The Art of Thriving ~Studio News4U

 

Patrons make art happen.  Thank you!!!  This year I've been fortunate enough to work on a local pilot project funded with support of a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to reduce the impact of social isolation through Uniper technology for virtual connectivity. I also participated in events and activities at the Wellsville American Legion, The Wellsville Rod & Gun Club, the Wellsville Lion's Club and learned about the NYS Goals for Digital Equity and found out many of the resources which empower adults to Thrive in Place.  It has been an enlightening introduction to self-awareness and community connections. THE STUDIO REMAINS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC Studio visits are available by appointment only. Free and Affordable Creative Wellness Content, Art, and Arts Services are being offered On Patreon and at local host sites.  Wellness permitting, Creative Wellness Workshops that have been on hold will resume at   Rise Above Holistic Wellness Center in Wellsville, NY

The Art of Thriving

(This is an excerpt from a bloggy post for patrons first .)    Image by Seth Boehnke  The Art of Thriving. It’s a full-time job. Wellness and self-care require making a harmony of discernment, difficult choices, honest self-awareness, deliberate community knowledge, and compassion which sets the tone for truly thriving in place with authentic connections. Living with a permanent injury & its consequential conditions, chronic illness, physical limitations, cognitive impairments, or being a caregiver for a person working to manage any of those situations redefines the terms associated with quality of life. The impact of which comes in waves that can result in an unchosen marginal existence. [...] Solitude nourishes the mind, body, and soul. Isolation cripples them. “We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.” ― William James [...] The Cost of Employment Income [...]  Residing in a county well-stocked with abundant resources to support Independent Sustainable Wellness, I made an informed decision to step outside of my comfort zone to find out what else I could contribute while I learned what could be gained.    [...] In alignment with my own interests in expanding equitable access to wellness resources, I was fortunate enough to be involved in the launch of a local pilot project to implement a free virtual connectivity program designed to reduce the impact of social isolation for older adults and caregivers residing in Allegany County. Because of my own lived experience as a socially isolated resident here, I recognize the valuable wellness potential of the Thriving In Place project at Ardent Solutions, Inc. and I am truly thankful to see it begin to expand to reach the members of our community and adjacent counties who need it most.    During the months that we worked on creating this program, I eventually discovered that I, too, am a pilot project. [...] Restricting the project to the limits of my Reasonable Accommodations would not allow it to expand as it needed to. It was time to go. "I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by It."  ~Maya Angelou  Returning to the accommodations that are right for me in my studio, this month I look forward to re-discovering wild space for rest, recovery, and thriving in the creative processes which make Me. While I breathe in the Now, I learn from yesterday and gather seeds for tomorrow.   [...] READ THE FULL POST. IT'S FREE ON PATREON HERE .......................................................................................................................................           "It's focus. It just feels like magic." ~ Instinctive Archery

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

My Designs at V I D A have moved to Artist Shops at Threadless  You can find it here. These sales support equitable access to creative things in Allegany County, NY and $6 of every purchase from the studio supports charitable community arts projects. (Studio sales/purchases are NOT tax-deductible.)

2024Gifts~ Portraits & Custom Coloring Pages Gift Certificates also available. Please make note of deadlines for orders you'd like to receive by Dec. 20th. The schedule for commissioned projects fills up fast. Contact the studio for additional information. Browse the portrait gallery here. .............................................................................. This is a for profit studio working to create art and provide equitable access to local creative Things via these CHARITABLE,FISCALLY SPONSORED PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

LOCAL ACTIVITIES FROM THE STUDIO

This new Thing at Rise Above has been made possible in part by my subscribing patrons. The application and guidelines are attached here.

