Thanks to a $1 million investment over four years from the Slaight Family Foundation, Workman Arts is expanding its art training programs throughout the GTA by partnering with Scarborough Arts, UrbanArts, North York Arts, East End Arts, Arts Etobicoke and Lakeshore Arts. The expanded program tackles the prevalence of social isolation in individuals with mental health issues and the lack of opportunities to build lasting social connections through meaningful engagement outside of the mainstream mental health system. Workman Arts’ art training programs are unique in the mental health sector because they do not treat the art class as secondary to the mental health benefits. High-quality art classes across all disciplines are facilitated by instructors with lived experience of mental health and/or addiction issues.

Art Journaling as a Practice

Art Journaling as a Practice is an Online course happening with Workman Arts and UrbanArts part of Live Your Art Programming. Registration will be open until April 1 2023, at which point accepted registrants will be contacted. Please note there is a limit on participants. 

Dates: Mondays April 3- May 8

Time: 8-10PM

Location:Online

Who is this course for:  York/Weston residents; who have lived experience of mental health and addiction. All indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island welcome.

Instructor: Anna Redish

Anna Redish is an art instructor with experience hosting art classes online and in person. She has a background working with youth with social, emotional, and behavioural challenges, and has trained with Dr. Ross Greene. Anna currently hosts weekly Art Journaling classes for teens, tweens and adults through her own website, and for an online learning platform. Over the last three years Anna has witnessed the power of Art Journaling transforming lives through support and community building, and how an art journaling practice is a wonderful way to expand your art language. A mom of 4 now adult children, Anna has used of Art Journaling for her own mental health and has witnessed others use it in their lives to build community, and express themselves safely.
When she’s not art journaling, you can find her on a local hockey rink.

Class Description:

Welcome to a weekly creative practice. It’s time to make time for yourself while you connect with other amazing people. Learn the basics of art journaling in a space where there is no judgement, no criticism, just encouragement and exploration. We will meet every week over Zoom for 6 weeks and spend 2 hours exploring our creative selves. Through writing prompts, paint suggestions, and guidance on composition, you will create art journal pages that express you. This is a no-rules, can’t-do-it-wrong art class where all levels of art experience are welcome.

Spontaneous Poetry Writing 

Date: Wednesdays — March 29th, April 5th, April 12th and April 19th

Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm EST

Location: Online (via Zoom)

Who is this course for:  Everyone! Priority will go to York/Weston residents; and those with lived experience of mental illness and/or addictions.

Instructor: Cathy Thorne

With a background in improvisational theatre, creative writing and visual arts, Cathy Thorne writes on-the-spot personalized poems at events, creating thoughtful keepsakes for guests to take home.

To encourage people to embrace their inner poet, she has developed a spontaneous poetry writing workshop. With no experience necessary, attendees learn how to clarify and organize their thoughts quickly and creatively through a series of short, fun exercises, ultimately resulting in each person creating a poem that has special meaning to them.

She is currently working on a chapbook of poetry entitled Shift.

Class Description:

In this workshop, participants will learn to create spontaneous poems using a simple method that will help them organize and articulate their thoughts clearly.

The method used is easy to learn and will guide participants towards embracing their inner poet while putting aside their inner critic. Participants can apply this not only to poetry writing, but also to other projects and their personal communications.

By the end of the workshop series, participants will each have four completed poems. Their poems can be heartfelt, emotional and empowering, or fun and cheeky. It’s up to them! And the best part? Absolutely no poetry experience is necessary.