PAPER MARBLING

Some art forms feel like a deep breath. In this February Belonging Older Adults visual arts series, Janice Garel returns to The Jamii Hub to guide participants through paper marbling, an ancient, meditative practice also known as Turkish Ebru and Japanese Suminagashi. Together, we’ll create swirling patterns on water, transfer them onto paper, and turn those finished pieces into a hard-cover notebook you can actually use.

Across the four sessions, participants will learn the basics of marbling and experiment with colour, pattern, and gentle motion to create one-of-a-kind marbled papers. Paint is floated on a thickened water surface, then carefully swirled to form patterns before paper is laid on top to instantly capture the design. Once the marbled sheets are dry, the group will assemble a finished notebook with hard covers, a spine, and inner pages.

This series is a great fit for older adults in Toronto who want a hands-on visual arts workshop that’s calm, tactile, and satisfying. You’ll leave with a finished piece that holds both function and memory. Participants can also personalize their notebook by adding a favourite quote or poem to the inside cover, and finishing it with a decorative ribbon if they wish.

These workshops are part of Jamii’s Belonging Older Adults program for older adults in downtown Toronto. Participants register for the program, then can drop in to any Tuesday session that works for them.

Support free community arts

Jamii’s workshops are free so that cost is never a barrier to participation. If you’re able, you can help pay it forward by donating through Jamii’s website. Your support helps keep community arts accessible and welcoming for everyone.

These workshops are open to people of all experience levels. No background in visual arts is required. Participants are encouraged to take part in a way that feels comfortable and meaningful to them.

Workshops are free for participants. Registration is required, and space is limited.

Jamii's Belonging Older Adults workshops are sponsored by Government of Canada - New Horizons for Seniors Program, Canada Council for the Arts, Government of Ontario, and St Lawrence Neighbourhood Association.