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Art therapy classes to provide emotional outlet for youngsters in need

Art therapy classes will be held later this month for those in need and will aim to give youngsters a healthy medium to understand and process their emotions.

No artistic experience is needed, the workshops are free and all art materials will be provided for the youngsters.

The workshops organised by Marie Fox have been sponsored by the Sovereign Art Foundation which has made it possible for the classes to be held free of charge.

Ms Fox is a creative therapy support worker with years of experience, and in these workshops she will give youngsters the tools to self-manage their emotions.

The workshops will see 11 to 18 year olds let out their emotions in a constructive and safe space at the John Mackintosh Hall, where they will create visual journals.

“Visual journaling has been around for many decades," Ms Fox said.

"You can call it a creative diary, which is self-reflective and it is self-care, which I think is something we don't do every often nowadays."

She added: "I'm trying to promote visual journaling as a form of self-care."

She described how visual journaling is an amazing way to express feelings, fears and thoughts.

Ms Fox has been working with the schools to assess which students should be selected for the workshops, but added no artistic experience is needed.

"There is no need to be artistic at all, just the mere act of engaging and getting into the flow that is therapeutic," Ms Fox said.

"It's not just art, it's the therapeutic value of art."

Ms Fox has always been artistic, but after a decades break she decided to get back into art and has been working in art therapy since 2013.

"I find it funny that it’s those that really don't want to come [to the workshops] actually really enjoy it and they are the ones that really let go," Ms Fox said.

"Just to see them find an alternative means for them to be able to channel and make sense of [their emotions] and reflect, for me there's no money that can pay for that. I know how it feels like because I've been there."

At the workshops the youngsters will have access to many different art materials from ink, pens, stencils to cardboard and feathers.

She will try to make the classes available online for those unable to attend in person, will the possibility of providing them with their own art set at home.

"We're going to try and make it has accessible as possible," Ms Fox said.

Space at the workshops is limited to eight per class and she hopes to have another eight youngsters join in virtually.

Ms Fox added she is grateful to the Sovereign Art Foundation for sponsoring the workshops and giving her the opportunity to offer these classes to youngsters for free.

There will be two workshops held on Tuesdays as from Tuesday, November 30.

The first will be for 11 to 14 year olds from 5pm to 6.30pm and the second for 15 to 18 year olds from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Contact Marie Fox for more information and a registration form on: Marie@ArtfulRemedy.com or WhatsApp: +350 54019808

The deadline for applications is tomorrow and successful applicants will be notified by Thursday, November 25. Limited spaces are available.

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