Workshops
A selected collection of workshops is presented below, offering a glimpse into a broader body of programming developed over the years. While not exhaustive, these examples highlight a diverse range of experiences designed to engage participants through creative exploration, collaboration, and skill development. With a strong emphasis on creativity, exploration, and wellness through the arts, each workshop is thoughtfully structured to help participants connect with their inner artist while remaining accessible to a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and skill levels.
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Workshops have been delivered to participants ranging from children as young as four to adults well into their senior years. Each experience can be tailored to suit the needs of the group or individual. Offerings range from professional development sessions focused on building a sustainable arts practice to collaborative, large-scale art projects created with children.
The Business of Creativity Masterclass
2025 | Art Society of Kingsville
The Business of Creativity Masterclass by Christy Litster was a practical, four-week program designed to help creatives turn their ideas into sustainable, goal-driven work. It was open to all experience levels. The course combined creative development with real-world business knowledge.
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Participants followed a clear, structured progression. They began with foundational skills such as CV writing, communication, and budgeting. From there, they learned how to manage time, set goals, and run projects more effectively. The program then introduced marketing strategies, including data use, audience connection, and visual storytelling. In the final stage, participants focused on professional tools like quoting, invoicing, and portfolio building.
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The program supported both creative identity and business confidence. It included optional one-on-one mentorship for personalized guidance. It concluded with participant presentations that highlighted individual work and future goals. Overall, it provided creatives with the clarity, structure, and tools needed to grow their practice in a focused and sustainable way.
Arts Wellness Workshops
2023-Current | House of Sophrosyne
The Arts Wellness Workshops at House of Sophrosyne are designed to support women in addiction recovery by offering meaningful, creative pathways for expression. Delivered once every five weeks (one workshop per cohort) these sessions create a supportive environment where participants can explore their thoughts and emotions through art, regardless of prior experience.
Each workshop introduces accessible, intuitive techniques that gently guide participants into creative flow. These include automatic writing and sketching, drawing the breath, and Zentangle-inspired pattern work. The experience concludes with the creation of a finished neurographic artwork, allowing each participant to leave with a tangible reflection of their process. Through a balance of humour, encouragement, and creative exploration, participants are supported in building confidence and reconnecting with their inner artist.
The program was rooted in a 2022 collaboration with Art Windsor Essex, where a five-week mural project was developed alongside women in treatment. During that time, weekly intuitive art sessions focused on mixed media techniques and lowering barriers to creative participation. The sense of safety, expression, and connection that emerged had a lasting positive impact on both participants and the organization.
Following the success of the initial project, House of Sophrosyne secured funding to expand the program into a dedicated arts wellness offering. What began as a grant-supported initiative evolved into an ongoing partnership, with the workshops continuing as a permanent part of their programming. This work has remained a deeply meaningful opportunity to share the healing potential of creativity in a supportive setting.
Creative Business Bootcamp
2024 | Art Windsor-Essex
The Creative Business Bootcamp was a four-week professional development series presented in partnership with Art Windsor-Essex, the region’s foremost public gallery. The program focused on the practical side of building a sustainable art practice. Each week explored a different area of creative business, including marketing, portfolio development, project management, funding opportunities, and positioning within the arts sector.
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Participants came from a wide range of disciplines, including visual artists, musicians, and makers. This diversity created a dynamic and engaging environment that encouraged collaboration, shared learning, and meaningful connection within the local arts community. A key focus of the program was fostering a sense of support and openness, allowing participants to learn not only from the material but also from one another.
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In addition to the group sessions, the program included two one-on-one mentorship opportunities. These sessions gave participants the chance to discuss their individual challenges, receive tailored feedback, and develop clear strategies for moving forward in their creative careers.
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The Creative Business Bootcamp was developed by Art Windsor-Essex and funded through a Libro Grant. It was offered free of charge, ensuring accessibility for artists at all stages of their practice, regardless of financial barriers. Overall, the program provided both practical tools and a strong sense of community, supporting participants in building confidence and clarity in their creative work.
The Creative Child Summer Camp and Arts Mentorship Program
2024 | Windsor Endowment for the Arts Grant & Art Windsor-Essex
The Creative Child Summer Camp and Mentorship Program was developed and delivered in partnership with Art Windsor-Essex. The project combined youth engagement with mentorship, bringing together large-scale collaboration and guided creative exploration within a gallery setting.
