2024 highlights

Cheers to 2024! This is just a selection of highlights from among the projects and workshops we can this year…
Thanks to everyone who got involved - Artists, Participants, Pokemon…! We couldn’t do it without you :)

Art of Self-Love @The Pavilion

In January we were commissioned by Arts Depot to deliver an Art of Self-Love wellbeing project for The Pavilion in Barnet - a centre for young people who have been out of mainstream school as a result of medical or mental health challenges. Over the course of 11 weeks, students explored a range of creative challenges designed to build creative confidence/confidence in self-expression, encourage self-reflection and change perspectives. At the end of the project students told us they felt less worried about making mistakes, more confident in their creative abilities and in themselves, that the sessions always lifted their mood and had an overall positive impact on their mental health.

RESOURCES FOR Women’s Aid

Earlier in the year we were commissioned by Women’s Aid to write and produce an activity pack for children and young people entering any one of their refuge and crisis centres across the UK. This was an exciting opportunity for our Founder Dulcie to combine her experience of producing creative resources with her background in writing for children and young people (within the charity and education sectors). She also got to commission the amazing Andy J Pizza to produce some illustrations for the activity pack - a snapshot of which are below! The pack included 30 different activities and prompts designed to guide and support children through their experiences, and the feelings they might feel.

Sketch & Stretch RETREAT

In May we collaborated with Sallyanne Wood - Founder of GoldenYoga - to run our first ever residential retreat! This playful weekend of yoga and drawing took place at Tiptoe Lodge in the New Forest, where we were treated to gorgeous weather and delicious vegetarian meals - homecooked by hosts Annabel and Angus. We packed a lot into just 3 days, with 2 sketching and yoga sessions per day - plus a trip to the seaside!

“It was one of the best ways to spend a weekend. Harshi loved every moment of the stretch and sketch retreat. Real good mix of incorporating yoga with creativity, which ensured she was able to stay engaged in both activities really well. Good lengths of time for both activities on each day, and really well paced out so that it didn't feel like it was too much or too rushed. Very inclusive too.”

“It was a delightful weekend of meeting new people whilst enjoying and learning yoga (once again!) and experimenting with sketching with a fun approach. The atmosphere was very inclusive and encouraging us to learn. Tiptoe Lodge with Annabel and Angus as hosts was a wonderful pleasure and we were all made very welcome.”

“The venue was beautiful, the food was gorgeous the yoga was relaxing and accessible, the sketching activities varied and fun”

ART CLUBBING FOR KIDS

Our work with children and young people this year included running art workshops/camps during the Easter and Summer holidays and a weekly Saturday ‘Chill Art Club’ for neurodiverse children, led by Lee. In the summer, Dulcie and Lee were joined by top graphic Artist Sonia Leong, who taught young participants how to create Manga-style portraits!

We’ve met and been inspired by so many wonderful young artists (and humans!) this year. It’s always a treat to see how imaginatively and uniquely young minds respond to - and relish in - our silly creative challenges!

“My 7 year old daughter absolutely loved the art classes. She showed me all of the new techniques that she had learned and has been applying them to her artwork at home and at school. She particularly loved being taught by Lee and said she wished she could bring Lee home with her!”

“My son really enjoyed making the birds and was happier at the end of each day - and excited for the next! Dulcie is a sweetheart - thank you for everything”

TIME Art CLUB @ Oxford House

Running throughout 2025, our weekly Time Art Club has become a mainstay at Oxford House (Bethnal Green) and continues to connect new and familiar faces every Wednesday from 11am. Designed for residents of Tower Hamlets, these free social sessions offer people the chance to connect with their community whilst they explore and express their creativity in an informal and inclusive environment.  Launched with the support of funding from the Canary Wharf Group, the club will continue throughout 2025 thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

“Going to Art Club has been a really great part of my week. It means I get to connect with other people in a relaxed social environment. I don't always get to interact with people every day which can make me feel quite isolated as a single mother. It's also a great way of switching off and focusing on something other than what you might be thinking about. Even though I have an Art background, what I like most about Art Club is that it's for everyone which means you get to chat and be relaxed around whoever comes.”

“Recently I did not have any work at the hospital where I work on zero hours contract and also was grieving for a sibling. I saw that a drawing session was on at the lovely Oxford House and remembered enjoying a session a few summers ago. Dulcie is so supportive and enthusiastic and it was wonderful to meet such a jolly bunch of people and participate in such a positive activity which takes place at a good pace and really got me out of a bad place!”

“It provides an opportunity not only to explore creativity but also fosters a sense of community which i find very essential in having a healthy wellbeing.”

In Spring we were joined by some very special guests at Art Club - undergraduates studying Mental Health at the University of South Florida! Accompanied by their Tutor Ji-Young Lee, students came to see how creative projects such as ours were helping to support people’s mental health and wellbeing within the community.

”Thank you SO much again for allowing us into your beautiful community space and for your warm welcome to the group! It was truly the most meaningful part of our class (and definitely the most fun) and we are so appreciative. I hope we can come back again next year!”
Ji-Young Lee, Assistant Professor @ University of South Florida

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR PUBLIC PROGRAMME:

• (Online) Sunday Session with Curtis Holder - 2 hours in the inspirational company of award-winning portrait Artist and sketch addict Curtis! Featuring our very own Lee HD as muse.

• New Year Sketchy B*tches at Oxford House - an uplifting morning celebrating the power of portraiture and women with pencils!

• Selfie tote bag workshop with Momtaz Begum Hossain - a night of colourful fun at The Cartoon Museum with vinyl and heat presses provided by sponsor LOKLiK

• Sketch Appeal’s Summer Sketchup with Colour Queen Sue Kreitzman - an outdoor celebration connecting our community of sketchers on Bishopsgate Square (Spitalfields)

“Drawing is the friend who holds your hair back” Curtis Holder