Art & Wellbeing

- creativity / art for wellbeing

- creativity / art & spirituality

- creativity / art & health

There are a lot of terms that are used to describe the many different ways that creativity and art can impact and benefit our health, physically, mentally and spiritually. It is also an area where there is an increasing amout of research catching up with what a lot of artists, indigenous cultures and more have known for a long time.

At the gallery we have a variety of accomplished artists who exhibit and sell their work, but the professionais no the only goal for creativity. And in the health system, there is a lot of focus on the varied and well researched benefits of art therapy. Between these two approaches to art and creativity is a wide range of other ways of engagment that deserve just as much attention; the benfits of hobbies, the community of creating, creativity as a means of personal and spiritual expression, of creativity as a means of exploring ideas, of gaining confidence, and more....

Karly's main interest is in how to engage with creativity, and particularly visual art methods, as a way of developing creativity in any area of our life. Another key interest is in how we can engage with creative and artistic practices as a means of exploring and telling our own life stories.

Karly's path to the gallery has been a varied one, and one that includes the personal experience of the importance of creativity in everyday life due to extended chronic ill health as well as the exgagement with creativity within spirituality. She works from the definition of spirituality as not only being faith and religion but that which is important to us and how we live.

Karly has been teaching for over 15 years, and has taught at university and tafe levels in numerous areas including drama, art and spirituality, creativity, art history and theory, as well as in the area of leisure and health in aged care. Her academic creditals extend beyond teaching into research, having obtained a Cert IV in Leisure and Health, MACP, Grad Cert in Research Methodologies and PhD.

Her interest and expereince in art and creativity has led to a variety of positions, including teaching, working in aged and conducting a PhD in palliative care where she researched the highly valued, volunteer-facilitate Biography Program offered by Eastern Palliative Care. She initially applied for the PhD scholarship becuase of her own exploration of life storytelling through art, in particular abstract and mixed media.

This combined personal, teaching and academic expereince culminations in a unique and considered perspective, and of course, a creative approach to everything.

Karly's teaching at Art & Alchemy is currently focused on two key areas, that of creativity and wellbeing and that of creative life storytelling.

See Karly's full biography here.

Creativity Courses

Karly has designed two creativity courses, one that focuses on creativity in everyday life and one that is more specifically for people who are artistic (in any medium).

Daily Creativity

This course is designed for anyone who would like to be more creative in their everyday life, and anyone who would like to learn more about the various benefits of daily (or at least regular) creative engagement, even if you feel you have no artistic skill. This is for anyone, not just those who identify as artists or creatives. While drawing on Karly's own experience, the course is based on several well-researched books, drawing on the every developing research into creativity and wellbeing.

Creativity & Artistic Development

This course is designed to help connect creatives who might like more engagment with other creatives, those who are returning to artistic work after a period without much engagement, those who might be a bit creatively stuck or those who would like to be challeneged to extend their artistic and creative engagement.

If you are aware of The Artist's Way by Julian Cameron, there are some similarities although The Artist's Way is only one of several texts that Karly has drawn from in the design of this course.

Creativity as a Spiritual Practice

This retreat is the opportunity to learn about how creative practices can be incorporated into a spiritual practice and begin to put them into practice. While all courses include practical exercises and opportunities, this is more specifically a retreat where participants are led through a series of practices, with the opportunity to then reflect on if and how the practices may have been useful for the individual and how they might like to move forward with developing creativity into spirituality.

Please note: Karly comes from a liturgical, protestant Christian background but these session are not in any way Christian, evanglical, or even religious. This background was the pathway into her interest in the integration of spirituality and creativity.

There is no specific religious material included. However, it is important to note that may of the exercises draw on a variety of traditional spiritual practices so if you have any experience of high control or fundamental religious groups, you may want to speak to Karly about this before signing up.

Creative Life Storytelling

Various sessions will be offered over time but there are two initial courses being offered.

Getting Started with Creative Life Storytelling

This is a course where Karly takes you through the various options for life storytelling and then helps you decide on a path forward, considering who will be doing the life storytelling, the audience and intention, and the situation of the storyteller. This is designed for anyone who has thought about doing some biography or autobiography work but doesn't know where to begin. This session will provide you with an overview of the options, and possible ways forward.

It will be suitable for those who have relatives they think they would like to do some life storytelling and who may need assistance, but also for people who feel they aren't 'there yet' but would like to be prepared. It is never too early to begin your life storytelling, particularly if your intention is to leave the product for family (especially children).

Shadow Box Memories for All Souls

This is desinged for anyone who has some specific memorabilia or memories that they would like to put into a shadow box to commemerate a person (or event, period of time, experience etc.). Shadow boxes are framed boxes with glass like a frame but with some depth so small items can be placed within them. See the defined sizes of the boxes that can be provided, or you can supply your own. This may be a lengthy process, as sometimes it can be highly emotional to create this type of memory box, so this session focuses on planning and designing a way forward even if it is not completed.