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Over the course of five days, more than 400 children from the Greater Essex County District School Board participated in the program. Drawing inspiration from the gallery’s Love Languages exhibit, students created individual works that explored themes of connection, expression, and care. These pieces contributed to a larger collective project titled Tapestry of Love, reflecting the voices and creativity of the participating youth.
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A key component of the program was a paid mentorship opportunity. Hailey Smeltzer was hired as a mentee and worked closely alongside Christy Litster from start to finish. The program was intentionally structured to provide hands-on experience in large-scale project creation and facilitation. Mentorship and the sharing of professional knowledge and process were central to the experience, grounded in a strong belief in the importance of fairly compensating artists for their time and contributions.
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Christy Litster was awarded the Windsor Endowment for the Arts Carolyne Rourke Visual Arts Infrastructure Grant at the 2024 WEAs, which supported the development and delivery of this initiative.
Art Swap with Christy Litster and the Teen Arts Council
2023 | Art Windsor-Essex
This collaborative workshop invited participants to create by exchanging and building upon one another’s artwork. The process encouraged exploration of how ideas shift through multiple perspectives, highlighting the value of collaboration and shared interpretation within a community setting. Each contribution played a role in shaping the final multi-media pieces, reinforcing a sense of collective creativity.
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Participants were guided through intuitive art-making using a variety of materials, with an emphasis on experimentation, openness, and creative play. The workshop fostered an inclusive environment where individuals could engage freely, connect with others, and enjoy the creative process alongside friends, family, and the broader community.
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The AWE Teen Arts Council is a youth-led group of teens aged 14–17 from across Windsor-Essex. The council is dedicated to creating programs for teens, by teens. Through their involvement, participants connect with fellow artists and creatives, take part in workshops and events, and engage in volunteer opportunities both at Art Windsor-Essex and within the wider community.
Artist Feature on "W.E. Creates" on YourTV Windsor
2022 & 2023 | YourTV Windsor
Christy Litster was invited to participate in W.E. Creates on YourTV Windsor (Cogeco Cable), a series that highlights local artists and artisans by exploring creative skills through hands-on demonstration. The program featured a collaborative format, where host Greg Gnyp engaged directly in the creative process, guided by each featured artist.
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Christy appeared on the program twice, sharing accessible, process-driven techniques rooted in intuitive art-making. In one appearance, the focus was on mixed media approaches, encouraging spontaneous expression and exploration. In the second, a seasonal feature centered on creating handcrafted paper roses, combining simple materials with thoughtful design. Each session emphasized creativity, approachability, and the value of learning through doing, while offering viewers an engaging look into the artistic process.
Additional Workshops
2022-Present
2026 | ArtBridge: Mural Workshop | Arts Society of Kingsville
The final workshop in the ArtBridge series, bringing together children (ages 4–12) and seniors (55+) to collaboratively create a 3 ft x 12 ft beach-themed mural inspired by Kingsville’s waterfront, featuring the phrase “Create Together.”
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2025 | Matboard Mosaics | Olde Riverside Business Improvement Association
A free public workshop held at Bergeron Art + Frame where participants created unique, layered matboard mosaic artworks.
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2022–2023 | Weekends in the Studio | Art Windsor-Essex
Facilitated multiple sessions of a 4-weekend workshop series, offering drop-in visitors hands-on experience with a variety of art techniques led by professional artists.
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2023 | Kid's Zone Art Booth – Art in the Park | Art Windsor-Essex
Led interactive arts and crafts activities for hundreds of children at the Rotary Club of Windsor’s large-scale Art in the Park event.
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2023 | Expressive Intuitive Art Workshop | Personal Workshop
Delivered a mixed media workshop at Sho Art Studios combining video, sound, movement, and meditation to inspire intuitive and expressive art-making.
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2022 | Private Christmas Party Art Studio | Art Windsor-Essex
Facilitated a drop-in art studio experience for over 400 attendees during a private corporate holiday event at the gallery.
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2022 | Mural Project & Intuitive Art Workshops | Art Windsor-Essex & House of Sophrosyne
Led a series of workshops with women in recovery, combining mural creation with intuitive art sessions to support creative exploration and wellness.