Events › Create-Heal-Draw Series: A Pathway to Personal Growth Through Art

In response to a growing interest in the intersection of art and wellness, The Joy of Drawing has curated a series of five inspirational art classes. Each class provides a unique pathway to personal growth through the creative process.

Each 90-minute class begins with a brief warm-up exercise such as drawing your breath, taking your pen for a walk, or blind contouring. We use visual slides to introduce the class theme, showing the source of the inspiration--whether it's an artist or book. This series is designed to help participants explore their creativity while improving emotional well-being.

Class is limited to 20 spots (10 will be available for in-person registration, and 10 will be available for online registration).

In-person registration begins at the Millbrae Library on Tuesday, October 21 at 10:00 AM. Because of the limited number of spots, each patron may register themselves and one other person.

Online registration begins Tuesday, October 28 at 10:00 AM.

Week One: Analog Drawing

Participants are guided to draw and paint their interpretation of an emotion (e.g., Love, Friendship). The focus is on the abstract art rather than figurative representation, allowing students to explore creative expression without judgment. At the end, we gather the works and discuss each participant's experience and outcomes. This class is based on Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Left Side of the Brain.

Week Two: Oil Pastel Mono-Printing

In this session, participants use prepared sheets of oil pastel to engage in "automatic writing" by closing their eyes and drawing freely. Afterward, they enhance their creation with watercolor and tempera art stick. The class concludes with a group discussion on artwork and the creative process. This class is inspired by Joan Miró's practice of "automatic writing."

Week Three: Upside-Down Brain Drawing

Drawing from photos of dancers, participants will first turn the image upside down and focus on the major lines. After rotating the image back to its correct orientation, they will use watercolors and tempera art sticks to create their own interpretation of the original photograph. This class is influenced by the methods of Wasily Kandinsky and Betty Edwards.

Week Four: Art Quilting

Participants receive a square card on which they write a meaningful word and their name. They then draw their interpretation of the word using a variety of art materials. At the end of the session, the instructor assembles the cards into a large, collaborative quilt. The group celebrates its work with a discussion and a group photo. This class is inspired by the Gees Ben Quilting Experience and Betty Edwards' analog painting.

Week Five: Art Brain Tree Drawing

In this class, participants explore how to break down complex tree shapes into lines and patterns. They will simplify the forms using their own interpretations and fill them in with color using various art materials. This exercise allows students to apply everything they learned to create their own original drawings. This class is inspired by Piet Mondrian's simplified tree drawings.