Spend five minutes with Heather Rae and your heart will already know that she is safe, trustworthy, kind and caring. This safety allows for one to breathe and relax into something that might feel unfamiliar-tapping into the heart and expressing through paint, pastels, and whatever other fun and varied mixed media she supplies-which is always vast from stencils, stickers, cut-out designs, colorful papers, etc. Through the sessions which I’ve done with her, I’m always surprised at what comes out of my heart and onto the paper-and I feel a sense of pleasure, pride, happiness and gratitude each time for the time that my brain can take a little break and I can just play and be ok with whatever it turns out like-definitely a practice. Through these sessions I feel more self-accepting, seen, understood, supported and hopeful that I can work through whatever hidden hurts are holding me up and heal and feel peace, happiness and hope again. Priceless.

Every time I work with HeatherRae, it is a creative and transformative experience. I often struggle with self-doubt and lack of direction when I paint. For this particular piece, she encouraged me to take a piece of string and tangle it up. She asked me to think about a time when I’ve been caught up and intertwined in darkness and uncertainty. After thinking through, praying and processing some of those memories, I was then able to untangle the string to create something new. I used a balance of bold rainbow colors, which always brings me joy, to produce something beautiful and intentional. This was a unique and fun process that combined the texture and movement of string with the fluidity of paint. Not only did I go home with a beautiful piece of art, but a heart full of peace.

I didn’t think of myself as an artist and was nervous to try this form of self-care, but HeatherRae helped me feel comfortable and reminded me it’s about the process, not perfection. One activity really stuck with me—I dumped all my thoughts onto paper to acknowledge my inner struggle, ripped it all up as a symbol of letting things go, and then used the pieces to make something new. It helped me see that even in the mess, something still remains. It was a powerful way to see that something good can come out of even the most shattered pieces of my life.

One activity I did, was about exploring the idea of feeling different but how that can actually be something beautiful. Through this process of making these dancers I found a new way to accept and see myself. The art helped me uncover feelings and insights I hadn’t been able to reach just by talking. It helped me express that my uniqueness isn’t something to hide, but something to celebrate. I’m so grateful for HeatherRae and the space she holds for a creative path to self- discovery.

Heather Rae's class was very intimate with a small group which fostered a sense of comradery and trust. She led the group with instructions on how to perform the specific art work but then let us decide how we wanted to use the technique in our own expressive works. She has plenty of supplies that really let my imagination run wild. With her guidance, I was able to create art that brought up the parts of my psyche that I hadn’t readily explored. I learned about myself and gained hope once I understood how I was feeling. She was able to guide us as a group and individually. She is very attentive and makes everyone feel included. She asks questions to prompt your thinking and feeling on any given subject. My artwork was far from perfect, but I was proud of what it represented to me. We had the option to share our works of art and the meaning behind it. Those who wanted to share did and the ones who didn't, did not. I left the class full of hope and can't wait to go back again. Thank you, Heather Rae for this amazing opportunity.