Art and crafts at Ty Dewr

A short while ago we told you about Wintergreen’s relationship with Ty Dewr, a veterans’ hostel in Wrexham. Wintergreen visit once a fortnight to deliver art sessions and assist with the vegetable garden there. Sessions are well attended and give residents a chance to develop their artistic skills, whilst enjoying each other’s company.

You don’t have to be ‘good’ at art to have a go. The art we do can be as simple or as complex as the artist wants it to be. And the end result is not as important as the process of doing it. In fact, you could draw a picture, then rip it up before anyone sees it, and still reap the benefits of the activity.

Here are a few reasons to get creative:

• Feed your soul through self-expression. With the demands that modern life, work, and home life put on us, there is often little time to follow our own paths. Art lets us concentrate on our own needs for a little while.

• Easy meditation. Many people think that meditation is not for them. But meditation comes in different guises and art is one of them. When doing artwork, your mind becomes engrossed in the task in hand, pushing worries and anxiety to one side for a while. This lets your mind and body rest from the constant stress for a while.

• Acceptance. We are our own worse critics. We are much harder on ourselves than our friends, family and even strangers would be. Learning to accept what you do and what your abilities are is an important part of self-discovery and leads to a calmer outlook and less harsh judgment of yourself.

We hope everyone at Ty Dewr is feeling some kind of benefit from the sessions. Thanks to those happy to share their artwork with us. Hopefully, we can arrange an exhibition to show off all their talents soon.