Watch This Space !!!!!

Hi Everyone! 

Watch this space for a super dooper new 

Wild at Art Website Launch 

complete with scheduling and booking system !

Thanks to the marvellous 

Wild at Art 

Social Media and Tech Guru 

Beth Darvell

 In the meantime check what on here:

https://www.facebook.com/wildatartstudios/events/

New address and launch to follow 

Artfully Yours

from

Katie 🎨🎨🎨

May Good Health be with you!

Hi Everyone Here we are in May already and what a year it has been so far! Haruki Murakami recently said "And once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure whether the storm is over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm is all about". We have all been and are still in the storm, or a crucible of change and we are all watching the world and the planet shift before our very eyes. Radical acceptance has been required. In Hong Kong we are cautiously putting our toes back into the waters of “ normality” as government workers and schools prepare to return. There is an out breath going on….. Here at the Wild at Art Studio I am gratefully welcoming you back into the room for art workshops again and so glad to be doing so !!

Calling all Mandala Makers ! For Seasoned Mandala Makers and complete beginners ! Mixed Media Mandalas This 6 x session series is $2,880. Every Wednesday, 20 May – 24 Jun 6.00-8.30pm If you have ever seen the Mandala canvases in my home or studio, now is your chance to create your very own. People created these beautiful Mixed Media Mandalas during a 2 1/2 day retreat weekend. That's 20 x hours of art making!!!!! In order to replicate that art making experience and bring it to your own doorstep, I am now offering the Mixed Media Mandala experience over 6 x evening dates which will equate to our 15 hours of art making time with an option to extend by 3 x dates at the end. You will work to create one final canvas, a mini canvas and a series of small test art works along the way. Limited places: 3 x left! Book with: wildatartweekly@gmail.com

I think our city needs a bit of LOVE right now! Let's LOVE UP Hong Kong with our Art !

Love the City: I love HK Collage Saturday 23rd May 9.30-5.00pm $1,400 inc all art materials, scrumptious treats throughout the day Is anyone else feeling cautiously relieved that life is starting to return to a kind of normality here in Hong Kong at the moment ? I for one feel very lucky to be here at this time. I love Hong Kong, it is my home! Come and create your very own homage to Hong Kong in the form of your own art work. You will be guided to blend paint and collage methods to create a HK scene of your choice, you may choose a skyline a beach or island view, this will be created in layers over the course of the day. All materials provided and plenty of cups of tea as you make art in the beautiful Wild at Art Studio in Central in the company of other artistes of the Wild at Art Community. No previous art experience is required for this fun and accessible process. Only 5 places left! Book with: wildatartweekly@gmail.com

Love HK Nature : Hong Kong Botanicals  Painting and Drawing  Saturday June e27th 10.00-5.00pm $1,400 inc all art materials with the amazing Claire Kirk Come and create your very own homage to Hong Kong in the form of Hong Kong Botanicals. Noticing small moments in nature can keep us connected to the earth even though we dwell in this big city. The nature in Hong Kong and right now its blooming! Claire will then lead us through mindfulness drawing and painting activities to help us capture natures lines, patterns and spirit. on paper. You will connect with nature as you absorb yourself in the natural forms and recreate these using drawing pen. Beginners will be gentle coached through the drawing process and those more advanced artists can enjoy waking up or building on those skills. 4 places left Book with: wildatartweekly@gmail.com

All dates and details are on the webpage. http://wildatartstudio.blogspot.com/p/wild-at-art-studio-offerings.html Booking for all workshops can be made directly on: wildatartweekly@gmail.com See here for map and directions http://wildatartstudio.blogspot.com/p/contact-me.html

