Starting 2016 with a bit of My Story (another facet of Who I Am..."Traveling Art Minister")

For those of you who are either new to this blog or unaware of what I could possibly be talking about in that title...let me explain. You may not know, that along with being a full time working artist with a business called "revelatorART", I am also a Traveling Art Minister. If you're unfamiliar with what Art Ministry is, what a Traveling Art Minister is, and might be wondering what the heck does this have to do with art and why should I care...let me introduce myself...

My name is Lisa Marten. I’ve been a full time working artist for 17 years. I utilize many different mediums and a variety of artforms within my art business called “revelatorART”, and my performance art company called “Marten Evergreen”. This includes commissioned studio work, contracted mural work, live painting engagements, teaching private art lessons, one person and multi-artist art exhibits and art shows, live performances including painting-choreographed dance-music and spoken word, and number of other creative endeavors that I gain employment for. Along with art being a way of life for me and the way that I gain income, art has also been a way to minister to others. And for me, this is an important part of who I am. What do I mean by all of this? 

Here's a bit of my story... 

I started out as an Art Major at Seattle Pacific University. Art has always been a part of my life. My journey has taken me on some creative adventures. I have a BA in Youth Ministry (’92)-which is about mentoring youth-and a second BA in Behavioral Science (’95)-which is counseling/psychology training. Both degrees are from Northwest University in the Seattle area. I also have a 6 month course completion certificate from The Harvest Ministry College (a ministry/missions/leadership training school) in Glasgow, Scotland ('02).  

Throughout my working career, I have utilized art therapy with children and adults (in professional psychoanalyst therapeutic settings, in public art workshop settings, along with private studio art therapy sessions) and have seen the healing and therapeutic results of art when people allow themselves to connect to their hearts through creativity. I truly care about people's well being and enjoy getting see people discover important things within them as they pursue their own life journeys. It was this connection of art and therapy and ministry and missions that has led me down a path that is quite new and cutting edge in our world today.  

What is "Ministry" or a "Minister":

I've been a volunteer Art Minister and leader with an Arts Ministry called VineArts at the Boise Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Boise, Idaho since 2005. And it's been through this experience that I've learned that at the core of who I am...I am a "Minister" and specifically, an "Art Minister". You may be asking...What is "Ministry" and what is a "Minister"?  Some of you may have heard the terms used in a Governmental setting. Others may have heard the terms used in a Church setting. The terms are typically used to describe someone's job description or a title for a group of people who are doing a specific task and might be relegated to only those who are given a specific profession. 

I use the terms a bit different. I use them more as verbs...action oriented. I use them to be inclusive (not exclusive). The easiest way I can describe "Ministry" (the way I see it) is "Mentoring". Mentoring is more than teaching a specific subject or coaching a specific skill...it's coming alongside others and caring for them in such a way that helps to bring out the best of who they are (think Mr. Miagee in The Karate Kid...he did more than teach karate, or coach self defense skills...he mentored life to Daniel). Mentoring can be accomplished in countless ways and look like just about anything.  

I’ve ministered to (mentored) people of all ages through creative activities and artistic focus within ministry (mentoring). I've curated a gallery for 6 years which allows for artists of all ages and skill levels to learn that what they create is important and worth being seen, and have led small group ministry (mentoring) to artists allowing for safe places for them to explore and pursue who they are at their core. I’ve worked side by side with other Art Ministers connecting with artists and getting to see people gain a deeper understanding of themselves as creative beings created by God. I have been and am currently also a part of a group of ecumenical Art Ministers from around the United States, Canada, and the UK who meet annually in Texas to cross pollinate and learn from each other.

I love to travel. My father was in the US Navy and so I've grown up traveling. As an adult, I have found that I have an innate desire to travel and experience other places, cultures, people in this world along with my own. I have traveled throughout the US and overseas (and have lived overseas). Throughout the years I’ve traveled around the world (sometimes for exploring and sometimes to serve and help in other countries). Regardless what the trip might be for, I’ve always found myself doing art and connecting with other artists on my travels. My training in all of these areas (whether organized or organic) has prepared me for what I am doing today.

