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Welcome to the Arts & Minds Portal
Where Creativity Meets Calm
At the heart of every classroom is the potential for incredible creativity and deep wellbeing. I created the Arts & Minds Portal to be a comprehensive resource where Art and Design and wellbeing are inextricably linked. It is a sanctuary for both pupils and teachers.
With over 26 years of experience in the classroom, my mission is to help you nurture a space where children don't just learn Art and Design—they learn to breathe, to focus, and to believe in their own unique potential through Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset. While our focus is always on the joy of creation, our curriculum is built on a foundation of excellence. As an award-winning artist and a member of the Consortium for the new Northern Ireland Art & Design Curriculum, I have designed these resources to be at the very forefront of educational standards.
The Benefits of Subscribing
Arts & Minds encourages excellence in Art and Design while promoting a mindful, balanced school environment.
A Note from Sinéad: I know how busy the classroom can be. I’ve pre-recorded these lessons so I can be your 'co-teacher.' You don't need to be an expert—you can discover the joy of Art and Design, Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset right along with your students. As your confidence grows, you’ll find yourself naturally leading these practices with ease.
For Teachers: Professional Growth & Accreditation
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Official CPD Certification: Gain up to 60.2 hours of accredited professional development (Provider No: 50894). Our structured programmes allow staff to earn official credit as they upskill in Art and Design.
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The Arts & Minds Portfolio: Build a physical 'Body of Work'—a professional portfolio of your own Art and Design work and reflections—providing tangible evidence of your learning and growth.
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Holistic Upskilling: Master technical Art and Design approaches while gaining expert insights into integrating Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset into everyday lessons.
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Flexibility & Wellbeing: Use recorded Art and Design tutorials to adapt content to your pupils' needs, while developing strategies to promote a calm, focused classroom that supports teacher resilience.
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Stress-Free Delivery: Every lesson is pre-recorded, allowing you to hit "play" and learn alongside your pupils. This "guest teacher" approach removes the pressure of preparation, building your technical confidence until you feel empowered to lead sessions independently.
For Pupils: Creative & Emotional Excellence
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Creative Mastery: Build technical skills through engaging Art and Design lessons that reinforce learning across literacy, numeracy, and other core subjects.
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The Four Pillars: Develop emotional balance and resilience through the integration of Art and Design with Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset exercises that boost confidence and self-esteem.
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Cognitive Strength: Strengthen problem-solving, critical thinking, and focus, helping pupils become well-rounded, successful learners through a creative curriculum.
A Holistic Path to Success
By subscribing to Arts & Minds, your school gains a ready-to-use, fully accredited resource. We combine technical Art and Design excellence with certified Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset practices to ensure every pupil and teacher can excel.
Join us in making your school a place where Art and Design, wellbeing, and learning thrive together — all in one accessible online portal.
About Sinéad
Sinéad McDermott is a highly accomplished Art and Design educator with 26 years of teaching experience. She is a certified NLP, Mindset, and Mindfulness Practitioner, and a leading advocate for the integration of creative expression with emotional wellbeing.
Throughout her distinguished career as an artist, Sinéad has exhibited at prestigious venues including The RDS Dublin, The Barbican, Mall Galleries, New Designers London, The Royal Ulster Academy, and The Naughton Gallery at Queen’s University, Belfast. Her work is also held in significant public and private collections, including a permanent installation in the Royal Maternity Hospital.
Sinéad’s vision for education goes beyond teaching technical skill; she believes in using Art and Design as a vital vehicle for Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset. In 2024, she reached over 19,000 pupils across the UK and Ireland during Children’s Mental Health Week, demonstrating her commitment to supporting young minds through this holistic approach.
Achievements and Recognition
Sinéad’s influence in the world of Art and Design and education has earned her numerous accolades:
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Curriculum Leadership: Currently a member of the Education Authority Art and Design Working Group, contributing to the drafting and development of the new Northern Ireland Art and Design curriculum (2025). She previously served as President of the Association of Art and Design Education (AADE) and as a Moderator for CCEA GCSE Art and Design.
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Arts Personality of the Year: Awarded by the Ulster Tatler (2022 & 2023).
