Budding Monets and Busy Hands: Why Creativity Matters at Good Company
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Last week we held the first session of The Thursday Art Club at Blossom and Bean in Rotherfield.
The group spent around two hours exploring Monet style impressionism with artist Gabriel Knollys before sitting down together for lunch and conversation in the café. Being in a public space also meant other visitors stopped to say hello and see what the group were working on, which added to the friendly atmosphere.
It is hard not to feel a little creative when you are at Blossom and Bean. Set within the Highgate Florist nursery, it is surrounded by flowers and plants and has a lovely relaxed atmosphere. It is the perfect place for a group of budding Monets to pick up a brush and see what happens.
The sessions now run weekly on Thursdays from 11am to 2pm. Each session costs £15, with lunch ordered and paid for separately at the café. Booking is essential as spaces are limited.
The launch of The Thursday Art Club is part of a growing focus on creativity across our clubs.
Last Month we also launched The Tuesday Craft Club at The Crow and Gate. It has already proved to be a much loved club under Sue’s expert guidance. The atmosphere is relaxed and creative, with coffee and conversation flowing as everyone works on their projects. We are well looked after by Kat and her team, and The Crow and Gate provides a warm and welcoming setting for the afternoon.
Both of these clubs offer something slightly different. They create space for people to spend time focusing on a creative activity alongside others, whether that is painting, stitching, making cards or trying something new.
Creativity has always been part of what happens at Good Company. At The Saturday Company Club and The Tuesday Lunch Club there are often moments where people are decorating biscuits, arranging flowers, singing together or joining in with seasonal crafts. These activities sit naturally within the flow of the club.
The Thursday Art Club and The Tuesday Craft Club simply give people a little more time to concentrate on those activities.
Why does this matter?
Creative activity engages many parts of the brain at once. When people paint, stitch, draw or make something with their hands, they are planning, observing, adjusting and responding. The brain is constantly making connections between memory, movement and visual thinking.
Research shows that activities like art, music and craft can help support brain plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to form and strengthen connections over time. This kind of stimulation becomes especially valuable as we get older.
Music has been studied widely for its effect on the brain. Scientists have found that musical activity activates large areas of the brain at once, connecting memory, movement and emotion. Even when language becomes more difficult, musical response often remains strong. People may still recognise a tune, hum along or respond physically to rhythm.
Visual creativity works in similar ways. Painting, drawing or making something allows people to express ideas and feelings without needing to find the right words. It also offers a sense of focus and satisfaction that is often missing from more passive activities.
Just as importantly, creativity helps people connect with one another.
When people are working on something side by side, conversation tends to flow more easily. There is less pressure to speak and more space to simply share the experience. Someone might admire a colour choice, comment on a piece of stitching or laugh about something that did not quite go to plan.
Those small moments are often where friendships grow.
Creativity can take many forms. It might be painting a landscape, stitching a pattern, singing along to a favourite song, decorating a cake, planting herbs or arranging flowers. What matters is not the end result but the act of doing something.
That is why creativity appears across many of our clubs. Music, movement, craft and art all offer ways for people to stay curious, expressive and connected.
We are also grateful to the local venues that make these clubs possible. Spaces like Blossom and Bean and The Crow and Gate do far more than simply host us. They create welcoming community environments where our members can spend time in ordinary public settings, surrounded by conversation, warmth and everyday life.
As our programme continues to grow, creativity will remain an important part of what we do.
Not because everyone needs to become an artist, but because making something, learning something and sharing that experience with others is a simple and powerful way to spend time together.
Blossom and Bean is a welcoming café set within the Highgate Florist nursery near Rotherfield, surrounded by flowers, plants and glasshouses. It provides a calm and inspiring setting for our Thursday Art Club.
The Crow and Gate is a much loved country pub just outside Crowborough, known for its warm welcome, beautiful surroundings and excellent food.
We are very grateful to both venues for supporting The Good Company People and hosting our regular clubs.
