SILK PAINTING
BELONGING
Visual Arts
Workshops
For Older Adults
SILK PAINTING
JUNE 2026
Tuesdays, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 2026 from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Facilitator: Janice Garel
In June, Belonging participants are invited into the colourful, hands-on practice of silk painting with Janice Garel. Silk painting has deep roots in Asia, and this series offers a welcoming way to learn the process while creating a finished artwork you can take home and display. Participants will create a 12” x 15” silk painting using a method that does not require stretching the silk on a frame.
Over the sessions, participants will design their own pattern on paper, then transfer it onto silk. Using the French serti method, they will outline the design with black gutta resist, then add silver and gold gutta to highlight selected areas. Once the gutta is dry, participants will paint their work using a vibrant selection of silk dyes. Each finished piece will be mounted on foam core, ready to be framed or displayed on a table easel.
This series is a great fit for older adults in Toronto who are curious about silk painting, textile arts, or visual arts workshops that combine drawing, design, and painting techniques. The steps are taught in a supportive way, with time to focus, ask questions, and make choices that feel right for your own style. Participants register for the Belonging Older Adults 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.
JANICE GAREL Janice Garel is an artist with a long-standing practice and a generous teaching style. She studied at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica and the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. Her work has been exhibited locally and internationally, and she has worked primarily with silk and oil painting for over 25 years. In 2002, she received the Markham Mayor’s Award for Community Service and has been commissioned by schools across York Region to create murals and painted silk banners. Janice also founded the Art Adventure Studio, offering art classes for children and adults.
Photo by Ghader Bsmar