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Innovation & Enterprise: Winner of the SMBA Innovation Award for her educational portal (2022-2023), the UK Enterprise Award (2023), and the SME Enterprise Award (2024).
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Community & STEM: Honoured with the Prestige Award (2020–2024) for her positive impact on children’s lives; appointed STEM Ambassador (2023–Present); and featured artist on BBC’s Wonder Gallery.
Educational Impact & CPD
Through The Art and Design Factory, Sinéad provides a ready-to-use, fully accredited resource for primary schools. Teachers are upskilled in technical Art and Design while gaining expert insights into Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset practices that can be seamlessly incorporated into the classroom.
As a certified CPD provider (No: 50894), Sinéad’s portal offers educators a pathway to earn up to 60.2 hours of professional accreditation. This ensures that teacher professional development and pupil academic success thrive alongside improved focus and emotional balance.
Community and Outreach
Beyond the classroom, Sinéad collaborates with community organisations and youth initiatives, providing workshops that inspire creativity in underserved areas. In 2018, she launched The Art and Design Factory, a platform that continues to transform classrooms by providing resources that enrich both creative and intellectual growth.
About Sinéad
Sinéad is a highly accomplished Art and Design Teacher with 26 years teaching experience, an NLP, Mindset, and Mindfulness Practitioner, and a passionate advocate for art education.
Throughout her career, she has exhibited in The RDS Dublin, The Barbican, Mall Galleries, New Designers in London, The Royal Ulster Academy, and The Naughton Gallery at Queen’s University, Belfast.
Her work can view in the lecture theatre of the Royal Maternity Hospital, following many private and public commissions.
Her vision for art education goes beyond teaching creative skills—she believes in using art as a tool to foster mental well-being, personal growth, and academic success.
In 2024, she taught over 19,000 pupils from primary schools across Ireland and the UK as part of Children’s Mental Health Week, showing her commitment to supporting young minds through creative expression.
Sinéad’s online lessons combine creative expression with mindfulness, empowering pupils to express themselves, build resilience, and enhance their problem-solving abilities, all while improving focus and emotional balance.
Achievements and Recognition
Sinéad’s influence in the art world and education has earned her numerous accolades:
- Featured as an artist on BBC’s Wonder Gallery and interviewed on Radio Ulster 2020.
• Awarded Arts Personality of the Year by the Ulster Tatler in both 2022 - 2023.
• Received the SMBA Innovation Award for her educational portal in 2022-2023.
• Won the UK Enterprise Award in 2023, the SME Enterprise Award in 2024, and a STEM Ambassador in 2023 to present.
• Honoured with the Prestige Award in 2020 to 2024 for her positive impact on children’s lives during the pandemic and my art and wellbeing lessons since.
• Served as President of the Association of Art and Design Education (AADE) and played a key role on its working committee during my teaching career in school.
• I am currently a member of the Education Authority Art and Design subject working group, contributing to the drafting and development of the new Northern Ireland Art and Design curriculum as part of the wider curriculum reform programme 2025. Moderated for CCEA GCSE Art and Design and contributed to drafting the new A-Level Art and Design specification.
Her Educational Impact
Both teachers and pupils receive help from her creative and mindful approach. Teachers are up skilled, learning new art and design techniques while also gaining insights into mindfulness and positive mindset practices that they can incorporate into their teaching.
Pupils experience the joy of creative expression while enhancing their mental well-being and academic growth.
Community and Outreach
Beyond schools, Sinéad collaborates with community organisations and youth initiatives, providing art workshops that inspire creativity in underserved areas. She is committed to ensuring every child, regardless of background, can receive help from artistic expression.
In 2018, Sinéad launched The Art and Design Factory, bringing her passion for creative education to an even wider audience. Through this platform, she continues to positively change classrooms and communities alike, providing resources that enrich both creative and intellectual growth.
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OUR MISSION
At The Art and Design Factory, Belfast’s leading Art school, our mission is to make Art and Design accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability. We believe in empowering our participants to build confidence and self-belief as they develop their artistic skills.
As staff and pupils progress, they experience a profound sense of achievement and pride in their work. We foster a nurturing and encouraging environment where individuals can freely express themselves, allowing them to enter the “art zone.” In this creative space, participants can lose themselves in their imagination, similar to undertaking a mindfulness lesson.
