Absolutely not. Every art program at Wellspring is designed to be welcoming to complete beginners, and the focus is never on producing beautiful artwork. Whether you’re joining the structured Art Therapy program, dropping into an Art Workshop, exploring Watercolour, learning to draw in Drawing Studio, practicing Zentangle®, or working independently in the Open Art Studio, the emphasis is always on self-expression, personal exploration, and the therapeutic experience of creating — not on skill or outcome. As one participant put it: “As a non-creative person I have been overjoyed to discover the pleasure of learning and developing new skills.” All programs are led by experienced professionals who understand creativity and personal expression through a wellness lens, and who create a judgment-free environment where every participant belongs.
Wellspring offers a rich range of art-based programs, each with a slightly different format, medium, and level of structure, so there is genuinely something for everyone regardless of where you are in your cancer journey or creative experience. Art Therapy is a structured 7-week in-centre and 4-week online program led by professional art therapists using techniques like painting and sculpting to explore emotions and reduce cancer symptoms. Art Workshops are shorter 2–4 week programs exploring different mediums, with members able to attend up to 3 per year. Drawing Studio meets twice monthly and focuses on specific drawing fundamentals in a relaxed, skill-building environment. Watercolour offers professional instruction in a warm, no-pressure setting with a focus on fundamentals and creative enjoyment. Zentangle® uses a structured pattern-drawing method that is deeply meditative and requires only basic materials. Open Art Studio is the most flexible option — a drop-in space to work on any creative project in the company of others. Visit the Therapeutic Arts options on the program portal for current schedules and registration details for each.
The research on this is clear and spans multiple creative mediums and cancer contexts. Studies on art therapies involving painting, drawing, music, writing, and other creative media have found consistent evidence of improvements in anxiety, fatigue, pain, and quality of life in people living with cancer. A 2017 study specifically examining a painting art therapy program for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy found significant quality-of-life improvements following the therapy. Two additional studies found that expressive art interventions reduced pain and improved sleep quality in cancer patients. These are not marginal effects — participants consistently describe finding a genuine “happy place” during sessions, a sense of calm focus that carries over into the days that follow. Wellspring’s art programs are built on this evidence base and led by professionals who understand how to use creativity as a meaningful tool for wellness. Visit the Wellspring Art programs page to see what’s currently running and register for a program.
Yes — the Open Art Studio is Wellspring’s most flexible art offering, designed for members who want to come together, create, and connect without a curriculum or multi-week commitment. You can bring any art project you’ve started — whether at Wellspring or at home — and work on it in the company of others who are in similar places of change and transformation. The atmosphere is relaxed, warm, and focused on self-exploration and personal empowerment rather than performance or production. This program is volunteer run. Wellspring’s expressive arts programs, it is led by someone with expertise in creativity and personal expression through a wellness lens, and the community that forms in these sessions is itself part of the healing. Visit the Wellspring website to find out when the next Open Art Studio session is running and how to join.