Welcome to your own creative self! Come on in .... Artfully Yours from Katie

🌻🌻🌻 Hurray for the Internet! 🌻🌻🌻

Hi Everyone Since our last news letter we have all had to adapt to the many challenges and changes in our lives. I can’t help feeling that NOW more than ever is a time to offer inspiration and creative opportunities as we navigate our way forwards and adapt to new life routines. Here in Hong Kong we are knee deep into those new routines, students have not been to school for 10 weeks and while I see a certain resignation around me I am also seeing so much resilience and innovation alongside the stress, it is really quite amazing! I have now pressed pause on art workshops at the studio for the coming 2 weeks, in line with Government guidelines. This feels very hard for me, and I'm sure for all of you who have been coming each week to make, create and destress through art. I will feel the loss of our community and connection all around the world but it feels like the right thing to do. Silver Linings : Community Now more than ever we need to stay connected, with others and with ourselves.  So I have to say Hurray for the internet !  Hurray for Zoom, Facebook, and Youtube. During SARS we didn’t have those things, I’m not sure how we managed!  This last week I have zoomed with 28 people via my lovely UK art group (Thanks Moyra Scott) I have experienced the Lamma Ladies Friday Happy Hour Zoom, what fun ! I led my very first Art Journaling class via zoom last Monday and I even broadcast a Facebook Live Doodle Jam. These virtual gatherings remind me that we are all in this together, that we can support each other and support ourselves as well…… Silver Linings Emotional Health It’s amazing to see the great new wave of wellness around us for hygiene, health, fitness, anxiety management and self care.  This is the perfect time to slow down and dig further into your creative life. Art making can help you connect to yourself and work through some of the tricky feelings we are having. It's certainly helping me, and many people in my journaling groups create positive self talk and strengthen our coping strategies. Processing the difficult stuff on the page helps us to make sense of it all or at the very least, externalise our feelings about it. Last of all I find it vital to use my art-making practice to keep me calm and to anchor my anxiety when I feel wound up. The repetitive nature of making marks and patterns when I doodle, is essential for me to stop following my intrusive thoughts and to just gentle into the flow. As we cannot connect in person, I am bringing you some free Arty content via Youtube to help you get arting at home.  Yes the new Wild at Art Youtube Channel is here! Tada! Come and Make Art with me! We will Destress and Keep Calm with some doodling joy! These video's are lovingly created to help you make art in your own home, using simple techniques and everyday materials. This will help you to curb anxiety at this difficult time, my goal is to provide you with little projects to carry on with at home. I offer you art making for your heart, soul and self care at all times! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB35ksRYMRk Jump right in with Destress Doodling with Katie : The Magic Dot  ! Joyous Journaling on Zoom Mondays 5.00-7.30pm All Mondays in March and April Zoom Classes $350 Come and play with colour, paint and texture to make papers and pages for your journal! Journaling is about a blend of PLAY and something to SAY. By experimenting and creating for yourself a range of journal papers you can use these in your art journaling practice. You will find out more about yourself through an art journaling practice.  Recently we have worked on such topical and timely themes as "Silver Linings" " This too shall pass" " Keeping balance" " You've got this! "..............processing our lives and offering ourselves some positive self talk! All dates and details are on the webpage. http://wildatartstudio.blogspot.com/p/wild-at-art-studio-offerings.html Booking for all workshops can be made directly on: wildatartweekly@gmail.com See here for map and directions http://wildatartstudio.blogspot.com/p/contact-me.html Welcome to your own creative self! Come on in .... Artfully Yours from Katie

Communities of Connection

Hi Everyone

So often on these pages I am talking to you about the benefits of art-making and how it helps us to heal, destress and to gain isights.  Since the outbreak of the Corona virus in Hong Kong, the number of people attending workshops at the Wild at Art Studio has increased as people are struggling with isolation at home, as schools and government offices remain closed and despite people being urged to work from home and avoid public transport.

Many mums and dads are finding it incredibly challenging to be at home whilst doing their own job AND supervising the home learning of their children of various ages ( while all parties use the wifi and internet at the same time).  

Teachers are up to their ears in devising new strategies with which to deliver complex curriculum topics through all sorts of new technological pathways. Teachers are gregarious people, no one likes being stuck at home !!

So this last two weeks, people have been attending art classes and sharing their stories and challenges as we all recalibrate to this situation and cope with the uncertainties and drama's of each day.

Destress Doodle attendance numbers have increased and people are actually thrilled to go home with a hands on project which they can continue and share in our Doodle Whats App group. This has become a mini platform for support and a stress outlet for all.

