Art as Medicine: My Creative Adventure at The Learning Connexion
Tēnā koutou, my name is Airdre, and first off, I want to say thank you. Thank you for this opportunity to share a little piece of myself with all of you. It is truly an honour to stand here and speak from the heart, in front of this amazing community of talented creatives, the TLC team, support crew, and whānau.
Today, I’d like to talk about my experience of Art as Medicine - how I came to TLC, my biggest learnings, and the impact my creative journey has had on my wellbeing. So, let’s dive into a little slice of my life and my time at TLC.
When I first began this creative journey, I felt an intense sense of vulnerability about myself and my identity. For many years, I floated on a wave of patterned thinking and doing - reacting to life rather than intentionally choosing. I often fell into the trap of comparison with others, or measuring myself against what I thought were standards of good and bad.
I knew I was creative, but I always said I didn’t have time for it. I worked myself into a state of chronic stress, constantly chasing life - never really finding peace or a sense of success. This, alongside other factors, led to a serious health challenge.
And for that, I am oddly grateful - because it brought me to The Learning Connexion.
In those early months of ill health, I struggled with speech - finding words and forming sentences was difficult. This was particularly hard, as I’d had a career where communication and thinking skills were considered my strengths. Looking for ways to help myself, I was drawn to creative expression.
Enter The Learning Connexion - a unique environment where you can explore your own sense of expression and identity, while learning new things from amazing people.
Although I felt anxious and uncertain about registering, I thankfully followed my intuition and signed up. And so began my transformation into a new, healthier me.
My biggest aha moment came early on. I’ll never forget when my Level 4 distance delivery tutor, Keri-Mei, shared a TEDx talk by Marilyn Scott, who spoke about the value of artistic programmes in improving health outcomes and wellbeing in the UK health system.
Later, I discovered the field of neuroaesthetics - the study of how the brain processes and responds to art, beauty, and other aesthetic experiences. (There’s even a great book on it now, Your Brain on Art.) Research shows that engaging in creative activities - from painting and drawing, to dance, music, or expressive writing - can improve brain function, ease distress, build community, and even extend your life.
I was hooked. I felt like I had been thrown a life ring. Creativity could help me heal.
My journey began with an inward focus. I wanted to explore what was happening in my brain and body. I quickly discovered how deeply colour and sound affected me, and I loved learning about ancient cave art—how simple handprints and storytelling beyond words communicated identity and time. That was comforting, especially as I struggled with words myself.
My early work focused on expressing emotion through colour - using my hands and unexpected methods of application, creating organic and cellular forms, and following my intuition. This helped me make sense of myself and my physical experience.
As I grew healthier, my attention turned outward. I began exploring figurative expression and capturing my relationship with my environment. At first, I said, “I can’t draw.” But I soon realised my natural inclination was to capture the energy and feeling of what I experienced, rather than creating purely realistic renditions. That felt right, so I leaned into it.
It was then that I discovered I had sensory processing sensitivities. What a revelation! Suddenly, so many things in my life made sense. I gained confidence, gave myself permission to let go, and embraced the unexpected - while still respecting the learning process and drawing on the wisdom of TLC’s incredible tutors.
Letting go gave me confidence to experiment widely - with expressive mark-making, abstraction, poetry, and different media. I learned to create in response to how I felt on a given day, what colours I was drawn to, what I sensed from my subject or environment, and how I related to the materials in my hands.
So, where am I today? Through my studies at TLC, I have become healthy and well. I feel immense gratitude and pride standing before you, speaking with confidence.
And the cherry on top of my creative adventure has been the realisation that creativity isn’t just something I do - it’s an inherent part of who I am. It’s essential to my brain health and wellbeing.
For me, creativity comes from feeling, not thinking. Allowing, not controlling. Experimenting, adapting, and - most importantly - enjoying myself throughout the process. I’ve learned that the end point isn’t what gives me the greatest joy. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate and take pride in the finished work - but it’s the process of creating authentically that makes me feel most alive and well.
That doesn’t mean it’s always easy. I still face challenges and my inner critic still shows up. But I’ve learned that intent matters. If I’m experimenting or learning something new, I expect discomfort - so I approach it with curiosity and play. And if I catch myself spiralling into negativity, I know it’s time to pause and reset.
For me, TLC has been a school of self-discovery and self-realisation. Through creative expression, I have found a deep sense of who I am, and an empowered feeling of my place in the world. From this, I’ve gained health and wellbeing.
Artistically, TLC has also helped me develop my creative voice. For my Level 5 diploma portfolio, I described my theme as sensory expression and my style as painterly graphic. When I look back at that portfolio, I feel a profound sense of satisfaction. I’ve arrived at the place I hoped for when I began this journey - and I’ll always be grateful for that.
I’d like to finish with a thought. Every face in this room has a story, a journey, a unique perspective on the world. I encourage you to explore it - discover who you are, what you value, your strengths, your passions, and even your blind spots. Most importantly, I encourage you to use your creativity as a way to live a happy and well life - and to share that with others. Not just for yourself, but for your whānau and community.
Thank you again for allowing me to share my journey.
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