What is "Art Ministry"? or an "Art Minister"?: 

An "Art Minister" is someone who mentors others through creativity, and oftentimes will specifically mentor Artists. It was in 2010 that I recognized how I could join art and ministry (mentoring) and missions (mentoring in places beyond what I have known) together by traveling to places where I already have connections (people I’ve met throughout the years who are already living and serving abroad to communities small and large, whether through the influence of specific churches, world wide missions organizations, business in communities, or relationship with others) to bring art as a form of ministry to those communities in creative ways. It’s this endeavor that I want to bring to your attention to share my heart with you about. I take art and ministry around the world.

You see I really do believe that creativity is a language that transcends all other languages, all nations, cultures, and borders (all cultures throughout history have their own forms of art, music, textiles, stories, etc.). It's a language we all share...it's the language of our Creator (no matter what religion people have faith in, there is art that expresses that religion). It may look or sound a bit different depending upon where we live and who we are, and some of us might be a bit rusty at first engagement, but it's a language that we all speak. 

About the Conversation:

I believe Creativity is like a conversation. There are conversations going on all the time. Conversations with the people and the work of their hands, with people and God, with people and nature, with people and humankind, with people and self. Creativity allows me to come alongside others and enter into the conversations that are already happening with them. I love listening to the conversations (it's an honor, a sacred thing). If I'm invited into the conversations this brings about collaboration. Collaboration is an invitation to the sharing of ideas and it's a huge part of building relationship. I believe humankind is a relational people. We need each other. I believe we were created that way by a creative God who is all about relationship with us. And I believe we've been given creativity as a language to relate to each other with. When we connect into the conversation through creativity and allow for collaboration, we are helping to build community together and this helps foster relationship. And the walls become invisible between us. 

How Do I "Do" This "Traveling Art Ministry"?:

Since I started traveling for this purpose I have been able to do art and ministry in countries like Ireland, Ecuador, New Zealand, Lithuania, Scotland, Canada and throughout the USA (on and off the mainland), and I am currently in the process of planning an upcoming trip to Thailand. I have mostly traveled on my own...but have also traveled with other Art Ministers. 

Each of these trips looks different from the other as they are hand tailored to the specific country, culture, people, ecumenical relationships and needs of those I would be ministering to. Most of my work has been with adults but I have also worked with youth and children also. I’ve done anything from facilitating collaborative art projects for large and small groups, designing and implementing community art murals, leading small group therapeutic or ministerial art activities, painting live for local events, painting live for worship services, painting live/accompanying a pastor’s sermon for church services, painting live and speaking the sermon for church services, meeting with artistic groups to discuss how to implement creative art ministry, and allowing for relational ministry (however that needs to look). 

How do I fund these trips? It's all done out of my own pocket and by those who individually desire to generously gift to me. Let me be clear, I am not getting paid to do this. I get no monies from the government, churches, missions organizations, or any other official institution to take these travels. Unlike my art business, I don't require my hosts (whom I already have friendship with) to pay me for these "Art Ministry Trips". The only thing I ask is to be able to stay with them and eat with them while I'm with them). I fund these trips through relationship. It's a free gift. I give the time. I give the mentoring. I give the art. It's about relationship. Human to human. Heart to heart.

In 2012 I formed a group of 12 Pastors and Art Ministers (from different church denominations) surrounding me who serve as my "Commissioning Group". Why and What is that you ask? My "Commissioning Group" provide support, prayer, and accountability. There's a lot involved (behind the scenes) to do a trip like I do. And though I am often the sole person on these trips...they are as much a part of them as I am. My "Commissioning Group" meets with me before my trips to help me prepare. I do tons of research about the places, people, cultures, and specific needs of those I will be traveling to. My "Commissioning Group" partners with me in helping me to prepare for the trips. They message with me daily while I am out on the trips (keeping in contact and up to date on how things are going). And they debrief with me once I am back from my trips (helping me process through my experiences and what I've learned). They are my lifeline while I am out on the field and they are my soft place to land when I come back. 


Why I DO this thing called "Art Ministry":

Because I am compelled. One thing I’ve learned through what I get to do as an "Art Minister"…it’s not about me (I'm not traveling with these trips so I can gain or so I can see the world or so I can be known)...it's about relationship with others. And...(unlike creating a painting for a paying client whom I'm contracted with through my art business) it’s not really about the art either (the art is the starting point). It will always be about relationship. Heart to heart. About God’s heart for people and how connecting with other humans is an important part of ministry (mentoring). What I get to do as an "Art Minister" is to be a part of conversation in collaboration (between me and God and my hosts, and those we’re ministering to, and those who are praying and supporting and donating supplies for the activities, etc.) and it’s a privilege to be a part of it throughout this world in so many places and in so many ways.  We all get to play in some way. What I have found is that my purpose and point out there on these trips usually has so many layers it's difficult to say "this is why I am going" or "this is why I went". But I what I do know is that there is usually deep stuff taking place within all involved and my presence on the trip (however long and however it looked) was an important part of this journey we call life together. 