Journaling numbers have also increased and we have shifted times to accomodate the new found schedules that people have, they usually arrive very relieved to be receiving a hug,  human contact and the gift of time for self care. 

Saturday workshops have all been full as people are giving themselves the gift of a "time out" from the family or their small home or technological world. I hear relived chatter as people allow themselves to reconnect to the community here at the studio and also as they reconnect to themselves through their art making. Sometimes there is chit chat but often complete silence as people settle into their flow state with palpable relief and calm. 

So as we transition into March, the weather gets warmer and people settle back into another week of home learning, mask wearing and strange runs on shopping items. We will continue to make art and carry on, to reach out and to connect, to comfort and encourage to each other and wash our hands!  Come and join us for:

Lunchtime Destress Doodling

12.30-2.00pm Wednesdays

$150 per session

                            

Joyous Journaling Play

Mondays 6.00-8.30pm

All Mondays in March and April 

$400

Come and play with colour, paint and texture to make papers and pages for your journal!  Journaling is about a blend of PLAY and something to SAY. By experimenting and creating yourself a range of journal papers you will find out more about you as you use printmaking, and other mark making to start your 2020 journaling year!  

                              

Heartfelt Vintage Photo Collages

Calling all Art Journalers and Collage Fans !
We welcome a new Wild at Art Superstar teacher
Kit Lang 

Saturday March 14th

10.00-5.00pm

$1,400

Just what you have all been waiting for ......this workshop is all about magic and gifts us with techniques to preserve the images of our dear loved ones as well as our icons and heroes in our art work forever! Kit will be teaching us ways to enhance our artworks with cool atmospheric images, bringing a truly personalised touch to your work. This is perfect for all kinds of art makers, beginners, art journalers and seasoned creatives alike ! From cards and stationery, to journaling and art making, transfer techniques are simple, fun, and can be learnt and used by anyone - no artistic experience required!

Equinox Mandalas

Thursday March 19th

6.00-8.30pm

$400

Do you feel the need for a little work life balance ?

Come along to this months marvellous offering, seasonally reflecting the Spring Equinox and lets explore balance. The Equinox is a sacred time of equal day and night in the northern hemisphere. By experiencing this, we are reminded about the power of seeking both balance and oneness in our own lives. Whether you are a seasoned Monthly Mandala maker or a beginner, please join our lovely community of creators.

See you here at the studio! 

Welcome to your own creative self!

