Throughout November, GIVE hosted the second Art Workshop of 2024. We were delighted to see participants return from our pilot project, as well as lots of new faces too.
November’s workshop was run by Sunita Khedekar, a wonderful local artist. Over her career, Sunita has been inspired by the beautiful English landscape, the symmetrical architectural style and the seasonal change of hues all around her, combined with her nostalgia of India.
The project was designed to provide a supportive and encouraging environment for participants to improve their mental health and combat loneliness, through art and creativity.
The focus of this workshop was Mandala Art; participants drew and painted on canvas, and later used clay to create their final pieces. Each session began with a short meditation which was a new edition to the programme and very well received.
We are thrilled to share feedback from our participants:
ENJOYMENT
Looking forward to weekly sessions.
Meeting new people.
Having a natter and giggle.
Being creative and sharing knowledge of art.
Meeting a lovely group of very creative people.
Doing something I have never done before.
Being and mixing with the group.
Getting to know new people.
Sharing ideas.
Seeing different pieces of work.
LEARNING
How to create a mandala.
Using clay in projects & adding embellishments.
Painting techniques using acrylics.
The principles behind the Mandala philosophy.
Meditation/relaxation to clear my head.
Use of mixed media to create the Mandala.
Mandala a circular figure, representing the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism. It is as a symbol in a dream, representing the dreamer's search for completeness and self-unity.
In addition to this, we have witnessed friendships forming over the last 6 weeks. The group met up a few weeks after the last session to share their final artwork, some bought along their new projects and Christmas cards were exchanged!
Seeing these connections form and friendships grow is what makes the project successful.
We hope to host another art workshop in 2025!
Written by GIVE Coordinator, Emily Bradbury
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