Studio Loiola - Mindful Mark Making
A Weekly online session
Monday Evenings, 7–8pm | Online | Donation-Based
Mindful Mark Making is a weekly online gathering — a quiet hour set aside to slow down, breathe, and let the hand move without agenda. No drawing skill needed, no "getting it right." Just paper, a mark-making tool of your choice, and permission to simply be with whatever wants to come through.
Each session opens with a short grounding moment before easing into a guided mark-making practice, closing with a few minutes of quiet reflection. It's less a class than a shared pause — a small weekly ritual of presence.
The Benefits
A regular anchor — a consistent weekly moment of calm to return to, whatever else is happening in your week
Stress relief — repetitive, rhythmic mark making calms the nervous system and quiets a busy mind
Presence over perfection — a gentle way to practise being in the moment, without the pressure of "making something good"
Emotional release — a safe, wordless outlet for feelings that are hard to name or speak
Connection — a small, supportive group of like-minded people making marks together, even from a distance
Accessible creativity — no art background or special materials required, so everyone can take part
How It Works
This session is donation-based — offered on a pay-what-you-feel-you-can basis, so that cost is never a barrier to joining. Come as you are, give what feels right.
A quiet hour, every Monday. Find your way back!
Studio Loiola - Intuitive Painting
A monthly workshop.
A space to simply paint.
Intuitive Painting is not a class. It is a held space for creative play — where you follow your own hand, and no one can get it wrong.
There is nothing to learn here. No technique to master, no "right" way to hold a brush.
We begin with a short grounding activity, a way of arriving fully before we pick up a brush with intention. From there, the space is yours — to paint what wants to come out of you, without explanation or agenda. Whatever appears on your page is simply what IS true for you in that moment.
No critique. No comparison. Nothing to share, ever. Open to complete beginners and experienced creators.
Workshop details
2 hours of painting with some reflection and journaling. Once a month.
2 hours, held every once a month
Fully online — join from wherever feels comfortable and private
No experience needed
Why this practice?
Stillness — Unstructured creative expression offers a rare kind of quiet that talking alone doesn't always reach.
Ease — Painting without a goal or an audience allows the nervous system to settle, gently, at its own pace.
Trust — Following your hand instead of your head, without needing to justify a single mark you make.
Permission — Creativity restored as something you simply are, rather than something you have to be good at.
How 2 hrs unfolds
First 15 Minutes — Arrive & settle. A short grounding activity to help you land in the space and quiet the internal "what should I paint" voice.
90 Minutes — Open painting. Unstructured time to follow your own inclination — in silence, in flow, at your own pace.
Last 15 Minutes — Quiet reflection. Space to notice what emerged and how you feel. No requirement to speak or share.
Questions answered
How can I benefit from Intuitive Painting? This practice offers a rare kind of stillness — a chance to quiet the mind, ease stress, and reconnect with your own instincts without judgement or goal. Many people find it restores a sense of playfulness and permission that everyday life doesn't always allow.
Can I do this anywhere? Yes — as this is an online session, you can join from wherever feels comfortable and private to you. All you need is a little space to paint undisturbed and a device to connect with. I do encourage you to ensure that your time is uninterrupted.
Will I have to share my images? No. What you create is entirely yours, with no expectation or requirement to show or share your painting with anyone — myself included, unless you choose to.
What paint can I use? Anything you already have works beautifully — acrylics, watercolours, gouache, or even poster paints. There's no "correct" paint for this. If you're starting from scratch, a simple, affordable set of acrylics or watercolours is more than enough.
Will it be expensive for me to do? Not at all. This is designed to be accessible — basic, budget-friendly paint and paper are all you need. There's no requirement for professional materials; simplicity is part of the practice.
Can I use other materials with the paint? Yes, absolutely. Feel free to bring in pastels, pencils, collage scraps, or anything else that calls to you. Mixed media is very much encouraged.
What is the format of the 2 hour session? The session opens with a short grounding activity (around 10–15 minutes) to help you arrive and settle. This is followed by an extended period of open, unstructured painting time. The session closes with quiet time for reflection and journaling usually lasting 15 minutes.
Will there be time to reflect at the end? Yes — the final part of the session is set aside for quiet personal reflection. There's no requirement to speak or share; it is simply a space to notice what emerged and how you feel, before returning to your day.
Come as you are. Paint what is true for you. Find your way back!
The last Saturday in every month for 2 hours —
a space will be held open, with nothing to prove and nowhere to go wrong.
Spaces are limited. Reply or get in touch to reserve a place.