💜Come on in........💜

from

🌻🌻🌻Katie🌻🌻🌻

🌻🌻🌻 Keep Calm and Carry On 🌻🌻🌻

No matter where you are in the world, you will have heard the news of the Coronavirus outbreak which began in China and which is now filtering into other destinations as we speak. I am now living in a city, which has closed all schools, government offices, banks, borders and is urging us all to work from home if we can. Consequently Social Media is overflowing with chats about whether to stay here or leave, whether to wear a mask or not and whether what we read is even true. Anxiety is around every corner. On Saturday I read a blogpost by Dr David Owens, long-term doctor here in Hong Kong and founder of our family clinic OT and P who states: “Anxiety is highly infectious. It is much more infectious than the Coronavirus. The greatest triggers of anxiety are lack of control and uncertainty. A common feature of an anxious state is a negative interpretation with catastrophising thought processes.” Sound familiar?  Dr Owens responds by offering explanations of inflammatory terms, such as “epidemic” and “risk”. Here’s his article : https://www.otandp.com/blog/communicating-risk-in-an-epidemic-a-personal-perspective Other antidotes to anxiety might include a whole range of stress reduction techniques, I am seeing many people around me using their newly found free time to walk in the hills and explore the countryside which is lovely. Contact Calm Connections HK https://www.calmconnectionshk.com to join others walking in the hills and Ewa Wilkinson  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=546145755 to join nature photography walks. Check YvonneLi and guests daily meditations: https://www.facebook.com/beloveHK/ from all over Hong Kong.  A process of calming can be called becoming grounded and centred, terms used to describe reconnecting with the self in order to access the present moment, to calm the parasympathetic nervous system and gain a sense of self control.  You know you are grounded when you feel calm, peaceful and centered. Being centered means that you have a reference point or a place to come back to when life’s challenges and emotions push you off balance. The center is the place you know you have to get back to, it may feel safe or steady. In therapy we call this Self Regulation, which means to self-soothe and calm oneself when under stress. Returning to the “centre” can take place through various art making activities in which one refrains from conscious thinking and planning, which aligns with the therapeutic qualities of meditation. This can provide self-soothing for when anxiety feels out of control, that people can access in a group or at home or in the workplace. Much of this regulation takes place automatically-beyond our awareness but it allows the mind to take a break and time ‘stands still’. Such art making activities are available to you here at the Wild at Art Studio where we are offering a range of art experiences for self regulation. Come along and ground and centre with us, turn down the anxiety monster and allow yourself some space outside the house in a small group setting! Mindful Drawing 4 x Wednesday mornings 9.30-12.00pm  12th, 19th and 26th February $400 Connect with yourself and all your senses through Mindful Drawing. This beautiful experience  helps you to reconnect with the simple moments in life, brings a sense of peace and enjoyment, as you re-kindle your creativity and grow your drawing  confidence. Both mindfulness and drawing require you to slow down and pay close attention to what's in front of you. These workshops introduce you to the idea of inhabiting the present moment, as you observe your sensations and experiences and pay attention to all of your senses – You will be fully guided through a range of drawing experiences and materials, no previous art experience is required! Lunchtime Destress Doodling Every week 12.30-2.00pm Wednesdays $150 per session Do you sometimes feel like it’s all just too much? Discover your own calm centre through some peaceful meditational art making. Imagine being able to quieten your mind and go back to work or your family fully refreshed! Doodling can be a simple path to relaxation and inner focus and may help calm an anxious mind. It can help you press pause on intrusive thoughts and provide you with a practice that you can access at any time by yourself. I love HK Collage Saturday 29th February 9.30-5.00pm $1,400 inc all art materials, scrumptious treats throughout the day We are all here because one way or another we love Asia's World City: Hong Kong! This wonderful melting pot of races and cultures affords us all a way of being that is different to our own home country. It is a place of spectacular views natural and man made as well as iconic structures, scenes and other quirks. It is a home in need of love right now ! We've had a hard year of it and yet we are still here.... Come and create your very own homage to Hong Kong in the form of your own art work. You will be guided to blend paint and collage methods to create a HK scene of your choice this will be created in layers over the course of the day. All materials provided and plenty of cups of tea and biscuits as you make art in the beautiful Wild at Art Studio in Central. No previous art experience is required for this fun and accessible process. Diving Deeper Retreat Days Saturday 28th March  9.00-5.00pm Studio29, Lamma Island $1,400 inc all Art Materials  a journal and a scrumptious lunch and treats Exploring personal stories through art making can help us to reframe challenges, develop new perspectives and articulate our inner world. Come and use your art-making to listen inside! Working on personal themes, you will be guided to experience mixed media art journaling. It can be the start of a transformational journey as you uncover insights and find ways to let your inner voice show you the way. All dates and details are on the webpage. http://wildatartstudio.blogspot.com/p/wild-at-art-studio-offerings.html Booking for all workshops can be made directly to me on: wildatartweekly@gmail.com See here for map and directions http://wildatartstudio.blogspot.com/p/contact-me.html Welcome to your own creative self! Come on in .... Artfully Yours from Katie

🌻🌻🌻 Love is in the Air 🌻🌻🌻

Hi Everyone I bring you this week my February Beatles lyric,  which I'm sure you all know : All you need is love, love, Love is all you need Way back in 1987, my wonderful mum introduced me to the legendary poet Maya Angelou, we watched her mesmerising, and spell-binding performance of a live poetry reading in Lewisham Hippodrome. This was a profound experience for me, her magical, mystical and lyrical performance spun songs and stories of Love……..friend love, agape love, romantic love, self love, sensual love and familial love!  A beautiful journey through her own work and black American poetry. Watch Maya in Lewisham This particular phrase has always stuck with me and you may have heard me use it sometimes in workshops, “ Be careful when a naked person offers you his shirt.” …  I usually ask people what this says to them and I think Brene Brown paraphrases it very beautifully: “Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them – we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.” In other words to give love, we have to love ourselves.

