Lower Brule, Land of the Kul Wicasa
2007-2012
Kennebec, SD
2009-2011
New Mexico Magic: Kundalini, Santa Fe, ABQ, Elementary Ed. New friends become family, Precious Chillins
2012-2016
Get Plastered Events:
Autumn 2017
Lead’s Legendary Haunted Tour
Autumn 2017
Snowflake Initiative
Winter 2017
Linking Fences, Spearfish, SD
Summer 2017
I was afforded an opportunity in May, 2017 to follow a dream I had been working on for several years connecting community groups through artwork. This aligned so well with my personal goals that I was pinching myself because of it.
I had been working on where I wanted to go and my understanding of what was really important to me for quite a while(years). I had moved back to my hometown of Lead, SD in June 2016. Upon my return, I began working earnestly on a bigger goal, CAT Scratch Studios. To begin, I started sharing my ideas about a creative art and therapies center. I wasn't always met with the kind of enthusiasm I had imagined I would be at first. So, I held back, for a while. However, in the midst of that, I still couldn't help sharing because I was so excited. It happened I was being brave enough to share again about my business idea of CAT Scratch Studios. She, in turn told me about a call for artists through the Spearfish Opera House for "Linking Fences".
I did a quick online search and found that ArtCentral Spearfish, SD was focused on creating a community collaboration to centralize the arts as an integrated asset for inclusivity, development, and sustained outreach within the community of Spearfish. ArtCentral’s goal was to highlight local artists and arts, bring together leaders and arts supporters, and their community impact through a community-wide art installation.
I was bubbling as I read on because it was everything I had been imagining! I couldn't believe it. I found that the project “Connecting Our Community Through LINKING FENCES” could put all of the ideas I had been imagining into one project! It was blowing my mind.
I was chosen as one of three artists to create large works on one of the City of Spearfish chain link fences. I saw this call for artists to create connections in ways I had been percolating on...it was beautiful.
These ideas began to develop further in my mind. It suddenly began to emerge completely in my mind. I was working late on a different business venture and ended up drawing out my initial designs on a chunk of drywall!
Within a few hours after returning home, I was typing up my proposal. I reworked my sketches on graph paper to include with the proposal. Within a week, I had a message requesting that I meet with a person who has since become an incredible friend, supporter and confidante.
I thought this meeting was like an interview of sorts, only did I realize about halfway through it, that my work was chosen and I would begin to delve into this dream to create it as a reality! I also learned at that time the fence I would be working on was at the Spearfish Rec and Aquatics Center. That was one more piece in this puzzle of amazing as I was already working there as a yoga instructor! These pieces kept adding up to create something that was bigger than me and it was incredible.
This project as with several other intentional artistic endeavors going on in Spearfish had all been made possible by a Bush Foundation Grant that was awarded the Spearfish Matthews Opera House. At the time this all began to build, I had no idea, but as more comes to light for me, I am constantly stopping in my tracks of the beauty of spirit, the connectedness of humanity and the building blocks laid out for us by people who have come before, years before, generations before, lifetimes before. I cannot explain this fully here, but my gratitude is not fit for words. I know I am but a piece.
I also know I am constantly working through things as are those that currently walk beside me, in front of or behind me, and those that previously walked this earth. We are in every scenario given opportunities to grow, learn and heal or not. Along with those personal opportunities, we are also given the chance to be present, to show up for each other and to help. We will survive or thrive because of one another.
I believe, even with my hardships and patterns of various destruction, that the good is stronger and the love is too.
