Creative Queen Bees

Creative Queen Bees We are proudly regionally based in the Hunter Valley NSW.

Creative Queen Bees - art and creativity for women's wellbeing

- Author of the book ‘Daily Acts Of Creativity’
- Creative workshops & events
- Commissions & Collabs
- Psychology Honours Student Amanda O'Bryan, founder of Creative Queen Bees creates original art & design collections that inspire people to connect with their natural creativity and self-expression as a way to live deeply happy, healthy, creative lives they love.

Fresh new things! Been almost impossible to keep this one under wraps until now. Ridiculously excited to share with you ...
31/05/2026

Fresh new things! Been almost impossible to keep this one under wraps until now.

Ridiculously excited to share with you a brand new six week course in drawing and watercolour, a collob between the Hygea Apothecary and me (creative Queen Bees) in Newcastle.

Cath and Jessika are medical herbalists making personalised natural remedies from healing herbs and plants. The beautiful Apothecary they have created in Newcastle is a joy to visit and the most perfect space for botanical drawing and watercolour - deeply grounded and nurturing.

We share an aligned ethos in supporting women’s wellbeing, health and creativity. 💕

You are invited to join us - I know we are going to conjure up magic each Wednesday evening between July 1st and August 5th.

⭐️ For all the details please go to the link in bio or DM Amanda.

Numbers are strictly limited, book early to secure your spot.

Follow for more or sign up to my newsletter. Amanda 💕
21/04/2026

Follow for more or sign up to my newsletter.

Amanda 💕

Butterflies in the garden and not in your tummy! I say this because it can be daunting coming to an art class if you hav...
15/04/2026

Butterflies in the garden and not in your tummy!

I say this because it can be daunting coming to an art class if you have never painted before.

I promise you, the nervous butterflies you might have about picking up a paint brush to paint watercolour is very typical of most VIPs (very important painters) that enjoy my workshops and guaranteed there are more butterflies in the garden at .of.bolwarra then in your tummy!

Cute - but I think you get the idea of what I’m trying to say.

- Mothers Day Mini Retreat
- Sunday 3rd May | the weekend before Mothers Day |
- In the garden at Maddies Of Bolwarra | Hunter Valley |
- Gift Certificates available

🌸 link in my bio for all the lovely details.

Amanda 💕

Little joys big impact Homegrown.
05/04/2026

Little joys big impact

Homegrown.

Each time I have at assessment at uni I try to encompass the research I love on creativity. In my final lab report for B...
31/03/2026

Each time I have at assessment at uni I try to encompass the research I love on creativity. In my final lab report for Biological Psychology last year I looked at the neuroaesthics of awe and wonder and the science of how aesthetic experiences affect us biologically and psychologically.

Aesthetic emotions like awe, wonder, profound pleasure or that feeling of total immersion are different from everyday emotions. They have the power to shift how we perceive the world, and they all contribute to how we make meaning in our lives.

Aesthetic experiences activate the frontoparietal network, the part of the brain responsible for sustained attention, decision-making, and deep immersive engagement, and it’s fascinating how your brain can shift into a different mode of being.

Even how intensely you experience awe and wonder it is linked to personality. The studies I considered for my lab report suggest the more open to experience you are, the more your personality is actively shaping that moment. Just think about the last time you were completely absorbed in a piece of music, or stood in front of a sunset and felt something shift. Or stepped back from something you created and thought, “I made that”.

Those experiences ask you to rethink something about the world, about someone else, or yourself and magically you don’t have to wait for awe to find you.

When was the last time you experienced awe and wonder and felt a shift?

Amanda 💕

PS. My immersive watercolour workshops are designed to create exactly this kind of experience. A space to slow down, get absorbed, and even surprise yourself with what you make. If you’ve been curious, now you know there’s actual neuroscience behind why it feels so good.

👉Find the link in bio for more info.