This immersive experience not only enhances mental well-being but also cultivates a deeper sense of fulfilment and tranquility.
PROGRAMME & PLAN
Art and Design, Movement, Mindfulness and Mindset Lessons for Mental Health and Wellbeing.
Easy Access for Schools
We are registered with the EA Procurement system, making it simple for your school to raise an order. An invoice can be sent directly to you, or you can submit the following details to the EA:
Supplier:
The Art and Design Factory Ltd (Sinead McDermott T/A)
27D Annadale Avenue
Greenlane
Belfast
BT7 3JJ
Alternatively, you can pay by cheque or bank transfer.
What You Get with Arts and Minds:
• Yearly access, 24/7 viewing: Learn at your own pace with flexible online lessons.
• Step-by-step creative lessons: Help pupils develop new art skills while growing confidence, resilience, mindfulness, and relaxation through the creative process.
• Extensive content: 50 Art lessons, an exclusive Movement Programme, 50 Mindfulness lessons, and 50 Mindset lessons for teachers, school staff, or homeschooling parents.
• Inspiring displays: Pupils’ artworks create eye-catching school corridor displays, boosting confidence and brightening up the school environment.
• Supports teachers: Easy-to-follow lessons save planning time, help teachers deliver practical art and design wellbeing programmes, and encourage creativity in the classroom.
• Curriculum-aligned: Lessons cover topics from the National Curriculum for Primary Schools and ignite pupils’ imagination and creativity.
• Integrated learning: Each lesson introduces a relevant artist, designer, art period, or theme, with clear numeracy and literacy links.
• Preparation made simple: Each lesson includes a supply list and a line drawing template for pupils who prefer to see or trace the complete picture at the start of the lesson.
What other schools have shared about our lessons.
What they've said about us. We would love to hear your feedback!
Rhona Donnelly, Principal
Sinead is a rare combination of gifted artist and teacher, as well as coach and nurturer. Sinead’s art lessons are engaging, fun and full of learning. The format of instruction helps the children learn to see space differently, it helps them learn great layout techniques, and all the basic fundamentals on how to make beautiful art. The style of the Sinead’s teaching to the classroom makes it possible for everyone to go at their own pace. Sinead’s warm, calming voice creates a beautiful blend to the fun art lessons that have the children settled into from the minute it starts until the minute it ends. The level of artwork created excels all expectations. From our children taking part in Sinead’s art lesson I now know that art is a rewarding and a creative escape so a wonderful antidote to stress. Something we need now more than ever for our children. Sinead really knows her art and is eager to teach it. I applaud her patience as well as her program. Thank you Sinead
Joanne Mooney, V.P
I am the teacher of a class of P6/7 children who are currently in the middle of a course of lessons in Art given by Sinead Mc Dermott from the Art & Design Factory and I wanted to provide the following feedback on the course so far. The format of the course is a series of four one-hour lessons given over Zoom and covers a range of artistic styles and mediums. The children have already investigated and attempted Abstract and Landscape styles using water colours and oil pastels. The children have very much looked forward to the lesson each week and are looking forward to next one with eagerness. Although the class have a wide variety of artistic abilities, the lessons Sinead provided have enabled every child to experience a sense of personal achievement and pride in their creations. On the evidence that I have seen and the feedback from the children, I would thoroughly recommend Sinead and The art and design factory to anyone who is interested in helping to stimulate each child’s imagination, expand their observation skills, boost their self esteem and give their children a sense of accomplishment. Some quotes from my class are- “I loved using the pastels and at the end I did much better than I expected!” Jessica “I really enjoyed painting landscapes, I found it so relaxing.” Caragh “My artwork has really improved and I’m very proud of what I have painted.” Dylan
Ciara Crawley, Primary Teacher
Sinead's online art lessons opened up a whole new way of learning for our pupils. It allowed them to join in shared lessons with partner schools around the globe for cross curricular projects. Prior to each session Sinead met virtually with the teachers involved to discuss and plan the content of the lessons and ensured it matched the aims and objectives of our project. Sinead’s encouragement during each session enthused both staff and pupils alike. Helping to develop their artistic and creative skills in a calm and relaxed manner. Teachers reported that they felt more confident in teaching art after the sessions and even the shyest of pupils were keen to share their final piece with others online. Opening the doors of our school and community, to the world in real-time through art has been rewarding and empowering to pupils and staff alike. Ciara
Kelly Rice, Primary Teacher
I highly recommend booking Sinead from the Art and Design Factory. She facilitated 4 classes for 2 schools through the Shared Education programme. Everything was very well organised and the children thoroughly enjoyed the sessions. The outcome of the children’s art was off such a very high standard, we couldn’t believe it. We were so impressed by each child’s individual piece that we bought them a frame each to proudly display their work at home. We will definitely be booking again so Sinead can further develop our pupil’s love of art! Thank you.
