Art for Recovery – A Floating Gallery of Courage

Thanks to Arts Council England funding secured by Kate at The Good Shepherd, I had the quiet honour of leading a series of summer workshops with young people aged 14+ from Wolverhampton 360. Held at Wolverhampton Arts Centre, these sessions were part of a wider programme preparing for Recovery Month and the UK Recovery Walk.

We focused on creating A3 canvas boards—each one a personal message of hope, strength, or courage. I invited the young people to choose a phrase from a list I’d collated, a song lyric, a quote, or something uniquely their own. Once they’d selected their words, they chose a font that resonated with them, and I created vinyl stencils using their chosen text and typography.

The painting process was intentionally mindful. Art skills weren’t necessary—just a willingness to explore colour and emotion. Each participant chose colours based on the mood they wanted to portray, then dotted acrylic paint across the canvas at random. With broad, sweeping brushstrokes, they blended the colours into soft, layered scenes—like oceans, sunsets, or abstract skies.

Once dry, they applied their vinyl stencils and used contrasting colours and acrylic paint pens to add their chosen text. The result was a floating gallery of resilience: each board mounted on wooden planks and carried through Wolverhampton during the UK Recovery Walk.

Alongside fellow artist Ewan’s banner project with younger children, these workshops offered space for reflection, storytelling, and quiet empowerment. Some of the young people may be navigating substance use themselves, or living with someone who does. I shared my story, and they shared theirs—sometimes in words, sometimes in colour.

I’m deeply grateful to Kate, The Good Shepherd, Wolverhampton 360, and everyone who took part. These sessions reminded me that art can hold what words cannot.