I am very appreciative of all of my experiences. The training I received throughout my education, along with work and volunteer experiences, was the beginning of an incredible adventure that God set before me. Today, as a "Traveling Art Minister", I love what I get to do. I get to paint on people’s lives. 

Would you like to partner with me on these Art Ministry adventures?

For those of you who might be interested in this aspect of what I do, would you want  to partner with me in prayer as I continue to listen to the conversation and enter into it through creative Traveling Art Ministry? You see, we’re in this together. I really do believe I take you with me wherever I go. You’re a part of this adventure as much as I am. I appreciate your prayers and your encouragement more than you realize.

And If you're interested in individually contributing through a financial gift or art supplies to help towards a future trip...Contact me at: revelatorart@yahoo.com

I have been writing about my adventures on my Traveling Artist blogsite:

www.traveling-artist.blogspot.com

You can check out each trip page by clicking on a tab at the top of that sites homepage. 

To continue to follow my adventures, you can subscribe to that site through RSS feed or you can receive the posts in your email by entering in your email address in the box provided on the site for email subscription. 

And if you are interested in hosting me on a future Art Ministry adventure, where I can partner with you to connect through creativity with those you are already reaching in your community, please contact me.

Thank you. 

Lisa Marten

Adventures Pursued:

Scotland/UK (2000-2002)
New Zealand 2011

Lithuania 2012

Alaska 2012

Scotland 2012

Pacific Northwest 2013

*Seattle, WA

*Vancouver Canada

*Bellingham, WA

*Portland, OR

Hawaii 2014

Seattle 2014

Oregon Coast 2014

Maui 2015

Lithuania 2015

Travels with VineArts:
Ireland 2008

Ecuador (La Vina Quito) 2010

Annual Art Ministers Retreat. Laity Lodge, Texas (2010-2015)

CIVA Conference 2011

Creative Church Conference (bi-annually 2012,2014,2016)

Vineyard USA Conference 2013

Local Pursuits:

Live Painting at churches, concerts, fundraisers, and art events 

Performance Art at art events with Marten Evergreen

MORE ART TRAVELS TO COME!

I’m always open for wherever the conversation leads me.

Confirmed Travels for 2016:

• Thailand

"Mystic Lover"

24x36 mixed media on canvas.

c. 2015 Lisa Marten.

Not For Sale

This is the 4th painting in my Self Portrait Series...and depicts the Traveling Art Minister facet of Who I Am. 

Painting the Internet

Being a live painter allows me unique opportunities...like being hired to paint live while accompanying a friend and her classmate during their final group presentation in her college communications course. I love that I get to do what I love to do AND also collaborate with others.

 The topic was the internet and how it is growing and learning...and moving towards more and more intelligence. My friend pointed out how we are all helping to create it in collaboration as we feed it information...about ourselves, about each other, about places, things, events, etc. Every time we interact with it we are causing it to learn about how we think and feel...and it's taking note...and remembering. 

I got to help illustrate what was being shared by creating a painting that depicted the internet. I had a canvas off to the side with just the Google search bar (representing what the internet started out to be...us requesting from a search engine). I also had a canvas that I was working on during the presentation that was made up of lots of images (representing what the internet is like now...us interacting with it and each other through endless ways). We had the class choose tiny images that I would paste onto the canvas and then I began connecting the images with paint. And with that interaction, the painting changed.

 The presentation was only about 15 minutes long but it was power packed with lots of interaction and participation with the each of the members of the class. We were able to practically represent what my friend and her classmate were sharing through the presentation. We all created that painting together in collaboration and community. ...and that is very much like the internet.  As we learn, so does the internet, and it continues to change. 

I was told that no one had ever had a live painter involved in a final presentation for that course. Now...we've changed the way people might think and view a final presentation. And that...is the whole point of the my friends' talk. 

