Behind the scenes filming Focus and Flow: Restorative Art

There are many reasons the Japanese honour Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. In a world that rarely gives us permission to pause, the simple act of slowing down, breathing deeply, and immersing yourself in nature is a reminder to really see what’s around us.

Which, if I’m honest, is a little ironic.

Our time filming Focus and Flow: Restorative Art with Karen Olson came at the very end of a five-week filming trip that had taken us around the world with cameras, equipment and multiple time zones disrupting any sense of sleep. We were exhausted, running on adrenaline, and determined to complete one final shoot before heading home.

And yet, somehow, ending the journey with Karen was exactly what we needed.

We filmed in the quiet stillness of Maine, surrounded by lakes and forest. It felt calm in a way that stood in stark contrast to the controlled chaos inside the studio, where five cameras were set up to capture every angle.

As Karen recalls:

“Five cameras were strategically placed around my small studio for maximum effect. Hard drives piled high, cords carefully tucked away, and equipment occupied every square inch of space. The scene resembled a movie set. Here we were, set and ready to roll. The content I created for the course was unusual, and I had much to say and remember.”

Despite the intensity of the set-up, the experience quickly settled into a rhythm. The environment encouraged focus rather than pressure, and the days unfolded in a way that felt both productive and reflective.

Karen describes those early moments of filming candidly:

“Was I nervous? Oh my, yes! But I was in capable hands. Within hours, Angela, Deb, and Gary dispersed my nerves and redirected my energy toward joyfulness and delight. I felt completely supported and quickly found my rhythm under their gentle but firm direction. The next few days were dreamlike as we moved between studio and trails.”

Revisiting the footage during the editing process has been a reminder of just how thoughtfully the course came together. Karen’s teaching is clear and generous, moving fluidly between photography, papermaking and paper sculpture.

The course does not present creativity as something that arrives in moments of chaos or sudden inspiration. Instead, it offers a framework for building your own creative rhythm, one that can be returned to again and again.

Who this course is for

Focus and Flow speaks to a wide range of creative practitioners.

If you are curious about combining photography with papermaking and paper sculpture in a thoughtful, hands-on way, the course offers a rich introduction.

If you have experienced personal loss or felt overwhelmed by the constant noise of daily life, the eco art therapy ideas woven through the course provide quiet, reflective creative exercises.

If you are interested in using art as a restorative practice, Karen’s calm and structured teaching makes the process accessible and encouraging.

A timely reminder

Now, almost twelve months after filming, the release of Focus and Flow feels especially timely.

The world continues to move quickly and often unpredictably. In that context, this course offers something simple but valuable: a reminder to pause, to breathe, and to notice what is in front of us.
It invites us to choose where our focus goes.

Perhaps most importantly, it encourages us to make space for creativity, not only in our schedules but in our thinking and daily lives.