Cora Mc Dermott
The staff & pupils are really enjoying getting to take part in your beautiful lessons. The portal provides a huge range of projects for all our pupils. All children in KS1 & KS2 have the opportunity to engage in the lessons. Our school has also an ASD & Learning Support class so Art Time Let's Shine provides an inclusive program suitable for all abilities & our special needs teachers have availed of this as well for their pupils. Our staff have commented how user friendly the program is and can navigate their way through the portal easily selecting their preferred lesson. The fact that they can pause & resume the lesson is invaluable especially in the busy primary class environment! Your experience & talent both as an artist & a teacher gives our teachers the reassurance that the children are meeting the curriculum learning experiences & a lot of these are cross curricular through WAU & Numeracy in particular. The provision of a template is also appreciated as differentiation is subtly provided for children in the class or for a younger year group to build confidence & gives the sense of "I can do this!" A blank page can often be intimidating for any of us! This is our first term in using your program & already our classrooms & corridors are beginning to look much more vibrant & colourful with the displays of children's work. Our children have said things like, "I really liked it, our topic is about the rainforest & it was really fun to do." & "We learnt too that we shouldn't cut down the rainforest trees."(Toucan lesson) Thank you for sharing your talent & expertise with us. It has given us all a boost.
Ann Marie Kealy
As Principal of a Primary School ‘ Art and Design ‘was one of our targets to develop on our School Development Plan.We had no scheme in place and Art was not structured or timetabled throughout the school. I signed up to Sinead’s free online Art lesson during ‘Children’s Mental Health Week and our whole school community got actively involved and absolutely loved it. Sinead has such a warm and endearing persona and immediately made such a strong connection with all the children. The Art and Design portal created by Sinead is so well structured and easily accessible, and suitable for children from Foundation stage to Key Stage Two. It’s absolutely magical and Sinead takes the children through each art lesson at their own pace with lots of encouragement and an explicit step by step approach to every detail of each little masterpiece. Sinead is a wonderful communicator and instantly gets all the children involved , giving them lots of kind and supportive communication throughout each lesson. Not only is Sinead an outstanding teacher, she is also passionate about nurturing and developing children’s mindset with positive thoughts and affirmations together with raising their self esteem and belief in themselves. The portal has a wealth of lessons covering World Around Us topics together with a variety of different themes children explore through out the curriculum. I highly recommend the Art and Design portal not only as an effective and highly structured scheme but also as a valuable resource to develop children’s creativity and help them to grow in confidence!! Thank you for sharing all your beautiful artwork with us Sinead, we really enjoy taking part in your lessons now every week . There is such a calming and relaxing atmosphere in our classrooms when Sinead is online teaching us, every child is fully engaged and we are all just so proud of their beautiful artwork!
