I joined a free art workshop in Worthing and learned how herbs are inspiring creativity

Creative Waves Community Arts CIC has been running a number of projects throughout 2024 to mark 100 years of Beach House Park, where the garden is located.

Funding from the National Lottery Community Fund is being used to develop the garden and volunteers work there every Wednesday morning.

Herbs and other plants grown in the garden are used to inspire drawing at free art workshops, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the centenary celebrations.

I joined illustrator Nadia Chalk, who co-founded Creative Waves with artist Vanessa Breen, for a free workshop on Wednesday morning, inspired by the herbs and other plants growing in the garden.

Nadia said: "There is nothing precious about what we are doing here, this is just letting yourself be in a space. It is about wellbeing."

She told us to use our eyes first and to think of ourselves as a photocopier. There are no pencils and rubbers, you just start drawing with an ink pen.

Nadia explained: "There is no rubbing out. If it doesn't work, it doesn't matter. When you let go, that is when things become smoother. It doesn't matter about what you do, it is how it makes you feel."

People can talk, as long as they are drawing as well, she said, and people can be sitting quietly drawing, too, if that is what they prefer. I enjoyed drawing in silence while having the flow of chatter around me.

The art workshop, the first of a winter series, followed a talk on herb identification last week. Among the collection on the tables was some fresh rosemary, which had a wonderful perfume and added to the calm.

With the drawing pens, the ink flows very freely, so the pictures grew quickly and easily. We then used pencils to shade in some white to draw out different dimensions in the picture.

I found it very satisfying just letting go and not thinking to deeply about how it should or shouldn't be.

Nadia said: "If you looked at it with different eyes, as if someone else did it, you would probably think it is better than you do about it as your own work."

And she's right. I took pictures of my work for this article and when I was processing them, I was really pleased with what I'd done - almost to the point I couldn't believe it was my own drawing!

There are regulars at the workshops who are clearly so much better than me but it's not about comparison, it's about what makes you feel happy.

Nadia said: "It is for everybody and it is free."

Work has been put into researching the heritage of Beach House Park since it opened to the public in 1924 and there has been a series of free activities for the community.

An educational bird trail has been developed and the team is working on a water harvester for the community allotment. Vanessa said children love visiting the garden and watching it grow.

Follow Creative Waves Community Arts on Eventbrite for future workshop or visit the website www.creativewaves.co.uk for more information.

On Wednesday, November 13, there will be a free talk on the history of Beach House Park with the Worthing Society, at Worthing Bowling Club at 10am.

The Worthing Society are presenting research about the heritage and history of Beach House Park and following the 45-minute talk, there will be free tea and coffee, and the opportunity to share memories and hear about current activities and projects in the park.