Art unites people and the world one soul at a time!

I am a community artist who utilizes art as a social practice. Art is my life, and my life is my art. It has saved me time and again. For me, sincere connections are formed with those who deeply bond with Mother Earth and their spirit. I use art to unite people in a community built on compassion and love.

My friends and family have been a huge influence in my life, as a family of six kids we went through a lot together. Out of the house I left holding the hand of my husband of now 41 years. We are blessed with two amazing humans to care for who found loving spouses and blessed us all with adorable children/grandchildren.

But even folks I have known for only a few minutes, brief interactions have lasting impressions. I have had numerous laughs, and amazing adventures with so many wonderful people in my life.  I have sought out and experienced growth from interesting, spiritual conversations with insightful life-learners. I cherish all the wisdom generously shared by wise women, generous old lady friends as a kid, and some amazing nuns whose kindness left a lasting imprint of Love. Kindness always surprised me and stayed with me.

In my artwork, I have painted numerous depictions of people's spirits. My process entails research: I take photos, ask questions, and get permission to look into their souls through mediation. Then I paint and ask for the Creator's guidance to create an accurate spirit depiction that the person can be proud of. This is the process I used in both projects, Me, You & Us and "S.H.E. is Healing"

Additionally, I offer an "Intuitive Art Workshop" I have developed since 2013, and I continually adjust and change to refine it. It is an empowering and community-building workshop. Often people ask when they can do it again as they leave and report they have never had an experience like this before and would like more.

During COVID-19, I was invited to receive valuable teachings through weekly Zoom meetings with an amazing group led by Grandmothers/Elders we explored many topics going around the medicine wheel, like honour, respect, connection, learning from Mother Earth, forgiveness, gratitude, animal teachings, ego death,  and Ojibway woman's ways. All the teachings shared I hold dear, the following are in my heart always:

We are individually responsible for our sacred journey and differences should be respected.  All nations need to unite, we are all related to each other from the same Earth Mother. Many prophecies have predicted that all nations will gather around a sacred fire as equals, with Love. 

Also in this group,  I drummed & sang daily with some amazing women and we truly felt its healing power together. Additionally, I was gifted another opportunity to drum with a powerful group of women from around the medicine wheel. We formed a " Sunset Singers" group and have met weekly for the last five years.

I had been gifted with beautiful sharing-in-circle programs led by the wisdom of wonderful knowledge-keepers and others in the group. I am so grateful for the opportunities to listen to the wisdom shared in these circles of mostly women.  These programs were run by and created by Conni of Urban Ndn.

 Which included " Ask an Elder" so humbled to listen to the wisdom of Elders I feel so blessed and grateful for all the shared wisdom of these strong wise wonderful examples of humanity. Many wonderful Grandmothers and Elders, shared stories with laughter, humility and love. I still have strong friendships with several of the women from this group. I have infinite gratitude for kindness influencers in my life including my own Grandmothers and ancestors, and very thoughtful people from my neighborhoods,schools and this whole life journey.  

There are so many Women I have been inspired by and am grateful for, starting when I was very young

The grandmother apprenticeship group had me reflecting on my childhood and my Grandmothers and how so many strong loving women shaped my life.  I can't forget the Three Sisters: Sister Mary Williams, Sister Catherine, and the Flying Nun, who all left lasting impressions.

The old ladies in the neighborhood, some I can't remember names but the feeling of being valued remains. Mrs Scott, who made me sugary tea in fancy tea cups, and gave me the ceramic figurines from the Teatly Tea Box. She always smiled at me when I knocked on her kitchen screen door.

The names may be lost but the feeling remains in my heart, Maya Angelo said " You may not remember exactly what someone said but you always remember how they made you feel"

So many who were kind, when it was so needed!

Mrs Jarvais took me in as a 16-year-old, not many would. Friends who kept me laughing, Millie, Blanche, Annette, and Danielle who had my back! Teenage friends were my lifeline, I still have a few I keep in touch with. Can't pull anything over on a friend who loved you through acne and gut-wrenching crushes.

Oh, sometimes you work with people and you create family, my fellow teacher friends,YAYA's Ninia, Su, Jean & Irena friends we have traveled through much together never losing sight of what matters, friendship, laughter, taking care of others, and LOVE!

There are dear male friends, and professional artists who use their art to build a community of compassion, they continually influence me.  Visual Artists; Red George, Mark Anthony Jacobson, John Williams, and my dear friend Teajai Travis with his drum, rhythmic poetry, and his gentle loving spirit.

The largest male spirit that has left a huge impact on my work and in my heart is Ben. I met Ben in 1979, just after I met my husband he was his best friend. We all grew up together as kids and hung out a lot, at concerts, and parties. We were struggling to figure out how we fit in this world, through laughter and tears. But so much joy and laughter. Ben was a joker and had such a laugh I called his laugh Muttly. We tried to navigate this unknown world together. Ben shared stories of Rez life, and what he went through as a First Nation man in Canada/US. He was family and came to many family holidays, sleeping on the couch if down and out, and ate my cooking with enthusiasm. He said my kitchen was the only place he ate greens, lol. Ben was our brother, for 42 years. When I met Ben in 79 he struggled through systemic racism, after decades he had enough. Ben decided his fate, on June 21, 2021, I miss him every day. I am blessed with Ben's warrior spirit by my side, and in my heart always.

Ben introduced me to his cousin Susan, and we became fast friends and have stayed that way. I am forever grateful for all she has shared with me. She invited me to be a part of the Golden Eagle Lodge at Kettle & Stony Point. In 2017, Susan & I  hosted Intuitive Energy Art workshops at the Lodge and together we built bridges across cultural divides. I met Carole a wise medicine woman who is a dear friend, I hold dear.  Over the last decade, I am so grateful for the many wonderful people I have met, at the Lodge.

Susan and I have had many adventures together, met many wonderful people together, and sat over tea or a fire to share our deepest thoughts. We have worked together on many Me, You & Us projects. First, we created a sincere friendship between Susan and me, as we had a foundation of "You & Me". Together we reached across cultures to create a new community of Us. Out of necessity during Covid,  I worked on "S.H.E. is Healing" alone. But I am forever grateful for Susan's trust and friendship which started a ripple that continues still.

So many people have remained in my heart, and I am truly grateful. The list keeps growing every day, I am so grateful and truly Blessed! I have benefitted from and tried to share the personal healing and community-building power of Art. This power is truly activated when one has a strong personal connection to their spirit through intuition. These two things Art & Intuition, have been my own lifeline and have made all the difference for me and I witnessed in awe how it has done the same for others.

Art unites people and the world one soul at a time!

Facebook: Urban Ndn Connection, Urban Ndn Detroit

Red Dog Studios- www.reddogartstudio.com 

Facebook; John Williams-Sarnia

Mark Anthony Jacobson; Jacobson Native Art 

TeaJai Travis: on Facebook