You're invited to my art show!

COMING TO YOU LIVE

Sacred City: Meditations on Daily Life in NYC

…is the name of my art show!! It will be up during March and April at:

Neighbor
176 9th Ave
New York, NY 10011

And you are invited to the opening party!!!

That’s on Thursday evening, March 7th from 6:30-8:30pm. Woooo! I’ll have books for sale and beverages and you can see all the woolly creations I’ve been working on while watching trashy documentaries for the past few months.

Here’s what it’s all about:

Before I moved to New York, the city was my refuge. While most other DC-dwellers escaped to bucolic Shenandoah Valley when they needed a rest, I took the first Amtrak up to NYC to get my soul battery charged up.

The frequency of these streets matched up with mine so I didn’t have to strain nor calm down in order to fit in; I could just be. Manhattan was my pillow, a constant place to land. I’d return home rejuvenated as those who spent a weekend in the mountains.

Now that my home is here in NYC, I look for refuge elsewhere. The chaos gets me down, or worse, numbs me out. I find myself tuning out the noise and crowds in order to keep some semblance of inner peace as I elbow my way through subway stations and long lines. If only all these other people didn’t exist! A girl can dream…

But then I think back to how restful the city once was for me. Surely I can channel that again, some how?

My inspiration came in the form of a podcast (what else) about the purpose of the Sabbath, the sacred day of rest. Rather than tune the world out, so the hosts explained, Sabbath is about tuning in. And by becoming more present, even to chaotic surroundings, we find rest and inner peace.

I began wondering how New York would feel if I treated quotidian moments like mini-Sabbaths, fully engaged so that I could claim that rest for myself no matter my surroundings. I thought about moments that all New Yorkers will recognize: Sunday mornings with a bagel, sitting on the subway, encountering pigeons and rats.

In these mundane (but specifically New-Yorky) scenes, can we find our own City of Rest in the midst of frenzy? This is what I’ve attempted to do by sanctifying ordinary moments through attention, attunement, and meditation.

I hope you will join me in finding holy joy within New York, and allowing it to give us seconds of Sabbath throughout our days.

For these pieces I used a technique called ‘felted wool painting.’ It is a laborious process, and each one takes upwards of 20 hours to complete. I source my wool from a small family farm in North Dakota which is committed to providing their beloved sheep with a natural and joyful life.

A sneak peek below:

A subway scene made from wool and love

And coming to you LIVE with two retreats!

If you want to tell your story…

YOUR SACRED STORY
BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA
MAY 17-19, 2024

Has anyone ever told you, “you should write a book,” but you didn’t know where to start? Join me for an experiential weekend where everyone is a storyteller. :)

This retreat isn’t just for writers or artists; it’s for anyone longing to unearth their narrative. Through journaling, memoir-writing, outdoor activities, and using music, food, nature and travel for creative inspiration, you will:

Unveil Your Narrative: Embrace the magic within your stories, big or small. Your experiences are powerful, and it’s time to give them a voice.

Renew Your Spirit: Take this devoted break for self-reflection and creative expression. In a nurturing environment surrounded by kindred spirits, prioritize your well-deserved rest and artistic exploration.

Empower Your Expression: Equip yourself with tools to narrate your tales for years to come. Whether crafting a fresh project or nurturing an existing one, you’ll leave with newfound storytelling abilities.

Resurrect Memories: Relive your most cherished moments and learn to transform even the challenging ones into evocative art.

Break Creative Boundaries: Embrace fresh ways to express yourself. Dive into new forms of storytelling, discovering hidden facets of your creative spirit.

Savor Tranquility: Immerse yourself in moments of solitude, optional mindfulness and yoga classes, and serene spaces within the retreat center, surrounded by the rejuvenating mountain air.

Your stories are waiting to be shared, echoing as creative medicine for collective healing!!!

Please bring any personal favorite writing or art supplies (including a laptop if you prefer to type).

Learn more here!

If you want to reconnect to your creativity in the sublime outdoors…

EXPLORING CREATIVITY
PAINTROCK CANYON RANCH, WYOMING
JUNE 16-21, 2024

Join me for five nights in the striking landscapes of the Paintrock Canyon Ranch while finding a sense of place in your creativity. I’ll lead sessions to explore themes of belonging, displacement, otherness and longing, and teach you tools to help tap into your creativity and connect more deeply with yourself and your surroundings.

You’ll spend each day riding or hiking through rolling meadows and canyons, seeking out journaling spots under ancient petroglyphs and pictographs. (Here’s the itinerary!)

Each session will encourage you to write or draw settings from memory, and collect inspiration for studio time back at camp. Leave the workshop with a better sense of your own creativity and be empowered to take this forward in your own life and work.

The accommodations at the Paintrock Canyon Ranch are designed to put you as close to nature as possible, but with all the comforts of home. The sturdy, elegant tents are located next to the Paintrock Creek at the entrance to the spectacular Paintrock Canyon.

All meals will be creatively prepared by a private chef, featuring Ranchlands beef and local produce and dairy whenever possible. Meals at the ranch will be seated, but casual and friendly and accompanied by wine and beer. We will eat by the campfire! Imagine!!

All levels of creatives and riders are welcome!

Learn more here!