Awaken Your Inner Artist: Acrylic Painting & Mindfulness with Mahnaz Weldy

Upcoming Sessions:
Tuesday, September 8th
Tuesday, October 6th

1 PM - 4 PM
$100
Ages 18+

Location: Eno Arts Mill in Hillsborough, NC
437 Dimmocks Mill Rd, Suite 17

About the class:

This 3 hour workshop is designed to Discover the joy of painting while reconnecting with your creativity in a relaxed, welcoming environment. This workshop combines mindfulness and abstract acrylic painting to help participants quiet their minds, let go of perfection, and create with confidence.

Designed specifically for beginners, this class requires no previous painting experience. Rather than focusing on rigid techniques or creating a “perfect” painting, participants will learn to trust their intuition, explore color, movement, texture, and composition, and express themselves freely through abstract art.

The workshop begins with a 5-minute guided mindfulness meditation to help participants relax, reduce stress, sharpen their focus, and open themselves to the creative process. This gentle introduction encourages students to set aside self-judgment and approach painting with curiosity and confidence.

Following the meditation, participants will receive a 10-minute demonstration covering the basics of acrylic painting, including:

• Understanding acrylic paints and brushes

• Mixing colors

• Applying paint using different brushstrokes

• Creating texture and layers

• Building a balanced abstract composition

Students will then be invited to reflect on a place, memory, landscape, emotion, or experience that brings them joy or peace. Using those impressions as inspiration—not as something to copy—they will transform colors, shapes, lines, and textures into their own unique abstract artwork.

Throughout the workshop, I will provide individual guidance while encouraging experimentation and creative freedom. The emphasis is on enjoying the process rather than achieving perfection.

By the end of the class, each participant will complete one or more original abstract paintings and leave with a greater appreciation of their own creative abilities, along with practical acrylic painting techniques they can continue exploring at home.

Ideal Skill Level: Beginners (all adults welcome)

Participants should bring:

• 2–3 canvases (8” × 10”)

• One basic set of acrylic paints (favorite colors)

• 4 paintbrushes in assorted sizes

• One non-breakable water container (such as a clean yogurt container)

• An apron or old shirt to protect clothing

• Most importantly: an open mind, a sense of curiosity, and a good sense of humor

About the artist - Mahnaz Weldy:

Mahnaz Weldy is an Iranian-American abstract and mixed-media artist whose work explores themes of resilience, identity, cultural heritage, and our shared humanity. After a successful career as a U.S. government language instructor and Middle East subject matter expert, she found her true voice through art. Inspired by her experiences as an immigrant, woman, and storyteller, Mahnaz creates vibrant, expressive paintings rich with color, texture, and movement that invite viewers to connect emotionally and reflect on their own experiences. Her work has been exhibited throughout the Washington, D.C. region and includes public art installations that celebrate inclusion, hope, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Through both her artwork and her workshops, she encourages others to discover that creativity is not about perfection—it is about courage, self-expression, and joy.