Peace by Piece Art

11/10/2026

Great video! The number of people I’ve come across that say “I’m not creative”.

We ALL are!

The first time I’ve heard the term “art scars” before and I see them often.

https://youtube.com/shorts/wGzww0guao0?si=NduEnzh2jD0ArUiK

Send a message to learn more

10/10/2026

A full house, familiar faces and a few beautiful reminders of why we do what we do. 💛

A couple of days ago, we had 10 people booked for today’s Art for Wellbeing session. So we decided to squeeze in a couple more spaces, and before long, we had a full house of 12.

And what a lovely morning it was.

One of the most rewarding things about watching our little community grow is seeing how comfortable our regulars have become. People who once arrived unsure of themselves or their creative abilities are now sharing tips, encouraging newcomers and helping others feel at home.

There was also a wonderful little coincidence today. Two groups arrived independently, only to discover, after overhearing snippets of each other’s conversations, that they were all from Austria! A lovely reminder of the unexpected connections that can happen when we bring people together.

Outside our workshop, market-goers were purchasing our original artwork cards and art kits, while family and friends dropped by to say hello, offer their support and share in the excitement of seeing Peace by Piece grow.

But amongst all these lovely moments, there were some more profound conversations too.

Today, one of our participants took the time to thank us and share just how much these sessions have helped them in living with PTSD.

Others spoke about their own experiences, the people they’ve loved and lost, and the struggles they’ve witnessed. We talked about the gaps in preventative mental health support and how difficult it can be to find help before someone reaches a crisis point.

These conversations are a powerful reminder that wellbeing isn’t just about what happens when things go wrong. It’s also about creating the conditions that help people stay well.

Connection. Belonging. Purpose. Creativity. Having somewhere to go, something to look forward to, and people who are genuinely pleased to see you.

We don’t pretend that a couple of hours of art can solve life’s challenges. But we do believe that small, consistent opportunities for connection, creativity and care can make a meaningful difference.

And today was a beautiful reminder of that.

Thank you to everyone who continues to make this little community what it is. 💚🎨

09/10/2026

🍋🎨 A little zest for life at Farm After Five!

Our lemon-inspired evening was full of tasty treats, creativity, colour, conversation and connection. Just look at these beautiful creations! 💛

Join us for our final Farm After Five for 2026 on Thursday 12 November!

Chef David will be back, treating us to a delicious rhubarb and strawberry crumble. 🍓🥧

We’d love to see you there as we wrap up a wonderful few months of making art and memories together!

Book here:
https://classbento.com.au/farm-table-sessions-creativity-food-and-connection-perth?wtn=xzgcbb99vrau&sess=378051085

07/10/2026

I’ve been trying to make painting part of my daily routine. Not necessarily to finish something, create something beautiful, or even improve my skills. Just to show up, pick up a brush, quieten my thoughts and spend a little more time doing, noticing and just being. 🌻

Watercolour on Paper

05/10/2026

Lately I’ve found myself noticing the quieter signs that something meaningful is growing around us.

New faces becoming familiar ones. People arriving with art materials and books they’d like to donate, asking about what we’re planning next and finding their own place in the space.

Volunteers and participants putting their own work out into the world and selling it, or opening galleries and inviting me to exhibit. My daughter steadily building her portfolio and beginning to imagine that art might become part of her future. And my sister, who has so often described herself as “not creative”, has now spent hundreds of hours quilling to create an intricate piece for her new home (perhaps proving to herself that creativity can take many forms, and sometimes just needs the right way in).

There have been school holiday sessions with special loved ones, new friendships formed through surprisingly similar life journeys, and a weekly art catch-up with a beautiful family friend and neighbour that for me has become as much about spending time together as it is about painting.

None of these things seem particularly momentous on their own, but taken together it feels as though community is growing through all these small acts of connection. Piece by piece, through people showing up, sharing what they have, encouraging one another and choosing to come back.

There’s a lot to feel grateful for in that. 💛

24/09/2026

Today I’m deliberately celebrating a win. 💛

I sold an original watercolour painting and a framed fine art print.

That alone feels pretty special. But I’m also celebrating everything that happened behind the scenes.

Early this morning I got a message asking whether the artwork could be collected today for a birthday tomorrow.

Small problem: I hadn’t framed anything. I hadn’t even printed the print yet. 😬

So today involved a dash to IKEA for frames, Jackson’s for matboard and Camera Electronic for archival-quality fine art paper.

Then home to install the right printer drivers and profiles for two different papers, work out the print settings, somehow print everything successfully first go (woop woop), cut and assemble the matting, frame both pieces, create a Certificate of Authenticity, print that on watercolour paper, and deliver the whole lot today.

And somehow, it all came together.

I’ve recently come across Alex Partridge’s podcasts about late-diagnosed ADHD and neurodiversity, and something he talks about has really stayed with me: when you struggle with imposter syndrome, pause and actually acknowledge your achievements.

Build an evidence base.

Because when you’ve spent years absorbing repeated messages that the way your brain works is somehow “wrong”, the internal critic can become very convincing.

So this is me recording some evidence.

Today my beautiful neurodivergent brain took urgency, creativity, problem-solving, hyperfocus, determination and a pinch of stubbornness (and got it done). 🧠💛

And somewhere in amongst all of that, something else happened that feels important: two different pieces of my art went out into the world and raised money that will go back into supporting Peace by Piece Art programs.

That’s a win worth noticing.

And a little shout-out to the team at Camera Electronic, who were incredibly helpful when I turned up today needing archival fine art paper and some guidance. Sometimes the right help at exactly the right moment makes all the difference.

18/09/2026

Some places are more than just places.

Yesterday’s Farm-Scapes watercolour workshop was a celebration of one of them.

For more than three decades, Perth City Farm has been built, maintained and supported by thousands of volunteers alongside a team of dedicated staff, creating a little pocket of nature where you can wander among plants and flowers, hear the birds, watch gardeners at work and still hear the hum of the city just beyond the gates.

There’s something particularly special about a place run by people who are growers.

They understand what it means to nurture something. To tend it, give it time and create the conditions for it to flourish. They care about the health of the earth and the food we put into our bodies.

Perhaps that’s why kindness seems to exist here in spades (as well as the actual spades). 😊

Our Farm-Scapes workshop was designed to celebrate all of those things and test the kits we sell in the marketplace to support our Art For Wellbeing program.

Rather than worrying about creating the “perfect” painting, participants worked from images of familiar scenes around the farm, using a simple watercolour colouring process to slow down, get out of their heads and become absorbed in the environment.

A little meditative flow, surrounded by the very place we were painting.

And perhaps a reminder that places like this don’t simply happen. They are grown by generations of people who choose to care for them. 💚

13/09/2026

“Boranup Way”, acrylic painting on canvas by artist Ros Blackburn, purchased today at the Wanneroo Joondalup Art Society’s annual exhibition - made even more special with my uncle Trevor Shilton recently taking on the role of President.

A beautiful reminder of our Cape to Cape trek has found a way to our home.