Offerings

  • Art Lab Community Workshops

    Check the Register tab for upcoming Art Lab workshops happening in the community. Hosted at The Mill Coffee and Wildflower Mercantile, these workshops offer a chance to try different art practices by yourself, with a friend, with a partner, with a child, as a group, whatever works for you! No experience necessary, just a willingness to create in community.

  • Art Lab Recurring Kid Classes

    Check the Register tab for current class offerings for home learners, SOS students, and after school options. These small group classes happen in Jamie’s home over the course of many weeks to establish belonging and connection. We do breathwork, somatic exercises, various art activities, have chats, and build our toolbox for wellness.

  • Private Art Lab Workshops

    Come to Jamie or she can go to you for a private Art Lab workshop. Ladies night, professional development, wellness events, and so much more! reach out at jamie@artabcreative.ca to coordinate.

  • Art Lab in the Workplace

    Interested in having Jamie host a workshop for your work place? Reach out at jamie@artlabcreative.ca to coordinate for your specific needs.

  • Art Lab in Schools

    Therapeutic arts in schools offer children a safe and creative outlet to express emotions, to develop social-emotional skills, and to build a toolbox for self regulation. Children learn skills to reduce anxiety while promoting resilience and risk taking. Engaging in the creative processes strengthens focus, problem-solving, and imagination, which supports overall academic growth. Therapeutic arts foster empathy, cooperation, and communication. Children gain valuable tools for emotional well-being and personal growth that extend far beyond the classroom.

  • Art Lab for PTSD

    Therapeutic arts offer a nonverbal way to process traumatic experiences and release difficult emotions. Creative practices such as drawing and writing provide a safe outlet for expression, helping to reduce overthinking, hyperarousal, intrusive memories, and feelings of isolation. Somatic grounding techniques can help with disassociation and feeling safe in one’s body.

  • Art Lab for Athletes

    Athletes are constantly activating their sympathetic nervous system for intense output. By engaging in therapeutic art techniques, athletes can activate their parasympathic nervous system and increase their athletic recovery and potentially increase HRV (Heart Rate Variability) by promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and fostering emotional regulation.

  • Art Lab for Seniors

    Therapeutic art techniques can help stimulate cognitive function, improve mood, and manage pain symptoms. Group classes help foster social interaction and provide a sense of purpose.

We are always adding more types of hands-on therapeutic art activities to our class offerings. Check back often and sign up for notification e-mails! Classes can be taken many times over.

Abstract black and white doodle art on paper with black Sharpie markers placed on top.
Open spiral notebook next to a set of colorful soft pastels on a table.

Mindful Lines

Together we will explore the power of simple dots and lines for tapping into creativity and stillness. We’ll do some Neurographic art, Zentangle Art, Mandalas, and more using dry media (pencil, felt, sharpies) and watercolour.

Child creating a rainbow with torn colored paper on a white sheet, hand placing a piece
Assorted stationery and crafting tools on a blue surface, including a roll of tape, scissors, utility knife, colored tape rolls, sticky notes, and a cutting mat.

Collage

Rip, cut, glue, draw…collage is a great hands-on way to express ideas and feelings without spoken words. We’ll use all sorts of materials to dive in self discovery and expression.

A group of plush toys including a white bear holding a fish, a blue creature, a yellow character, and a pink bunny-like figure, with various colorful stickers and accessories on a table.
Colorful felt balls arranged in an arc on a light blue background.

Felting

When your hands on busy, your mind can be still. Whether you’re new to felting or experienced, you can have time to create. We’ll experiment with felted landscapes, “Cute” Kawaii creatures, garlands, and more. This class is great for practicing focus and control.

Assorted colorful skeins of yarn organized in a box
Colorful yarn weaving projects on paper plates

Weaving

Hands-on weaving is a great way to get into your body and flow. We’ll explore various types of weaving including plate weaving, macramé, bracelets, tapestries, and more.

Pile of colorful embroidery floss skeins in various shades.
Embroidery hoop with blank fabric, surrounded by small pink flowers and green leaves on a white background.

Needlepoint & Sewing

Learn a few types of stitches then settle into the meditative repetitive work of needle work. We’ll play with different threads, patterns, images, shapes, etc., on embroidery hoops and other.

Child holding and painting colorful eggs with fingers, messy hands with various paint colors.
Colorful abstract sculpture with various shapes and textures, including blocks of pink, yellow, blue, gray, and white, stacked on a red base.

Clay & Plastcine

Shape and re-shape your ideas and creations through moldable clay. This is a wonderful tool for building flexible thinking and over-coming perfectionism.

Class Groupings

Person drawing in a sketchbook with colored pencils and a gray marker on a table.

Art Lab for Homeschoolers 7-18yrs

These classes runs during school hours and is tailored to students participating in home school programs. This series is for children who are hard on themselves, afraid to fail, are prone to perfectionism, and who experience anxiety.

We will discuss feelings, emotions, and our internal thoughts. We will build confidence in trying new things and embracing mistakes. We will develop more positive ways of thinking, connect with similar peers in a safe space, and better understand what is happening in our brains.

We will do some grounding somatic activities, vagus nerve activation, and breathing techniques to get out of the head and into the body. We will engage in approachable hands-on art activities to encourage self-expression (without having to talk). We focus on process, not product. No experience necessary! And you don’t have to be artsy.

Art station with "QUIET! ARTIST AT WORK" sign, crayons in a container, "Beautiful Oops!" book, and colorful markers.

Art Lab for Kids 6-11yrs

These classes are tailored to children aged 7-11yrs. This series is for children who are hard on themselves, afraid to fail, are prone to perfectionism, and who experience anxiety.

We will discuss feelings, emotions, and our internal thoughts. We will build confidence in trying new things and embracing mistakes. We will develop more positive ways of thinking, connect with similar peers in a safe space, and better understand what is happening in your brain.

We will do some grounding somatic activities, vagus nerve activation, and breathing techniques to get out of the head and into the body. We will use story to bring concepts to life and as touch points for discussion topics such as frustration tolerance. We will engage in approachable hands-on art activities to encourage self-expression (without having to talk). We focus on process, not product. No experience necessary! And you don’t have to be artsy.

Abstract black and white drawing with organic shapes, dots, and lines on a spiral-bound sketchpad.

Art Lab for Teens 12-17yrs

These classes are tailored to kids aged 12-18yrs. This series is for children who are hard on themselves, afraid to fail, are prone to perfectionism, and who experience anxiety.

We will discuss feelings, emotions, and our internal thoughts. We will build confidence in trying new things and embracing mistakes. We will develop more positive ways of thinking, connect with similar peers in a safe space, and better understand what is happening in your brain.

We will do some grounding somatic activities, vagus nerve activation, and breathing techniques to get out of the head and into the body. We will engage in approachable hands-on art activities to encourage self-expression (without having to talk). We focus on process, not product. No experience necessary! And you don’t have to be artsy.

Abstract watercolor squares with various patterns, including dots, lines, swirls, and textures in shades of blue, green, and purple.

Art Lab for Adults 18+

These classes are tailored to adults.

Stressed out parent that wants some you time? Grieving the loss of a loved one? Burnt out from work? Overwhelmed with the state of the world? Come create.

We will engage in activities to help your nervous system know you are safe. You will have dedicated time to be in the now and to get into the creative right side of your brain where your parasympathetic nervous system can engage in healing.

We will do some grounding somatic activities, vagus nerve activation, and breathing techniques to get out of the head and into the body. We will engage in approachable hands-on art activities to encourage self-expression (without having to talk). We focus on process, not product. No experience necessary! And you don’t have to be artsy.

Contact us

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!