Thank you so much, Claudia. I love working with you and the space you create for us.”

–CC

A great experience! I would recommend it to anybody.”

-Desiree

Si è bellissimo perché sento come se tutti i pezzi si stessero mettendo a posto”

– F.

Open City experiences introduces virtual experiences during the sheltering periods across the world.

During this time, many people are rightly opting to stay home and self-isolate – or are mandated to do this by their local governments for public health. It’s a time when our routines have been upended, and our social contact restricted.

We aim to provide some pleasurable activities in the spirit of taking a break – but a thoughtful one. With many children doing homeschooling now, our Art Breaks offer a chance to do something creative with a parent or with us – as mama and son Claudia and Ludovico guide us through a bilingual creative session.

Moving deeper, and recommended for adults, are the Art Shifts. These are sessions designed to allow you to express and integrate your emotions through some light artistic methods.

The Living Well Series will also be moving to a Virtual Experience until we are able to meet in person.

Upcoming Virtual Open City experiences

Please check the correct time in your area here: timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

Claudia is a wonderful teacher, very generous in sharing her skills”

-Claire

Thank you for this incredible weekly experience and a supportive community.”

–T

Thank you for yesterday’s workshop session. I really really tuned into my feelings. I loved making art. It was truly what I was craving. Some space for me to feel, be held and create something new.”

J.

I enjoyed to be connected with many people who where very interesting. Because of your workshop, I’ve had insights that emerged clearly. You have lead the workshop brilliantly, and I didn’t think it was possible to have such depth working virtually!”

L.

I cannot overstate the benefits I’ve received from being part of Claudia’s group. When I started I was an occasional writer of poetry. I didn’t really believe I belonged in a forum for artists. Over the last 8 months I have become a relatively prolific poet and, thanks to Claudia, I have a daily practice and a new, sustainable way of working which has given me the confidence to write creatively continuously. I have a fully functional framework for my art and I’m truly grateful to Claudia for showing me how to create and sustain it. Claudia has an intimate knowledge of all the barriers and challenges artists face and, more importantly, she knows how to conquer all of them. Claudia has a gift for communicating gently, sensitively, lovingly and supportively. Her courage and willingness in sharing your experience is inspiring, comforting, reassuring. It has also been a privilege, and a joy, to hear a wide range of artists share their experience of their journeys. I gained much confidence from them and much inspiration. I am also really grateful to them. I am not only more at ease in my poetic skin, I am also enjoying my art to the full. I hesitated to join Claudia’s group. I recommend to my friends that they jump at the chance. I’m confidant they’ll be as thrilled with the results as I am.

–A

Claudia is professional, sensitive and deeply in tune with the participants of the workshop a great guide!”

–M.

I gained insight into my blocks and was able to access some deeper emotions that I’m not always aware of feeling”

-B.

As this year comes to an end, I want to take a moment to recap what’s happened at Open City in 2020 – experiences that you helped to create in an extraordinary time.

During the initial phases of sheltering-in-place back in March, Inner {Art} Shifts was born. And on its heels, Art Breaks for children, co-led by my 10-yr-old son. What became so clear in these sessions was how much we craved a creative outlet during uncertainty.

Then in June, we launched the stellar Group for Creatives, an amazing salon of artists that meets monthly. And by the way, the doors of this special set are reopening again now for new members!

Thank you for joining us on this journey as we adapted and grew together. We are so looking forward to growing our inner worlds in 2021. We’ve got some new offerings lined up, online and eventually, safely, in-person.

Stay tuned for our 2021 calendar coming soon.

Happy New {Creative} Year!

As of March 2020, this series has been postponed until we are free to gather. 

Open City presents our “Art on Sundays”. Artist Kelly Medford leads the way starting in March for a 3-part series on Drawing. Join us for the ones you choose, or come for all.

March 22 | Understanding Drawing
March 29 | Deeper with Drawing
April 5 | Drawing with Flair

Drawing starts from simplicity: pencil and paper. Nearly everyone draws – whether it’s doodles or sketches, scribbles or portraits. It’s one of the most basic forms of communication.

These sessions are a chance to work in an artist’s studio to play with line – seeing, formulating and interpreting. We explore different kinds of marks and styles, from contouring to fast burn sketches and more.

There are plentiful benefits of drawing such as improved memory, stress, creativity, communication, and a plethora of many other great benefits to the mind and body. In this series of workshops, topics touch upon many areas of drawings such as what drawing even is and interpretation, drawing in between spaces, and the understanding of different kinds of mark making. When you have a better understanding of drawing and a understanding it, it will then guide you to looking at things with a various point of views than just one.

Workshops are priced at 50 Euros each with discounts available for students and Free Exchange members. Purchase the whole series for 120 Euros. Each participant receives an artist kit with artist-grade materials at a terrific wholesale price of 20 Euros. 

Very Interesting”

-E.

In a world that is becoming saturated with life coaching of all varieties, Claudia’s Open City Creative Group stands well apart — a truly unique for makers of any kind, trying to find and hone their creative voice.

My decision to be a part of the creative group was born from both a sense of excitement and trepidation. Excitement at the prospect of becoming “unstuck” from the creative and logistical rut which I found myself in over the last several years within my own practice as an image-based studio artist and writer. And trepidation at how well any such group or coaching might actually help me to achieve these things that I so sorely desired.