Painting Large Canvas Mural Backdrops

I haven't gotten the chance to take/post photos of the new backdrop at Vineyard Boise yet until today. This backdrop is a collaboration of many artists and non-artists together. The theme of it coincides with the current sermon series on Corinthians. Here it is after a bunch of us painted phrases on it Sunday August 30th during the worship services. The artists in VineArts (along with staff and many others) have been collaborating on and painting backdrops for the sermon series at Vineyard Boise since (I think) 2007. Out of all the backdrops we've worked on, I think this is one of my favorites. Maybe it's the grungy graffiti imagery, maybe it's the vibrant range of colors, maybe it's the cool signs and wording...but I think it's mostly because this one is focusing on LOVE. 

Our process starts in prayer (the pastoral staff asks the artists to create something for an upcoming series. We're made aware of what book of the Bible will be taught. Then we pray about imagery and collaborate on ideas). The next step is to paint the base colors on the canvases. We do this in our studio (all 3 8ftx12ft panels on the floor) with large handled brushes and brooms. We use latex house paints. We add texture as needed. The next phase is details. We hang the panels up, project images or words and chalk outlines for painting. Sometimes it's all painted flat on the floor and then later hung in the sanctuary for the series, other times the panels are hung unfinished and we paint the details live during worship. This is one where we are continuing to paint details during worship throughout the year as our pastor speaks through the book of Corinthians. It's a fun collaborative process that helps our congregation engage visually with the teachings through creativity.

I love what we get to do together!

"New Eyes" Art Exhibit

New Eyes

the art of Esau Kessler

On display during the month of September at:

Evermore Print LLC

780 W. Main St. 

Boise, ID

Artist, Graphic Designer, Author, Business Owner: Esau Kessler, passed away December 2014 from esophageal cancer. He was very active in the writer and art communities in Boise and is dearly missed by so many. His original works of art are treasured. This September, Evermore Print in downtown Boise, along with Esau's family honor his memory with this art exhibit. Prints of his work can be purchased to benefit a fund for his surviving children and grandchildren. 

Tap Artist Andrew Nemr is coming to Boise!

"Kids, teens, and young adults (ages 12-22 only): Ever wanted to try tap dancing? This class is open to the public and for all levels of experience, including beginners. You are going to love learning from my talented friend from NYC who is not only a groundbreaking tap artist but is also a TED talk educator! Andrew Nemr has been selected for an artist residency at Surel's Place in Boise, Idaho for the month of September, and he will guest-teach at Hall International Academy in Eagle, Idaho on Saturday morning September 12, 9am-11am! This clinic is very affordable at only $10! 

Sign up on the Hall Academy website: 

http://www.hallacademy.org

Learn more about Andrew Nemr at:

http://www.andrewnemr.com

Works on Paper: September Art Opening at The Coffee Studio

Lisa Marten

I am the featured artist for the month of September 2015 at The Coffee Studio (6360 N Saguaro Hills Ave, Meridian, ID 83646). I will be showcasing a new series of mine called "Works on Paper". Seascapes in chalk pastel, acrylic and latex paint on brown paper. 

c. 2015 Lisa Marten

There will be an OPENING RECEPTION on Tuesday September 1, 2015 from 6pm-8pm. You are invited to come for the evening or pop in when you can. I will be creating a painting live.

And there will be live music by Amandalynn Lovewell (who will be singing Aloha into our hearts), accompanied by Kody Elsworth and Ciara Mcdermott. 

Amandalynn Lovewell

Come enjoy and support local art, music, and coffee. Partake in delicious beverages and goodies crafted by the friendly baristas at The Coffee Studio. Connect in conversation with friends and family and meet new friends in an intimate coffee house setting. 

And don't forget, my series will be installed for the whole month of September. So make The Coffee Studio a regular stop in your September schedules. 

Coffee Studio....Support Local

Oh and besides their coffee, I highly recommend their Green Monster Smoothie...don't be scared of it's color...it's yummy! 

SUPPORT LOCAL

Much Aloha! 

Next Stop: Maui

this is a 12.5"x16.5" soft pastel & acrylic painting on brown paper

that i created recently as my mind is looking forward to 

my upcoming return trip to the beautiful Hawaiian island of Maui. 

There is something to be said and learned for being open to building and cultivating relationships within community...even if they cross oceans. 

I've been asked to return to the beautiful Pacific island of Maui in July to serve with the wonderful people of the Ke Aha Vineyard church in Kahului. 

