We recently connected with Raine Valentine and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Raine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

My whole life is about taking risks. When I met my partner in 2011 he brought to my attention how important it was to push ourselves beyond our perceived limits. G.T.E. is what we called it… going to the edge. Ever since then I have been open to the blessings that risk taking has to offer.

There have been many situations when I have risked comfort and pleasantries. The most recent and notable risk is taking a week-long trip to Africa in November of 2021. I was asked to be a part of a team of indigenous ambassadors from Turtle Island, to share our stories and knowledge with those of South Africa. We took a leap of faith during a time of uncertainty and traveled out of the country to build bridges and create relationships.

This trip was important on so many levels. One of the main themes in my work, whether my art or my teaching practice, is remembering we are all connected. Traveling to a different country for the first time gave me new perspectives on this theme. We did not just share our world with them, they also shared their world with us. Learning that colonization in South Africa was similar to the colonization of my ancestors, here in America, was eye opening.

Flying to a new country during a pandemic wasn’t the only risk taken. Vulnerability was another huge risk, and one that I have learned is the most important. Risking our comfort for vulnerability is the only way we can truly connect with one another. Sharing ourselves with others comes with the risk of being judged, misunderstood, and even rejected. But like I said before, with any risk there are hidden blessings. We must have faith to take the leap.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I have taught middle school art for 15 years at Ridgely Middle School in Baltimore County, MD. I am a member of the Turtle Mountain Tribe of Chippewa in North Dakota and am rooted in my tribe’s traditional and spiritual practices. I have taught workshops and presented at state and national art education conferences, as well as environmental conferences. I currently serve on the board of the following nonprofits: Historic Hampton Incorporated, NAEA Caucus on the Spiritual in Art Education, and Executive Director of Creative Balance Institute, a holistic learning center. I am an intuitive spiritual teacher and creative arts director who pulls from my Native American lineage to facilitate a space for all to connect with their higher selves.

This year I was selected as one of 15 visual art educators in the nation to be a part of a federally funded grant program through the National Art Education Association called the Connected Arts Network. We will be creating resources for art educators to help teach social emotional learning skills, as well as bringing about equity, diversity and inclusion. I am very passionate about sharing my knowledge with other educators to help our students succeed at their highest potential. Social emotional learning is an important step in that direction.

Art is a powerful tool, not just for gratification of self-expression, but as a vehicle of personal and collective transformation. Art is Prayer, a sacred and vital discovery of one’s own special presence in the world. Through creation, a person illuminates and illustrates their inner being, while creating something which also stands separate. Through exploration and experimentation each of us can shine light on our inner world, allowing us to utilize expression as a means of awakening our Divine I Am. Through art we can remember we are all connected.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My goal and mission is to help people to remember we are all connected, through the use of our imaginations and sharing our stories. My goal as an artist is to create art that expresses my story, which is to share with the world my experiences and how I interpret my connection to all around me. My mission is to use my art and passion for creative living to inspire others to share their stories through creative expression. Filling the world with humans who have self-awareness through a connection with themselves and the world around them helps us remember we are all connected. I often ask myself what happens when we all remember we are all connected? Simply asking the question leaves a person with the realization that we must respect each person’s part in this dance of life. Living life in harmony, with gratitude.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding thing for me as a creative is sharing my intuitive gifts. I tap into energy, to create one-of-a-kind art for each individual person. Intuitive henna readings, and birth chart paintings are a few ways I share this gift.

Intuitive Henna readings are when I spend time meditating with a person’s energy and see their energy through visuals and feelings. I use those images and the feelings of the flow of the energy to create their unique design at that moment. The design is created as a temporary tattoo which lasts anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. When I am creating the design, I share with each person the feeling of the energy and how it relates to them. Every time I do a reading the client is surprised by the images I create, and the feeling I share with them. Being able to share my gifts with someone through art, and allow them to connect with art and themselves, is such a rewarding experience.

I love to be able to sit with another person and share my creative gifts to help them know themselves better. This is the most rewarding and the reason I started doing intuitive birth chart paintings for clients. I read the energy of their birth chart and create a piece of art that helps them see themselves better. Sharing the reading with each client helps them to know more of who they have come to this earth to be. The mission is to remember we are all connected, and I do this by helping others see themselves through art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rainedawn93.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raine.dawn.art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaineDawnArt
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/rainedawn
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RaineDawn