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Online Gallery: 'Lift Your Spirits *MH'

  • sarah816202
  • Aug 5
  • 3 min read

A wonderful collection of artwork fills this week's online gallery, as our talented creatives share the people, places, activities and moments that lift their spirits. Created using a variety of artistic media, each piece reflects the unique people, places and moments that bring joy, comfort, hope and inspiration.


Take a few moments to browse the gallery, enjoy the creativity on display and allow your mind to wander. You may even discover something that lifts your own spirits along the way.


Artwork displayed within a white frame with pale blue side panels. In the centre is a single orange and yellow tulip with two pale green leaves against a soft grey background, with a darker grey area forming the ground beneath the flower.
Andy's tulip brings light after the darkness of winter.

Beautiful artwork, Andy. Andy said, "I chose this because it's one of the first flowers to appear after the dark nights."

I love your use of watercolour here. It works really well to capture the subtle gradation of colour within the petals, along with the delicate feathering around their edges. It's a wonderful concept too, symbolising the hope and brighter days that follow winter.

Watercolour paints were used.


Artwork displayed within a white frame with pale blue side panels. In the top centre is an accessible shower room with grab rails. Centre right is a baby wrapped in a pink blanket. The lower section shows a green caravan with a red door and pink curtains at the windows. A black picnic table and chairs sit in front of the caravan, with brown fencing along the foreground and a large green tree to the right.
Family, home and holidays all help to lift Donna's spirits.

Donna - Wow, Donna, you have created so many wonderful little illustrations! Each one tells its own story and reflects the people, places and moments that lift your spirits. I especially love your precious little niece wrapped up all cosy in her pink blanket. After such a long wait for her arrival, it's easy to see why she's featured in your artwork. It was lovely to see your new accessible walk-in shower room too, as I know how much having it fitted meant to you. Together with your caravan and home, your artwork celebrates so many things that are special to you.

Felt-tip pens were used.


Artwork displayed within a white frame with pale blue side panels. In the centre is a simple black line drawing of a smiling figure with a spiral nose, outlined with bold black lines on a light background.
 Working amongst the plants in the nursery at his local garden centre helps lift Matthew's spirits.

Matthew's favourite place is the garden centre where he works in the nursery, making it the perfect choice for this week's theme. During the session, he shared that he's looking forward to visiting the Eden Project soon with his family and support staff. He also told us that his tomatoes and strawberries are growing well in his own garden. A great picture, Matthew!

Black biro was used.


Artwork displayed within a white frame with pale blue side panels. In the centre is a rainbow-coloured collage with nine yellow-framed photographs arranged above and below the title 'Lifting Your Spirits By Phil'. The images show Phil enjoying yoga, outdoor activities, group events, selfies and imaginative AI-generated scenes in bright, colourful settings.
People, places, activities and support all help to lift Phil's spirits.

Great work, Phil! Looking through your compilation of Google Gemini AI images made me smile, especially the Muppets taking part in a yoga session in the park on a sunny day! Your artwork shows many of the people, places and activities that help to lift your spirits.

The images were created using Google Gemini AI and brought together as a digital collage.


Artwork displayed within a white frame with pale blue side panels. In the centre is an angled spiral-bound sketchbook page. A large blue, yellow and green butterfly fills the lower half of the page, with colourful flowers, green trees, blue pathways and a pale blue sky above. Blue borders run along the top and bottom edges of the page.
Gardens, butterflies and flowers bring Noor joy.

Fantastic artwork, Noor. I really love your colourful daisy and butterfly. This week, Noor chose to draw Victoria Park in London, a place where she felt her spirits lift. She included the blue sky, trees, flowers and benches that line the pathways, capturing many of the special details that made the park memorable to her. Beneath the park scene, Noor also added a colourful butterfly, as she loves butterflies too.

Her artwork was sketched and coloured using pencil crayons.


Artwork displayed within a white frame with pale blue side panels. In the centre is a self-portrait of a woman with shoulder-length red hair wearing a green crop top and black cropped trousers with white side stripes. She stands barefoot in a Warrior yoga pose with outstretched arms in front of a large gold and white yin and yang symbol on a black background.
Yoga brings Barbara peace, balance and helps to lift her spirits.

Brilliant, Barbara. I know yoga is an important part of your life and helps to lift your spirits, so it was lovely to see you combine the two in your self-portrait. The gold and white yin and yang symbol complements your artwork really well, and I love how you've interpreted this week's theme.

Watercolour and gold ink were used.


Artwork displayed within a white frame with pale blue side panels. In the centre, a brown garden snail with a spiral shell slowly makes its way across a shallow puddle beneath arching green grass. Raindrops hang from the grass above, while a small yellow buttercup grows in the bottom right corner against a soft blue-grey background.
'After the Rain' by Sarah, nature lifts my spirits.

This week, I found myself drawn to a humble, quiet garden snail after the rain. I remembered watching snails meander along the path in front of me, moving at their own gentle pace, and that memory inspired this painting. After weeks of hot, dry weather, I found myself wishing for heavier rain to refresh the dry ground where I live. Slowing down and noticing the simple things in nature always helps lift my spirits. The raindrops symbolise renewal, while the little buttercup adds a touch of cheerfulness and hope.

Acrylic paints, diluted with water, were used on cotton paper.


As we've discovered this week, the things that lift our spirits are different for each of us. Sometimes they're found in nature, sometimes in the people we love, favourite places, treasured memories or activities that bring us peace and purpose. Thank you to everyone who shared your artwork and the stories behind it. We hope this gallery encourages you to pause, reflect and perhaps discover something that helps lift your own spirits too.


If you feel inspired and would like to join us, we'd love to welcome you. Our online art room is a relaxed, welcoming space where people of all abilities enjoy creating together every Wednesday from 7:30–9:00 pm (UK time).


Simply follow the link below to find out more.


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