Welcome
Transforming Lives Through Creativity
Art promotes wellness. We at Art Sanity promote emotional/ mental wellness through creativity Allow our workshops to be a part of your life's healing transformation.
Discover Art Sanity
Our Mission
At Art Sanity, our mission is to harness the transformative power of creativity to promote mental and emotional well-being. We believe in providing a safe and supportive environment for individuals and groups to grow and heal while confronting life's challenges through creative avenues.
Capturing moments of hope and healing through art
Our Workshops
Canvas Conversations
Affirmation (K-5) (Where little artist build big hearts)
Affirmation (K-5) (Where little artist build big hearts)
Our Canvas Conversations workshops are 1-2 hour gently guided creative workshops designed to help individuals or groups express themselves creatively while engaging in uplifting, intentional discussions.
Workshops Include:
* An inviting, Judgement Free Zone in which to reflect, release and connect
*Blank canvases or other materials needed to complete projects (No experience needed)
*A themed discussion tied to improving self-awareness, mental clarity, stress relief, encouragement and overall, wellbeing. For organizations -discussions can also be tailored to prompt birthing ideas to achieve your organizations mission, values and challenges.
Our goal is not to teach art or to offer therapy, but to create a space to release, grow and connect - one creative experience at a time.
Whether you are a nonprofit, school, workplace, support group, community organization, ministry, individual or group of friends, we can tailor our workshops to accommodate your needs.
Contact us today to schedule your workshop or to learn more.
301-888-0029
Serving the MD, DC, VA area
(With options for events hosted outside the local area)
Disclaimer: Art-Sanity is not a provider of therapy or a licensed mental health service. Our workshops are designed to support personal growth, connection, and emotional wellness through creative experiences.
Affirmation (K-5) (Where little artist build big hearts)
Affirmation (K-5) (Where little artist build big hearts)
Affirmation (K-5) (Where little artist build big hearts)
Art-Sanity brings uplifting, age-appropriate creative activity workshops such as painting - "I AM " pics, beading, story creating(collaborations), draw your feelings activities, strength collages, free-form dancing, and more, all geared to help children identify values and strength, focus on inner feelings, boost self-esteem and foster self-awareness. The activities in these workshops also provide opportunities to develop social skills, grow confidence, explore creative avenues, and facilitate deeper emotional connections. These workshops range between 1-2 hours in length.
Our Signature Workshop:
Affirmation Workshop (K-5)
("Speak it, paint it, believe it")
This fun interactive workshop allows students or young individuals to explore the power of words. A positive word or phrase such as "I CAN" is presented to the children and reinforced verbally. The students are then invited to paint or draw what they feel " they can" accomplish individually. The students are able to take the resulting work home as a keepsake and a reminder. These workshops support SEL (social emotional learning}.
Workshops Include:
* An inviting, Judgement Free Zone in which to reflect, release and connect
*Blank canvases or other materials needed to complete projects (No experience needed)
*Gentle facilitation
Our goal is not to teach art or to offer therapy, but to create a space in which to release, grow and connect - one creative experience at a time.
Interested in bringing Art-Sanity to your school?
Contact us today to schedule a workshop or to learn more.
301-888-0029
Serving the MD, DC, VA area
(With options for events hosted outside the local area)
Disclaimer: Art-Sanity is not a provider of therapy or a licensed mental health service. Our workshops are designed to support personal growth, connection, and emotional wellness through creative experiences.
Canvas of Comfort {Grief Release}
Affirmation (K-5) (Where little artist build big hearts)
Her HeArt Space (For Women)
When words fall short, art can speak Art-Sanity offers a creative workshop that support emotional wellness. Grief is deeply personal and can be complicated to push through. Our Canvas of Comfort (Grief Release) workshops are here to allow those grieving to release creatively what they otherwise may not be able to express using words. Workshops range between 1-2 hours in length.
Workshops Include:
*Grief-focused calming, judgement free safe space where participants can process feelings of sorrow, memory, and hope through creativity and supportive dialogue.
*Blank Canvas or materials needed to complete project (No experience needed)
*Themed discussion tied to improving self-awareness, mental clarity, stress relief, encouragement and overall wellbeing. For organizations discussions can also be tailored to prompt birthing ideas to achieve your organizations mission, values or challenge
We hope to partner, in the future with organizations that provide grief support design to help individuals navigate through this difficult time.
