Gratitude: Connecting with the Heart Through Creative Expression

Through intuitive painting, guided reflection, and expressive art-making, we’ll explore gratitude through color, imagery, symbols, Gratitude: Connecting with the Heart Through Creative Expression with Catherine Willows Thursday, November 19 | 10 am - 1 pm In the depths of autumn, Thanksgiving invites a pause—to step outside the momentum of everyday life, connect with your heart, and open to the energy of gratitude. Gathering together in the Arboretum gardens, we’ll attune to the natural world of the season and the quiet wisdom within. Gratitude is more than something you think about or name. It is an energy, a quality of presence, a frequency. When you pause long enough to connect with it, something shifts—awakening a greater receptivity to the richness of what is here, to what has touched and nourished you, and to what is quietly ready to be revealed. Through intuitive painting, guided reflection, and expressive art-making, we’ll explore gratitude through color, imagery, symbols, and words. Noticing what catches your attention and allowing the creative process to lead, space opens for what is within to become visible, felt, or known in its own way. No artistic experience is needed, only curiosity, a willingness to listen inwardly, and an openness to discover what reveals itself. All art materials will be provided. Catherine Willows is a Registered Nurse, Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach, and Transformational Creativity Coach, and founder of Willows Coaching and Consulting. While holding sacred space, she guides adults in awakening their inner creativity — moving beyond the demands of daily life into greater flow, self-discovery, and joy through intuitive art-making processes. Catherine believes creativity and our connection to the natural world are deeply interwoven — both vital pillars of wellbeing, supporting nervous system regulation and inner equanimity, and together essential for living a meaningful, embodied life aligned with purpose and authentic expression. · Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions. · See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs. · We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide. · Follow us on Facebook & Instagram! · Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord! · Interested in supporting the NC Arboretum more directly? Donate to the ONE Fund here.