Colour, Connection, and Calm—Watercolour Magic at Memory Lane

Stepping into Emmanuel Church on Pentyrch Street in Cardiff last week, our group session blossomed into a kaleidoscope of memory, emotion, and vibrant creativity. Participants,

carers, and volunteers gathered for a watercolour painting workshop filled with imagination and heartfelt expression.

We journeyed through prompts like favourite places—be it an enchanted forest or a quiet

bedroom—then painted symbols of comfort: pets, old friends, sunshine. We splashed our favourite colours across the page, captured what we felt in the moment, revisited childhood memories like favourite foods or toys, and tucked away secret symbols known only to the artist.

What made the session truly special? Everyone leant in, supported one

another, and created an atmosphere of shared curiosity and warmth. From surfers remembering waves to retired firefighters painting campfires—stories wove across brushstrokes. Even participants who came to help felt creatively inspired.

That’s where the Occupational Therapy ‘magic’ lies:

• Emotional expression and stress relief arise naturally when we paint. Artists can symbolically release tension and soothe the mind through creative flow, which research affirms reduces cortisol and fosters wellbeing (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010).

• Social bonding through shared creation builds a sense of belonging and mutual empathy—especially when carers and volunteers join the

  art-making (CPCAB, 2018).

• Sensory and fine-motor benefit is subtle but meaningful: holding a brush, blending colours, and making strokes develops coordination and sensory integration, core to OT interventions (Kramer & Sabatino, 1982).

• And the joy of embedding personal symbols—or revisiting childhood scenes—invites meaning-making and identity expression, powerful in therapeutic art (Malchiodi, 2012).

  
  

We painted, laughed, remembered—and found comfort in colours and company.

So here’s to more afternoons of watercolour wonder and shared creativity at Memory Lane. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who painted a moment with us!

References

• Stuckey, H.L. and Nobel, J. (2010) ‘The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature’, American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), pp. 254–263.

• CPCAB (2018) Creative Groupwork with Older Adults: Theory and Practice. London: CPCAB.

• Kramer, E. and Sabatino, C. (1982) Art Therapy: A Professional Practice. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

• Malchiodi, C.A. (2012) The Handbook of Art Therapy (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.