Contact us to schedule a workshop or to learn more.
301-888-0029
Serving the MD, DC, VA area
(With options for events hosted outside the local area)
Disclaimer: Art-Sanity is not a provider of therapy or a licensed mental health service. Our workshops are designed to support personal growth, connection, and emotional wellness through creative experiences.
Her HeArt Space (For Women)
Her HeArt Space (For Women)
Her HeArt Space (For Women)
Art-Sanity is dedicated to fostering emotional wellness and empowering individuals through creative experiences. Her HeArt Space is designed to provide women a nonjudgmental, safe and supportive space to explore, express and release their challenges, stresses and emotions. This is a safe space to tell their stories, and support one another while being encouraged, and building connections through the many creative avenues art provides. Workshops range between 1-2 hours in length.
Workshops Include:
*A calming, judgement free, safe space promoting emotional healing and stress relief through creative outlets.
*Blank canvases or other materials needed to complete projects (No experience needed)
*A themed discussion tied to improving self-awareness, mental clarity, stress relief, encouragement and overall wellbeing. For organizations - discussions can also be tailored to prompt birthing ideas to achieve your organizations mission, values and challenge
Contact us today to schedule a workshop or to learn more.
301-888-0029
Serving the MD, DC, VA area
(With options for events hosted outside the local area)
Disclaimer: Art-Sanity is not a provider of therapy or a licensed mental health service. Our workshops are designed to support personal growth, connection, and emotional wellness through creative experiences.
Seasoned HeArt
Her HeArt Space (For Women)
Seasoned HeArt
Art comforts, connects and awakens joy. Art-Sanity offers seniors the Seasoned HeArt workshop to encourage reminiscence, motor activity, a positive mindset and gentle conversation. Elderly individuals and those in long-term care often face emotional and cognitive challenges (grief, loneliness, memory loss and disconnection). These workshops offer a gentle expressive outlet to engage individuals meaningfully. The workshops are low pressure and easily adapted for various mobility and cognitive levels. These workshops range between 30 - 60 minutes.
Workshops Include:
*A judgement free, safe space in which to express oneself
*Blank canvases or other materials needed to complete projects (No experience needed)
*Gentle facilitation - emotional support
Contact us today to schedule a workshop or to learn more.
301-888-0029
Serving the MD, DC, VA area
(With options for events hosted outside the local area)
Disclaimer: Art-Sanity is not a provider of therapy or a licensed mental health service. Our workshops are designed to support personal growth, connection, and emotional wellness through creative experiences.
Faith & Flow
Her HeArt Space (For Women)
Seasoned HeArt
Faith-based groups, ministries, community groups and more are offered faith integrated creative workshops designed to empower, nurture, uplift, reflect on and experience God's love, peace and hope through creative avenues. These workshops range from 1-2 hours in length.
Workshops Include:
*A judgment free, faith-inspired, safe space
*Blank canvases or other materials needed to complete projects (No experience needed)
*Scriptural and faith-based discussions where participants reflect and focus on gaining insight, knowledge, and understanding while promoting connection and both personal and spiritual growth.
*Themes will be based around the fruits of the spirit, forgiveness, gratitude, grace and other spiritual virtues.
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."
~James 1:27 NIV
Interested in bringing Art-Sanity to your church or event?
Contact us today to schedule a workshop or to learn more.
301-888-0029
Serving the MD, DC, VA area
(With options for events hosted outside the local area)
Disclaimer: Art-Sanity is not a provider of therapy or a licensed mental health service. Our workshops are designed to support personal growth, connection, and emotional wellness through creative experiences.
Support Our Mission: Donate Today
Your generous donations help us provide creative workshops and resources for those seeking mental and emotional well-being and personal growth. Together, we can transform lives as we empower and heal our communities one creative idea at a time. Every contribution makes a difference!
OUR TEAM
Founder/Creative Director
Gwendolyn Swann is an artist, a self-published an author (From Broken to Blessed, Through Your Adversity...Stand Strong, The Miserable Wives Club, Bunky & Spank: Does Halloween, Enmity (All available on Amazon), and a long-time creator of many different genres. She knows firsthand the transformative power creating art holds. She is a survivor of domestic violence, a single mother of a son. She used creativity to help her cope and is currently still relying on being creative as a powerful tool to continue her healing journey.
