many arts studio

(: you are welcome :)

here, now, we belong
in simple being and creating.

Many Arts Studio

A nurturing space dedicated to the artist in each and every one of us.Through the infinite expressions and possibilities of art,We greet, inspire and walk each other into the wonderful unfolding mystery, aka life we are in together.

what's on

  • 1:1 Psychotherapy & support

  • Play dates with guest artists

  • Sunday Makers Circle

  • Many arts open mic

  • Professionals play & learn

your host

WEIYU
Creative Arts Therapist,
Registered Nursenature lover, life explorer,
therapeutic arts practitioner,
artistic companion,
worldworker-in-the-making

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"Intellectual work sometimes, spiritual work certainly, artistic work always - these are forces that fall within its grasp, forces that must travel beyond the realm of the hour and the restraint of the habit.... In truth, the work itself is the adventure.... The extraordinary is what art is about."- Mary Oliver, "Of Power and Time", from Upstream: Selected Essays

"This place could be beautiful,
right? You could make this place beautiful."- Maggie Smith, "Good Bones" from Waxwing

Many Arts studio

Many Arts Studio is situated at the rear of 774 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, respectfully sharing the one building with other wonderful creatives.

We are well supported by public transport (tram 16 & Glenferrie Station), ample parking, and many offers of modern happiness: Kōri Ice Cream, Lido Cinema, Samurai and Hawthorn Arts Centre, just to name a few.

Originally an empty dusty shell, the space has been patiently aired, cleansed and warmed up by many thoughtful touches and loving blessings from yours truly and friends near and far.

We are excited to welcome you all into the studio and for you to make your own artistic marks and discoveries in this shared sacred space.

We imagine Many Arts Studio to be a nurturing home for all the unique artists within us; a living piece of community art; and an open expression of our continuous growth and integration - being held in community.

“What if we became curious with this free time,
& had no agenda other than to experience being?
What if you created art for the sake of creating?
What if you allowed yourself to rest & cry & laugh
& play & get curious about whatever arises in you?What if our true purpose is in this space?”- Emma Zeck

"You, sent out beyond your recall,
go to the limits of your longing."- Rainer Maria Rilke, translated by Joanna Macy, from Book of Hours, I 59

what's on

1:1 Psychotherapy & Support

1:1 psychotherapy & support sessions are available at Many Arts Studio by appointment. I welcome opportunities to work with all individuals aged 7 and above who are drawn to a therapeutic environment which

  • is dedicated to exploration, creativity, play and rest

  • supports mindful awareness in the present moment

  • invites engagement and integration of all faculties in our body

  • nurtures our innate capacity for connection, reparation and growth

  • respects the many different ways, layers and possibilities of our being in the world

My special interests are in the support of

  • Child-led play

  • Neurodivergence

  • Spirituality and wellbeing

  • Chronic mental health conditions

  • Cultural, intergenerational & identity inquiries

  • Integration of non-ordinary states experiences

FeesSliding scale between $100-$160 per 1-hour session.
Please decide the amount you can afford - no questions asked - prior to our first session. This amount will stay the same for the entirety of our sessions together.

I am happy to offer concessions to 2 active clients at any given time. Please get in touch for a discussion if you are experiencing financial difficulties, and would like to access my therapy and support services.

I am a service provider for NDIS participants who are self or plan managed. At Many Arts Studio, we may charge up to $193.99 per hour as set out by NDIA and under the following line items:

       15 _ 610 _ 0128 _ 1 _ 3 Assessment, Recommendation, Therapy or Training - Art Therapist
       15 _ 005 _ 0118 _ 1 _ 3 Capacity Building Supports for Early Childhood Interventions - Other Therapy
       04 _ 210 _ 0125 _ 6 _ 1 – Community, Social and Recreational Activities (for groups only)
AddressThe Rear of 774 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, Vic 3122
Entrance is from the cobbled back alley of Glenferrie Rd.

To learn more about me and my therapeutic approach, please visit here.
To get in touch, please fill out the form below.

