How to Draw Paisley

We hosted a lovely mindful art session for Rhizome Artists’ Collective recently, drawing paisley Anyone can join us on Zoom on Tuesdays by booking here.

How to Draw Paisley

Draw a long, continuous curved line. Curve your line so it connects with the beginning of your drawing to draw a paisley shape. Begin to decorate your paisley. Start with a raindrop shape in the big part and a circle in the small part. Add more patterns and shapes such as flower petals. Add more detail like lines, stripes, waves, flowers or whatever you can think of. Colour it in.

For more printable mindful art activities join our mailing list.

Zen Doodles: 3 Week Course Online

We are happy to be launching a new online course with Devon Recovery Learning Community.

Zen doodling is a kind of meditative drawing practice which can be used to easily calm your mind. Zen doodles are just repeating patterns; no artistic talent is required.

Zen doodling combines meditation and art. Learn to practice relaxation exercises and art for self-care. The session includes five minutes of guided mindfulness, a simple art project that can be done at home just with felt tip pens, and the opportunity to chat while we are making the zen doodles and to relax.

In this course you will create zen doodles while learning about the philosophy and benefits of zen doodling:

Improves mental health
Improves social connection
Teaches new skills (relaxation exercises and art for self- care).

We start with a ‘check in’ to see how everyone is feeling. There is no obligation to speak if you don’t want to. We end the group with a ‘check out’ to share how everyone is feeling after making zen doodles.

This online, three week course will start on Thursday 4th March, then the 11th and 18th March.

Booking is essential and places are limited: Zen Doodles Book Now

You may also like: Create Your Recovery.

Not ready for an online course? Try zen doodling at home instead, with our free mindful colouring bundle.

Christmas Online Group

We are running a Christmas-themed art group on Zoom on 22nd December, but there will be no other groups for the rest of December. We are going to draw a Christmas carol, and we have to guess what carol each others pictures are! There’s no pressure to be good at drawing, it’s just a bit of fun. You can also bring your own mince pie and wear a Christmas jumper if you like. Book your place now.

Thank you so much to everyone who has been to one of our groups or retreats in this very strange year. We will be back in the New Year 2021 with an exciting new online course.

Make sure to take care of yourself this Christmas.

Best wishes from Peggy and Emma. xx

New in 2021: Free Online Course

Want to learn to practice relaxation exercises, and art for self-care?

We are looking forward to working with Devon Recovery Learning Community in 2021 to deliver a new six week course, on Zoom.

This recovery college is provided by Devon Partnership NHS Trust to support mental health and wellbeing. Their students are people with experience of mental health difficulties, their family and friends, and the professionals who support them.

Each session of our new course includes five minutes of guided mindfulness, five minutes of mindful drawing, a simple art project, and the opportunity to chat and relax.

‘Doodle Your Recovery’ gives people the opportunity to share their feelings, practice mindfulness, create art, relax and chat. This course:

Improves mental health
Improves social connection
Teaches new skills (relaxation exercises and art for self- care)

We start with a ‘check in’ to see how everyone is feeling. There is no obligation to speak if you don’t want to. This is followed by some guided mindfulness, then a simple art project e.g. drawing Zentangles or paisley, or making a greetings card.

We end the group with a ‘check out’ to share how everyone is feeling after practicing mindfulness and making art.

This 6 week, online course starts on Thursday 14th January, then 21st and 28th January and 4th and 11th February.

Places are limited. Book early to avoid disappointment: Doodle Your Recovery Online.

Our Plans For Lockdown

November Lockdown: We have made the difficult decision to postpone our in-person meetings for the moment. We will continue to offer our weekly online group via Facebook and Zoom every Tuesday at 10am. Participants can watch live on Facebook, or message us for the Zoom link. Let’s stay connected! Our Facebook page is Facebook.com/MindfulArtClub

Wellbeing Course Postponed

We are still taking bookings for our new wellbeing course at Plympton Rees Wellbeing Hub. However, the start date has been postponed to Tuesday 8th December 2020

We hope to be back in the community offering support, mindfulness and art as soon as possible.

Keep safe.

