If you have ever thought any of the following…

I can’t draw
I’m not an artist
I don’t have a creative bone in my body
I want to try something creative or artistic but I don’t know where to start
I would love to make art but I am afraid I will be bad at it
I know I love art but I haven’t done it for so long and I am overwhelmed by where to begin
I remember loving art as a kid but I lost my confidence and am nervous about trying again

… then this course was made for you!

The Creative Spark Ecourse is a self paced online art and creativity course, designed for beginners.

Beginner in this case can mean you haven’t put pencil to paper since childhood, or that you are simply beginning again after a long hiatus from exploring your creative and artistic side.

Being a beginner in anything, especially as an adult, can be scary as well as exciting. We often have a fear of getting it wrong or not producing perfection.

My intention is to show you that ‘not creative’ is not possible and that progress is more important {and more attainable} than perfection!

We are all creative all the time ~ we just may not have realised it yet because it manifests in so many different ways.

And we can all grow our creative gifts in ways that are unique to us and how we live our lives.

My approach is nothing to do with being able to draw an accurate likeness, and everything to do with using what’s all around us to spark inspiration, and then to weave it into our own unique self expression.

I believe in a supportive, encouraging approach. I believe in simple and easy. And most of all I believe in the expressive, forgiving, connecting, joyful and healing nature of art.

This course is a six week container of possibility.

We will create a space in which ‘you as an artist’ is completely possible. I don’t think you need a label to be an artist, but discovering and owning your ability is key to happy art making.

“I thought art was for the other people but not me. Now, I can draw! And paint! That massive block of ‘I can’t do art’ has completely lifted.”
Akiyo Kano, akiyokano.com

When you take Creative Spark you'll:

begin to {re}explore your own creativity with 30 rich but simple and fun lessons
begin to uncover your own creative style and how to express it in your own unique way
grow your creative confidence with simple step by step projects that build on each other
move past fears and overcome creative blocks ~ never fear a blank canvas again!
be inspired by a diverse range of other artists, both contemporary and historical
learn how making art can be integrated into a busy life
create several paintings, including your own unique self-expressive painting on canvas to hang in your home {the first of many!}

“A favorite aspect was the VARIETY of techniques and activities you offered. That really opened me up to the range of what’s possible. A definite equally favorite thing is your style/attitude about it all. No pressure, so supportive and encouraging, very playful – perfect! ”
Julie Lichty, USA

About the teacher

I’m Tara, and I’ve been making and studying art, and exploring my own creativity for most of my life, with a hiatus in the middle that taught me a lot about what it means to lose touch with that part of yourself and how that can impact your life.

Since rediscovering my creative self as part of recovery from long term depression, I am keen to share with you all the ways I’ve found that art can bring fulfilment and joy to our daily lives.

Whether you’re wanting to heal in some way, are curious about your own creative self, or simply want to do something fun and relaxing, making art and seeing the world in a more creative way is incredibly rewarding.

My teaching style is very focused on fostering creative courage and confidence. I aim to provide a space in which you feel safe to try new things and see where they take you.

Even though there is no live component to this course, by having access to the private Facebook group for all students of my courses, you will be able to receive feedback and support and not be left completely on your own.

There are no grades, no assessments, and no one looking sternly over your shoulder; this is not school!

Art is a tool for us. It’s like a secret code to unlock the things we all desire most in our lives; joy, fulfilment, peace, confidence, pleasure, love, fun, ease, flow. Students find that exploring and uncovering their creativity in this way has unexpected knock on effects in other areas of their lives.

You will begin to open your eyes to what creativity really means, in ways that you will be able to apply in everyday life.

What's Included in the Course

Each week will focus on a different area and will build on the week before.

Week One: Introduction, Connection & Warm Up Week

You’ll learn about ways to connect to your creative self and get started with some fun and easy warm up drawings. We will also talk about the kinds of things that can come up when we start exploring our creativity, such as resistance, and what we can do about them to make the experience smoother and more fun.

Week Two: Hunting & Gathering

This week we’ll be learning to see the world like an artist. We’ll look at all sorts of ways to find and collect inspiration, both on and offline. There will be exploration of tools and using images for reference so you always have a ready supply of inspiration available.

Week Three: Laying Foundations

This week we’ll start to look at ways to create backgrounds for paintings, exploring different types of media to express ourselves creatively, and to easily bypass ‘Blank Canvas Syndrome’. We’ll look at texture and collage, and see how some other artists approach this.

Week Four: The Language of Colour

We’ll be focusing on colour as a means of expression, rather than ‘getting it right’ through colour theory, although there will be a touch of this just to give you some context and familiarity with colour. We’ll look at our personal colour preferences and language, and explore ways to use it in our work.

Week Five: The Power of Words

This week is about using words in our art to create meaning and express ourselves, including more difficult feelings. We’ll look at artists who use words in their paintings and explore ways to incorporate them into our own work.

Week Six: Weaving it Together

Time to pull together everything we’ve learned into a complete painting on canvas. I will create one alongside you so it won’t be so scary! We’ll look at building a concept for a painting, how to bring it to life, and what to do if we meet any challenges in the process.

This course (plus lots more)
is available inside the
Happy Artist Studio!
Click here to learn more.

Valued at £99

{approx. $130 USD}

30 simple, clear, and fun lessons to take you gently through the process of reconnecting to your inner artist
Downloadable videos, slideshows, and PDFs you can keep forever
Immediate full access to the course classrooom for as long as you're a member
A doorway into a wonderful land of art!

Visit the Happy Artist Studio

Want an experience of the course?

