Woman Wednesday: Lisa K.


Q and A with Lisa K. from Vail, Arizona

“Start manifesting and DOING what you love.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am most passionate about creativity. My life is defined by creating, making, and living my best life with intentionality. Over the past two years, while developing my Color Affirmation Program, I led a weekly meeting and podcast, the Global Art Café, where people from all over the world gathered over Zoom. I hosted artists, authors, and entrepreneurs and enjoyed many wonderful conversations. It provided a safe space for conversations and connection. I am passionate about sharing knowledge, creativity, and information in the arts. I believe by sharing our creative souls, we can find the healing we may not even know we need. I am currently taking a break from the Global Art Café as we get settled here in Arizona.

A photo from Colossal Cave Mountain. I am calling this my “EPIC” series of photos; I’m embracing the joy in manifesting my dreams!

I am currently working on my latest and biggest vision! All my past experiences in love, life, and work have brought me to where I am today. My husband is my biggest cheerleader and is the truest partner one could have. I am excited to be building this place that incorporates both of our skills and allows us to pursue our dreams and cultivate our creative pursuits. Our big vision is to provide a place for people to come and find rest.  We are building a Wellness Center with a Healing Arts focus. The name is still under discussion! We are just getting started! I recently shared this on a Facebook post:

A place to recharge their souls with peaceful vistas.

A place to walk the labyrinth to release daily stresses.

A place to meditate in nature.

A place to listen to that still small voice inside.

A place to find yourself again.

A place to ignite your inner passions.

A place to stimulate your creative senses.

Come…

WALK THE LABYRINTH

TAKE THE JOURNEY

SPIRAL IN, SPIRAL OUT

FEEL THE CHANGE

BE THE CHANGE

COME, renew your true self under the shadows of Mica Mountain.

Find rest in the morning’s cool breezes here in Vail, Arizona.

The Labyrinth at our Dailey Ranch Retreat Center for Healing Arts and Wellness, official name to be announced. We are located in Old Vail, an unincorporated town of Tucson, Arizona.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up in what I think is considered a traditional American family with a mother and father with one sibling. We lived in a nice house, in a nice neighborhood, and we had two cars and a cat. I was able to pursue my passions of playing cello and piano through private lessons. I played in a youth orchestra for many years which helped me grow as a musician and person. I eventually attended a private liberal college with multiple scholarships.

Leaves of Grass, pen and ink, 2020

Growing up, I was most impacted by the elderly neighbors who became my mentors as a young woman. To this day, they bring back my fondest memories of sharing ice cream or getting soda while listening to their stories. One neighbor, in particular, was the one who funded my private orchestra experience, paid for my first car, and shared stories of her youth and the importance of knowing how to read the stock market and much more. She was a constant supporter of my dreams and talents. I lived a block from my grandparents and spent lots of time with them too. From sleepovers to learning to sew, can fruit and vegetables, trips to the cabin, the county fair, and much more, they were a big part of my life!

My mom and dad were my biggest supporters, and I lacked for nothing. My first job was as a newspaper carrier for the Star Tribune. I started delivering them in the afternoons and over time had two routes that I delivered every weekend from the time I was 16 through graduating high school. My dad would go with me and I learned to drive a car during this time. We delivered when it flooded, we delivered when it was icy and when there were blizzards. I sprained my ankle falling down a steep set of stone stairs, I permanently damaged a front tooth collecting payment for the paper from customers, when I flew over the front of my bicycle…. and many times in winter, I walked the route with my eyes frozen shut because of the frost on my eyelashes.

We vacationed at the neighbor’s cabin on the shores of Lake Superior and also up in Park Rapids at a little cabin on 6th Crowing. Nature and time outside were a significant influence on my life. My dad taught me to fish and showed me how to take pictures. Later, we set up a dark room in our basement where I learned how to develop photographs. I also had my own workbench in his wood shop where I got to play around and build things. This definitely influenced my creative side. My mom taught me how to bake and cook and while out on walks, would point out all the details, kinds of leaves, trees, and flowers. I feel like I have the best of both of them in me.

