Offering Workshops Through the Lens of the Expressive Arts for All Ages
About Us
We believe that humans, throughout time, have used the arts as a map for healing, community building and wisdom-seeking.
For this reason, we are passionate about bringing the creative process into workshop spaces to foster well-being, as a way to build connections back to ourselves and each other.
Select from one of our pre-designed programs, or have one written just for your corporate or personal needs. Our variety of programmes cover parent-child connection, emotional regulation, vicarious trauma, creative team-building exercises for corporate environments, and more.
Pivoting away from the traditional art education that is focused on forms and technique, we practice listening patiently for the intelligence at the heart of every moment of creation, acknowledging that creativity lives inside of all of us.
Services
Step 1
Enquire with your date and time, along with the specific needs of your workshop(s).
Step 2
Our team will respond within 48 hours with options of existing workshops (if available/applicable), or arrange a time to chat with you more about your needs.
If a tailor-made workshop is required, a proposal will be put together and sent to you alongside a deposit for the 50% of the total amount due.
Step 3
After the deposit amount is confirmed, your workshop date(s) and time(s) will be locked in!
We will bring the workshops to your venue, or alternatively, be hosted in our Sheung Wan studio, as agreed according to our initial consultation.
“I attended the “Playing with Change” workshop. The space is beautiful and calming and the hosts welcomed me in such a way I felt immediately at ease. I have always enjoyed art but would worry about doing something ‘good’. This workshop really allowed me to release control and thoroughly enjoy the process.
We spoke openly about our emotions and feelings around change. I left the group feeling connected to my co-participants. I recommend trying this workshop if you’d like to explore your own feelings, find connection and trust yourself and the process rather than focusing on an end goal.’
Jessica Hulton, CEO of The New Normal
Workshops
We believe that humans, throughout time have used the arts as a map for healing
- Janella Chan, Co-Founder
Spirit Project
For 10 months, Art Foragers were privileged to be part of a community art project whose heart was to experiment with regular free art explorations in safe, diverse spaces. Monthly workshops were conducted where participants were led by our facilitators to reconnect with themselves and others in the group with autonomy, vulnerability and often, with much energy. The demographic of our groups were so varied, we crossed age, nationality, religious and social economical borders, allowing us all to broaden our perspec- tives, often leading us to deep learnings about ourselves. An intermodal approach that includes all art forms (movement, visual arts, poetry etc) and a varied range of art and non art materials encourages an expression of experience that moves beyond the confines of limited human vocabulary. The first phase of the project was concluded with an art exhibition of the work and a community led show that celebrated the multicul- tural and dynamic contributions as well as the innate creativity in all human beings. 
Spirit Project
Cabinet of Stories is a gallery and creative studio space that promotes the art of story telling, with a strong belief that art can heal through stories. Sharing that same vision, Art Foragers were given an opportunity to provide an arts based workshop “Playing with Change” that held an essence of creativity, play and exploration as a way of bridg- ing connection and enhancing the stories we share between participants. This was an intermodal experience where we traversed through several art forms, allowing the story we start with change shape as it evolved from one art form to the next. This being a powerful experience made room for acceptance, surprises, letting go of control and seeing what can arise through the process of creation.
One Bite
One Bite Design is a Design NGO that bridges architecture and community, using creativity as a way of connecting the two forces. Art Foragers were invited to offer an arts based workshop with a focus on free space and community connection. We developed Exper- imental Printmaking sessions using materials easily found at home or in our trash. Members of the community were invited to learn, con- nect and explore their creativity together. We experienced initially timid participants who hadn’t played with paint for years, returning to our sessions with a spirit of permissive exploration that inspired new joiners to do the same. Safe spaces for safe creative explorations are assets for any thriving neighborhood. New communities have slowly started to form around the proj- ect and Art Foragers continue to lean into this partnership, touting our contributions - an offer of non-linear, process and resource oriented experiments to promote health and expressions of health.
Meet the Team
Zaha Refaaq
Expressive Arts Therapist
Zaha Refaaq is an interdisciplinary artist and expressive arts therapist. Zaha’s experience has been predominantly with children, individually and in group settings. She specialises in engaging with children of diverse needs, providing social and emotional support for individuals with; ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, selective mutism and those experiencing bereavement, self-esteem and relationship challenges.
Zaha has holds a Master’s in Expressive Art Therapy with a minor in Psychology and offers her practice in English.
Janella Chan
Expressive Arts Therapist
Janella Chan is an interdisciplinary artist and expressive arts therapist who lives and practices in Hong Kong.
Being a third culture kid raised in a third culture city, transitions, boarders and the in-between places have and continue to inspire her work and why she is drawn to the expressive arts.
She has an extensive background in the non profit sector, working with marginalized communities and has a passion for creating spaces that can hold, and support wild diversity.
Erin Hung
Brand Partnerships
Erin Hung is an artist, writer, and mental health awareness advocate with over a decade of experience in wellness and lifestyle products for global brands such as Chronicle Books, Conde Nast, and American Greetings, as well as NGOs including UNHCR and KELY Support.
She believes that forging impactful partner- ships can help advance mental wellness for holistic success.
Erin holds a Master’s in Contemporary Art from Sotheby’s Institute, is fluent in both Chinese and English, and serves on the board of directors at the Hong Kong Dignity Institute.
“The Art Foragers workshop brought me a sense of child- like glee that many of us find difficult to access in our busy Hong Kong city lives. I was reminded of the sense of wonder that simple things like creating art, drinking tea, and playing with different materials can bring. I’m so excited to go on more adventures with the Art Foragers team in the future.”
Stephanie Ng, CEO of Body Banter
Contact us
artforagers@gmail.com