Jessica K Ballantyne
My body suddenly pulsed with waves of euphoria, goosebumps rippling in waves over me as I came to the realisation….
I WANT TO BE AN ARTIST!
At 17 and for the first time in my life I felt in control of something…my destiny. Was I a happy-go-lucky child and teenager? Hell no. For most of my childhood I was consumed by negative emotions.
I discovered the healing power of art and writing quite by accident in high school. I had a proclivity to art and reading and I enjoyed keeping a journal of experiences and poetry.
In moments alone painting or writing, I wasn’t melancholic, I wasn’t anxious. Art and writing got me into a kind of meditative state where my MIND and my THOUGHTS disappeared. When I was in the flow, creating, nothing else existed, including me, and it WAS THE BEST FEELING!
With art, my fears, my desires and my obsessions found an avenue of escape ; out of my body and mind , onto the canvas and they still do
I could finally breathe. I felt free. Art saved me!
At 17 I knew with absolute clarity and conviction what I wanted to be “when I grew up”.
I wanted to be an artist! Who wouldn’t want to feel that way all the time, right?
Not only that, it was something that felt inherently GOOD, spiritual even, my communion with a higher being. To me, the process of losing myself and being deeply moved by what I was painting was the most important thing.
Art saved my life in more ways than one, and it still does!
Not only did I use art to heal, but I used psychological principles too. Interested in Jung and Rorschach, I delved deep into my subconscious mind through “automatic painting”. This technique involves painting without plan or purpose. I uncovered symbols and meaning that surprised me.
My desire to find answers within and a stable truth to lean on lead me to create my psychological Animal in You series and inkblot paintings. The intention to help myself and others achieve calm through art lead me to create a group for like-minded individuals called Create Calm Crew
What is Create Calm Crew?
If you struggle to find time for yourself and to be consistent in your mental self-care, you are not alone.
I was inspired to make a group to help myself and others create more calm in their lives through creative practices like therapeutic art, journaling and laughter yoga.
Due to so much tension and opposition in the world and the resulting stress and anxiety of it all, we need to make time for our well-being now more than ever.
Why ‘Create Calm Crew’?
I called the group “Create Calm Crew” because I believe that most people have the ability to create calm in their own minds and lives, instead of relying on external sources or unhealthy forms of escapism. I want to help other creatives (and I believe EVERYONE is a creative) who deal with stress, anxiety and procrastination to empower themselves and take ownership over their mental health.
You don’t have to be an artist to get the healing power of art.
All the exercises I teach are designed with non-artists in mind. No experience is needed to get the benefits of art, laughter and writing. I know that it’s possible to create and nurture feelings of calm, gratitude and happiness within yourself because I’ve done it myself. I help all kinds of people from all walks of life do it too.
By using the techniques and doing the exercises I teach, you can shift from anxiety and stress to peace and inspiration.
Don’t you want to become your own best friend instead of your own worst enemy?
Now’s the time to take better care of yourself physically AND mentally . Follow Create Calm Crew below to find out about the next workshop, laughter yoga session or free challenge.
WARNING! This could have a profound and lasting effect on you 😉
Follow and join the newsletter below to stay updated.
Some nice things people have said
Bio and Qualifications
I was born in South Africa in 1986 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from the University of Pretoria in 2009. After moving to the UK that same year, I built a studio practice and in 2015 I got my teaching PGCE from the University of East London. Later, I got a QTLS allowing me to teach in schools and further education (at any level). However, I was so disillusioned with teaching in the classroom, I got TEFL certificate so I could teach English as a second language online. I moved to Portugal in 2021 and got laughter yoga leader training.
Create Calm Crew is a work in progress, offering workshops and courses around metal health for stressed and anxious creatives.
I’ve been involved in many exhibitions over the years with various art collectives . I was most involved with The Tunnel and was one of the founding members. I have my paintings in private all over the world including South Africa, Sweden, Netherlands, U.S.A, Hungary, New Zealand and United Kingdom.