If you recall, I had the honor of ministering through creativity within their community last year while I was on a month long art ministry trip to Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii. While I was on Maui, I was given the opportunity to hang out and connect with Ke Aha on several occasions. This opened doors for me to paint live during 2 of their worship services and share with them about creative ministry during an additional meeting. I also got to hang out with some of them, go surfing, and experience true island Aloha through them. I absolutely found it a gift to be allowed the opportunity to listen in on the conversation that God was already having with them...and to be blessed to enter into that conversation through creativity. It was a privilege to hear His heartbeat for them and to be given the chance to speak through the language of art. 

Since I've returned to the mainland and life in Idaho, I have continued to keep in contact with the pastors and many of the Ke Aha Tribe, which has kept those heart doors open (and just as I've ministered to them, they have been speaking into my life in return). 

This year I will once again get to return to Maui to minister with them through creativity by painting live during a worship service. With established relationship, this second opportunity to be in the midst of their Ohana excites me even more than the first! It's like going home. 

If you're interested, you can follow my trip at: 

www.traveling-artist.blogspot.com

With MUCH ALOHA! 

Marten Evergreen to perform at Konnexion Music Festival

Marten Evergreen, the performance art company that I co-own with artist Lukas Evergreen, is performing live this month at:

Konnexion Music Festival

Ola, Idaho

Friday July 17-Sunday July 19, 2015

For more info, tickets, and directions:

http://konnexion.bpt.me

"Konnexion is a transformational gathering with the goal to build community, while celebrating social responsibility, healthy living, creative expression, and personal growth through music and art."

"Marten Evergreen explores relational aspects of human spirituality and identity. We perform live avant-garde productions with multi-mediums of art (music, dance, painting, drama) in ways that bring us to the public in hopes of connecting with the community through creativity and love." 

Throughout all three days of this outdoor music festival, we will be performing our newest time duration piece titled:

SnapDragon

ART FRUITION: An On-Line Art Ministry Academy

Are you interested in learning more about ministry through visual art? There's a new on-line school coming available. 

ART FRUITION MINISTRY ACADEMY
Jessie Nilo, Founder and Director of VineArts Ministry at Boise Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Boise, Idaho is starting an on-line Art Ministry School. Courses begin September 15, 2015 and will run through April 19, 2016. On-line application available starting July 6, 2015.
Art Ministry 101 is an 8-month course on the essentials of being a practitioner in art ministry. It's completely online so that anyone who can download videos online can take the course wherever they happen to be around the world. Students will study in groups and practice the foundations of visual art through a theological lens, exploring ways of ministering through visual art in practical and inclusive ways in the name of Christ. 
To learn more about the courses, tuition cost, and how to enroll: 

http://artfruition.com/art-ministry-school/

Integration

This weekend Marten Evergreen performed LIVE at The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Boise Fundraiser. We were a part of a Variety Show held at the Boise State University Special Events Center featuring many local talents. The audience paid a ticket price to help fund the organizations free programs to the public and there was a silent auction of art. NAMI offers help to individuals and families who live with mental illness, disorders, and addictions. 

Marten Evergreen is: Lukas Evergreen and Lisa Marten

Often we perform with our 3rd member Krysta Nebeker. For this particular performance it was Lukas and myself performing. 

We are a performance art company that collaborates with other artists and performers. Marten Evergreen is all about having fun and peforming avant-garde productions with multi-mediums of art (music, dance, painting, drama) in ways that bring us to the public in hopes of connecting with our community through creativity and love. We perform the emotions and the stories of the individual - these lead them to the need and the expression of art. The art we share is beyond the dance, beyond the paint, beyond ourselves. It is that moment, that climatic mental state, just before, that art is. 

Our work explores relational aspects of human spirituality and identity. As we use our bodies to create art, much like the catalyst of performance art in the 1960's and 1970's (2D artists took visual art into 3D by utilizing the body in performance). We are re-addressing the original intent from visual two dimensional work into the third dimension and then back into the second dimension. Being 2D artists ourselves, we do this by performing our mixed media avant-garde work upon a canvas (with a reveal at the end) and therefore going from 3D back into 2D.

Normally we have a few months notice before we are to perform (which gives us ample time to work on our performance piece, rehearse, and prep). We were notified 1 1/2 weeks before the event that they really wanted us to perform and so we got to work quickly sketching out a piece that would work for an event like NAMI. All it's elements flowed easily for us and we began rehearsals and prep. 

