Unpacking boxes at her new home just before COVID-19 lockdowns hit, Ms White said she had time to master a new medium in water colour paints and to connect with other artists online.

She has since has had her art plastered across a wall in a Ballarat CBD laneway and opened a retail shop and studio at Barkly Square.

Ms White said she wanted to add to Ballarat's arts community by establishing a new creative space as there were not many workshop spaces available for artists to run classes in town.

"There is an amazing creative community here in Ballarat that I have felt really supported by," she said.

"Making these moves feel quite comfortable because I know there is lots of support out there in the community."

Ms White said she noticed an unused room at Barkly Square with beautiful windows while visiting A Pot of Courage social enterprise cafe.

She said she saw potential for the space to add to other retail ventures at Barkly Square, with Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council supporting migrant women businesses A Tuk and Mat Tetni to operate nearby.

"The room wasn't being used for anything and I don't think anyone thought it would be a good space to use, but I could see what it could be," she said.

Ms White said it was the first time she had launched her own retail space and she loved that she was part of a community building with 'heart' and home to 20 other community based organisations.

She launched her retail and creative workshop space in the transformed little room about three months ago, bringing the space to life.

"I love it. I have got the workshop and retail so people can come in for either reason," Ms White said.

"The hard thing about being online especially during the pandemic was I never got to see people's responses to my products.

"Now people walk in and I get to see the expressions on their faces, how they respond to certain designs and what they like."

Ms White has been running art workshops for community members, including from Ballarat East Neighbourhood House.

Other artists are also using the space to run their own classes, including for children.

"I learn so much from my workshops. I get to see how people approach the same sort of task and learn about different ways of doing things," Ms White said.

"I love the conversations we get to have and seeing people learn and develop, there are so many people who have been coming to my classes for months now and seeing their journey over that time is incredible.

"I have worked hard to make my space comforting and inviting and a space where people feel they can be creative because that can be really scary sometimes."

Ms White's other big focus is preparing to host a stall at the Finders Keepers market in Melbourne in July.

She is also working to begin work in book illustration and is a participant of Committee for Ballarat's leadership program Future Shapers.

Her work is also part of the 13 Moons Collective art exhibition opening in Ballarat this weekend.

Ms White's retail and workshop space is open on Thursday and Friday from 12pm to 5pm in Barkly Square next to A Pot of Courage cafe.

Visit kelsiewhitedesigns.com/workshops for more information.

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