Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan McNeff Skokan.
Hi Susan McNeff, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
A series of interrelated but unexpected events led me to the threefold career I have today, perfectly varied for my neurodivergent brain. I started down the path of Waldorf education in 2011, an arts and nature based curriculum that compliments my degree in art and work as a mixed media artist. I work mostly in wool fiber and mixed media, with a good sprinkling of painting and variety. My work with Waldorf education at Mountain Phoenix Community School led me to Water Shiatsu or Watsu ®️ which is a wonderful compliment to Waldorf pedagogy. Now, I am an early childhood teacher, artist and provide warm water shiatsu. I am thrilled to be able to work within Celestial Seahorse pool and am working toward my 4th certification in October. At the same time I am facilitating GreenWave Gallery at Elliott Gardens – a wonderful local greenhouse creating community and offering art by local artisans. GreenWave Gallery started in 2020 when several MSU graduating seniors were unable to show their art as expected at the CVA – we found another way to showcase our culminating projects. GreenWave has now evolved to show art at Elliott Gardens.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path has been spiraling and swirling and anything but expected. My recent diagnosis of neurodivergence makes me feel like a threefold career is such a logical thing for someone like me, but it’s unusual of course, to have three career paths at once. Much of it has been unexpected. Having children changed my priorities greatly and led me to Waldorf education. Waldorf education led me to Water Shiatsu (thanks to Nancy Swan), and I think that is probably why I’m on this planet. This healing modality is so blissful and magical. I don’t know if I would have discovered it without Waldorf – I taught with Nancy at the Denver Waldorf School summer camp. Art wove through all of this and has been a great passion for me since childhood, but being an artist is certainly a difficult and often unstable path, so it was not encouraged for me. However, it weaves beautifully through everything I do. I create a lot of water themed art which leads me back to Water Shiatsu. GreenWave Gallery was originally supposed to be a 2 week showcase and then led to months of other really wonderful artist collaborations, all completely unexpected. The gallery slept for a little while, but combining plants with art is an evolving way to work outside the box. Elliott Gardens is working to build community and is a welcoming space for gardeners and artists.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I blend all of my knowledge of human development, a holistic view of the human being and Waldorf early childhood into Warm Water Shiatsu, which can relax and nurture people of any age. I am thrilled to get to guide people in the water into a deep experience of themselves. Complimenting that with water themed and gentle artwork just makes sense. I usually work with wool felt, embroidery, mixed media and water color. I think wool felt might be a little less common than other media forms. I love to make tapestries as well as figures and sculptures from wool. Elemental beings are a common theme in Waldorf stories and my artwork. The Element of water calls many of us “mermaids” (or selkies) to it and working in water is such a treat. This all swirls together into a beautifully varied and yet cohesive life. I offer support to others through emotional expressions in art, Water Shiatsu and just simply being human.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I got in trouble in grade school for drawing during class, when it turns out that really helped me concentrate. I strive to bring better understanding and nurture to young students today. As a very young child I wrote to the tooth fairy and painted her little cards. I was always pushing boundaries, using water color paints innovatively, making mediums work for me. I always liked to be working on some creation and was very drawn to people. I was a competitive swimmer starting in 6th grade, after taking all the swimming lessons and became a life guard and Water Safety Instructor so I could teach swim lessons and do some swim coaching. When I was two I had to be dragged away from the ocean, I loved it so much. I’ve always been drawn to water, in any form. Being raised camping and spending a lot of time gardening and in nature developed my observing eye. My parents taught me to make anything I saw and thought I wanted, instead of buying it, so that really developed my skills of making things after simply looking at them. I started babysitting when I was 12 too and that deepened my interest in human development and nurturing children… that sort of focus can easily develop into a greater human interest. Human interest easily leads to wishing to provide help and healing.
Pricing:
- Art commissions available
- Artwork available @rain.light.images
- prices upon discussion
- Water Shiatsu $75/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: under construction
- Instagram: rain.light.creations
- Facebook: Susan McNeff S
Image Credits
Water Shiatsu image courtesy of Peggy Schrodinger