The mission of healing through creativity is her passion and it is her dream to share it with the world. It brings her joy to give back and pay it forward at the same time!
Vice-President
Tina Grimes is a lifelong philanthropist. She has served those in need for decades. She is the Founder of The Tina Grimes Foundation, which advocates for domestic violence, young men, young women, the homeless and more. She owns multiple businesses and is a self-published author (My Smile Was My Cover Up, My Smile Was My Cover Up Too, How to Start a Business: The Classy Tina Gee Step-By-Step Comprehensive Guide, Satan Has Many Faces, The Wider the Smile, The Deeper the Deception), all available on Amazon. She is currently on her podcast journey to uplift, educate and entertain the world on relevant topics. Her podcast is called Talks with Tina Gee (on all platforms). Tina is business savvy, with the biggest heart, what an amazing woman! Art-Sanity is so blessed to have to have her as part of the team!
Secretary
Dosias Cassamajor, at the tender age of 22 has been through more than his share of loss and pain. He was abandoned by his father at 7 months, lost his granddad, grandmother, and two (2) uncles within months of each other at the tender ager of nine (9) years old. He uses digital art to release his emotions and heal. He is co-author of a children's book "Bunky and Spank: Does Halloween" and he is currently writing a memoir to share with and motivate other young men whose father's absence left emotional scars. He is healing through sharing his story! Art-Sanity is proud to welcome such talent and strength to our team and can't wait to see how his healing and growth story unfolds.
Treasurer
Bonita Bethea, our trusted treasurer is always reaching out to help others. She is creative in a variety of ways. She plays the piano, paints and is also a talented seamstress. During the pandemic she provided thousands of stylish, handmade masks to those who desired to wear masks, she made many fashionistas happy! Her daughter has given her the gift of 3 beautiful grands. She is intelligent and determined. She decided to go back to college and completed her AA degree after her daughter graduated from college. How amazing! Art-Sanity is ecstatic to have all of her talents as an added addition to our team!
Founder's Story
Why I Started Art-Sanity
Art-Sanity is more than a non-profit to me--I live it! It's my way of giving back and paying it forward at the same time.
Art has always been my outlet, my safe place and at times my lifeline. I am a survivor of molestation, domestic violence and I'm still here. Thanks to God and Art! Through all the ups and downs of my life, creativity has allowed me different avenues to process my pain and my disappointment. Creativity has allowed me to have a voice when I could not utter the words.
I have written two (2) poetry books (From Broken to Blessed, Through Your Adversity...Stand Strong), two (2) Short stories (The Miserable Wives Club, Enmity) and co-authored a children's book with my son. (Bunky & Spank - Does Halloween). I have painted murals for commercial properties such as, iSmoke Shop (Manassas, VA) and Rose's Day Care. I have painted murals in a personal studio and kitchen. I have hosted paint and sips, hosted emotional wellbeing events (We Don't Look Like What We've Been Through), an uplifting event for women who have experience trauma. I've seen many a smile on the faces of others because of gifting them one of the many creative pieces of art I have created, be it paintings, handmade jewelry, a hand painted bag or tee shirt.
Writing, creating and experimenting with developing new ways to create is helping me heal from the many hurts from the past.
For this reason, I started Art-Sanity. I wanted to share with others the transformative power of writing and creating, even if they've never picked up a pen or a brush.
There is something healing about a nonjudgmental, safe space in which creativity is not so much about producing a masterpiece but more about improving upon the masterpiece that is you! It's about realizing your worth, building your confidence and creating connections that carry you through as you reclaim your power, your peace, the real you!
Getting Art-Sanity off the ground hasn't been easy, but I've found that old adage to be true, nothing worth having comes easy. I have and am pouring my time, energy, love and personal savings into building something that I believe to be meaningful and needed!
The is just the beginning, and I am inviting you to be a part of the ride!
I dare you to believe in creativity, community, and the power of a kind word or a meaningful connection and watch the healing start! Together, we can be the change, one creative workshop at a time!
Gwendolyn D. Swann
Founder, Art-Sanity