A FIVE-WEEK INTUITIVE PAINTING PRACTICE
LAYERS WORKSHOP
COME CURIOUS, LEAVE LIGHTER.
Layers is a therapeutic five-week series where participants develop an intuitive practice where colour, movement and texture are transformed into a personal language for emotional expression.
WEDNESDAYS 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | STARTING NOVEMBER 4th
SOUND FAMILIAR?
We Are All Carrying Something.
Life is full, and we can all fall into a routine that can feel draining & leave us with little to no time for ourselves, let alone having the space to check-in with our emotions. Most of the time we don't even notice — the busy weeks that turn into months and then into seasons, the feelings we thought we "dealt with" but never quite let go of, the untrue beliefs we hold of ourselves and never take the time to challenge.
When we were young we're taught to "use our words" when we want to express BIG emotions, but some things don't really fit into words. They sit on your shoulders, in your chest, and weigh on your mood. The Layers Workshop is designed to give you a language that allows you to release those BIG feelings and a chance to express them in a totally different way!
THE PRACTICE
Like Yoga For Your Inner World
Layers is a therapeutic intuitive painting series — not a "paint & sip" class. There's no technique to learn, nothing to copy, and no "right" way to express yourself. It's all about how it feels, not about how it looks.
You'll discover & develop your own personal language and vocabulary of expression using colour, movement & texture. Over the five weeks you'll use that language on a single canvas, guided by a weekly theme & prompt. Each week a new layer builds upon the last — participants are asked to look a little deeper, make space to heal, and to once again allow ourselves to BLOOM!
Think of it like a yoga class for your mind: a therapeutic practice & a safe space to strengthen your connection to your inner world.
What You Will Take Away
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Your own personal Art Kit & Journal to continue the practice at home!
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A new way to check in with yourself, any time
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That same lighter, clearer feeling after a really good yoga class
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A little more trust in your own intuition
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New connections with like-minded people
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A one-of-a-kind canvas that holds your whole journey
Week One - The Language
LEARNING TO SPEAK WITHOUT WORDS
Before we paint what we feel, we must first learn how to feel what we paint. Week one, participants are guided through three exercises that use colour, movement & texture to help uncover a deeply personal expressive language. By the end of the session, participants will begin to understand how colour, movement, & texture speak for them — individually, honestly, and without words.
Week Two - Planting
RELEASING WHAT HAS NO WORDS
The first layer is an act of honest beginning — an invitation to put onto the surface what cannot be expressed in words. Whatever you've been carrying is released: the weight, the fear, the grief, the anger — because the seeds we bury, eventually grow.
Week Four - Nurturing
TENDING TO WHAT HAS BEEN UNCOVERED
Week four is an act of nurturing — not fixing, not forcing but tending to what has been uncovered and nurturing what is ready to grow. If week three was the moment of facing, week four is the moment of healing. Of tending to the wound rather than fleeing from it or forcing it to heal faster than it can. In week 4, we offer the canvas the kind of gentleness we rarely offer ourselves.
Week Three - Wilting
ACKNOWLEDGING WHAT NEEDS TO HEAL
For a flower to once again bloom, it must first wilt & shed what it no longer needs, to make space for new growth. Week 3 encourages participants to acknowledge the feelings they harbour — to acknowledge the emotional cobwebs they no longer must carry. The first layer asked participants to "release", this layer builds upon the last, and asks for participants to acknowledge the beauty in their pain and to clear out the feelings that may still linger.
Week Five - Blooming
RELEASE, TRANSFORMATION & BLOOMING
This is where everything comes together. After weeks of learning your own visual language, planting new ideas, sitting with what’s wilted, and nurturing what’s ready to grow, the final session is all about letting go & simply creating. The invitation is to stop thinking and start feeling: move with the music, play with colour & texture, and ease into a flow state, where time disappears & worries fade.
MEET YOUR GUIDE
Hi, I'm Ryley.
I'm an intuitive abstract artist in Innisfil, and I believe colour is energy.
I have always felt things deeper than I could express them in words. Growing up, I searched for ways to make sense of what I was feeling, I didn't have the emotional vocabulary to communicate what I was carrying inside. And for a long time, I didn’t know what to do with that.
And then I started painting...
