I facilitated the Touchstone Journey art workshop for a group of four adults, aged 30 to 43, with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The participants’ life experiences included challenges such as the loss of parents through death or divorce and experiences of bullying.

I selected this workshop because the materials provided an opportunity to create a conveniently sized piece of durational art that they could carry with them anywhere, serving as a reminder of their greatest aspirations and a symbol of the challenges they’ve overcome on their journeys.

During the workshop, one participant shared how much he missed his mother, who had passed away. He used colors and symbols to represent his unwavering connection to her, adding the words “Miss U” to his Touchstone necklace.

As part of the workshop demonstration and during the closing, I explained how Touchstones could be used as tools for healing. I encouraged participants to reflect on their values and take value-driven actions in their daily lives, using their creations as reminders of their personal commitments to their well-being.

Some participants chose to attach their Touchstones to keychains, while others created wearable jewelry. After the workshop, I observed a deeper sense of gratitude among the participants. They appreciated the time and space the workshop gave them to connect with their feelings, aspirations, and each other. A few participants even requested to make additional Touchstones, which demonstrated how meaningful the experience was for them. In the art workshops that followed, , they arrived eager to discover what was planned and excited to create new art.