Art isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity —
Danielle LaPorte
I Believe…
Art can serve a purpose greater than decor.
The future of our society depends on parents prioritizing emotional literacy and empathy as part of a kid’s education.
Art of Nature is used on hospital walls for its proven emotionally healing effect.
My images of Nature’s emotional metaphors provide visual reminders of emotions that inspire conversations to help turn homes into havens of emotional connection.
My creative role is to inspire emotional literacy and empathy in families—to help turn homes into the havens all kids need for a healthy society. When the art in a home reflects the beauty and harmony in Nature’s patterns, colors, textures, variations and species interdependence—it becomes a visual metaphor of the equally beautiful harmony possible in the human intentions, emotions, meanings, connections and conversations within that home.
Help turn your home into a haven of emotional literacy with these creative offerings:
Fine art imagery of Nature titled with emotions to use the healing power of Nature to inspire family conversations that build trust and empathy.
A story photo book (8 yrs+) written from the perspective of a horse about his world, helping young readers grow empathy by seeing the real world a little differently—through the eyes of another.
A middle school creative writing project and workbook based on the story book above for students to create their own photographic story from the perspective of their favorite animal. Combines research, writing, photography, design, Nature, imagination and curiosity to grow understanding and empathy.
I’ll be sharing stories and new work via email. If you’d like to receive it, please leave your email address at the bottom of this page!
Pippi Started It
I envied Pippi Longstocking as a kid—so independent at an early age—living with a horse and a monkey. I dreamed of a life that felt like hers: full of possibility, joy, warmth, whimsy and bright colors.
That dream eventually compelled me, decades later, to rescue an orphaned Paint horse and name him The Artful Dodger. He became my creative muse, helping me view the world from his traumatized, flight animal perspective. The details I had to notice to stay safe around him and the internal process he was working in me, inspired me to create fine art photography, a kids’ book, and a middle grade writing project to help grow emotional literacy and empathy.
Adulting Required It
If things happen for us, not to us, then there’s nothing like a heart-wrenching divorce to bring some sobering choices with it. I faced these:
Try again at love with a sense of dread;
Avoid love’s inevitable pain altogether;
Learn how to love since this wasn’t it.
After a few half-hearted attempts at #1, the arrival of the pandemic chose #3 for me. Isolation mixed with a relentless curiosity, made taking online psychology courses intended for therapists (but accepting anyone) seem like the most direct route.
One especially helpful therapist, Esther Perel, said two things that informed my process: "Tell me how you were loved, and I'll tell you how you love," and “your fight is not about what you think you’re fighting about, it’s about what you’re longing to receive.”
Those two insights, along with a look at my complicated past, revealed one obvious conclusion: When emotional intelligence is missing in a child’s home, every one of their relationships will be stripped of its potential. Emotional awareness, empathy and the ability to communicate through conflict has to be role-modeled and taught by parents for children to learn how to create loving relationships as adults. They won’t learn it in school.
My inner journey, along with the energy awareness and empathy my horse requires of me, inspires me to see metaphors for emotions throughout Nature. I don’t look for them. They find me.
My hope is that they inspire, remind, support and spark conversations in homes—especially with kids—to serve a purpose greater than decor. I create them to help turn homes into havens.
What emotions and conversations does the art on your walls inspire?
P.S. Why All the Horse Images?
Because they’re sentient beings who teach us how to be in relationship if we give them the chance. They sense our energies and agendas from a distance and will—if allowed—reveal what it’s like to be around us with their eyes, ears, bodies, energy and behavior. Instant energetic biofeedback.
Their connections to us grow in direct proportion to how much they feel heard and regarded—just like people.
I’ll be sharing stories and new work via email. If you’d like to receive it, please enjoy my free gift and leave your email address here!
If reading this made you think of anyone else, I sure hope you’ll share it with them.
Thank you!
