2 years ago, in my basement studio I had booked a painting workshop with a family for the Grandmother’s birthday. It was the first time I was to have such a large group in my studio. There was the Grandparents, and their 3 kids, spouses, and 3 toddler children. All to work on two large canvases. I was nervous. How was I going to facilitate this family? How was everyone going to have a chance to paint and participate? Would there be one person dominating the experience? Or would they all be looking to me to do everything?

Half an hour later I was experiencing a truly unique thrill in art. There was a baby in the middle of the painting making dainty dabs, 2 fathers were knee deep in yellow and orange and green, swirling paint on a string and asking their mother-in-law if it needed more or not. A grandfather who’d never painted in his life was adding colour in careful drips and dabs, raving about how much fun he was having, and claiming this abstract painting should be in a gallery to sell for over thousands of dollars.

Everyone left happy, vibrant and the painting is a marvelous representation of that families unity. It proudly hangs in their modern home and they all brag about it when guests come over…”Look! We painted that!”.

That experience changed me. I saw the potential of paint and canvas and that is is so much more than just a medium for personal expression. It can be like a light of unity for families.

3 years ago I started my own business helping families paint together. I have held workshops for toddlers, babies, parents, couples, and grandparents to all work together to create pieces of art for the family. It was definitely a learning curve. I am an artist myself, and have always been passionate about teaching art to people, but this idea of having families paint together brought it to a whole new level. In this capacity I had to learn to facilitate, encourage and often mediate families, as well as call on my painting knowledge and expertise to problem solve, provide simple techniques and ideas to help people create something beautiful, as well as meaningful.

Through trial and error I came up with both some painting techniques that work with even the least experienced people, as well as some mediation and facilitation ideas that are simple, keep everyone on track and help everyone feel unified. If you apply these steps you will create a piece of art with your family that has been a part of building unity in your family.

In the next few articles and videos I will be posting real ways that you can have this same experience with your family.