Click the image below for a free sample lesson!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

If you consider yourself a creative or artistic beginner, this class is for you. Anyone who doesn’t consider themselves creative {but would really like to be}, or who hasn’t produced anything artistic since childhood, or is keen to start but overwhelmed by the possibilities and doesn’t know where to begin, will all get a good grounding in the basics of artistic and creative self expression here.

Please note that this is not a ‘how to’ course; although I share techniques and demonstrations, the focus is on art as a form of self expression and discovering what that means for you, and as such there are no formulas to follow, no ‘how to paint like me’. The lessons are simple, colourful and easy, designed to be springboards into discovering what makes you excited about making art.

When does the course start?

The course is instant access inside the Happy Artist Studio, so it’s available whenever you are ready to begin! You will have access for as long as you're a member, so there is no rush to ‘keep up’ if life things happen along the way.

Does it matter what part of the world I’m in?

Not at all! Because the class is online, you can access the classroom at any time. All the lessons are available and ready in an easy to digest format; you can check in whenever you like and pick the pace that suits you.

How much time will I need for lessons and assignments?

The daily lessons are mostly under twenty minutes to read and watch. I have set it up so you can spend as much or as little time as you like on each assignment, but as a very general idea I’d allow half an hour or so minimum to really find your groove. {Some days will be shorter, some a little longer.}

As with anything, the more you put in, the more you will receive from the experience; I have found this to be true from the {many!} ecourses I’ve taken as a student.

What materials will I need?

I have aimed to keep materials to a minimum as I’m aware that when you’re starting out the choice can be overwhelming and can quickly become expensive. The link to the materials list will be available on registration, as will a pdf of the list with explanations. If you already have a selection of art supplies, you’ll most likely be all set.

How are payments handled?

Payments are securely processed via Stripe. You will be able to pay by credit or debit card at the check out. Currency is automatically converted for you.

I’m not a beginner, but I could really use a creative spark to get me going again. Would this class work for me?

If you have lost your creative mojo this course could definitely help kick start you into a regular creative practice, especially if you are looking to use art as a form of self expression rather than as a formal skill. Bear in mind it really is a ‘back to basics’ course so if you’re looking to learn specific new or advanced techniques then this isn’t the course for you.

Got a different question? Keen but hesitating? Click here to talk to me about it.

“You helped me to revive my passion for creativity. I particularly appreciated the way your course is conducted, the way you taught us, step by step, so many aspects of art. You helped me also to deal with some of my fears and doubts and to be more intuitive. That’s enormous!”
Sophie K, Creative Spark Student

What Students Are Saying

“I feel very pleased to have made this time to honour my creativity and to explore an area that I had very little experience of. There were some ‘breakthrough’ moments and also moments of pure experience where I was totally focused and energised by what I was doing. Somehow I managed to find time in my busy life to focus on this and I feel better for it.

It was a soul enriching experience, full of gentle insights and practical ideas.  It was a lovely way to dive fully into my creativity and to reflect on what makes me tick, what inspires me, and also where do I have blocks, where am I critical of myself and what can I do to get my ‘flow’ back when I lose it.”

Bridget W, UK

“Before beginning of the course I felt nervous and insecure about my creativity. Now I feel excited! I love the videos where we get to see you working. It is so inspiring to see another artist work and to see the beginning steps of a drawing or painting and watch it develop from a rough idea into something beautiful and complete.

I have loved this class. It’s really helped me take a look at what might become my signature style or at least the style I want to explore.”

Donna Druchunas, USA

“I felt kind of creative before I started the course... I get a wonderful dose of it through my photography... But I was absolutely longing to do something more, and something physical... hand to paper, paint to canvas... and longing to express my creativity in a different way. And, I wanted to expand my sense of creativity… feel it in different ways, explore it.

I feel delighted by what I discovered and learned and achieved! Absolutely delighted! I feel braver, more confident, less daunted by mistakes and things going, what I would have called, awry. A little more trusting, I’d say. ”

Juli Lyons, Canada

“Before the course I felt my creativity days in terms of drawing and painting were done. I had metaphorically “packed away” and given up on this aspect of myself. I feel much differently about it now, I feel connected to it, I do feel “sparked”. I loved your videos, they were just perfect, not too short but not too long either, very simple and clear to understand.”

Debbi Jackson, UK

"Because your Creative Spark class sparked me SO much, I began a new practice of a daily 'creative happy hour'. My intent is to allow an hour each day, late afternoon, to dabble and play creatively. So far, so good! Wine optional ;-).”

Julie Lichty, USA

"I like these gentle steps you are taking with us; there is exploration and play, nothing feels forced or pressured.”

Stephanie Holden, USA

“It’s such a wonderful balance you picked between inspirational posts and “work exercises”… it really feels like the perfect pace to follow.”

Nicole Meisters, Germany

“Before the course I never seemed to have time for creativity, and was always putting it off; I see now it was because of an underlying fear. Now I’m giving it time and space in my life; I’m less critical about my work, it’s more fun and I look forward to the experience rather than dreading it. Tara’s video lessons were amazing! Loved watching her at work and learnt so much about the process, giving me permission to try new things myself.”

Janet L, UK

"Absolutely recommended for anyone who have a niggling feeling they have a creative side but have been scared to explore before. Tara is an amazing person and she will hold your hand through the gentle unfurling of your creativity. This is the woman that got me to paint.”

Akiyo, Scotland

"Play is not a specific activity, it is a state of mind."

Jo Collyer, Creative Spark Student, Australia

Return to taraleaver.com

Think you’re not an artist?Prepare to surprise yourself!