Creative Background
Since childhood, I have loved to discover, reveal, and express the creativity that is all around and within me. Whether through performance or writing, drawing or weaving, liturgy or movement, I am drawn to the spiritual and creative arts in my work as a spiritual director, scholar, artist, and parish minister. As an artist, I have performed, created, and taught in various media with over 40 years of arts and performance experience in North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. These days, I tend to think of my artistic work in terms of expressive arts and embodied arts: those that express ideas, emotions, and concepts and those that create something tangible, something physical.
Expressive Arts
Performance is a primary art form in my life. As a child, I studied vocal and instrumental music, theater, and storytelling. I continued that study and began to perform professionally while in high school and college. Writing is another core artistic practice for me. I love both poetry and prose; each form offers different opportunities for creative expression and communication. Whether writing to teach spiritual practices or to imagine new worlds, I love exploring the nuances and beauty of language.
Today, I use all these skills whether I am creating a presentation, concert, workshop, or worship. I am fascinated by the interactions of music, word, and movement, creating meaning and experience for the audience.
Embodied Arts
I enjoy using my body to express and experience the wonder of being human. Movement—gymnastics, qigong, and dance—has long been an important part of my life. Creating objects and experiences that are both useful and pleasing gives me great joy. I combine my interests in beauty and science as the steward of the land, gardens, woods, and creatures in my care. The joy of cooking, eating, and drinking is an important part of my life, as is my spinning, knitting, and weaving to make cloth and clothing. I also explore the creativity of the body through my study of the intersections of sexuality and spirituality, especially supporting LGBTQ+ people in discovering and understanding the value in their embodied experiences.
Nurturing and enjoying the body and the experiences that come with embodiment feed my creativity, inspire me with beauty, and enliven my every moment. I encourage others to find their own ways to enjoy all the wonder of being alive, too.
