Christian Arts Trust was pleased to support Deborah Withey in her work at St Davids Cathedral, recognising a practice that brings together faith, creativity, and healing in ways that closely align with the Trust’s charitable aims.
The Trust’s sponsorship supported Deborah’s contribution to Experience Easter, a visual and interactive installation developed in partnership with Tŷ’r Pererin, the cathedral’s education and pilgrimage centre.
Through the Risen Christ project, children and young people from local schools were invited to engage imaginatively with the Easter story, creating individual artworks, prayers, and symbols that were later brought together as a collective sculptural installation within the cathedral. This work offered a tangible expression of faith, reflection, and community participation within a sacred space.
Deborah’s wider practice reflects the same integration of art and compassion.
Formerly an award-winning visual journalist in the United States, she now runs the Henry Hedgepodge Academy of Art in Pembrokeshire, providing an inclusive expressive arts and therapeutic environment for children and adults of all abilities.
Working in partnership with the NHS, local authorities, and community organisations, she supports people living with trauma, stroke recovery, and social or emotional challenges.
Christian Arts Trust was glad to support work that used creativity not only to communicate faith, but to nurture healing, hospitality, and pilgrimage—values at the heart of both the cathedral’s mission and the Trust’s vision.
Website: Art Therapy | Henry Hedgepodge Academy of Art | Haverfordwest