Faith and music were really the backbones of our life. Spirituality often comes up in conversations. I do identify as a Christian and whether it is obvious or not, my motivation and foundation come from that belief system. I am open to discussion about it and often am in conversation with others about their faith walk. I aim to serve and be a light to those seeking peace and comfort in this world. We always had music, whether it was piano, cello, orchestra, or church choir. At college, I attended chapel daily and studied religion. I sang at a Billy Graham Crusade and have played cello for church events and on worship teams over the years. I’ve led bible studies, and women’s groups and even organized women’s retreats. It’s a big part of my story. All these things contribute to where I am now, building a Wellness Center with a Healing Arts focus with my husband.

Watercolor as the new year approached (2022) A stone cairn reminding me of what is ahead…ME. CREATE. US. RENEW. LET IT FLOW. It all starts with me and a reminder to let my dreams flow! I will find renewal along the way.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Start manifesting and DOING what you love. The rest will follow. Believe in yourself. Do what it takes and never give up on your dreams.

Inspirational watercolor: It’s okay to be selfish. “Be selfish….Take the time you need to discover who you truly are.”

Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A:
To me, I have always seen feminism as a movement to gain equality for women in a world that has been predominately male-driven. I tend to steer away from political and highly charged religious discussions, but there are times I choose to use my art to create statements on feminism and political topics. I believe that women deserve to have the same opportunities as any other gender. I do believe that a woman should be allowed to make and take whatever actions she needs regarding her well-being without any discrimination or laws impeding her progress.

 
A Wellness Coloring book I created that is now available on my website along with a coloring book featuring my pen and ink drawings.

I think being a “Minnesota girl” has wired me to be more private about these views. That does not necessarily mean I don’t have opinions. I welcome one-on-one discussions or in-private forums where people are willing to be open-minded about a variety of topics.

MORE ABOUT LISA: I am originally from Anoka, Minnesota, USA.  I grew up there and graduated from Anoka High School. I went to Augsburg College in Minnesota and graduated with a BA in art studio, German, and was a performance major, studying cello. I also spent a semester abroad at Heidelberg University in Heidelberg, Germany. I recently moved to Tucson, Arizona, with my husband. We have three adult children; two live in Minnesota and one lives in Wisconsin. We have one cat, Ted, who made the cross-country move with us.

Thank you for reading!

My current website: www.lisakindle.com

COMING SOON!

*UPDATES* I will be offering color sessions, color coaching, and certification and releasing TWO new color affirmation decks at more accessible pricing, including one that will be just for kids!

*Announcements about our creative wellness/healing arts center will be coming soon, like the name and website!

  • 40 foot labyrinth
  • 2 private guest rooms
  • Shared full bath
  • Private art gallery featuring artists from US and Abroad
  • Color gardens, serenity path
  • Open spaces for yoga, tai chi, and meditation
  • Personal and group retreats
  • Art classes
  • Wellness retreats
  • Color path sessions
  • Private coaching

MY BIG PASSION, and dare I say the core of what will be my lifework. Over the past couple years, I have been developing my signature program, the Color Affirmation Program. I have created a healing arts coaching program that includes private Color Path Sessions, an online course, and an online certification course for licensed practitioners and professionals. I also offer private sessions to learn about your life path color and how you can transform your life.

The “I Am Colorfully Made” Deck is a 72-card daily inspirational deck that fuses art, color psychology, and numerology with original art and affirmations. Enjoy Kindle’s bright and colorful mixed media pieces along with daily affirmations to inspire positive action in your life. Promote inner well-being while reflecting on what it is you truly want for yourself. Kindle believes you can truly “empower yourself with color!”

I am currently creating two new decks that I will be releasing. One will be a special “kids” edition!

I have received testimonials from practitioners and other users about its impact on their lives.

