The Nest Healing Art Studio at ARTree in Old Town Newhall is a free community workshop consisting of an hour of mindful, judgement free, art-making.

Celebrating four successful years at ARTree the program has plans to expand to include a weekday morning session, along with the existing program held on the first Sunday of the month.

Run by Education Chair, Sheri Carlson and developed under the direction of Emily Skelton, LMFT, ATR-BC, both women donate their time and talents to this community program.

“I plan projects that are open ended, not based on drawing ‘skills’ so that they are accessible to all, and that require focus to keep everyone present and engaged,” said Carlson. “I also mix up the media and materials so we are constantly trying new things. Nest is all about the process of creating, not the final outcome.”

Carlson said Nest has evolved in the past four years by adding more collaborative projects to build a sense of community.

“These projects also challenged participants to let go of control of their work,” she said. “I was concerned that this would not be well received, but these have been some of our most popular and engaging sessions.”

The Nest program evolved as a response to the shooting at Saugus High School in 2919, said Skelton.

“The initial concept for Nest came from consultations I had with other art therapists who had worked with communities impacted by school shootings,” she said. “After the shooting at Saugus High School in 2019, I posted on a FB group of Creative Art Therapists asking for guidance and resources on how to best support students, staff and the community. Through that post, I was connected with Jessica Asch MA, RDT, LCAT and Alícia Ballestas, ATR-BC, LCAT, both of whom worked with students and community members in the aftermath of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. What struck me in my conversations with them was the power and importance of having a space to heal in a community setting in the wake of a community tragedy. When I reached out to ARTree with the idea of offering a free meditative and healing art studio once a month, they were immediately supportive and on-board.”

Skelton said the vision of Nest has adapted and shifted with the needs of the community, “while still staying grounded in its original purpose: to provide a non-judgmental, meditative space to create art in the presence of community and connection.”

ARTree is currently seeking donations to help support the Nest program and expand the program to include the first Wednesday of each month at 10-11 a.m.

Currently Nest is held the first Sunday of the month at 2-3 p.m.

To register for the next Nest program on Sunday, Aug. 4 or future sessions click here.

ARTree is a non-profit community arts center started in 2010 with a commitment to bringing art opportunities to all ages.

To donate visit www.theartree.org/support-artree.

To learn more about the programs at ARTree visit www.theartree.org.

ARTree

22508 6th St.,

Santa Clarita, CA 91321