I’ve always had the philosophy that when life present with what appears to be the next natural step to take, it’s the on...
14/12/2025

I’ve always had the philosophy that when life present with what appears to be the next natural step to take, it’s the one to follow and give it all you can. Going back to Uni to study post grad Psychology was exactly the right step I took a year ago. I celebrated graduation this week, it was such a confirmation that I can do hard things. It was my absolute focus all year with little time for anything else except study - and I loved it. I didn’t do science at school and was pretty checked out of maths, creativity always had my heart, and still does, studying psychology has only deepened my curiosity and endless fascination with with creativity, and I will
have much more to say about that soon!

In the meantime, I’m celebrating this milestone, the oldest person in my year (even the lecturers were younger than me). I am so grateful for the opportunity to study on campus in my hometown , for the support from my husband, my kids, family, who cheered me on and to lifelong friends I made along the way, my brains trust we stuck like glue all year, and I could have not done it with out you - you are stuck with me forever now!

Life is short, it’s never too late, follow your own path. 💕👩‍🎓

There’s a lot of talk about mindfulness these day and for good reason. We often think that mindfulness comes from stilln...
09/07/2025

There’s a lot of talk about mindfulness these day and for good reason. We often think that mindfulness comes from stillness. It can also come from movement, from intentional brush to paper, colour to water, thought to feeling.

In my in-person watercolour workshops, we paint botanical-inspired florals. I guide you through a flowing process of watercolour painting, where intention meets intuition. It’s a creative practice that brings you into the present moment and invites a sense of calm, curiosity, and confidence. You don’t need experience. Just a willingness to explore.

Once you start painting, something shifts. You settle, you focus, and then the world quiets into a state of flow. That is when your art begins to work its wonders on you.

Come and experience it for yourself.

🍋 NEXT WORKSHOP:
Saturday July 26th 1.30pm

We will be painting Winter lemons and foliage -
at the Lorn Rose Farm, NSW

Grab the direct link in the comments ⬇️

I’ve been quiet lately, but for good reason.Earlier this year, I went back to uni to study psychology.For over 20 years,...
30/06/2025

I’ve been quiet lately, but for good reason.

Earlier this year, I went back to uni to study psychology.

For over 20 years, I’ve worked in creativity and spent the last 10 of those years focusing on ideas around creative wellbeing.

It’s like the research is finally catching up to what artists and healers have long known:

✨ Creativity heals.

That’s why I’m studying Psychological Science — to help change the story and bring creativity into evidence-based care. Because:

🧠 Creativity changes the brain
💛 Creativity builds resilience
🎨 Creativity helps us heal

The 2025 Foundation report is a wake-up call, showing the scale of mental health challenges facing women in Australia. And for those navigating menopause, chronic illness, or cancer recovery? The risks are even higher.

Ive written a blog post about it. You can read the full post via the link in my bio or google “creative queen bees uni”
📖 Tap the link in bio > blog

Amanda 🧡


The mindful, beautiful practice of botanical-inspired watercolour painting changes your emotional state and enhances you...
22/04/2025

The mindful, beautiful practice of botanical-inspired watercolour painting changes your emotional state and enhances your well-being long after the painting is done.

Join us for the Mother's Day VIP (Very Important Painter) Workshop at the Lorn Rose Farm.

🌸 4 spots left. Book here 👇

https://creativequeenbees.com/watercolour-painting-workshops/

17/04/2025

My beautiful Mother's Day-themed Watercolour Painting Workshop at Lorn Rose Farm. Even if you have never painted botanical-inspired florals before, I will guide you through every step, including the essential watercolour techniques to a completed composition.

My workshops are about inviting a mindful, creative connection in a stunning, peaceful and inspiring environment.

Come and enjoy a VIP experience (VIP means very important painter) on Saturday, 10th May.

Visit here for details and booking:
https://creativequeenbees.com/watercolour-painting-workshops/

Address

Newcastle, NSW

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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