NEWS FROM THE BELFAST ORGANIZATION FOR ARTISTS

Kathy Garrison, events coordinator at BOFA, accepted twenty-seven entries for the 2024 exhibit. "This year we are giving it a special twist by adding historic local artists to our current artists in honor of the Belfast Bicentennial! Stop in on Saturday, August 10 from 11:00-1:00 as part of your Bicentennial Weekend events and see what people created (and are still creating) during our 200 year history!! The show runs the entire month of August. The Library is the primary show site but other historic art is also available for viewing at the Belfast Historical Society (Wednesday, Saturday 10-12 or by appointment) and the Belfast Town Hall (open during business and event hours). Enjoy the show!!" ................................................................................................................... "An audio and visual tour of Belfast will be available during the Bicentennial with the following locations prepared by the BCS public speaking class: Renwick House, Canal Warehouse, Boxing Hall of Fame, Aces, Library, Coyle Hill Park, Civil War Monument, and American Legion. If anyone would like to add a location to the tour, you can send the text, photo, audio recording optional, by next Tuesday. Text can be short and include general directions to the location from the town park and any interesting details about the location's history, current situation, and other trivia, and less than a page long. The tour will be available via the Youraudiotour.com app and sponsored by the Belfast Public Library" Established in 2009, in memory of Amanda Nicole Curcio, to unify and amplify the work of local creators for the wellness of our community; the Belfast Organization for Artists is a charitable project of SheilaLynnK Art Studio. Find BOFA on Facebook Expanding equitable access to the arts, BOFA is proud to be an Arts Services Inc. - ASI Arts Access Pass Partner. Find out more about the ASI; Arts Access Pass Program here: http://www.arts-access.org/

PATREON SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS

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Find my new art, current projects, event updates, and things to come on patreon first.

Current Index of 2022 Content Posted to Patreon 2021 Art, Blog, Posts, Events 2020 Art, Blog, Posts, Events

Creating Connections ~ Virtually

 "I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by It." ~Maya Angelou

RETURNING TO THE STUDIO
Thankful for the opportunity to assist with the launch of this valuable resource for reducing the impact of social isolation in Allegany County, I am happy to announce that it has begun to Thrive. As it has outgrown my Reasonable Accommodations, I'll be returning to the projects and accommodations in my own studio as I continue to recover from the second spinal injury in November 2023 which exasperated arachnoiditis and CRPS symptoms during my effort to meet the demands of this growing project.

So much gratitude to the staff at Ardent Solutions, Inc. for their ongoing patience and desire to accommodate the ambiguity of these changes for as long as they were able to do so.
 
Calls and emails will be forwarded to Ardent Solutions, Inc. staff already assigned to take over where I left off.

More about how this works: Allegany County Caregivers and Other Adults aged 50 and over are invited to add themselves to Ardent Solutions' list to find out more about how to get FREE virtual connectivity services via their own television in the comfort of their own home.

Sign up here: https://marketing.unipercare.com/ardentsolutions

2023 Portfolio Index for You

 

Scroll down to browse 2023 

Creative Things from the studio. 

Click through

and come back 

 to find out more...

