The new innovative gallery and event space, theART-Dept., founded by Greg Bean and Keith Botha, is poised to make its mark with their next exhibition this October. Artist and tech enthusiast Sheila Darcey, is set to fully activate with a transformative exhibition titled “A Portal for Healing.” This immersive and interactive experience will not only showcases Darcey’s diverse artistic talents but also embodies her personal journey at the intersection of art, technology, and wellness.
Sheila Darcey’s life story is one of evolution and rediscovery. From her early days as a precocious child sketcher to a successful but spiritually unfulfilled corporate executive, and ultimately to a professional artist with a profound focus on healing, Darcey’s path has been nothing short of remarkable.
Darcey herself acknowledges the significance of her unique blend of art, technology, and wellness. “All three are important for where we are today,” she affirms. Her corporate career spanned two decades, during which she excelled as a business consultant and managing director for an innovation agency. However, she temporarily abandoned her artistic pursuits. It wasn’t until she confronted her own mental health challenges that she rediscovered the power of art as a healing force. As she puts it, “Nobody told me that art could heal.”
“A Portal for Healing” is an expansive exhibition that will sprawl across the three gallery floors of theART-Dept. It features a diverse range of artistic expressions, including sketches, paintings (both digital and analog), hand-painted objects, and fashion pieces. Moreover, the exhibition incorporates various Web3 components and incentives, including access to Darcey’s unique Heal Coin, which she fondly refers to as her currency of healing.
However, what truly sets this exhibition apart is its holistic approach to wellness. Darcey has invited sixteen different wellness practitioners from The Healing Collective to participate. These experts specialize in diverse healing modalities, such as reiki, yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound baths, and dance. Over the course of the weekend, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with these practitioners and delve into meaningful discussions about mental health, intergenerational trauma, and end-of-life experiences.
At the spiritual core of the activation lies an interactive mural that will span the storefront window of theART-Dept., measuring an impressive 12 by 8 feet. Sheila Darcey’s “SketchPoetic” practice, which she has diligently cultivated over the past seven years, takes center stage. Participants will be invited to place their hands on the window, creating an intimate, transparent interface for mutual energy exchange. Darcey will then outline their hands from the inside, initiating a ten-minute interaction that can take any form – a conversation, a song, a poem, a dance, or even a cathartic release of emotions.
What makes this interaction truly special is that Darcey will intuitively capture the essence of the moment within the handprint using her unique artistic language. “The hand in Chinese medicine is the meridian of the body,” says Sheila Darcey. “That’s why I use it as a container. Its depth and meaning moves beyond the outline.”
To engage in this performance element, participants pay ahead of time and receive a digital copy of the final piece. However, for Darcey, the focus isn’t solely on the outcome – it’s about the profound depth of the creative process. She views her work as visionary art, a reflection not only of her internal world but also an expression of our collective consciousness.
Around seven years ago, despite her professional success, Darcey found herself facing a crisis of faith. Seeking help, she turned to hypnotherapist Lynda Malerstein to overcome her crippling fear of flying. Malerstein’s advice was simple yet profound – return to sketching as a form of meditative therapy. For Darcey, this marked the beginning of a transformative journey.
Darcey’s preference for the term “sketching” is intentional. It implies a low-pressure, unburdened approach to creativity. A sketch is a humble step toward a potential masterpiece, whether realized or not, perfect in its imperfection. In her words, “There’s nothing happening on paper that isn’t happening in our life.”
Through her art, Darcey invites people to explore their inner world, connecting with their bodies and regulating their central nervous systems. This internal transformation, she believes, eventually manifests in the external world. Healing, as defined by Darcey, involves bringing subconscious and unconscious thoughts to the conscious field, a poetic notion that she shares with her global audience through her book, “Sketch by Sketch: A Creative Path to Emotional Healing and Transformation.”
