Mindful Drawing: Finding Magic in the Mundane with Terri Mc Sweeney

Mindful drawing is the practice of using simple mark-making as a way to anchor yourself in the present moment. It’s not about perfection or skill - it’s about noticing, feeling, and connecting with your environment and your inner world. Through drawing, you slow down, pay attention to the small details often overlooked in daily life, and create a bridge between observation and reflection.

In this session, Terri Mc Sweeney - an experienced teacher with a background in Fine Art, Art Theory, and international education - guides participants to reconnect with familiar spaces and routines as sources of calm, creativity, and insight. Drawing ordinary objects, rooms, or moments from your daily life can reveal hidden emotions, spark reflection, and help reclaim the magic in the mundane. By turning your gaze toward the ordinary, you’ll discover hidden beauty, explore your emotions, and engage in a playful, gentle form of self-expression. This approach helps cultivate calm, clarity, and creative insight, showing that even the most mundane corners of life can hold unexpected moments of wonder.

Through a mix of warm-up exercises, guided observation, and personal reflection, you’ll learn to:

• Ground yourself in the present moment using two quick, accessible drawing practices.
• Complete a mindful drawing of an everyday space, object, or routine.
• Use drawing as a way to notice and reframe emotions, creating a visual journal of inner and outer life.
• Receive prompts to continue your mindful drawing practice beyond the workshop.

The session flow is simple and structured for ease:

• Welcome and breathing warm-up to settle the mind.
• Observational warm-up focusing on a small object to engage attention.
• Main mindful drawing session of your chosen daily space or routine.
• Reflection and short journaling to capture insights.
• Optional sharing in small breakout groups and group reflection.
• Closing with simple prompts to continue your practice at home.

No prior drawing experience is needed - just a willingness to look closely, notice, and express. You’ll need basic materials such as A4 or A5 paper, a pencil or pen, and optionally coloured pencils or markers. By the end of the workshop, you’ll leave with a personal drawing that captures the essence of a familiar moment or space, along with the tools and inspiration to make mindful drawing a regular, grounding practice in your everyday life.

Terri brings warmth, creativity, and an international teaching perspective from her work across Ireland, Vietnam, and the UAE. Her approach combines artistic insight with educational expertise, offering a supportive space where all participants can explore, reflect, and reconnect with the quiet magic of daily life.

Please note: This workshop will be hosted on Microsoft Teams.