December 2023

"Broken Light" ~ A bloggyPost4U posted 12.28.2023
"Glow" ~ Free Art for Friends and Patrons posted 12.23.2023
"Wishful Retreat" ~ Drawn4U posted 12.23.2023
Creative Wellness Workshop Update posted 12.2.2023
November 2023
SheilaLynnK Art Designs Update posted 11.18.2023 "Thank you for your patience while my collection is being moved to Artist Shops. All of my design shop links are currently being re-directed to the Artist Shops transition page. Studio by VIDA is now closed.Studio by VIDA has transitioned over to Artist Shops by Threadless."
Tree Project Update Nov.2023 posted 11.18.2023 ~ A Bloggy Post for patrons first
"Sacred Harmony" preview ~NewArt4U posted 11.6.2023 (Patrons Only Post)
"Natural Facade" ~ Drawn4U posted 11.6.2023
October 2023
"Abundance Masquerade" ~Drawn4U posted 10.15.2023
Twelve Year Anniversary posted 10.15.2023(A Bloggy Post for Patrons First)
Seeking a New Public Space for this Original Art posted 10.7.2023
(Patrons Preview)
September 2023
"Autumn Whispers" ~ NewArt4U 9.20.2023 (A private post for friends and patrons)
NEW POSTER PRINTS & RE-PRINTS 2023 posted 9.17.2023
(A Patrons-First Announcement)
"Summer Sight" ~Drawn4U posetd 9.17.2023
"LittleThings" ~BOFA Annual Art Show 2023 posted 9.10.2023
|https://www.patreon.com/posts/creative-89023129|Creative Wellness Workshop|announcement posted 9.9.2023 (Local patrons)
2023Gifts~ Portraits & Custom Coloring Pages posted 9.9.2023
Coloring "Better Days" ~ NewArt4U posted 9.4.2023 (Patrons Only Post for patrons subscribed at $5 and up)
August 2023
"Daisy" ~ Drawn4U posted 8.20.2023 (Patrons only post)
"Stars In Our Scars; the sharp edges"~NakedWell 8.12.2023
(This is a patrons-only Naked Wellness post.)
"Better Days" ~ Rooster.Whiskey.Chicken.NewArt4U posted 8.11.2023
(This is a private patrons-only post with a fun coloring page attached for your personal use.)
July 2023
Creative Wellness Workshops Announcement posted 7.30.2023
"Star Seed" ~ Drawn4U posetd 7.16.2023
"Allegiance ~ A Pledge for Humanity" posted 7.5.2021
"Arachnoiditis Awareness Month" ~ July posted 7.1.2023
June 2023
Creative Wellness Workshop ~ July 15th posted 6.30.2023
Intentional Evolution ~ A Habitual Ritual posted 6.25.2023 (A patron-supported project. Thank you!)
"Venus In Bloom" ~ Drawn4U posted 6.18.2023(A post for patrons only)
CALL FOR ART ~ Little Things Exhibit 2023 posted 6.17.2023
Open to local creators in the Belfast, NY area.
Free Art For Youth ~ Local Summer Activities posted 6.11.2023
Drawn 4 U ~ "Becoming" posted 6.5.2023
Truth in Time ~ A Bloggy Post4U posted 6.3.2023
May 2023
Tree Project ~ Year 6 ~ Now and Then 5.24.2023
B.O.F.A. Update ~ 2023 5.20.2023
Amanda ~ "Never Gone" May 19, 2023
Art Programs 4 U posted 5.13.2023
April 2023
Local FREE Workshop4U announcement posted 4.21.2023
Patron-supported Drawing ~ Timely Words 4.4.2023
AAA Spring 2023 News Allegany Arts Association Announcements and Events posted 4.3.2023
March 2023
Creative Wellness Workshop 4 Local Patrons posted 3.28.2023
BOFA UFO Days Resume posted 3.28.2023
"Growth Charted" ~ Belated Post4U 3.3.2023 (A Bloggy Post4Patrons first)
February 2023
Allegany Arts Association Update4U posted 2.14.2023
January 2023
Allegany Arts Association Meeting Rescheduled posted 1.15.2023

BROWSE THE PORTFOLIO AND ARCHIVES ON MY WEBSITE 

Tree Project Update Nov. 2023

 

Tree Project Update Nov.2023

(A bloggy post for patrons first) 

Six years later...Even in the darkness this project still reveals many things to me.

Every season brings it's changes and the ephemeral nature of All Things is increasingly evident here. The landscape has grown up around and embraced these transformations. 

[Below: Tree Project Nov. 2017]

Still doing my best to make time in the early morning hours to sit  in the company of this tree, my own evolution pauses for breath. Wings spreading as roots sink deep into the Earth, this is a time of day which connects me to all Things greater than myself. When I skip this part, the rest of my day feels off.

Regardless of the impact of the discrepancies between isolation and solitude, I am never lonely in this company. I am reminded, one day, in our own time, we will both return to the Earth. 

Today is not that day. 

TREE PROJECT HISTORY

4th Project Video Run time 21 minutes

3rd Project Video 

2nd Short film post .

Prologue to a Tree Project ~ a small tree project about big emotions

Ultimately, I believe this project happened because

“In the haunted house of life,
art is the only stair that doesn't creak.”
~Tom Robbins

Tapping into the sacred nature of art and the intrinsic androgynous nature of trees, this work was transformed from an original tree, Melvin, who protected the property until a storm twisted him down in 2017; The Tree Project is an organic installation artwork freely available to the public.

