“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way…things that I had no words for.”
As my workshops for 2026 come to an end, I've been reflecting on what this year has taught me. There have been many wonderful moments: sketchbooks and journals opened, watercolours explored, walks through parks, gardens and local reserves, and conversations about nature, art, creativity and reflections on all of the above.
But what has stayed with me most isn't necessarily the finished artwork or journal pages. It's the discoveries people made along the way.
One of the most rewarding things I've witnessed is how participants gradually moved beyond worrying about whether they could draw. As they began observing, experimenting and interpreting what they saw in their own way, something shifted.
The pressure to create something correct began to disappear. Instead, curiosity took over. And for some, something even more meaningful happened.
They rediscovered a creative part of themselves that had been quietly pushed aside by life, work, family and responsibilities. Sometimes they hadn't drawn or painted since childhood or since early adulthood. Sometimes they simply hadn't made time for creativity in years. Yet here they were experimenting, exploring and enjoying the process again.
It reminded me that creativity isn't always something we need to learn. Sometimes it's something we need to remember.
Interestingly, this year of teaching has also helped me understand my own creative journey. I've worked across photography, drawing, watercolour, journaling and design and I've come to realise that what connects these different interests isn't a particular medium.
It's observation, curiosity and creative interpretation.
That understanding has helped shape a new direction for my studio and the way I want to live. Rather than continually adding more workshops and projects, I'm making space for my own art, nature journaling, photography, travel, writing and wellbeing. I want to create a sustainable creative life where health, nature, art and teaching, all work together.
My business supports my creative life - not the other way around.
As I prepare for seven weeks travelling through Europe, I'm looking forward to slowing down, exploring unfamiliar places and recording what catches my attention through photography, sketching and journaling. Next year, I hope to share more of these experiences, alongside nature and art journaling, occasional workshops and practical ideas drawn from years of teaching.
For now though, I'm grateful to everyone who joined me this year. Your willingness to explore, experiment and share your creativity has taught me more than you might realise.
And perhaps that's what I'll carry forward most: Observe deeply. Create intentionally. Teach generously. Live well.