A mindfulness coach from New York, USA says, “I love Lisa’s deck! It gives me simple directions for the day. The focus on color helps me connect to other aspects of my being. It helps me to live a vibrant, colorful life! –Raditia, Mindful Being LLC

A creativity coach from the UK says, “Lisa’s card deck is inspiring and exciting. I did a deck with my 6-year-old daughter and we spent a lovely time together talking about colors, and how it makes her feel. She designed the cards on her own while I found affirmations for her. Lisa’s material is clear and concise and is a great blueprint to create your own cards and feel inspired. I highly recommend buying this for you or a loved one.” –AJ, UK

A sampling of the affirmation cards found in my art & affirmation deck,
“I Am Colorfully Made.”
 
I will be releasing my second deck, the “Color Affirmation Deck” soon
and a third deck based on this program especially for kids!

Woman Wednesday: Maura (She’s Back!)


Q and A with Maura from Venice, Italy, living in Raeford, North Carolina

We can be our best friends or our worst enemies depending on if we choose to believe in ourselves or not.


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: My main passion has always been art in all its forms. Starting with music, which I’ve loved since I began singing as a kid, to visual arts, as a painter first and as a photographer now. I think that art is a great medium to convey a message because it speaks directly to people’s emotions bypassing the filter of their rationality.

I’ve always felt the need to leave my mark on the world. To try to make it a better place. It took me a few years to understand that art was my opportunity to do so.

More Than A Body is only my first step in that direction. This first project is my way to tell myself and other women that we are allowed to love ourselves for who we are and that it is ok to celebrate our achievements and forgive our mistakes. I focused this project on women because I felt that it hit close to home, but I want to spread the same message to other groups of people in future projects.


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I had a happy childhood. Music was always playing at home, and I had the opportunity of growing up in a country, Italy, that constantly exposed me to art without me even realizing it. I started singing when I was about 10 and, even though that is still one of my passions, I’ve come to realize that I rather take a position “behind the scenes.” I most definitely rather be behind the camera than in front of it.

Despite everything, looking back, I remember feeling very insecure about my place in the world, my social life, about the way I looked. It took me years to be more confident and it’s still a work in progress. This is one of the reasons why I now wish to help other women. We can learn together to be kinder to ourselves. I feel like this type of message won’t ever be repeated enough to contrast the constant bombardment we receive from a world that wants us to be forever young, perfect career women, with the perfect body, the perfect house, and the perfect kids.

Photo from More Than A Body project by Maura.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: I have learned that no step is too small towards change and that sometimes we need to take that step before being completely sure that we will succeed. We can be our best friends or our worst enemies depending on if we choose to believe in ourselves or not.

I often must remind myself that life is not a race to achieve perfection and that I am not competing either against myself or others. I think it’s admirable to try to improve ourselves and our skills, but the learning process is as important as the final result.

Photo from More Than A Body project by Maura.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: We live in a time where feminism is of the most importance. It is not only a matter of equality in society but also the fundamental right to recognize our own value as women. We need the freedom to make our own choices and to fail, if necessary, without losing our independence or our value as human beings. It’s a matter of boundaries: accepting others and requiring others to respect ours. This means stop labeling people and stop shrinking ourselves to fit in a standardized role.

Photo from More Than A Body project by Maura.

MORE FROM MAURA: More Than A Body is a collection of ten women’s portraits and their stories. Using a mix of photography and digital art, I have tried to represent them for who they were more than how they looked. Each woman’s portrait is displayed together with her story to remind the viewer that she is more than what you see, she is more than a body. I asked each woman to write her own story in her own words, to choose an outfit and make-up she felt represented her and the result was incredible. These women had the courage to share their deepest secrets, their successes, and their failures. They understood that, by opening up and showing their vulnerability, they could inspire others. They taught us that we might all be different, but we are not alone on our journey.

Photo from More Than A Body project by Maura.

All stories, photos, the calendar with the next exhibition’s date, and the prints are available on my website: https://mauraartphotography.com/more-than-a-body

This project was made possible by the Artist Support Grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville.

Photo from More Than A Body project by Maura.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂 Comment below!

