Experience the Creativity at Joy Walker Studios

Art.Soul.Journey. is an immersive day painting ceremony and workshop designed by therapist Ember Lynn and artist Erika ‘Joy’ Walker to empower our own inner healer with creative tools for transformation. 

This full day workshop is guided and full of practices to help us move out of our linear thinking perspectives to allow for new possibilities beyond our habitual perceptions. Focusing on a challenging point of stuck emotion or story, we will go into where this story lives in our body, and listen.. stepping out of words and into symbols and feeling to witness and allow for new possibility. 

Each of us will commemorate the day with our own unique painting as a map and unique doorway to empower and remind us of our inner beauty and resources.

This isn't about painting a pretty picture, although that will likely be a byproduct. It's about new tools to wield for self awareness by bringing these parts of you into light, they no longer run unconscious but have an opportunity to shift how you experience.

The day begins with an opening circle set in nature to share and set intentions. We will move into our bodies with breath and movement before exploring some right-brain playful practices to get out of our linear mind with drawing exercises. 

A guided mediation will help us to journey within ourselves, and draw out what desires to be seen and loved by you. 

There will be space for journal reflection before we greet our blank canvases and begin a dialogue in form, symbol and color. Joy will guide you through a layering technique bringing us from the shadows, into the light and color as you trust your own inner guidance along the way.

THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU IF:

 *You if you are feeling blocked, stuck, playing out the same old story and wanting to discover new ways out.

*You want to begin a creative practice and do not know where to start.

*You feel limited by judgement, self criticism, perfectionism.

*You are seeking to bring awareness to unconscious patterns and connect with body and inner vision to bring these to light

*You have conflicting feelings with grief and want tools to move through and honor these feelings.

*You are curious of new tools for self awareness and what to do with what you find

*You desire to deepen a creative practice

WHY? 

We are so passionate about this work because these practices have impacted our own journey of self awareness, transformation, and growth!

Erika 'Joy’ walker

​"I believe every human is an artist." 

For Joy Walker, painting is more than a technical skill; it is a modality for self-awareness and transformation. Through her study of Mischtechnik (the art of layering light and shadow), Joy has developed a unique "emotional alchemy" that helps students move through blocks and connect with their deepest source.

​Having settled in Winston-Salem after a ten-year journey, Joy now opens her practice to the community. Her workshops combine her background in yoga and energy work with "right-brain play," guiding participants to find a dialogue with their inner selves through symbols and color. Whether in a one-on-one creative counsel or a group session on the land, Joy’s mission is to help you bring the unspoken out onto the canvas, retelling your story and sifting for the beauty within the mystery.

Ember Lynn

“I believe that healing happens when we stop abandoning ourselves and start listening instead”

For Ember Lynn, this work is about creating a grounded, compassionate space with a body, nervous system, and soul can come back into alignment. Drawing from her background and mental health, somatic awareness, and energy work, Amber supports participants and gently uncovering what’s beneath the surface. It might be grief, truth, desire, and the parts of themselves that have been waiting to be seen.

Her approach is not about fixing, but about witnessing an integrating. Through guided reflection, presence, and embodied awareness, Amber helps others move from self-awareness into real, live change, so so they can reconnect with the truth and feel more at home within themselves.

Together, we will create a sacred container for play, discovery, and transformation.

​1. Do I need to be a "real" artist to attend?

Not at all. This practice isn't about technical skill or creating a masterpiece for a gallery; it’s about using color and movement as a language for your inner self. If you can hold a brush and remain curious, you have all the "talent" you need.

​2. How is this different from a standard art class or a therapy session?

A traditional art class focuses on the result (the painting). Therapy focuses on the verbal (the talk). Our workshop lives in the middle. We use the "right-brain play" of painting to access parts of our experience that words often miss, creating a physical map of your emotional journey.

​3. What exactly is a "somatic" practice?

"Somatic" simply means "of the body." Often, we carry stress or "stuck" emotions physically. By combining guided meditation with painting, we check in with what your body is feeling and use the canvas to move that energy outward, making it easier to see and understand.

​4. Is the barn difficult to get to?

We are located just 10 minutes east of downtown Winston-Salem near Walkertown/Kernersville. While we feel worlds away in terms of peace and privacy, the drive is straightforward. We provide a detailed map and directions to all registered guests to ensure you arrive stressed-free.

There are stairs to get into the barn, for those with handicap access concerns, reach out to us directly.

​5. Will I have to share my "stuck parts" with the whole group? While we work in a shared space, the dialogue you have with your painting is personal. There are opportunities for you to share "your story" if you feel led, but there is never any pressure to disclose the details of your process.

Host your next event at Joy Walker Studios. Our unique and creative spaces provide the perfect backdrop for weddings, parties, and more.