If you have seen the Oscar-winning movie, Parasite (2019), you must have heard of art therapy.
Making its rounds on social media, Art therapy has been lauded for its ability to help people to explore self-awareness and stress management. It can also boost one’s confidence and social skills. To testify for the ever-growing demand for art therapy, many seek out art-jamming sessions worldwide to have a taste of this therapeutic and invigorating activity!
Art Jamming refers to the act of making art together in a group. This activity emphasises unleashing the creative potential of individuals. An art jamming session may encourage one to reflect on their creative energies.
To further enhance one’s experience within an art jamming session, Amanda Cho of Wildflower Studios invites her cats to hang out and attend to participants in the studio. She refers to these as her Cat-Art jamming sessions.
We reached out to discuss her innovative studio, and to find out more about the added benefits of engaging in art therapy alongside a fluffy feline friend.
What inspired you to start Cat-Art Jamming sessions?
Amanda: I had always loved the idea of having a studio space as I enjoy art. I thought about the combination of art+cats would be a creative and popular idea and decided to give it a go!
At Wildflower Studio, participants are encouraged to interact with Amanda’s four beautiful cats, Sundae, Saffron, Mel, and Soba.
How do the cats participate in these sessions?
Amanda: Our sessions start off with about 15 minutes of cat interaction which include introductions and opportunities to feed cats their favourite treats.
After the cats are fed, they start to groom themselves. We position their favourite spots around the participants- Saffron likes her hammock, Mel likes the floor, Soba likes to be in the side table nook and Sundae likes the kitchen counter.
The cats are very comfortable with humans and normally hang around the participants. Much to our participants’ delight, the cats will typically approach humans without being forced to or enticed by food.
Believe it or not, but encouraging participants to interact with cats is a great way to further enhance one’s self-confidence. Being able to successfully connect with a feline friend is a guaranteed way to feel better about yourself.
As a pet owner myself, I can guarantee that nothing feels better than hanging out with a fluffy animal!
Housed within her own home, Wildflower Studio boasts an organic and cosy atmosphere. It also showcases lots of natural wood in its interior. It’s hard not to feel at home when you step inside.
This also allows her cats to feel more at ease with the environment around them.
The ambience of your studio seems so comforting. How have you managed the interior space of your studio to accommodate both your participants and your cats?
Amanda: My studio space is housed within my home and the interior has been designed to look a bit like a cafe. It wasn’t designed with the intention to run an art studio though haha… that idea came much later.
We clear our sofa and carpet to the side so there is space for the easels and participants to walk and sit comfortably while taking into consideration the prevailing safe management measures.
Our cats are already in a space that they are familiar with so they don’t have any issues adapting to the environment. It seems that the cats look forward to our art jamming sessions as they will hang out around the studio set up prior to each session.
Currently, a 2-hour cat-art jamming session at Wildflower Studios retails at $35 for both adults and children. Session extensions are also available for $8 every half an hour thereafter.
What can participants expect from a session?
Amanda: A cosy and chill session doing art in the company of 4 friendly cats… nice drinks with light acoustic music playing in the background and friendly hosts!
Many adults tend to feel afraid to attempt an art piece they like but I always encourage them to try and trust the process. I am always around to guide them or help them along with their artwork!
Wildflower Studio has an average 5-star rating across 38 Google reviews. Most of Amanda’s clients praise her warm hospitality and guidance. In one such review, a participant also equates the encounter as similar to visiting a friend!
You can find more information about Wildflower Studios on their website. They also offer pricing plans for those interested in attending multiple sessions.
It’s time to de-stress with cat-art jamming!
