Everyone has stories worth telling.
Artist-led creative storytelling workshops.
Sometimes a color, a song, a familiar image, or a few carefully chosen words can bring a meaningful memory to life.
In this guided workshop, participants explore their own experiences through music and sensory prompts, short writing exercises, collage, and simple drawing. They create personal journal pages inspired by the people, places, traditions, and moments that mattered to them.
No previous art or journaling experience is needed. There's no right or wrong way to make a page, and artistic perfection is never the goal.
Journal classes
Creative Art Journaling is a live online class for imperfect artists. You'll make journal pages that combine writing, collage and simple drawing, and every page starts with a simple prompt.
Total beginners are welcome. Any art is good art, and the goal is a page that feels honest, not perfect.
Made for Gen X? Meet GenX Journaling, creative art journaling for women who grew up on mixtapes, mall trips and landlines.
Upcoming events
See the latest workshops and events on Eventbrite.
Our artwork
Drawings, collage and paintings from the studio, posted as they happen. It's the same eye you'll bring to your own journal pages.
On Instagram
Workshops for groups
Assisted living and independent living
Gentle, memory-based creative sessions for residents, shaped together with activity directors.
Team building
A guided creative session where everyone fills their own sketchbook pages, privately and at their own pace.
About the instructor
Alquemie Arts is led by Karen Spies, an artist with a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MA from Naropa University. Our approach to art journaling is about personal expression, curiosity, and the freedom to make something honest and imperfect.
We also host events for professionals recovering from corporate burnout. See what's open on Eventbrite.