Artist/Teacher/Guide
Daphne Kay-Dickens
Born and reared in San Francisco, CA, Daphne’s love of art and “all things beautiful” began at an early age and was encouraged by her family. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Education/Fine Arts, she began teaching art at the high school level. She soon realized that her gift could not be contained within the walls of a brick and mortar, 9-5 structure.
Her desire to teach and share the gift of creativity and self-expression allowed her to touch the lives of the San Francisco foster youth community, teen moms, and adults and youth in the faith- based communities of Oakland, California. Through her hands- on Carpentry/Design training program at the University of San Francisco (USF, her clients (each with a mental health diagnosis) excelled in their design work to remodel spaces throughout the city of San Francisco.
Her passion to create led her to work in a variety of mediums: clay, acrylics, collage, needlepoint, Afro-centric fashion design, and jewelry making. Although recently retired, her therapy- through- art continues to provide a creative release for many and a form of communication and healing for others.
In practice, Daphne is an artist, teacher and mental wellness coach. She strongly believes that, “Using our hands and opening our minds “shows not all of what is necessary, but some of what is possible.” (Howard Zinn)