What began as a way to process became a practice, and that practice became a purpose. I discovered that the canvas could hold what words could not — the full weight of an emotion, the texture of grief or wonder or joy, the colour of something felt but never spoken.
I created Layers because I've seen what happens when people carrying too much do not have a healthy outlet to express the weight of those emotions and stop trying to explain how they feel and it can become debilitating. This is a space for release, exploration and a creative outlet for expression! I'll be with you every week, keeping the space warm, relaxed and completely judgement-free!
- Ryley James
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Enjoy yoga, meditation, breathwork or anything that helps you connect with yourself.
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Are into intuition, energy, spirituality or personal growth.
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Want to try something new and a little different.
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Are starting a new chapter — or closing an old one.
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Feel busy, overwhelmed, stressed or stuck in your head.
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Are creative, used to be creative, or have always wanted to try.
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Are going through something and looking for a healthy outlet.
Layers Workshop Testimonials
I feel so fortunate to have participated in the five-week Layers program. The experience was so powerful for me that I created a second piece using the Layers process to work through other struggles and habits I want to let go of. What I love most is that the program felt like keeping a secret journal. I never felt comfortable journaling because I worried someone might one day read my most private thoughts. Through Layers, I’ve found a way to express the words, thoughts and feelings I would put in a journal, with the comfort of knowing they’re hidden beneath the layers. I know what my piece represents and the story beneath it, but that meaning belongs to me. There’s something freeing about being honest with myself while keeping my secrets safe. Others can see the art, but only I can read my story.
- Stella J.
I recently had the pleasure of attending Ryley’s 5-Week “Layers” workshop, & what an incredible experience it was! I am not someone who journals, so at the beginning I found myself wondering, how am I going to express how I feel through this 5-week process on one canvas? I’ll admit, in the beginning I was very much in my head & wasn’t sure where this journey would take me. As the weeks progressed, however I slowly learned to let go & release what I was feeling inside. The process was eye-opening, emotional, & incredibly powerful. It allowed me to connect with parts of myself that I hadn’t expected to explore through painting. And the end result? Beautiful. I was genuinely so proud & happy with my piece, but even more than that, I was proud of the journey that went into creating it. I’m so grateful I stepped outside my comfort zone & gave myself the opportunity to experience this. It was so much more than a painting workshop- it was a journey of self-expression, discovery, & letting go.
- Tricia C.
The Layers Workshop really changed my perspective on Art. I am not a creative person by nature and this program allowed me the opportunity to express some positive and negative thoughts into beauty and art. I walked away from every session feeling lighter and having a better understanding of my version of creativity. Ryley provided such a safe and comfortable environment. Allowing myself to fully express myself and immerse in the process. I recommend this program to anyone that is looking to focus on turning something hard into something beautiful.
- Masha A.
What a beautiful experience ! I entered this workshop not knowing at all what to expect and im glad I did!
Ryley made everyone feel welcome and that really helped make it easy to open up and not judge myself as much.
If you are thinking of doing this and are unsure... just do it you will be glad you did!
- Anja G.
A transformative workshop with a talented and caring teacher who created such a beautiful environment for us to learn and grow in. I would recommend this experience to anyone interested in the arts who wants to explore how their thoughts and feelings translate to a canvas. So grateful to have been part of this beautiful workshop and I got to meet some great people as well!
- Sheresha M.
Frequently Asked Questions
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COME AS YOU ARE
Five evenings to slow down & connect with your inner self.
$400 or $80/per session
Single Participant | or $600 for Pairs | Personal Art Kit, Journey Journal & Colour Map Included
WHEN: Wednesdays 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
November 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th
& December 2nd
WHERE: Ryley James Studio
(639 Pinegrove Ave. Innisfil Beach)
SESSIONS: 5 x 90 mins
GROUP: Only 4 - 6 Participants, 18+
REGISTRATION CLOSES: October 28th!
POLICIES
Partial refunds (ticket price minus $85 in non-refundable materials and service fees) are available when requested in writing at least 72 hours before the first session. Once the series has begun, there are no refunds or discounts for any reason. Full refunds are only given if the full series is cancelled. Sessions start on time, and all participants agree to keep Layers a safe, substance-free, judgement-free and confidential space.