As to technical preparations we didn't need to do too much because we had just performed at GRAVITY where we had reconstructed our performance space armature ("The Bubble Cube"). So for this performance we only needed to prep the dance canvas surface and redo the linen backdrop (which had been the flooring last time). For the dance canvas we stretched linen over a large particle/plywood board and primed it. We also quickly went out to our local thrift/charity shops and purchased all white clothing for this performance. 

Day of we loaded all of our gear into both our trucks and headed downtown to the BSU campus where the SpEC was located. The performance was in the evening but we were able to get access to the venue in the late afternoon to do our initial set up backstage. YES this performance was INSIDE on a STAGE! We have occasionally performed inside in concert venues and bars on stages with stage lighting and controlled climate, but with the nature of our kind of street edgy avant grade kind of performance art...we normally perform outside in alley ways, parks, parking lots, and backyards. And with performing outside we have experienced our share of extreme weather (snow and freezing cold, high winds, spurts of rain, and intense 100 degree F temps). We were very excited to perform inside this time (as it had been a rainy windy week outside!)

We LOVE our fans! We were able to recruit a couple of our dedicated fans to help us during the intermission of the event to set up our performance space on the stage right behind the curtain. There were several acts of talent during the first part of the show. We were to go on right after intermission and then there would be more acts after us. 

We constructed our "Bubble Cube" the same as we did for the GRAVITY show but then we flipped it on one end so the front end was open (instead of the top). We use PVC piping with 3 way joints to produce a cube. The floor is a stretched linen that the PVC piping is slid into. The sides we wrap with large industrial saran cling wrap used for wrapping pallets of boxes, etc. (I was asked this question last time...and no it's not the small kind you buy from the grocery store). We wrap it so we create a barrier of protection for the audience and the area around us (from paint splatter). Since we were setting up on a stage we unrolled a large sheet of painters plastic over the entire stage to protect the surface from painted foot prints. This time we would be moving in and out of the "Bubble Cube". 

The view from the stage

We had a huge backstage dressing room with lights and a bathroom! We felt pampered! With the nature of our street art style performance art typically we're hurriedly changing behind our "Bubble Cube" trying to conceal ourselves from festival crowds or we're shoved into a public bathroom stall to change, or we arrive already in costume to avoid the scenario. This time we had a real dressing room! 

Once into our costumes we took the time to get into our performance head spaces. 

This is me contemplating.

This is Lukas breathing before he puts on his head wrap that would obscure his face. 

STILLS OF THE PERFORMANCE:
for full explanation and video of the performance keep scrolling down this post

SHOTS AFTER THE PERFORMANCE:

So here is the "after" of the performance space. As you can see our "Bubble Cube" serves as a protective barrier for the paint throwing/splattering that we do in our performances. And it also looks cool! 

The "after" photo back in the dressing room. You could say that Marten Evergreen really gets into their work! 

Here is the finished painting created by our dancing and movements. 

Yes...there is glitter in it! 

We allowed it to be up for auction to help benefit NAMI. 

FULL PERFORMANCE BELOW:

"Integration"

performance art piece by

MARTEN EVERGREEN

music by The Irrepressibles

artist statement

The journey of an individual coming to terms with what's within. 

Discovery. Struggle. Acceptance. Embrace.

This is the dance. 

piece summary

There is full video below of the performance. 

The music really helped us as a guide for this piece. 

Lisa represents the individual going through the process of discovering who they are. Lukas represents the struggles of life (whether that be mental illness, disorder, addiction, hardships. relational, emotional, spiritual, physical. other's initiated or self initiated.) The individual can experience isolation within the struggle. Whatever life brings or throws (from within, from others) whether good or bad, the individual is forced to deal with/handle it only out of what they are capable. At one point Lisa reaches out and together with Lukas they dance with the paint (representing the individual coming to acceptance of themselves and allowing what life is to integrate with them, becoming more of who they are, accepting who they are, and being who they were meant to be.) We really desired this piece to be able to speak to not only those who struggle with mental illness...but to all of us who live and breathe. For we all have our own journeys within. Integration is accomplished when we allow the struggles we face to guide us to who we were meant to be. 

Thank you again to NAMI for asking Marten Evergreen to be a part of such a wonderful event. We have been honored to come along side you to help raise funds for all you do. 

FULL VIDEO OF OUR LIVE PERFORMANCE:   

Tonight's showing at NAMI was absolutely stunning. Enjoy this video of Marten Evergreen's performance!
Posted by Jessie Nilo on Saturday, May 9, 2015