Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, it is never good enough? Once upon a time did you love to sing? Dance? Make things with your hands? With so much pressure to perform in your profession and so many societal rules to play by, it’s easy to lose your creativity and playfulness.
The arts provide an open-ended source of expression. Mindful engagement—whether visual art, music, dance, drama, literature—allows us to tap into deep emotions and safely share what’s going on. Studies show that the arts are good for our health: both creating art (playing music, painting, etc.) and receiving art (going to museums, concerts, etc.). The arts also reduce stress and contribute to a heightened sense of well-being.
I’ll help you dive deep and explore, in a safe space, your visceral responses to the arts. Clarity often emerges when you examine what’s going on between you and the artistic expression you’re engaged with.
I grew up surrounded by the arts. Whether sitting in a corner of the dance studio waiting for my mother to finish teaching, attending weekly National Symphony Orchestra concerts, or doing homework in Smithsonian museums, I learned early on to feel the power of the arts from the viewer’s perspective. In short, I benefitted greatly from “receiving” art in these ways.
I created art through music. I loved practicing. It was a calming respite from otherwise overly stimulating days. Thanks to all that practice, I became an award-winning high school flutist. Throughout college, playing music alleviated the academic pressures. I continued to play flute after college as a member of a municipal orchestra in Japan. But like so many of us who get caught up in climbing the career ladder, as I moved further into adulthood playing music got put onto the back burner.
After many years living in Asia, I returned to the U.S. to earn a masters degree in anthropology. That began a 20-year career in the museum world, as a museum educator, curator, and director. In the meantime, I won several awards at the state and national levels.
Now I share my expertise with WAYiN clients through provocative approaches to engaging with the visual arts. I’m trained and train others in the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) approach to meaningful engagement with art through dialogue. I employ the VTS methodology and other art-engagement strategies with WAYiN workshop participants and individual clients. Art is a powerful way to take a closer look at ourselves and the world around us.
A visit to Santa Fe without going on one of Willamarie’s Art Tours would be a huge mistake. She takes you to interesting galleries, lets you see and experience art in new and wonderful ways, takes you to sculpture gardens you would not have known, and makes the whole tour not only very informative but also lots of fun! Kudos to Willamarie and the Santa Fe Art Tours!
“Your teaching method provided a platform for us to think critically and work collaboratively to reach a common goal. I am more organized in how I plan and teach. I had been working in museum education for many years but much of my experience during that time had me thinking on the spot for most situations, partially out of necessity and partially due to my work environment. Improvisation, reactive, and rushed are a few key words but after taking your class I learned how to focus my thoughts and be more prepared for various situations. It is ok to take a step back and reevaluate the situation so that the steps moving forward would lead towards progress and not more problems.”
“Willamarie had a big impact on me because she herself was a museum educator. She loved her subject and she was brilliant at communicating her experience and enthusiasm by modeling what a brilliant museum educator should be. Willamarie’s great gift is that she is an inspiration and she knows how to spread art and love in a classroom.”