The Ebb & Flow Studio Origin Story (pt 2)

I remember when we were allowed back into the hospital, once COVID precautions and protocols were in place and it was deemed safe enough for us to interact with patients again. What a surreal, sad time that was. I was able to return to doing bedside work with folks on the hemodialysis and palliative care units, which I loved dearly, but walking past the Healing Arts Studio every time I was there broke my heart. It was one of very few places in that hospital that truly felt joyful and life-giving. And now it was locked up and empty.

This experience amplified my connection to community art spaces. As an art therapist, I know that 1:1 art therapy can be incredibly supportive and life-changing - I've got firsthand experience on both sides of that equation. The truth is, we do so much of our growth and healing in relationship - the therapeutic relationship is one thing, our relationship to our friends, families, and community members is another. These relationships often don't exist in the more ideal environment of the therapeutic space - they exist in real time, in all types of conditions, and they challenge us to put our growth and healing to the test on a minute-to-minute basis.

Not only this, but much of this journey is a shared one. We experience so much together, on a community and global scale, it only makes sense we should walk through the healing together, as well. For many of us, COVID was one of the first (of now many in our lifetime) global experiences that changed so many things for us - each of us being impacted in our own unique way, but all of us sharing the fear, the confusion, the pain of isolation and loss, not to mention the immense grief - loss of lives, loss of income and stability, and a total shift in life as we knew it. In a time where we needed to be in community more than ever, we couldn't gather together in person, we lost our spaces to be with one another in our grief.

And ever since then, my journey as an art therapist refocused itself onto community-based work.

When I made the move from Saskatchewan out to Nova Scotia, I landed in Glen Haven, a beautiful neighbourhood in the St. Margaret's Bay area. I knew when I drove past that little yellow cafe called Labour Day Picnic that it would be an important part of my life here, but I did not realize the extent of the impact it would have on me as a person and an art therapist.

Many of you knew me as Chelsea, the LDP barista before you knew me as Chelsea, the one who does the art nights at the cafe, or Chelsea, the art therapist. I was hired at the cafe in March of 2023 and spent my first few months getting to know the community that the cafe had been building, learning the names and stories of so many lovely humans that came to us on a weekly or even daily basis.

As time went on and those relationships were formed, it became clear to me how valuable the cafe was as a gathering space for this community - to reconnect with others in these small, brief moments, to share a laugh or a story and remember that we are all here living this life together and doing our best.

I witnessed the community come together during and after the wildfires that left many folks and families in our area in difficult and heartbreaking situations. And this is just one of the many challenging experiences we've endured and continue to endure together - eco-anxiety, wars, genocide, the ongoing effects of COVID, the current geopolitical situation - it's a tremendous weight.

I could see this weight bearing down on folks more and more and I wanted to give something back to the community that had so warmly welcomed and taken care of me as a once new person in their world. When I thought of what that could be, I immediately thought of the Healing Arts Studio. What if I could recreate that space here - offer a place to release some of that heaviness in a safe and contained way - through art and storytelling. It wouldn't make all those problems go away, but it could resource us to keep going and give us a sense of hope and belonging.

So when I asked myself how I could support my community through these difficult times, the answer was clear in my mind. With Kate & Gabe on board to donate the Cafe space after hours to this project, I felt like I could bring this vision to reality.

And so, on March 8, 2024, the Ebb & Flow Community Art Studio was born. I set up my art buffet, threw down some table cloths, and put on the kettle. And I was immediately blown away by the support. When 17 folks showed up for this first event I was stunned. And folks just kept showing up. Week after week. You came in, you made art, you connected, you donated your time, materials and cash to keep the Studio going, and you helped create a beautiful space. And now here we are, at the end of our 5th season - 30 weeks of Studios, 677 participants (including some of the smallest and newest members of the community), and countless pieces of art made - it's been the honour of my life to do this with you all and I'm so grateful to everyone who has made it possible.

If you've made it this far, thanks for sticking with me! I'd love to hear your stories (or your kids' stories if you've got them!) and experiences from the Studio - share them in the comments below or send me an email sometime.