Arts in Health Intensive: Bringing Wellness-Focused Art Classes to Lake Nona

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve enrolled in the Arts in Health Intensive at the University of Florida’s Center for Arts in Medicine in Gainesville. This three-day immersive program has been a cornerstone in the field of arts in health for over two decades—bringing together artists, healthcare professionals, educators, and changemakers to explore how creativity can support healing and well-being.

As the founder of The Ugly Art Studio, which offers art classes in Lake Nona, I’m constantly seeking new ways to deepen the connection between creativity and wellness. This intensive feels like the perfect next step.

What is the Arts in Health Intensive?

Hosted by UF’s nationally recognized Center for Arts in Medicine, the intensive offers:

• A comprehensive overview of the arts in health field, spanning clinical environments, community programs, and public health.

• Hands-on workshops, collaborative design labs, and even clinical shadowing opportunities with UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine practitioners.

• Tailored learning tracks—whether you're focused on practice, administration, education, or research—that allow each participant to shape their experience.

  
  

It’s a space where creative exploration meets evidence-based strategy. A perfect match for someone passionate about bringing art classes to Lake Nona that go beyond just paint and paper—and into real emotional and neurological transformation.

Why I Enrolled—and What I Hope to Gain

This experience will allow me to:

• Learn from leaders who are shaping the arts-in-health landscape across the country.

• Engage in thoughtful, interdisciplinary dialogue with other creatives, clinicians, and educators.

• Gather tools and frameworks that will directly inform how I design workshops and art classes in Lake Nona—especially those focused on wellness, self-expression, and nervous system regulation.

  
  

I’m especially interested in expanding my understanding of how creative practices like mark-making, movement, storytelling, and design can be used as low-barrier tools to support mental and physical health.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just about personal or professional growth—it’s about bringing that knowledge home. My work at The Ugly Art Studio is rooted in the belief that art is for everyone, and that the process itself can be powerfully therapeutic. Whether it’s a drop-in art class in Lake Nona, a workplace creativity session, or a mobile wellness workshop in a healthcare setting, I want to keep designing spaces that feel brave, open, and grounded in both heart and research.

The Arts in Health Intensive will assist me with the language, structure, and connection to support that mission.

Stay Tuned

I’ll be sharing more reflections along the way, especially as I translate what I learn into new offerings for our local community. If you're curious about how creativity can support health—or if you’ve ever been part of our art classes in Lake Nona—thank you for being part of this journey. Big things are brewing.

Let’s keep making ugly, beautiful things.

—Want to stay in the loop about upcoming workshops or process-based art classes in Lake Nona? Follow along @ugly.art.studio and subscribe to our newsletter!