Play dates with guest artists

Special dates with special people who come to teach, share, collaborate and PLAY with us in their beloved art and craft.

Cyanotype Playdates

“Cyanotype is the one art form that allows me to fully relax into play.”
- Linda“All so magical, economical & accessible - a simple miracle to us all.”
- Weiyu

Dear friend Linda and I love hosting cyanotype playdates at the studio, where we get to co-create beautiful images with the mighty iron salts, water and sun, and be enchanted by magical changes of colour and shape all along.Each cyanotype playdate goes for 3 hours, and is self-paced (you may complete as many or as few as you can in the session). There are a maximum of 4 participants, plus Linda the cyanotype master teacher, and Weiyu your host/caretaker. Humble afternoon tea is included. All materials supplied.In the Beginners playdate, you will be gently guided through the magical process of cyanotype from scratch, so you will be able to do it again at home. You will create beautiful blue botanical prints using dry, wet, and layering techniques on different art paper. Everyone is welcome to join, no experience necessary.In the more challenging Next-Step playdate, you will continue to build on your basic cyanotype knowledge and skills, and learn how to turn your own photos into cyanotype and how to print cyanotype on fabric.For a feel of our cyanotype workshops, take a look here.

"I felt I was among friends and I learned a lot.""The workshop really got my mind buzzing with creative possibilities for cyanotype and more.""The cyanotype workshop was well organised in Many Arts Studio with everything prepared that we needed, including the sensitising chemicals, brushes, art paper and pressed and unpressed plants. We learnt about the history of cyanotype and completed several pieces of our own trying different techniques while feeling that the pace was relaxed and even therapeutic. We had a pleasant break for afternoon tea and left feeling inspired to try more of this historic yet still contemporary art form."- Participants Feedback

Are you interested in updates on upcoming play dates?
Would you like to host a special date at Many Arts Studio?
Do you know any special arty people who might be interested in sharing their gifts with us?Please send me a message below!

sundays at many arts

We are all makers here and we believe we all have much to gain from making together.Join us for a lovely Sunday Makers Circle at the cosy embrace of Many Arts Studio, and let's make space for gentle creative flow for ourselves and one another.Makers Circles are free and open to everyone who enjoys the group intention and structure.Bookings are essential.Find out more, and book via: https://events.humanitix.com/makers

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Many arts open mic

Come join the celebration of all walks of artists and all forms of art.
Bring your talents, creations and special presence to share with our Many Arts community :D

Please register your interest below!

Professionals play & learn

Calling all mental health professionals, whether we are recognised by "the system" or not!The greatest knowledge, skills, insight and nourishment will always come from our coming together: to share, listen, learn, play and co-create with each other.Are you a believer too?Let's join forces, and be inspired and supported by the many arts!

Please register your interest below!

"Sit. Feast on your life."- Derek Walcott, "Love After Love", from his Collected Poems: 1948–1984

"Because I, too,
needed a place
to hold me."- Ocean Vuong, "Essay on Craft", from Poetry (July/August 2017)

your host

who I am

I am Weiyu, your host at Many Arts Studio.

I make a living as a creative arts therapist and a mental health nurse. I hope to always bring my love of art and community to all that I do, no matter my job titles or social roles.

I am an avid explorer of different art forms and embodiment practices. I love poetry, clown, crochet, freeform embroidery, voicework, and ensemble music practice with my 3/4 size classical guitar.

I believe that when art/therapy "works well", it nurtures us, opens us to surprises, brightens up our life, frees our spirit, and ultimately, returns us home: to our uniquely intelligent and whimsical self; to the world around us; and to the great mystery of life.

I worked clinically as a nurse before stumbling upon the field of therapeutic arts. Working simultaneously in both professions, I have developed an insight into both camps and their intersection. My particular interest is in bridging Art (the experiential) and Science (the conceptual) for the health and well-being across society.

I greatly value and actively seek out learning, connection and collaboration with other artists and healthcare workers who are practicing ethically with humility and diligence in their own courageous way beyond the contemporary dichotomy and power dynamics between the so-called classical/clinical and the alternatives.

