About me
I come from a background in primary education, and I’ve always worked closely with people in a way that’s supportive and focused on building confidence. Over the years, I’ve also gained experience working in wellbeing settings, including supporting people with dementia, where I developed strong communication skills and a real understanding of how to connect with people in a calm, meaningful way.
Everything I’ve done has always come back to helping people feel comfortable, capable and included, especially those who might not always feel that way.
Paint and Wellbeing actually started quite organically. I was at a book club at my local pub, and we were chatting about how quiet evenings were affecting the pub and what that meant for keeping it going. The conversation naturally moved on to ideas that could help make pubs more viable again, and I mentioned paint and sip sessions… the rest is history.
It stuck with me, and I realised it was exactly the kind of thing I wanted to create, something social, relaxed and creative that brings people together. I kept thinking about how many people say “I can’t paint”, “I was always told I was no good at art” or I" haven’t picked up a brush in years", and I wanted to change that.
I didn’t want to create traditional art classes. I wanted something more relaxed, more inclusive, where people can come along, switch off, have a laugh, and just enjoy the process without any pressure.
What I’ve really seen through running these sessions is the impact they have on people’s wellbeing. People arrive feeling stressed, unsure or lacking confidence, and by the end they’re relaxed, chatting, laughing and genuinely proud of what they’ve created. It gives people time to slow down, be present, and do something just for themselves which so many of us don’t make time for.
Being a person diagnosed with ADHD, painting helps me low my mind, I can’t meditate but painting helps me to find that state of mind, people attending these sessions tell me the same. For me, it’s not really about the painting it’s about how it makes people feel.
I started Paint and Wellbeing because I truly believe creativity should be for everyone, and that something as simple as picking up a paintbrush can have a really positive impact on your wellbeing.
Dawn