I mention all of this as we head towards February, a month in which we celebrate love. Apparently the first Valentines day was in the year 496! Originating from a Roman Festival, Lupercalia, the start of springtime. Later on, the church morphed this festival into a Christian celebration and used it to remember St Valentine. His name started to be used by people to express their feelings to those they loved………As the years went on, Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticised it and it gained popularity throughout Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens-du-jour in the Middle Ages. At Wild at Art in February we will be celebrating the spirit of love and self love by creating our own “Tokens Du Jour “.

Reflect and Replenish  Self Care for Counsellors, Therapists, Life Coaches, and Teachers Monthly on Thursdays:  February 6th, March 26th,  April 23rd 6:00pm - 8:30pm $450.00 includes all art materials I would like to invite you to the very first Reflect and Replenish workshop at Wild at Art Studio.  This is a professional development and Creative Self Care group for counsellors, art therapists, school counsellors, teachers and life coaches. In our role we may be advocating self care for our clients or students, but its easy to forget about US! as people who spend our working hours caring for others.  We KNOW that Self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship with ourselves, to reduce stress, to replenish our capacity to provide compassion and empathy but knowing it and practicing it can be hard !  Life is busy, with multiple demands on our time !

Diving Deeper Retreat Days Saturday 8th February  9.00-5.00pm Studio29, Lamma Island $1,200 inc scrumptious lunch and treats Only 2 places left! Exploring personal stories through art making can help us to reframe challenges, develop new perspectives and articulate our inner world. Come and use your art-making to listen inside! Working on personal themes, you will be guided to experience mixed media art journaling. It can be the start of a transformational journey as you uncover insights and find ways to let your inner voice show you the way.

Self Love Mandalas Thursday 13th February 6.008.30pm $450 Wild at Art Studio, Central  This workshop is scheduled right before St Valentines day to maximise on the power of our shared LOVE energy! It's a day all about love, and guess where it starts? Yes, with YOU! This workshop is a gift day just for you, to pause and relax into some self compassion and affection! We'll be focusing on self care, self love and self nurture. Listening to some of our favourite love songs and responding with a gorgeous Mandala straight from your heart chakra! You can if you wish, dedicate your mandala to the significant other in your life, as well. Come and join the lovely community of art makers at Wild at Art Studio and feel the LOVE!

Mindful Drawing 4 x Wednesday mornings 9.30-12.00pm 15th, 22nd January, 5th, 12th, February $400 Connect with yourself and all your senses through Mindful Drawing. This beautiful experience  helps you to reconnect with the simple moments in life, brings a sense of peace and enjoyment, as you re-kindle your creativity and grow your drawing  confidence. Both mindfulness and drawing require you to slow down and pay close attention to what's in front of you.  These workshops introduce you to the idea of inhabiting the present moment, as you observe your sensations and experiences and pay attention to all of your senses – You will be fully guided through a range of drawing experiences and materials, no previous art experience is required!

Botanical Painting and Drawing Earth Love Saturday 15th February ( 9.30am - 5.00pm) with the amazing Claire Kirk at Wild at Art Studio, Central $1,400 inc all art materials, scrumptious treats throughout the day Only 4 places left!  Noticing small moments in nature can keep us connected to the earth even though we dwell in the big city. This workshop will take us on a creative journey starting with some playful dabbing experiments as we create different backgrounds for our masterpieces. Claire will then lead us through mindfulness drawing and painting activities to help us capture natures lines, patterns and spirit. on paper. You will connect with nature as you absorb yourself in the natural forms and recreate these using drawing pen. Beginners will be gentle coached through the drawing process and those more advanced artists can enjoy waking up or building on those skills. If you are an Art Journaler this is a perfect technique for you to use in your daily journals.

Welcome to your own creative self! Come on in .... Artfully Yours from 🌻🌻🌻Katie 🌻🌻🌻