      non-judgmental processes

Check out these resources for more information:


Book: Art as Therapy, Alain de Botton, Phaidon Press, 2016

Article – Art as Therapy

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09687590500498143


Setting up a Creative Space:

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/11-tips-to-get-the-creative-space-you-crave-stsetivw-vs~13091885


Art Supplies on Vancouver Island https://opusartsupplies.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4-y8BhC3ARIsAHmjC_G8tjSKmZd3OZzUcwnh8aqdsJzJTlWwO0eeNbSH9Ze1L0RYVGTb5soaArf-EALw_wcB 

Sign-Up For Art Play

Art Play Dates
Tuesdays 2-4pm

Fri. 1-3 Demonstrations or Free Hands-On

Make a Memory Box or just make memories!



Access and download The Details to get started in Art Play today! Visit the Gallery during open hours or make an appointment to learn more.