Express and Connect to Yourself Through Art

Art is not a solitary experience-it connects us to others and ourselves.

The workshop:

I'd like to create an environment that promotes artistic expression, not skill or outcome. No experience needed. There are no rules, no expectations, no judgement, no specific style, or theme besides creating something that comes from within. Just come and play with the mediums and relax. I will be there to guide you with ideas/prompts, if needed and help use the materials. Engage with the others or just work quietly on your own. One of the things we will try at the beginning, is draw in response to instrumental music, to loosen up and connect to our essence. But again there is no pressure to do so. If you feel it's very personal, no pressure to show your work. FREE ENTRY

Materials provided:

paper, empty postcards, watercolour, oil pastels, brushes, acrylic paints, pencils, coloured pencils, markers, scissors, glue and magazines/newspaper for collaging, leaves etc.

Why:

Us humans are amazing complex beings, able to feel a huge spectrum of emotions and some we can't always express properly or process. Especially depression, anxiety, and trauma can lock the brain into rigid patterns of thought and behavior, making us feel stuck. Several studies show that Art activates certain brain areas and engaging with it, stimulates neuroplasticity -the brain's ability to adapt and form new connections. Creative engagement can reshape neural pathways in humans, promoting healing and resilience.

About me:

I'm Rebeca, a mixed media artist, living in Edinburgh. I've studied Visual Communication and received my Bachelor's in Arts a while ago. As someone who grew up feeling unsafe at home, drawing was my escape and later it became the way of expressing difficult emotions, happy and negative ones. I have also greatly benefitted from Art Therapy, with a professional, in the past and started doing more research into this field lately.

The venue:

@sketchybeats non-profit art space in Leith, Edinburgh. BYOB

Donation:

There's an optional donation to go towards the running costs of the classes - this stops people booking up all the free tickets then not showing up!

Eventbrite requires £1 to be entered in the box but we can refund that in cash when you attend the class, or you can put it towards a cup of tea from the kitchen ☕