Sheila Darcey’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of art, technology, and wellness. “A Portal for Healing” at theART-Dept. is not just an art exhibition; it’s a celebration of resilience, self-discovery, and the profound impact that creativity can have on our lives. Darcey’s mission to help people see the unseen and to connect with their inner worlds is an invitation to embark on a personal journey of healing and transformation, one sketch at a time.
theART-Dept. Is located at 8748 Holloway Dr, West Hollywood, CA 90069
For more information on theART_-Dept. visit
For more information on Sheila Darcey visit
https://www.instagram.com/sketchpoetic/
THE HEALING COLLECTIVE – PROGRAM SCHEDULE
The following is a list of Healing Arts Practitioners & Guides who will be providing their services or workshops as part of the artist takeover.
FRIDAY, OCT 6 (OPENING NIGHT)
Henri Hébert – Reiki Master & Dowsing Energy Practitioner & Teacher
6pm – 10pm | Reiki sessions
IG: @inspiringyou.co
Christine Kwok- Reiki Master
6pm – 10pm | Reiki sessions
IG: @chriskfit
SATURDAY, OCT 7
Geeta Novotny – Founder of Revolution Voice® – Sonic Healing Artist – Voice & Sound
12:30pm – 1:30pm | Vocal Immersion Sound Bath: “An intimate journey through healing sound”
IG: @geetanovotny
Erika Lim – Occupational Therapist & Death Doula
1:30pm – 2:30pm | Workshop: “How to go out as light as we came in”
IG: @erikavlim
Guesh Cuan – Intuitive Acupuncturist, Herbalist, Somatic Coach & Energy Worker
2:30pm – 3:30pm | Talk: “Nourishing Your Life Force – TCM approach to mental health””
IG: @gueshc
Alcina Tran – Embodiment Coach & Recording Artist
3:30pm – 4:30pm | Workshop: “Healing Intergenerational Trauma to Awaken Your Inner Artist”
IG: @iamalcina
Anita Mawji – Founder of HEALr WITHIN – Yoga Teacher & Reiki Healer
5pm – 5:45pm | Yoga: “Intentional movements exploring the sacred practice of yoga”
IG: @anita_mawji
Bejhi Majied – Singer, Health & Life Coach, Motivational Speaker
6pm – 7pm | Talk: “Connectivity of Life Issues & Body Tissues”
IG: @i_am_bejhimajied
Pola Rubis – CEO of Neosutras, Conscious Artist, Pioneer Healing Through Movement
7:30pm – 8;30pm | Talk with Movement: “Raising self awareness & healing through safe emotional expression ”
IG: @neosutras @polarubis
Joey & Tritia Medrano – Founders of Casa De Dharma – Breathwork Instructor & Somatic Activated Healer
9pm – 10pm | Breathwork: “Disconnect from your mind through breath.”
IG: @casa_de_dharma @tritiamedrano
SUNDAY, OCT 8
Kiari Kirk – Choreographer & Teacher
12pm – 1pm | Dance: “Kiography- Feel good dancing for the mind, body, and spirit”
IG: @kiarilk
Julie Jordan – Founder of Jade Temple Healing – Intuitive Acupuncture & Functional Nutrition
1:30pm – 2:30pm | Workshop: “How to protect and clear yourself energetically”
IG: @jadetemplehealing
Deborah Kagan – Founder of Rock Your Mojo® – Speaker | Author | Mojo Recovery Specialist
4pm – 5pm | Workshop: “Eros Rx: How to Activate Your Erotic Nature for Vibrant Well Being + Unshakable Confidence”
IG: @deborahkagan
Alexa Fischer – Founder of Wishbeads® & Author of Wishwork
5pm – 6pm | Guided Visualization: “Awakening your wish”
IG: @wishbeads.official
Michelle Watkins – Founder of Urban Sanctuary – Shamanic & Sonic Healer
6pm – 7pm | Workshop: “Shamanic journey & sound healing”
IG: @urbansanctuaryla
Joycie Weatherby – Founder of Native Apparatus
Reiki and Sound Healer, Meditation and Tea
w/Clare Fawn, Chajin Potter
7:30pm – 8:30pm | Tea Ceremony – “Honoring the close of our program”
www.nativeapparatus.com + www.clarefawn.com
IG:@nativeapparatus + @clare.fawn
EVENT SPONSOR
Lost Boi – Founder of I Know a Place LA, Experiential Chef
6pm – 10pm | Appetizers to nourish our mind, body, and spirit
IG: @knowaplaceinla
