Earlier this month, I hosted an art class at SHARE Community’s ‘fun activity week’, and it turned out to be one of the most uplifting and rewarding sessions we’ve had together. The theme was clockmaking, not from a technical or mechanical standpoint, but from a place of creativity, self-expression and mindfulness.
Setting the Scene
We began with simple round wooden bases, each with a hole drilled neatly through the centre, waiting to become something more. Before diving into colour and design, I led a few gentle pastoral questions to open up conversation and connection.
Once everyone felt relaxed and grounded, we moved into a Chinese health exercise known as Paida Lajin (tapping therapy) - a traditional practice of light rhythmic tapping to stimulate energy flow and support the body’s organs. It was a beautiful way to release tension and bring our focus into the present moment before creating.
Creative Freedom
With that energy set, the room came alive with colour and imagination. There were no rules, just freedom of expression. Acrylic paints, metallic sprays, stencils, stickers, and glued-on wooden shapes and numbers transformed each blank circle into something full of life and personality.
Some participants painted national flag colours, others explored colourful abstract designs, stencilled patterns, or playfully experimented with texture and tone. The creative freedom was contagious.
Soft piano and guitar music filled the background, creating a calm yet quietly charged atmosphere, the kind of space where creativity flows naturally. Paint-stained hands and laughter filled the room. It was a messy, liberating, and joyful kind of chaos.
Bringing Time to Life
When the paint had dried, everyone chose their clock hands and mechanisms. I helped fix them in place, and with a satisfying click, each piece suddenly came to life. A working clock, ticking softly, marking a moment in time that was both creative and communal.
Watching everyone’s reaction was the highlight. The realisation that they’d not only made something beautiful, but also functional, brought huge smiles and a genuine sense of pride. A few even made extra clocks as gifts for friends and family.
A Reminder in Time
It was a fulfilling, hands-on day that blended art, energy, mindfulness, and practical craftsmanship. Beyond the paint and wood, we created something deeper - a reminder that time itself is what we make of it, and that beauty often appears when we allow freedom, fun, and a little bit of mess.