Draw and Paint Like You've Always Dreamed
Over 2,700 students have found more joy and calm in the Gathering
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If this sounds familiar …
You start projects but don’t finish them
You feel rushed or overwhelmed when you create
You second-guess your work
You wish you had a consistent creative practice
Find the permission and motivation to create.
The Gathering is where you make more art
Inside The Gathering …
Weekly live workshops
Draw and paint botanicals
Leave perfectionism behind
inspiring art challenges
Making art daily…
Elizabeth loves that The Gathering has brought her: Daily creating, and feeling relaxed and joyful!
Create more art: one workshop at a time
100+ Slow drawing workshops
Botanical drawing and watercolor
Simple bookmaking
Deflate the inner critic
Each quarter, we focus on a theme to deepen your skills and confidence.
Eda Bridgeman
“Not only did I find watercolour but a community that is so caring and supportive. Amy’s leadership is gentle, nurturing and meditative and aims to bring the best out of us all acknowledging that we all make mistakes and that is ok. I joined as a full member and it’s the best money I have spent each month. I’m finding that not only is my drawing and watercolour improving, but my appreciation for the natural beauty that surrounds me. I am finding hidden treasures in my garden and surroundings as my search for ideas to draw and/or paint. I would now be lost without being able to do something on a daily basis as a way to relax. If you choose to come on board you will never regret it. Eda B Australia”
★★★★★
Sue LeBreton
“I joined The Gathering not sure what to expect and it has been a fabulous addition to my life. I find myself giddy with joy over some of my creation and have noticed I’m also calmer, more grounded. I now have a dedicated art space in my house and I create almost every day. My confidence to follow what I like has been encouraged here and I’ve even experimented with other art forms if they appeal because I am now comfortable being a beginner or budding artist.”
★★★★★
Not ready for a full membership?
Join the Extend tier for slow drawing training and access to over 100+ slow drawing workshops.
The Gathering is a place for people who love art.
A calmer, more confident way to create
Imagine sitting down to create and feeling calm instead of overwhelmed.
Your sketchbook fills with pages you love.
You trust your instincts.
You spend less time doubting and more time creating.
Instead of rushing, you slow down… and actually enjoy the process.
Beautiful Work: From artists like you
What is the Gathering?
Art Skill Workshops
Real Community
Slow Drawing Library
Art Coaching
Personalized Feedback
Cohorts + Challenges
Facilitated by artist and art therapist, Amy Maricle.
I’m Amy, an art therapist and art teacher with over 25 years experience. I’m also the author of Draw Yourself Calm which has sold tens of thousands of copies in 4 languages.
As an art therapist, I prioritize creating a safe community space where you feel free to experiment, try new things and share your work and questions in a judgment free zone.
Because I understand the creative roadblocks you face, I will help you identify what gets in the way of your creative time and ideas.
The Gathering gives you the support you need to weave bursts of art and creativity into your day, and fill your art journals with joy.
I’ve helped thousands of students and I can help you too.
OUR VALUES
Inside The Gathering, we’re building a kind, welcoming community that supports your creative practice and feels like a safe haven for your art. We value both your creativity and who you are, and we’re so excited to have you here.
Spring Cohort: Finding Your Voice
A cohort is a more intimate space within the membership, open to all, where you can join with other students to dig deep into a particular class or theme. You share about your work, your questions, and triumphs. Working together on the same themes allows you to learn from each other.
Finding Your Voice as an Artist
This quarter we are focusing on finding your voice as an artist. Using my gentle, playful methods, you’ll find your own ways of making patterns and botanical drawings. Working through the Slow Drawing 101 course with the other members of the cohort, as well as our live workshops, you’ll gain confidence as you see that you have the same questions, fears, and desires as your classmates. Despite your doubts, you will engage in a lot of experimentation and watch a body of work emerge. You’ll begin to share more, create more, and find your voice as an artist.
Summer Challenge: The Inchie Challenge
Each quarter we host a challenge, and for August, we’re doing the Inchie Challenge. This is the most well-loved challenge we do here at Mindful Art Studio, so we have a free version for seven days. But members of the Gather tier will get guidance, community, and support in a 31-day challenge that includes 3 live workshops and 3 surprise mini-workshops during the month of August. Let’s create a daily art habit – and dig further into your curiosities and passions that make up your voice.
IS THE GATHERING FOR YOU?
YES IF:
- You need accountability
- You want art to feel fun again
- You love an art teacher who is open and accepting
- You want to let go of perfectionism
- You want a judgment-free space
- You want to find a safe haven to learn art online.
NO IF:
- You prefer to create alone
- You don’t like nature
- You don’t want to draw yourself calm
- You don’t like watercolor
- You want harsh feedback
- You are looking for art therapy. You can find a therapist here.
Upcoming Workshops
September 4th, 2026
10:00 – 11:15 AM EDT
September 8th, 2026
05:00 – 06:30 PM EDT
September 16th, 2026
2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
Wednesdays Live
100+ on Demand ANYTIME
Membership pricing
Gather
Weekly Slow Drawing workshops + replays
3 bonus live workshops each month
100+ on-demand Slow Drawings
60+ art classes + creative resources
Art therapist-led creative workshops
Kind, supportive artist community
Special quarterly creative experiences
Daily prompts + inspiration
A safe space to grow creatively
You might be wondering
Is the Gathering for beginners or experienced artists?