Article on Maura, click here.

www.mauraartphotography.com

Instagram: @maura_trice_art

Facebook: @Maura Trice Art

Woman Wednesday: Natasha


Q and A with Natasha from Barcelona, Spain

“I want others to learn that it is easier to give up than persevering and creating the life of your dreams.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am a certified transformation coach and counselor as well as an author. More than a passion, this is my purpose in life. I look forward to adding value to women’s lives on a daily basis. And when I see their magnificent changes and fruitful results, my heart skips a beat…at times many beats [she laughs].
I have a great amount of interest in personal development, energy medicine, and other alternative techniques as I use a variety of them when I counsel a client. So, I have been doing this for the past 3 years and ever since then, it has been a beautiful journey where I, too, grow along with my clients. I have undergone various milestones in life—such as being a cancer survivor and a sexually assaulted child among others. And my over-empathetic nature always guided me to help and support others. Then I decided to make this my purpose in life but set healthy boundaries by behaving in an empathetic rather than over-empathetic manner. 


I am currently working on a new course which is called The Love In Your Pocket Kit, which is a 6-week challenge for single women entrepreneurs who want to become the game-changers of their love lives and attract and enjoy a loving partner. What is wonderful about this course is that it is NOT a dating app or membership program as, to be honest, I too have been there and it takes much more than having your profile on such platforms. I am super excited about this course as it has immense topics such as developing the confidence mindset, loving and accepting your authentic self, and treating yourself exactly as you would want your partner to treat you. The law of attraction, cause and effect, rewiring old limiting beliefs, 50 common mistakes women make and end up attracting toxic guys, knowing your triggers, etc. are just some of all that is included in this course. I hope to introduce it on Valentine’s Day!


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I lost my father at age 12, so I have basically been brought up by a single parent and faced many hardships which just made me more independent and a go-getter. When it comes to education, I have my business degree from the University of Westminster-London and my honors degree in fashion design from India. Those were my passions and this is my purpose.


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: I have learned many valuable things, converting my pain points into my gains—such as valuing each moment of my life and living it to the fullest. Cancer taught me this lesson was critical. Also, it taught me to love and accept myself exactly the way I am focusing on daily healing to become the best version of myself. I throw light on this in my book, Perseverance. I want others to learn that it is easier to give up than persevering and creating the life of your dreams. We are all diamonds and our value and shape is determined by the amount of heat and pressure we undergo in life, so never give up and keep on investing in your mental, physical, emotional, and energetic bodies and mind.


Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism has developed this negative connotation as many women think that feminism means hating men and, indeed, some feminists hate men. However, I am supporting the thought process that feminism explains the equality between both genders, not degrading one to make the other superior. Mother Teresa never went to an anti-war rally as she stated that the day she was approached to participate in a pro-peace rally she would surely be there. Indeed, low energetic emotions such as hatred, envy, sorrow, depression, etc. just drag us down and when we decide to learn from these emotions our vibrations automatically elevate. 


Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

www.unfilteringourselves.com

Instagram: Unfiltering Ourselves

Facebook: Unflitering Ourselves

LinkedIn: Natasha Vaswani

Woman Wednesday: Katherine


Q and A with Katherine, born and raised in Chile, now living in New York, New York

“You will always be the problem and you will always be the solution.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: Hi, my name is Katherine Berland, and I am an intuitive-rich money mindset activator and manifestation mentor with a sole mission to help others heal from the past, align with the present, and surface profound clarity to manifest an empowering future. I feel very passionately and nothing makes me happier than helping other women cultivate a quality life filled with ignited purpose, passion, and fulfillment. From childhood trauma healing, rectifying money wounds, to manifestation mentoring that unlocks the powers of the mind, I find immense joy in delivering safe-haven sessions that give my clients the newfound confidence to conquer any obstacle within the 3D world.


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I come from a very dysfunctional family. If you ask me, I really had a difficult life going through many painful experiences that I continued to perpetuate in my adult life with toxic and abusive relationships. I literally had to lose everything to start looking for answers for why we do what we do and how we can break away from suffering, lack, limitation, and unworthiness. I do not mention this in a victim place because I healed and break with most of my traumas and paradigms, but all my past experiences really helped me understand how life works, the power we really have, which ultimately led me to want to help other people break free from the illusion of the mind to unleash their true potential.

