I am currently developing a series of works related to the theme of Pretty Pain, or the beauty and growth that arises from difficult experiences like grief and loss. These works will be available to display in galleries and public spaces, and accompanied by discussions and activities to engage public processing of painful topics.

I volunteer at a camp in Michoacán, Mexico, dedicated to arts, literacy, and culture. I choreographed a dance with several of the older kids around the theme of Happiness. We came up with dance moves to express what makes us happy and how to share that feeling with the world. We set the dance to music and taught the final dance to the entire camp to perform at the closing ceremony.

We spent the entire school year planning and creating a wall-sized mural with the students at the Sierra School. The students were challenged to collaborate, plan, and present their ideas to the board. The students participated in every step of the process, from agreeing on a theme to painting the final touches. This project was intended to build social skills and group functioning in a nontraditional format, but it quickly became much more than that. The students used their mural time to decompress, to think outside the box, to talk about difficult issues, and to strengthen friendships.

I set up an art project for a camp in Greeley, held for migrant and refugee families in the area. The families came from a variety of places, including Burma, Somalia, Thailand, and Korea. We talked about the idea of Home and what it means to all of us, as a place of Belonging and Peace. Each person took a piece of paper and decorated it with collage, paint, drawing, and words, to signify Home. We assembled all of the pieces into a large Mandala, signifying our new Home that we are building together.

I submitted an interactive silk sculpture to the Durango Art Brigade, to engage the public in their community during a socially distant time. The piece is now on display at a church in Tempe, Arizona as a memorial to a good family friend.

The silk has rough unsewn edges so that it shows a slow breakdown into individual fibers. In times of great suffering it can feel like all of our carefully placed threads have fallen out of order. This piece speaks to a time when life feels unraveled for so many, when, despite our best efforts, we must accept that there is much outside of our control.

The silk then moves to a free-flowing ever-changing shape. The individual strips move together and apart in an eternal dance. This interconnectedness reminds us of a deeper rhythm that guides the movements of our lives.

This church created a full week of programming around the theme of pilgrimage. The focus was on discovering new ways to pray and be mindful, and included activities like a labyrinth walk, an obstacle course, cairn creation, walking meditation, and music. I facilitated the creation of five 9-foot banners. Three symbolized the "wandering path," with a meandering route moving from one banner to the other. The last two symbolized the "contemplative path," with one half of a labyrinth on each banner. The participants cut out shapes using various templates, then glued the shapes into the paths to create a colorful final piece.

I volunteered at a children's home in Nepal for six weeks. We spent every day with the kids, practicing each others' language and exploring the area. I facilitated a mural of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Tibetan Buddhism on one of the doors of the orphanage with some of the most talented artists of the group.

I taught a five-week workshop at a Denver church, incorporating the Four Elements (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water) into the Lenten experience. Participants made mosaic stepping stones, silk flags, candles, and watercolor banners to represent each element. Other participants gave readings and made music. At the end of the workshop, I created a silk painting depicting the four elements. This and the artwork made by the congregation was displayed around the sanctuary through the Easter season.