Christina Hinfey
In St Mary’s Primary School, we nurture holistic growth, academic excellence, and achievement for all. We actively encourage all children to be the best that they can be. Our school ensures that every child flourishes. The ‘pupil voice’ is actively encouraged and given a platform of importance which influences and shapes the school community by developing confident, capable, creative and critical thinkers who are ready to contribute to and shape society. The learning and teaching environment endeavours to inspire and support all pupils and create a caring, creative and inclusive environment. Learners in all key stages have access to the broad and balanced curriculum which facilitates and supports their needs to enable them to develop skills, knowledge and understanding. Learning across the curriculum is connected and real-life experiences are valued enriched by meaningful learning experiences beyond the classroom through: Outdoor learning, Activity Based Learning, Forest Learning, The Art and Design Factory and other extra-curricular activities. The whole school use of the Art and Minds Portal allows exploration of Topic Work to cover: Health and Wellbeing, Environmental and Economic Matters, Social Responsibility and applying their knowledge in real life context. In our recent ETI Inspection Report the school were asked to share examples of highly effective practice which include: • The high quality and innovative learning experiences provided for the children through a vibrant curriculum both inside and beyond the classroom; and • The meaningful and creative collaboration and learning with and from others, informed by the needs, interests and views of the children. In St Mary’s Primary School we enjoy exploring the workshops that the Arts and Minds Portal provide. Our school community is the richer for it. Our corridors and classroom displays are vibrant and all our pupils enjoy the success of creating their own pieces of art and having it displayed. Mrs Hinfey ( Principal) St Mary’s Primary School Pomeroy.
FAQs
What materials are required for these art lessons?
For the majority of the art lessons, the following materials will be required" •pencil •paint brushes •paints •oil pastels/ crayons •A4 paper •water jar •tissues • watercolour paints Occasionally they will need •chalk pastels •sugar paper However, if you don’t have these oil pastels/ paint could be used instead to add colour.
What’s the difference between oil pastels and chalk pastels?
The first difference is that oil pastels won't crumble, smudge, or release dust like soft chalk pastels do. Yet they still contain just as much, if not more, pigment and produce bright, intense colors. They're also more stable than soft pastels and don't require a fixative. Traditional chalk pastels are soft pastels, they are dry and chalky; oil pastels are a much newer medium and act similar to oil paints, they are oily. Crayons can be used instead but oil pastels are more intense and vibrant in colour. Please note that oil pastels can be used on normal white paper but not chalk pastels. Chalk pastels require a special paper called sugar paper or pastel paper which is cheap to buy on eBay. Chalk pastels also can be fixed on the page by spraying hair spray a few inches away from the page so that the chalk doesn’t fall off. Hair spray is a cheaper option that the expensive fixatives that you will find in art shops.
What type of paint is best for kids to use?
I would recommend water based paints for children such as water colour paints or palette paints. These allow for the paint to be moved freely and can be easily removed with a tissue. I would recommend children do not use acrylic paint until they are at least 13 years of age. Acrylic paint is plastic-based so tends to be sticky and difficult to move around once it’s on the page and therefore doesn’t give many freeways for movement. It’s also difficult to remove from clothing so if it accidentally gets on fabric it won’t come off, unless placed in the washing immediately. As a mum of two kids I want there to be no added ‘mess or stress’ for parents to have to clean up. Watercolour paints are more forgiving too as they blend together easily with water and can be removed from clothing. Watercolour paints will enable your child to try out different art techniques such as building up of washes of colour, dry brush, and many others that l include throughout my teachings. I would recommend a box of palette watercolours which can be bought in art shops or online for around £3.99
What’s the best paper and size to use?
I recommend that children start with an A4 page as anything bigger is quite daunting for them to fill. For all of the lessons on the membership site, I have used A4 paper. It’s important that each child has an A4 page to work on whilst undertaking my lessons as they will be following my instructions and it therefore makes it easier for them to follow and create using the same scale and proportions as me. The weight of the paper will make a difference to the finished artwork your child creates. If for example, you give your child a page that you would use in your printer then when they begin to paint it will become easily torn and little balls will appear on the surface. This causes disappointment and frustration so I would definitely recommend that you purchase good paper for your child to work on. Up to 140 lb/300 gsm or more: Watercolour paint paper, suitable for all wet media.
What size of brushes would you recommend?
I would recommend that you have a small brush that will enable your child to paint finer lines and a larger brush for larger areas that need to be painted a size 3 and an 8 would be ideal. The more expensive the brush the better the quality. I would recommend a brush of around £4 would be adequate for your child at this stage.
What oil pastels / chalk pastels would be recommend?
I would recommend the following: Oil pastels •Pentel •Caran d’Ache •Faber - Castell •Reeves Chalk pastels •Inscribe •Faber Castell •Rembrandt •Prismac