Releasing the inner child and having a blast at the library’s Adult Art Therapy program

A packed room of folks participated in the year’s first Adults Art Therapy night on Friday night. The always-popular event features an ever-changing lineup of artsy things to do, encouraging adults to round up their friends and allow their creativity to take over.

Library assistant, Lisa Daye, is the brains behind the event. As a very artistic and talented person herself, Daye has brought the program from humble beginnings to what it’s known as today. Twenty people can participate in each class, filling five tables in the classroom at the back of the library. Each month it runs, there is typically a waitlist, and some events have proven so popular that a second class needed to run to satisfy wait-listers.

“People really enjoy it. I’ve been running the Adult Art Therapy classes since I got here, so five years. When I first inherited the program, it was something where adults could come out and colour. I knew we could do a lot more with it and a lot of different stuff. I’m lucky they let me do whatever I want,” explained Daye.

Her creative spark has turned the program into a must-attend monthly event which has people counting down the days on their calendar, impatiently waiting to get in the room and get messy. One super popular theme, painted rock mandalas, has been requested time and time again. Other than the ones patrons ask to repeat, Daye likes to bring new ideas to keep things interesting.

Over the years, Daye has helped teach people how to carve soapstone (Daye is a very talented soapstone artist), paint wine glasses,  fabric weaving, collage portraits, vision boards, Ukrainian Easter eggs, watercolour silhouettes, masks, Temari ornaments, hula hoop rag rugs, and patio lanterns, to name a few. “I love doing it. (I can’t believe) this is my job, and I get paid to do it. It’s amazing. I love doing arts and crafts, so to be able to do this as my job, well, it’s a great way to earn a living,” said Daye with a big smile.

When asked her thoughts on why the program is so popular and gets a packed house at the library on a Friday night, Daye said it’s the whole experience. “They come with their friends, and they are having a great time. They get to be creative and do something they’ve never tried before. I supply them with all the materials. Left to their own devices, people probably wouldn’t gather all the stuff, sit at their table and invite all their friends over to their house. It’s just easier if it’s happening here because all they have to do is come to the library.”

Each program runs for two hours. “Most of the fun part is that they hang out with their people. It doesn’t matter as much what the activity is. It’s more that they are spending time with the people that they enjoy spending time with.”

Adult Art Therapy runs once a month, on a Friday, until May. Next month’s activity is crochet for beginners on Friday, March 31. April’s event is on the 21 and is acrylic pour painting. The very popular painted rock mandalas will make their appearance on May 12. Daye said the calls for registration begin as soon as the schedule is made public. She said if people want to participate in a class, they should register as quickly as possible.

“It’s fantastic to see people enjoying art. It makes me so happy. Especially when people come in here and are intimidated because it’s not their thing, they will say, oh, I can’t draw. Or I can’t paint, or I’m not creative. And then before they know it, they’re saying, look what I did, I love it. It’s fantastic for me to see that,” said Daye. She said people who say they aren’t creative are actually her favourite attendees. “It’s the best when people who think they can’t do this come out because I can always prove them wrong,” she laughed.

For Friday’s event, participants made collage keepsake boxes using boxes picked up at the thrift store and dollar store. Everyone flipped through magazine clippings from the magazine discard pile at the library and chose the pieces that caught their attention. “They chose the images and words they wanted on their box and then glued them on the box in layers. Everyone is making it how they want it. It’s personal.”

Daye said the low-budget craft is part of what makes it fun because it’s taking little things and turning them into something special. “It’s really fun to put it together.” Anyone interested in joining an upcoming class to see what all the fun is about can call the library at 780-778-2900 to register. Daye added that they accept arts and craft supply donations, should anyone have anything unused, lying around collecting dust. “Whatever we get, I find a fun way to use it.”