Creative Explorations

About the Creative Explorations Program

Creative Explorations for Older Adults are opportunities for Niagara residents aged 55 and up to learn about and create art together at the Willow Arts Community Studio. These activities are open to older adults who want to learn about various art forms, try new creative skills, and make their own artworks with the support of professional artists.

All Creative Explorations activities are offered free of charge with materials and supplies provided at no cost. No previous artistic experience is required to participate.

The Willow Arts Community Studio is located in downtown St. Catharines at 366 St. Paul Street, within the building operated by Silver Spire United Church. For directions and parking information, please visit our Contact page (link opens in new tab).

Our Arts Education Courses are six weeks of classes on a specific art practice (e.g. painting, poetry, performance, sculpture) lead by professional artists. These weekly sessions focus on learning and practicing techniques and skills so you can express your creativity in new ways.

Participation in courses is a six-week commitment that requires registering in advance.

Click Here for Information about Current Courses

Our weekly Discover sessions are an opportunity to learn about interesting topics in the arts. There will be lectures, demonstrations, and discussions about a new idea each week. These drop-in sessions are a time to explore new ideas and take part in artistic conversations.

These sessions are intergenerational opportunities for learning and discussion, and are open to all Niagara residents ages 55+ and Willow members of all ages.

Click Here for Upcoming Discover Dates & Topics

Make your own art during our weekly drop-in Create sessions. The Willow Studio will be open to all Niagara residents ages 55 and up who are interested in making art. Each week, there will be an artist in the studio demonstrating a different art-making skill.

These sessions are also a time for self-directed creation, collaboration, connection, experimentation, and sharing resources. Bring a creative idea of your own to work on and gain inspiration by sharing space and discussing possibilities with your peers. Art supplies are available in the studio.

Click Here for Upcoming Create Dates & Topics

About the Willow Arts Community

The Willow has been providing multidisciplinary artistic programming and creative opportunities for our membership, people living with mental illness and/or substance use, since 2016. With this new program, we are opening our studio to all of Niagara’s older adults to share the benefits of creative self-expression with the wider community.

Arts Education Courses are weekly classes which are held on weekday afternoons. Courses run for six weeks and classes are typically 1.5 to 2 hour sessions.

Courses are a six-week commitment and require registering in advance. Please email Kate at office@thewillowcommunity.com (PREFERRED) or call 905-328-9277 to express interest in participating in one or both courses. We will confirm your registration(s) by email. This process may take several days.

There are a limited number of places in each course, so there are often waiting lists for Willow programs. You may be placed on a wait list and contacted if a place opens up in that course.

The Joys of Small Book-Making
Tuesdays 1pm – 2:30pm
September 15 – October 20
with June-Etta Chenard (she/her)

In this 6 week course, participants will be invited to make small unique books with various art papers. Participants will fold, glue, and/or sew beautiful papers to make one-of-a-kind pieces, so each one may end up with six different small books.

The Joy of Small Book-Making is a course for Older Adults: Willow members and Niagara residents ages 55 and up.

Gridwork Painting
Tuesdays 1pm – 2:30pm
November 3 – December 8
with Mark Buntrock (he/him)

In this 6 week course, participants will start with a grid pattern framework from a number or letter game like sudoku, board games, or crosswords and use a meditative, exploratory process to develop an abstract artwork.

Gridwork Painting is a course for Older Adults: Willow members and Niagara residents ages 55 and up.

Introduction to Watercolours
Tuesdays 6pm – 7:30pm
September 15 – October 20
with Alex Deadman-Wylie (they/them)

This 6 week course is an introduction to the tools and techniques of watercolour painting. Topics to be covered include colour mixing, wet on wet, using salts, and other skills.

THIS COURSE IS FULLY REGISTERED.

To be added to the waitlist, please email office@thewillowcommunity.com.

Junk Journals
Thursdays 1pm – 2:30pm
September 17 – October 22
with Cindy Goldrick (she/her)

Junk Journals are one-of-a-kind creations built from a vintage book. Participants will paint, sew, and collage together a variety of materials, dyed paper, and other treasures to create their personal journal.

THIS COURSE IS FULLY REGISTERED.

To be added to the waitlist, please email office@thewillowcommunity.com.

Writing to Share
Fridays 12:30pm – 2pm
October 23 – November 27
with Dani Hummell (they/them)

This 6 week drop-in program is designed for participants to share their writing and move from the stage of writing privately and into writing with the intention to share it – whether that’s poetry, a novel, a play, prose or creative nonfiction.

Writing to Share is an intergenerational course open to Willow members and all Niagara residents ages 55 and up.

Willow Weavers
Thursdays 1pm – 3pm
November 5 – December 10
with Amber Lee Williams (she/her)

In this 6 week course, participants will construct their own looms from various reclaimed materials: wood, cardboard, nails, and glue. They will create woven artworks on these individual looms using a variety of fibres and nontraditional weaving materials.

THIS COURSE IS FULLY REGISTERED.

To be added to the waitlist, please email office@thewillowcommunity.com.

The Fall 2026 Discover program will take place on Friday afternoons from 3pm to 4:30pm.

Discover sessions are drop-in intergenerational activities open to all Niagara residents ages 55+ and Willow members of all ages. You do not need to register or commit to every session, please come on by!

September 25 – Discover Art Forms: Performance as a Visual Art with Glenys McQueen-Fuentes
October 2 – Discover Art Supplies and Tools: Sculpture & Mixed Media with Lou Losier
October 9 – Discover Art Supplies and Tools: Sewing Machines with Lou Losier
October 16 – Discover Art Supplies and Tools: Painting with Anabel Gauthier
October 23 – Discover Art Forms: Poetry Performance with Mercedes Killeen
October 30 – Discover Art Forms: Writing Verse with Mercedes Killeen

Coming up in November:

Discover Art Supplies and Tools: Drawing with Anabel
Discover Art Supplies and Tools: Cricut Machine with Izzy
Discover Art Forms: Printmaking with Ashley
Discover Art Forms: Photography with Ingrid

The Fall 2026 Create program will take place on Wednesday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm. Niagara residents and Willow members ages 55 and up are invited to the Willow studio to make art, learn new skills, and share your creativity with other older adults. Each week, a practicing artist will lead an art-making activity starting at 2pm.

These are drop-in sessions. You do not need to register or commit to every session, please come on by!

Visual Arts Techniques Series

September 23 – Introduction to Watercolour Painting with Alex Deadman-Wylie
September 30 – Introduction to Acrylic Painting with Angeline Judge
October 7 – Introduction to Drawing and Sketching with Geoff Farnsworth
October 14 – Introduction to Charcoal with Cathy Brady
October 21 – Introduction to Collage with Jenn Judson
October 28 – Introduction to Chalk Pastels with Colleen McTigue

Coming up in November: Textile Arts Techniques Series

The Creative Explorations program is supported by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program and the Government of Ontario’s Seniors Community Grant Program.