Most of our artists are beginner to intermediate level. Advanced intermediate artists enjoy The Gathering to gain skills in mindful art, dig deeper into experimental practice, and find their own voice. Most of the didactic workshops focus on beginner – intermediate level skills in drawing, watercolor, book making, art journaling, and paper cutting.
What if I can’t make one of the live sessions?
No worries! All Gathering workshops are both live and recorded. You can access the replay on your own schedule. We have a large library of past workshops, organized by topic.
How is this different from other art memberships?
Because my work is grounded in mindfulness and a process-oriented approach, I want to help you not only gain skills in art, but do much more. In The Gathering, I help students learn to find calm and joy in the process, identify the barriers of the inner critic, and help you tune into the themes and techniques that are most meaningful to you. Additionally, because of my experience facilitating groups, I’m attuned to the importance of creating safety in online communities – one of the things students remark on most is how kind and welcoming our community is. They often say that it’s a safe haven in a difficult world.
Is this art therapy?
No this is not art therapy. In our community, we emphasize grounding through art, non-judgmental thinking, and experimentation. We keep our comments laser focused on art, art process, and nature, and don’t share about personal topics. Our members feel close because they share in a vulnerable way about their art ideas, doubts, questions, and successes.
*Art therapy or an art therapy group would have focused mental health goals and a treatment plan. Find an art therapist here.
Members love The Gathering because…
Not ready for a full membership?
Join the Extend tier for slow drawing training and access to over 100+ slow drawing workshops.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to ugrade your gathering membership to yearly?
- Click the Edit Profile option on your profile icon in the upper left-hand corner
- Click the Billing tab at the top of the page
- Click the More actions (three dots) icon next to the subscription and select Change billing cycle.
- Select new pricing and click Next.
- If you have a coupon code, click Add coupon code to enter the code, and then click Apply.
- ❗Important: If you already applied a coupon for your initial purchase and it’s still valid, it will transfer to the new billing cycle. However, if you decide to apply a new coupon instead, it will override the previously applied coupon.
- Review prorated charges or credits, if applicable, and the amount due information.
- Click Confirm change.
I'm just a beginner. Is the Gathering for me?
YES! Our members have varying experience levels from total newbie to experienced artists and most of us somewhere in between. I share monthly practical and fun workshops where you will learn art skills, and do it through a mindful lens. You’ll see that the culture of our community is encouragement and togetherness.
Can I join just for one quarter?
Yes, if you are interested in a particular topic and just want to join for a quarter, you can cancel anytime via your desktop. Though many folks find that the special challenges, and evergreen classes are super helpful, and end up staying, which we hope you do too!
What’s the difference between The Gathering and Circle?
- The Gathering: This is the membership you’re part of.
- Circle: This is simply the platform (like Zoom or Facebook) that we use to host The Gathering online. When you log into Circle, you’re stepping into the community space.
What kinds of special workshops do you offer?
You can see our upcoming workshops up on this page, and here’s some of our past workshops:
Drawing Big Blooms
Openings and Passages: Using Art to Open Your Heart
Making Botanical Watercolor Pages
Finding Artistic Freedom: Healing the Inner Critic.
Is your membership on Mindful Art Studio.com?
No. We have a membership platform, Circle, that hosts our membership, The Gathering. This is a private platform, off social media, where we can share our work, attend workshops, and grow together as artists. The a la carte classes you purchase here on MindfulArtStudio.com are still here with their own login. When you join The Gathering membership on the Circle platform, you will create a new login.
What about the classes I purchased at MindfulArtStudio.com?
Is there translation from English to other languages?
Unfortunately, no. We are hopeful that in the future Circle will enable autotranslation for videos and text, but for the moment everything is in English. If you understand English well and are happy to write in English, or translate your comment to English via Google translate or something similar, then you can probably get a lot out of the community. Otherwise, for the moment unfortunately it wouldn’t be a good fit.
Are there any classes included?
Yes! As a Gathering member, you have access to a bevvy of exclusive content classes, including Inchie Challenge prompts from the archive, Color Theory, Slow Drawing Practice Essentials, and Art Journaling 101 since it’s so foundational to our work. Plus, each month I set a theme, create a specialized workshop to help you learn, and we all share and discuss as a community.
Do I have access to all your live workshops?
Yes! I do a minimum of 3 live workshops every month in The Gathering. One is a special workshop – usually focused on a particular technique or approach, a second is a Slow Drawing Group Coaching where you can draw live, ask questions, share your work, and learn to take the slow drawing patterns in new directions. Finally we meet monthly for an art date – we do some guided journaling before and after and share insights about our process. Members are always surprised at how much it feels like we are in the same room, creating together.
How long can I access the replays of your special workshop?
You will have replay access to the special workshops in The Gathering for a full year.
As a member, do I get a discount on MindfulArtStudio .com classes?
Yes! As a Gathering member, you get a 15% off coupon every month, good for any class or gift card on MindfulArtStudio.com
How to cancel your gathering membership?
- **Please use the Circle website to cancel, the app and mobile version do not have this option. Cancellations need to be done on the Circle website.
- Click the Edit Profile option on your profile icon in the upper left-hand corner
- Click the Billing tab at the top of the page
- Click the More actions (three dots) icon next to the subscription and select Cancel.
- Click Confirm cancelation.
You can cancel your active subscription anytime from your billing page.
ℹ️ Note: Once you confirm the cancelation, your subscription will be set to expire at the end of your current billing cycle, and you’ll be able to access all the membership content until then.