I have been a part of many creative communities over the years, and I have found that each one has brought me companionship, inspiration, and support in various ways. The photo above is several years old. It is from one of my first creative community spaces that I proactively set up. This was a magical time in my personal creative journey because this space allowed me to build community. It was called The Basement Community Art Studio, and I opened it in 2015 with a friend of mine. We held art classes for children and adults an we also held open studio sessions where people could come in and explore their own creativity in their own way. This is where I first began to delve into art for self-care, and where I began to seek out like minded people who shared my passions. I have discovered many wonderful creative communities over the years, both online and in my own town. However, this space marked the beginning of my journey. I began to develop my own understanding of the importance of a creative practice for my personal self-care. During this period of my life I began to learn about mindfulness and I began to discover that my art practice provided me with a unique way to practice mindfulness in a way that felt authentic to me.

A few years later, I partnered with my Mom and another friend to host a day long women’s retreat focused on the connection between mindfulness and art. It was a success. I soon realized that there were other women out there who were looking for this experience. That retreat opened the door to 3 years filled with beautiful women from all walks of life who joined us to explore how their own creativity could be part of a self-care practice. Our group was named Creating Mindfulness. We held monthly women’s circles, workshops, and retreats that all focused on the connection between mindfulness and art. Through all of these amazing experiences, I learned so much about myself and I grew as a person.

Though The Basement and Creating Mindfulness are no longer entities, they were both foundational to my understanding of the importance that community plays in a creative self-care practice. These days my creative community is smaller, but I have found friends and relationships that allow me to still feel that companionship through a common shared interest in art as it relates to mindfulness and self-care.