I love projects like this… Taking a shabby wooden box and turning it into a beautiful little pocket shine. Why does turning this plain item into something embellished and creative tickle me so much?

Prompted by Sana Asad, an art teacher in Bahrain, I answer some of her questions about my life and work for her students.

A magical sensory world designed in consultation with Access ability Australia, families and carers of additional needs children to soothe and delight families at large events and festivals. Here you see it set up outdoors at Knox Festival where hundreds of families visited and spent time with us, exploring the unique creatively presented sensory rich experience.

Using textile, recycled materials, paint and stitchery this unique and beautiful tactile installation/experience by Artist Sara Catena, is a creative and whimsical sensory home of nests and nooks to be explored. Mindfully inclusive of sensory needs it is designed to magically delight and nourish event goers, and give them a respite within a larger and sometimes overwhelming festival.

A little more about my 'Creative Mojo' weekend workshop and what you will get out of it. This beautifully crafted workshop is designed to build/re-build your confidence as a creative wherever you are on your journey.

“In a world of underlying disconnection and loneliness, I’m passionate about art that connects and elevates the richness and resilience of the human spirit.” A delightful Rookery of hand-stitched Sunbird nests activating a public space with powerful symbols of resilience and Love, this is a workshop based project with community and school groups. Tapping into diverse and extraordinary stories, that focus on human resilience ….we work with recycled materials, gathering and choosing elements that reflect this. Recording and sharing the human stories is a magical addition to this project creating further connection, dialogue and possible healing opportunities for both participant and viewer. Losing my husband four years ago, took me on an enriching personal journey, seeking a return to my ‘sense of home’ and inner Joy. The form of this work sees a natural revisitation to my childhood soothers of making, textile and stitchery. I find sharing openly with those who have also experienced challenge and upheaval creates deep resonance and the sense of connection that comes with shared human experience.

I am very excited to share a video of the latest 'Sense of Self' Activation. With a lighter, soft draped interior it showcases the dynamic use of textile, paint and stitchery that makes up this unique tactile experience! The sensory nests and nooks, mindfully inclusive of all five senses form a magical space that delights and nourishes its audience.

This magical sensory chill space followed the theme of extinction and was created using recycled materials by visual artist Sara Catena in collaboration with several secondary schools and young families in the Knox area.Traveling the sensory path, sniffing the smelly belly of the ancient NYny, peering into the upside downy nest of the Hoosey Whatsit bird and resting in the firefly grotto, this was a sensory chill space designed for special needs children and all who visited!