Nesting Grounds Program

Nesting Grounds Program | Access Alliance, Danforth Location
My Role: Lead Facilitator

Nesting Grounds is a weekly community arts workshop series that supports the mental well-being of newcomer community members of all ages. It blends creative arts practices with mental health approaches, helping participants develop sustainable strategies for wellbeing in a welcoming, inclusive space.

Transitioning from music-making (Tuesday Tunes) to visual art, I am introducing a new project called “Roots, Stem, and Dreams.” This three-workshop series explores personal reflection through art, with each session centred on a specific theme:

• Roots: Roots represent the past; participants’ unique origins, childhoods, and experiences that shaped who they are today, like the roots of a tree that nourish its growth.

• Stem: Stem represents the present; it focuses on who participants are now: their values, passions, and current interests.

• Dreams: Dreams represent the future that prompts participants to envision their goals and aspirations for themselves, their families, and their communities.

For newcomers, the series offers a space to reflect on their journeys, recognise how their experiences have shaped them, and imagine their vision for the future.

The first workshop in the Roots, Stem, and Dreams series focused on Roots. The stories, memories, and experiences that shaped who we are today. Just as the roots of a tree anchor and nourish its growth, our personal roots ground us in our history, culture, and upbringing.

In this first session, participants reflected on their past through art-making activities. Using accessible materials and reflective prompts, they explored themes such as childhood, heritage, migration, and the places or people that have influenced their journey. The process encouraged storytelling and memory-sharing. For participants, this workshop created a safe and welcoming space to honour their heritage, while building connections with others through shared experiences. It was both a celebration of identity and a step toward understanding how the past continues to shape the present.

The second workshop in the Roots, Stem, and Dreams series focused on the theme of Stem, representing the present moment. Just as the stem of a tree holds it upright and connects the roots to the leaves, this session invited participants to reflect on who they are today. Their values, interests, daily practices, and what currently gives them strength.

Through drawing, collage, and mixed media, participants expressed aspects of their present lives: favourite activities, hobbies, relationships, and sources of joy. The collaborative artwork grew into a vibrant tapestry of images. Cups of tea, musical notes, flowers, community spaces, and everyday rituals that symbolise how individuals nurture themselves in the here and now.

The goal of this workshop was to create space to pause and acknowledge the resilience, passions, and grounding practices they carry in the present. Together, the artworks celebrated not only individual identities but also the shared experience of living, growing, and thriving in a community.

The final workshop in the Roots, Stem, and Dreams series explored Dreams; personal, family, and community aspirations. Working primarily with seniors, the prompts were shaped with care to make the theme of dreams safe and approachable. Participants were invited to imagine futures not only for themselves but also for their families, community and even grandchildren, expanding the idea of dreaming into a collective vision.

Guided by questions such as “Where do you want to travel to? What vision do you have for your grandkids? What do you hope for your family? What do you want to do next year? or even this evening?” participants reflected on both near and distant futures.

Using collage with magazine cut-outs, natural imagery, and hand-drawn details, the group created branches, leaves, and flowers that grew into a collaborative artwork. Within it were individual and shared dreams. Peace in the world, self-care, finding a meaningful job, the courage to speak one’s voice, and hopes for grandchildren to live good lives.

The process was joyful and meaningful. Participants felt the significance of giving shape to their visions, and many proudly took photos with their completed work, carrying the experience forward.

Close-up of some dreams