My mom was a very abusive, narcissistic person, and my parents got divorced when I was 11. My mom left me and my five-year-old sister with my dad. My dad was a great dad, but a very hard worker; he always left the house early in the morning and came back late at night. I became the mom of my sister at the age of 12 because nobody else could take care of us. It was confusing and tough. I started drinking and smoking at 12. I was a very rebellious child, bad in school, and had a lot of physical fights. I started feeling depressed, which led me to try suicide myself twice. I finished high school and started working at 17. I wanted to feel proud of myself, so I worked very hard at the age of 20. And I bought my first apartment at the age of 21. I had a boyfriend, a house, a dog a car, but something was missing. I was having everything that people said brings happiness, but I couldn’t feel happy. I was working the whole day just to pay bills, drink, and watch TV. One day I just started asking, “This is all? This is how I’m going to live the rest of my life?” So, it was then that I decided to do something. I quit my job, I left my boyfriend, and I rented my apartment. I moved from Chile to Florida. I didn’t know what to do and how to make money, so I started working as a dancer, I found happiness for a couple months, and I made a lot of money, but something was still missing and I couldn’t figure out what it was. After a while, I met the dad of my son, which was a love bomb in the beginning, and since I’d never received love, I fell in love with him so easily and ignored all the red flags. After a couple months, he convinced me to stay in New York and live with him. And I did. Then my visa expired, and it was then that he start manipulating me and abusing me. I lost all my money and even I lost myself. I lost everything. I was feeling like WHY ME? What did I do so wrong to experience so much negative stuff? Then I started looking at my son and thinking, “He is going to live the same life” and I just felt so sad. Then, I started asking myself, “What I can do to move forward?” and I remembered to start praying.

Now, with time, I understand that you don’t have to force anything. I forgive them. And I made peace with my past and especially with myself, taking full responsibility for what I do what I get and how I feel. Now, I love my family just the way they are. I lost a lot of people on this path. Now, I made new friends and people who are on this path of making the world a better place. I’m always connecting with nice and beautiful people. My health is 100% good, my relationships changed so dramatically, and I feel full of purpose. And I’m loving what I do.


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Spirituality, mindset, and body, you have to find the balance in the three of them if you really want to live a happy, fulfilled life. Everything that you need is within you; you will always be the problem and you will always be the solution. If you had childhood experiences where you didn’t have the choice to choose about your life, now you have the power and it’s time to own it, and create the life that you want and deserve in this world. Doesn’t matter what you did or who you think you are right now…you are always worthy if have it all.


Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: I think feminism is the concept of equality as humans.

MORE FROM KATHERINE:

I love what I do and am always seeking ways to advance myself both personally and professionally to share that knowledge with others. However, when I am not working, you can often find me meditating, dancing, traveling, enjoying the zen of the beach, studying about human behavior, the mind, the universe, and of course one of my favorite things to do is spending time with my amazing kid.


Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

Woman Wednesday: Christie


Q and A with Christie, Utah, USA

“It took a lot of work and persistence.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am passionate about art, creating, design, photography, creating something beautiful. My heart is really true to a “creative” rather than any other title. My business is called WhimsyArt. [It is an art service of personalized projects, including a variety of photography, drawings and paintings, and custom family portraits done in various mediums, including colored pencils and watercolor.] Covid-19 has impacted how I do my business, so much of it is now done at home.


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I have always done art, even as a little child. I spent my younger years in Texas and Washington and have traveled the world from close to 40+ states to Japan and Canada, and lived in Arkansas, too. Life in Japan was amazing, but I was a missionary, so it was quite a good experience.


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: I have learned a valuable lesson to keep on learning and growing! Living the dream of doing art full time is finally real, but it took a lot of work and persistence.


Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism means being a strong woman in all that I do and who I serve.


Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

Shop my custom-made art here. A great holiday gift!

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