Peggy and Emma

How To Do Art Club When You Don’t Really Want To Go Out

Were you thinking of trying mindfulness?
Does your anxiety prevent you from coming to our groups?
Would you like to feel a little bit calmer and happier?

Here are three ways to try mindful art club, without even getting out of bed!

1) Listen to our free 15 minute recording.

This 15 minute mindfulness recording guides you to bring your attention to experiences happening in the present moment, without judgement. For best results, choose a place where you will not be disturbed, listen with headphones and close your eyes.

Listen Now: Mindful Body Scan

2) Watch a Mindful Art Club Video

If you’re short of time watch one of our quick YouTube videos and join in with a simple art project.

If you have an hour to spare, join in with one of our online classes. They are all recorded to Facebook in an archive of videos. Each recording includes a guided mindfulness session and instructions for a simple art project that you can do at home with felt tip pens and plain paper. Art Club Catch-Up TV. It’s like being at Mindful Art Club, but without leaving your house! (You could even stay in your pyjamas!)

3) Try Mindful Colouring

I know, I know. When I first heard of “adult colouring books” I thought it sounded like a ridiculous idea! But it’s amazing how the simple act of colouring can calm the mind down. I have designed a few mindful art colouring pages around the theme of “I am enough” using a little egg character that I created. His caption is, “I am an oeuf.” (Oeuf is French for egg.) The oeuf character makes me smile. Grab your free colouring pages by signing up to our mailing list, and then we’ll write to you monthly to let you know about our latest free and low-cost events, videos and mindfulness recordings. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

[Video] How to Draw a Mandala

What are the benefits of drawing a mandala?
What are the spiritual origins of mandalas?
What can mandalas symbolise or represent?

Find out now, in this video micro-lesson, with Peggy and Emma.

In this short excerpt from a Mindful Art Club Zoom session, we draw mandalas using household objects, and show you some examples of both simple designs, and complicated designs, for inspiration.

You can share your mandala with us at www.facebook.com/mindfulartclub

Now we’d love to hear from you. What would you like to see Mindful Art Club do next? Visit www.tinyurl.com/mac-feedback to tick off the things that you like, on an easy checklist.

Our Zoom sessions are free to join every Monday at 10.00am. Send us a message if you would like the meeting link. Alternatively, watch the live sessions as a Facebook live video, as the Zoom session will be live broadcast to our Facebook page. You can join in with the guided mindfulness, and join our discussion by writing in the comments below the video live stream.

How to Feel Connected in the Age of Social Distance

Would you like to socialise without even leaving your home?

Want to try mindfulness, but have no motivation to practice it alone?

Are you kind of creative, but don’t take art too seriously?

It sounds like you’d love our online art group!

Watch this short video to find out how we are responding to COVID-19, how to join us online, how did we meet, and why did we start an art club?

We interviewed ourselves in April 2020 to discuss how COVID-19 has affected our clients and how we can move forward with life after lockdown.

Watch Now:

Join us for a Facebook Live every Monday at 10am.

Now we’d love to hear your thoughts. How can we best support you? Go to https://tinyurl.com/MAC-feedback now and let us know.

Now: View Art Club On Demand

Are you feeling anxious?

Are you socially isolated?

Missed the online art club?

No problem. Catch up with the video replay, and join in by commenting in real time. Enjoy a short mindful meditation and an easy art project. Grab a coffee or tea, and try some creativity with Emma and Peggy.

Watch Now: Art Group Catch-Up TV.

We are running Mindful Art Club as an online live Facebook event, twice a week on Mondays at 10am and Wednesdays at 10am, while the UK is in lockdown due to the Corona Virus. There is also a private group on Fridays for people in recovery from addiction.

To join in with a live group:

Visit our Facebook page at 10.00 am on Monday or Wednesday
You will need a pen, felt tips, some paper and a cup of tea or coffee
Watch our live Facebook video and join in with the group by typing your comments below the video
Optional: Join in with the video chat using Zoom, free video conferencing software.

As always with Mindful Art Club, there is no talent required. Just a willingness to have a go and have fun. We look forward to seeing you at the next online live group.

Tag: Online art groups