| La Loba Creations |
About Us |
artsy56@aol.com 607.772.9711 |
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Directions to Art Barn
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The trajectory of my life has been anything but linear. Rather, it has been a continuously unfurling spiral. As a child, I loved to make things. In my heart and soul I knew I was an artist, but as I grew into adulthood I was urged to do something more “practical” with my life. My first career was in nursing, where I confronted face-to-face the big existential questions of life regarding suffering, death, and healing. I embarked upon a quest for answers to these questions by studying theology, and received a Master of Divinity degree. I pursued ordination, with the intention of becoming a hospital chaplain, but as a Catholic woman, that door was closed to me with no apparent hope of opening. After years of struggle within “the system”, I surrendered to its reality. While on a silent retreat trying to figure out what to do next with my life, I read an article about “priesthood” in indigenous cultures, where the roles of artist/priest/healer coalesced. It was an “aha” moment for me when I returned to the original call of my soul as a young child to be the artist that I always knew myself to be. I threw caution to the wind and began making art. Family and friends began telling me “You should try to sell this stuff.” So I went the route of trying to become a commercial success as an artist. I owned and operated my own gallery for almost 8 years. During the course of those years, people who came into La Loba Creations often remarked, “I wish I had your creativity.” It saddened me to hear these words, because I know that creativity is our birthright as human beings. I began teaching classes to encourage others to explore their own creativity, and in doing this I discovered my true passion. I closed my gallery in September 2006, and opened a studio at my home. At “The Art Barn”, I invite you to experience the joy of your own creativity through an “Expressive Arts” approach to art-making , which holds that art-making and creative expression are accessible to all human beings. Engaging in such creative expression fosters self-exploration, personal growth, and optimal well-being. Expressive Arts experiences are “low skill - high sensitivity” activities that emphasize the process over the product. No previous artistic skills are required. An Expressive Arts approach further recognizes that a “creative connection” exists among different art modalities, and these connections can be imaginatively explored, leading one to a more integrated and authentic self. For example, the creation of a collage may lead one to express its meaning in the form of a poem, a story, or even a dance. Currently I am pursuing a certificate in Expressive Arts Modalities through New York Expressive Arts at Glass Lake Studio in Albany, NY. I invite you to remember what you already know, but often forget: that you are a creative being, and exploring your own creativity is one path to becoming your most authentic self!!!! 4011 Saddlemire Road |