I have been running Glittering Shards community art and mosaic classes since 2008. During 2016, I took a break to undertake an MSc in Mental Health (with a research focus on trauma). As part of my studies, I also completed and gained an Award called ‘A Beautiful  Mind’ which examined the intersection of art, science and mental health.  I am also currently training to be a psychotherapist and am interested in the use of creativity for well being. I continue to run weekly daytime drop-in on Monday’s (term time) 12-2pm and monthly evening drop in (1st Friday  of the month, term time 8-10pm).  You can attend these as a one-off or regularly – so it is totally flexible and geared around individual needs of whoever is in the classes (which are always small so lots of personal attention). More info on the drop-in below.

The other courses listed here will (in time) be run as e-courses until such as time as I have capacity to run them ‘real-time’ so do make sure you are signed up to my newsletter to get info and news.

Mosaic courses

Mosaic is the art of painting with pieces and is a wonderful, accessible art form, great for ‘artists’ and ‘non-artists’ alike.  You can enrol on classes listed below as either a complete beginner or  a returner to develop your mosaic-making skills in a creative and supportive environment. All classes are held in my studio and are small so whatever level you are at, you will get lots of attention, teaching and guidance. You will be exposed to a huge variety of materials – bold, matt, shiny, irridescent and downright unusual – that you can combine to make stunning mosaics. I look forward to welcoming you on a Glittering Shards class where you can experience this absorbing, relaxing and addictive art form for yourself!

The Weekly Daytime Mosaic Class & Monthly Evening Class

From all the basics, to intermediate and advanced!

Pay-per-session drop-in (£20)

or

Pre-pay with a 5-class pass (£75) and either drop-in or pre-book upto a week ahead

This rolling programme of classes Weekly Daytime allows you to slot in at any time. You can pay-per-session on the day or buy a 5-class pass at a reduced rate. See booking info below.

Running once a week daytime on Monday (12-2pm) and once a month (first Friday 8-10pm) except for school holidays, the class is suitable for all levels. You can both learn and refresh all the basics of mosaic making as well as practice advanced techniques, use new materials and develop your use of adhesives, tools,  how to cut and lay tiles and glass to achieve movement and flow. The classes are small and each student gets lots of one to one attention to conceive and create their own projects, learning from each other as we go. With access to lots of books and mosaic images, you will come away inspired and equipped to take an experimental approach so that the work of mosaic making becomes play.

The course is run at my studio in South London and has a maximum of 5 people so that each student gets lots of attention. Course dates are listed on the top right of this web page.

The cost is £20 for a two hour class or £75 for a 5 class pass which must be redeemed in one year from purchase. Materials are available to purchase (supplier details also provided so you can purchase direct). Glues are provided for free.

Booking

By email  or just check on the day to check there is space!

If you want to just drop-in, you can check availability by emailing me.

If you want to pre-book, this can be done one week in advance only right upto the night before. So if you are at a class and want to do consecutive weeks, you can either pre-book at the end of each class for the following week (so you are guaranteed a place as I am only booking a week in advance) or you can text / email right upto the night before the class.

 

 

Art & wellbeing courses

As an artist, social worker and mental health researcher/practitioner,  I am passionate about bringing together creativity, peer support and self-help to help us nurture emotional well-being and recovery from life’s trauma’s. You can read more about my professional background, my journey and how teaching mosaics has been a big part of this here. I have run these courses from 2017 in my studio. From Autumn 2017 I have begun training to be a psychotherapist so my capacity is limited. The courses below will become online courses in due course until I am able to run them again in the studio – do sign up for my newsletter to get further info!

These  courses are not therapy or a substitute for medical care, but they are therapeutic (as any art making activity is!). They aim to support us in feeling more calm, more connected, more able to turn off a busy head and get engrossed in creative activity during the class. They are also designed to help give you tools that you can use outside of the classes to nurture those kind of positive experiences in daily life.

The difference between an ordinary art class and these classes is that they are created with a keen understanding of the impact of stress and trauma and with a deep sensitivity to our human struggles with loss, trauma, depression, anxiety and isolation. These issues affect most of us some of the time and some of us a lot of the time so the criteria for taking part is just being human and feeling that you want to!

Mindful Mosaics

Getting into the flow of the present moment

Mosaic and mindfulness are a beautiful partnership!  No experience of either practice is needed for you to benefit from this 4-week course where we will be using simple mosaic projects (which I can suggest or you can bring your own if you are already mosaic-savvy) to cultivate a deeper awareness and gentle acceptance of our present-moment experiences (thoughts, feelings and physical sensations). The mosaic medium is so tactile and absorbing that getting into present-moment ‘flow’ is often described by those who make mosaics – creating an oasis where the busy mind is left behind for another way of being that is creative and ‘in-the-now’.

This course will help you develop mindfulness skills by learning to tune into sound, sight, touch, sensations and emotions while you make.  Learning how to practice present-moment, mindful awareness has been shown by research to be a powerful way of empowering ourselves to deal with stress, anxiety, overwhelm and depression. It can make us less reactive and more empowered in choosing our responses to daily life. Practicing these skills   can enhance our leadership, productivity, creativity and our initiative to respond with kindness to ourselves and the world around us.

 

Art for the Heart

A creative space to explore your journey

from trauma towards wellbeing

Life can throw many things at us. Life trauma’s such as violence, abuse, coercive relationships, loss and abandonment can leave deep scars that affect our daily lives and relationships. Creative-making can provide a way for us to express and explore our experiences.  It can also give us tools to help us journey forward in a more real, connected and grounded way – rather than remaining stuck, numb or overwhelmed by what has happened to us.

This course is about starting where you are at, identifying your next steps in your journey to wellbeing (be they big ones or baby steps) and getting some skills and support in taking them. Creative activities (you can choose from various types such as paper-based art, mosaics, crafting projects, drawing, art journalling and writing) are used as the foundation of our exploration. These activities are interspersed with learning – because knowledge is power – about how trauma impacts us as humans and what self-help skills we can develop to support us in our personal journey’s. All this takes place in a caring environment in which  you are encouraged to share only if you want to and with a strong emphasis on sharing our stories in a way that feels safe for everyone. The course is not a substitute for therapy or medical help.

To take part in this course, you don’t have to be ‘good at art’ as no experience of art making is necessary (easy making projects will be suggested for you to choose or you can bring your own) and no one is ‘disqualified’ because they feel their trauma doesn’t count. If a difficult life-experience (from many years ago or recent) is bothering you and affecting your wellbeing, then it counts.

Memory Mosaics

Honouring our memories and our loved ones using mosaic

As well as being deeply therapeutic to make, mosaic is a very accessible art form, even for beginners or people who consider themselves ‘not good at art’.  The end product is a durable piece of art that is perfect as a keepsake or momento. Memory mosaic allows you to create either 2-d or 3-d art where you embed sentimental objects, text or images to honour an event, a memory or a person. This course will help you to make something solid and tangible that expresses in the ‘outside world’ what you feel about an event or person important to you. This may be the loss of a loved one, a pet or a happy  childhood; celebration of a  relationship or event; the marking of a transition – in fact, anything that you want to mark, honour or celebrate.