• Make your own fidget:
A beginner Blacksmithing workshop for people who are Neurodivergent
Do you identify as neurodivergent and are interested in making your own fidget? Or consider yourself an ally? This workshop is for you!
Choosing from three different options, at the end of this two-hour workshop you will leave with a unique fidget of your own creation. This experience is tailored for those who have little to no experience with working with steel and fire.
The workshop will provide an introduction to some basic blacksmithing practices including safety precautions, tools, and a hands-on practical experience in moving metal.
key details
Saturday 10 May 2025
2-hour workshops will be held: 9-11am and 12-2pm
Participants must be 14 years or older
Carers and support people are welcome
Up to 10 spots available in each workshop
An additional workshop will be added if the first two are filled
Workshop support provided by: Rachel Taplin, an Art Therapist from Sensorium Art Therapy
Blacksmith instruction provided by: Jupiter, Ari, Steve and Hugo from the Blacksmith Festival Committee
Wear: non-flammable clothing, closed-in shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting a bit dirty
Cost: $120 (plus booking fee)
All proceeds go to the Blacksmiths Festival Association towards the delivery of the festival.
About Rachel Taplin
Rachel Taplin is a professional art therapist with a Master of Art Therapy and over two decades of experience specializing in empowering, inclusive programs and sensory spaces for individuals living with neurodiversity, mental illness, trauma, and hidden disabilities. Her passion lies in building diverse and supportive communities that support neurodiverse individuals in creative ways that speak to their personal passions and interests.
As a practicing artist, she dabbles in toy-making, illustration, street art, costume-making, sculpture, and painting, and has a particular fondness for Japanese culture and all things cute. Drawing from her own journey with ADHD, she emphasizes the importance of sensory-informed and person-centered approaches, meeting each person’s unique emotional, social, and sensory needs. By creating transformative experiences within therapeutic and learning environments, she aims to foster true self-acceptance, self-expression, and relational healing.