As a dual role mental health professional, I am deeply grateful and honoured for the opportunities to walk alongside others and to witness their unique ways of being in the world.

At heart, I look forward to a future where therapy sessions are no longer needed, but strong communities are capable of holding space for each of us to heal and grow.

May we become part of the ripples of collective healing.

May we belong eternally to our true sense of self.

And may we belong together in the world.

How I Work

I work from a deep trust in human connection and in the ever-present (though often unseen) web of nature that supports us.

I value you as the artist in your own life (even if you're afraid of being creative or don't relate yourself to art), and I apply myself to be your artistic companion.

I am committed to walking steadily alongside you with respect, honesty, curiosity, and compassion.

I am committed to being fully present with your stories, my own noticings and responses, and the feel in the space between and around us.

My intention is to host a safe and nurturing space for you to experience and express yourself fully, so that you may slowly - yes, it takes considerable time and commitment and, it will be worth it! - unburden yourself from lifelong conditioning, and that you may also come into closer contact with and befriend the different aspects and the whole of yourself.

I pay particular attention in the ongoing cultivation of our self-understanding and self-compassion, which I have come to recognise as the groundwork for tapping into our inner and outer resources in order to move through times of conflict, stagnation and transition, and to live a life of connection and joy.

To assist with your process, I invite all faculties of our body and different materials (both natural and artificial) and art forms into the space as our powerful allies. This highly experiential, creative, and mindful process calls in a childlike or beginner's mind from us, and encourages us to stay curious and learn.

I believe that we all make perfect sense as fellow humans crossing paths in the world, even if our recall of life has seemed very disjointed or fragmented. Social Science, Psychology, Medicine and Psychiatry, despite their ongoing efforts, strong voice and usefulness, are only attempting to articulate parts of the ever-shifting and delicately nuanced spectrum of human experiences and relationships. But ourselves are capable of becoming the true expert of our own life.

Therefore I offer no solutions, interpretation or advice, but a deep trust in our inner wisdom - because it can bring us to something that's even more beautiful than what we could ever imagine.

Yes, I seek to follow your inner wisdom through a lens of inquiry. I bear witness to your unique path with the utmost sensitivity, attention and care. I bring skills to support your awareness of your own nature and realities. I also share insights into practicing the many forms of therapeutic arts to nourish, ground and balance ourselves in the face of the many seemingly opposing realities of us humans being alive.

Influences on my approach

  • Buddhist and Taoist philosophies

  • Phenomenology, Intersubjectivity and Existentialism

  • Focusing - Eugene Gendlin

  • Nonviolent Communication - Marshall Rosenberg

  • Structural Integration/Rolfing - Mary Bond

  • Fitzmaurice Voicework - Catherine Fitzmaurice

  • The Open Studio Process - Pat Allen

  • Process-Oriented Psychology - Amy & Arnold Mindell

  • Internal Family Systems - Richard Schwartz

  • The MIECAT Form of Inquiry

  • Marcela Ot’alora & Bruce Poulter

  • Jon Kabat-Zinn, Dan Siegel, Richard Davidson

  • Miranda Tufnell, Chris Crickmay, Daria Halprin, Janet Adler

  • Nona Orbach, Suzanne Axelsson, Denita Dinger

  • Poetry, crochet, clown, music ensemble practice

  • and many many more...

My Qualifications

  • Masters in Therapeutic Arts Practice 
    - Melbourne Institute for Experiential and Creative Arts Therapy

  • Master of Nursing Science
    - University of Melbourne

  • Bachelor of Environments
    - University of Melbourne

My Professional Registrations

  • Professional member of ANZACATA
    (The Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association)

  • AHPRA - Registered Nurse

"May your imagination know
The grace of perfect danger,To reach beyond imitation,
And the wheel of repetition,Deep into the call of all
The unfinished and unsolvedUntil the veil of the unknown yields
And something original begins
To stir toward your senses
And grow stronger in your heart"- John O'Donohue, "For the Artist at the Start of Day", from To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings