Resident Artist Program

The Resident Artist program is a 6 week program that further strengthens the artists instruction abilities, promotes their passion and shares their abilities with the community.

Stemming from the Artist in Residency Program, one artist is selected from the A.I.R Program to develop and instruct free workshops for the community at large to learn & enjoy.

The workshops will take place 3 times per year throughout Greater Forest Lawn. Led by IAACC’s Resident Artist, you could learn- how to express yourself through art or develop a new technique.

Follow IAACC social media or check back here to learn when the next workshops will take place.

Resident Artists

Christy Herdman

Christy Herdman (she/her) is a compassionate, creative spirit—both problem solver and artist—a fun-loving, kid-at-heart and a certified art therapist.

Christy uses creativity as a therapeutic tool to enhance emotional well-being, facilitating workshops that meld creativity and therapeutic techniques to teach psychoeducational concepts. Intertwining audience participation and mindful engagement—Christy introduces the public to art activations that move beyond passive viewers to active participants.

Previous art activations include Bug Hunt (Beakerhead), Let It Blow (Chinook Blast), Glimmers (Night Light), and  Warm Fuzzy Challenge (Chinook Blast).

Christy’s work intentionally embraces a handmade/DIY aesthetic to invite both curiosity and interaction. She aims to share her sense of wonder through imaginative, child-centric art. Her minimalist design style is both captivating and introduces a sense of play, offering an easy entry point for audiences to explore mental health concepts in greater depth. The graphic designer in her is drawn to incorporating symbols and shapes to convey a message clearly and concisely.

Inspired by natural environments (both real and imagined), Christy aims to connect with both kids and kids-at-heart, to draw them into the liminal space. The driving force behind her creative process is to cultivate a more compassionate community by sharing art-based practices that enhance mental well-being.

View Christy’s online portfolio

March 2023 Healing through Memories ~ Resident Artist Hanieh Jalali