(This project is made possible by patrons like you. Thank you!)

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Twelve Years and Forward

Twelve Year Anniversary~ Gratitude   

 After completing my Business Plan in the Entrepreneurial Assistance Program at ACCORD Corporation and with the assistance of a small business start-up grant from vocational rehabilitation services at VESID, I opened SheilaLynnK Art Studio in October of 2011. 

 

 In 2013, I was the artist for the Annual Wellsville Balloon Rally and opened my studio to the public to participate in the Allegany Artisan Studio Tour that happens every October. 

Despite a very alarming medical diagnosis and its associated predictions, with Reasonable Accommodations; so many Things have happened since then... 

CREATIVELY STRIVING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE.... With over twenty years of experience in the arts community and fourteen years of experience implementing creative wellness practices into my vocational goals, I continue to create art and am passionate about expanding local equitable access to the arts for the wellness of our community. In these and other efforts I collaborated with a wide variety of creators, organizations, and volunteers to support a diverse population of individuals in achieving their creative goals and meeting program needs through online and live facilitation and management of public events, activities, and one-on-one consultations. 

As the founder and manager of the Belfast Organization for Artists (2009-present), a charitable community project from my studio, I work to promote creative unity and awareness of the arts in the Belfast, NY area as I’ve initiated other charitable creative community projects and free/affordable workshops from my studio.

Initially started as a national fully-funded survivors’ portrait series, Inspired by The Culture of Possibility: Art, Artists & the Future by Arlene Goldbard;  I became the artist, creator, and manager of the Art For Arachnoiditis Project (2014-2018) which eventually served arachnoiditis survivors in 93 countries (WordPress Report 2015). As this project grew, I coordinated printing, framing, and presentation of all visual and audio international works digitally submitted. I evaluated these assorted works for display providing other survivors with empowering creative wellness opportunities and increasing public and legislative awareness of the need for prevention. Due to financial hardship frequently experienced during chronic medical conditions; I coordinated volunteers, promoted and worked with local venues, and secured crowd funding for this program allowing participating artists to join the project at no cost to themselves or their families. The project website remains online as a free creative wellness resource for survivors.

Inspired by SWAN Day at WomenArts.org, I developed SWAN Days Allegany County NY (2014-2020). I initiated annual outreach to local creators and venues to uplift and amplify a wide variety of work by local women artists in conjunction with invitational opportunities for local businesses and venues to join and promote their own services and projects in a calendar of events which eventually lasted through March and April each year. As COVID closed the 2020 Exhibit after it was on display at David A. Howe Library, I transformed the event into an online exhibit and activities which honored and promoted the works of each individual artists.

After fully funded invitational attendance at the 2018 Statera Arts National Conference and the 2018 Culture/Shift conference of the US Department of Arts and Culture (USDAC), I believe in and adopted a Cultural Policy of Belonging for my studio and implement these concepts across all areas of my work.

In addition to creating my own art, studio website, and Youtube channel; for the duration of these fiscally sponsored charitable public projects I managed promotional content on my blog, the BOFA blog, Patreon, and social media including: twitter, facebook, and linkedIn.

To my astonishment as I reflect on the history of my business and turn the page to begin a new chapter; the evolution of my education, career & work scope (from the US Army, to Alfred University Painting & Ceramics Graduate, to NYS Certified Teacher, to Local Advocate for At-Risk Youth, to After School Program Manager, to Records Retention Coordinator at Allegany Arc and as an Artist & Business Owner working in these areas of knowledge and experience with an on-going dedication to expand cultural awareness and independent sustainable wellness) has prepared me for the duties of a diverse range of employment opportunities and to be a valuable asset participating in the world. 

I am eternally thankful for the numerous gifts, amazing people, and creative Things I have experienced so far. I look forward to what comes next as I continue to grow more fascinated by life every day. 

COMING SOON.... 

Subscribing Patrons will be able to unlock a preview of my new Creative Wellness Meditation coloring book, Sacred Harmony, being published as a hard copy later this month. Watch for posts about how to pre-order your copy HERE.

....That was then.

This is now....