I am pleased to say that this experience went well beyond my expectations. Through Claudia’s unique blend of practical artistic experience, boundless empathy, courageous agility and heart, I was able not only to connect some of the logistical dots, but also to go much deeper into some of the more fundamental roadblocks which have long been camped in the periphery of my being, holding me back from the joyful freedom of artistic expression and chronically dampening my shine.

The small group setting was also a perfect way to explore these things and Claudia is quite skillful at both leading the group and allowing it to act as an entity for its own healing and discovery. Having been a teacher in the arts for many years, I can tell you this is not an easy thing to do. Yet, when it is done correctly, working in an intimate group setting — filled with artists of all kinds, from writers, to designers, to photographers — added a layer of collaborative support that proved truly essential. Claudia’s guidance during these sessions helped me open up and rediscover my voice and agency as a maker…being a part of a group of like-minded creators made me feel less alone in my struggles and grateful to learn from and connect with my peers.

If you are an artist, writer, designer, singer, actor, maker or creator of ANY kind, I believe being a part of Open City Creative can help with whatever problems in your practice with which you are currently dealing. Claudia truly is an expert at what she does and her generosity of spirit and genuine care for Creatives absolutely helped me gain critical insight, direction and that oh-so-important “mojo” that had been hiding in the shadows for many years. If you find yourself struggling with the same thing, I promise you this will bring some of those things back out into the sunshine, where they were always meant to live and grow and thrive.

Thank you Claudia for all that you do and for being such a force of good in the universe!

– J.T.

Thank You again for another beautiful 2 hours journey…I am really sooo grateful it is fun healing and adventurous and you are simply Divine 💜”

–SP

 

Internationally exhibited artist and designer Claudia Palmira is certified in experiential and art therapy. Based in Rome, Italy since 2006, Claudia created her eponymous art and design studio in 1997, soon after graduating Mount Holyoke College (MA). She is author of the forthcoming book Micro Daily Practice (CPB 2024).

She founded Open City experiences, following the success of her initiative, Restart Retreats, the first English psychodramatic retreat in Italy. Certified by the College of Creative Arts Therapy, Claudia receives ongoing mentoring and training from Dr. Tian Dayton, a true leader in the trauma and recovery fields. She led groups on creativity, pleasure, meditation and recovery for a variety of organizations, including the renowned ICAAD conference and IES Study Abroad. Claudia is passionate about developing programs that support spiritual wellness through pleasure and creativity.

In 2021, Claudia launched Clù, a line of luxury silk scarves with her exclusive designs, which are featured at The Met Opera Shop. She is the author of  Her artwork is exhibited regularly, and she continues to work with a variety of design clientele around the world through her Studio.  A native New Yorker, Claudia is based in Rome, Italy where she and her husband, Mauro, are bringing up their son, Ludovico.

Claudia is an amazing facilitator, I’ve joined her in 3 retreats and now this workshop for Open City; she never ceases to amaze me – she has a gift for reaching and releasing the inner authentic voice of her students.”

–Carolina

Stepped out of my man ego boundaries and got more clear and open”

-H

I love working with you and seeing what comes out. You are very good at this.”

–S

Being creative is more than just something for artists and designers. It is a necessity for us all – and it is something we all have inside us to do. In this series of virtual experiences, Claudia Palmira provides a space for you to express yourself in an open, creative format. Held weekly, these are a way to get in touch with yourself, add some playfulness to your day, and do some healing.

This is an outlet to discover your infinite world within – one that is not bound by limitations or restrictions imposed on the outside. Let us meet and dive into this space, where you will find relief and perhaps even some joy. Using art therapy and experiential techniques, these experiences are aimed at providing a gentle alternative to your sheltered hours.

No previous artistic experience is required.

Weekly on Tuesdays at 3pm Central Europe Time | via Zoom

Please check the correct time in your area here: timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

Mama and son Claudia Palmira and Ludovico invite you to join us in a series of Art Breaks during the sheltering period. We will hold these casual sessions in English and Italian, while we lead simple creative activities to create a special kind of pause in the day. Parents and children are all welcome to participate.

Art can help us express and integrate our feelings – as well as provide a welcome relief to the screen, even if we are going to conduct these breaks virtually using Zoom.

Ogni martedì alle 15 Central Europe Time | tramite Zoom

Mamma e figlio Claudia Palmira e Ludovico vi invitiamo a fare una serie di “recreazioni d’arte” durante la quarantena – e le faremo in Italiano ed in Inglese! Vi guidiamo in una serie di attività creative per avere una pausa speciale durante il tuo giorno. Tutti sono benvenuti – genitori e figli.

L’arte ci aiuta ad esprimere ed integrare le nostre emozioni – ed é un’occasione da staccarsi dallo schermo – anche se utilizziamo Zoom per vederci.

JOIN IN | RAGGIUNGERCI

Tuesday 3pm CET | Martedì all 15
Please check the correct time in your area here: timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

https://zoom.us/j/946326283

Meeting ID: 946 326 283

Dates for Art Breaks / Le date

Please check the correct time in your area here: timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html