image: Wishing Well XIII (In the Womb) (c) Michelle Korte Leccia Michelle Korte Leccia (michellekorteleccia.com) explores ritual actions and environmental issues, resulting in hybrid installations. Her art practice draws on collage, sculpture, video, and...
City in a Garden
by Joan Riise -We Chicagoans are a rare breed, often caught up in a love/hate relationship with this city we call home: too much traffic, noise, taxes, corruption, gangs, pollution, cold, heat, etc, etc. STOP! Take a breath and look around. It’s also a city of...
Angels + Art…The New Era of Healing
by Lori Daniel Falk Have you ever had one of those nagging problems that seemed to drag on and on? You know, the kind of problem that, try as you may, you couldn't quite get to go away. The kind that had your blood pressure rising, your stress levels soaring, and the...
Circle of Life, Spark of the Divine Flame: The Artwork of Laurel Izard
by Shantal The drive to create can be described as an almost primal need within the individual who seeks to connect with a greater power outside one's Self. Spiritual art takes on many forms of creative expression – through word, dance, music, and painting, to name a...
Spirit of Wood
by Shantal There on the walls and the tables below lay some pieces of wood with stories waiting to unfold. Creative destruction - a metaphor for life - out from Mother Nature's bounty Spirit's wisdom springs to life. Etching and sketching with a wood-burning pen or...
Embracing the Vastness: The Art of Iris Pasic
by Shantal Life Force Art Center’s latest art exhibit, “Media and Mediums: Artists Who Channel,” takes the viewer into a fascinating exploration of the myriad ways through which spirit and art intersect. Among the talented, contemporary artists spotlighted in the show...
The Art of Woodburning: Metaphor For Life
Cheetah (c) Sharon Bechtold “The creatures that share our planet are not separate and distinct from us. They are us. Our treatment of them and the environment reflects our attitudes about ourselves. There is no us and them. There is only One. Dualities are an...
Art, Life, and a Horseshoe Nail
by Sharon Bechtold For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. Art...

The Value of Art in Society, aka Skipping Stones
by Sharon Bechtold My 8-year-old son recently asked me about jobs and our roles within society. We spoke about his dad who is a fleet supervisor for the county sheriff and how he makes sure their cars function so they can protect us. We spoke about his brother who is...
A Woman’s Strength: An Interview With Artist and Poet Vivian Gutierrez
At a very young age, Vivian Gutierrez found herself fascinated with poetry, and different art expressions. Her inclination toward the subject of spirituality and respect for women’s strength has always been her main subject and theme. Her preference for this subject...