We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cristina Benz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cristina below.

Hi Cristina, thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I have a regular job in education but I wonder often what it would be like to have a job that focused on my creative work. It was suggested to me early on that I should double major so that in addition to my art major I had something to fall back on to. It wasn’t that I didn’t receive encouragement to study art, but I received the message that to be financially stable I should add additional learning to my college career.

When I decided to make a shift for me two years ago to study yoga and to incorporate the arts into my practice I started to find happiness again. I felt stuck for a long time but it was a former supervisor of mine that said I need to just get out of my own way. Eventually, I’d like to shift out of my regular job and just focus on my personal business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in Iowa City, Iowa and moved to the Twin Cities 20 years ago for undergrad where I studied Art and Education at the University of St. Catherine. Being creative in my personal time or having a creative outlet has been foundational throughout my life. I tried to take as many art classes in high school as possible and my HS art teacher, Lori, inspired me to be the art teacher I eventually became. She was authentic, kind, and allowed me to try as mediums as possible.

I have worked in education in various roles but for the majority of my career I taught High School visual art (specifically ceramics and studio art) and later took on a role as an Educational Equity Coordinator trying to help shift status quo policies and practices in my district. I currently support new to career educators in my work for my Minneapolis Public Schools.

Two years ago I was at a crossroads with my professional work. I was starting to feel lost and found myself not creating or being in creative spaces. Educators often pour into others and taking care of others with very little in return. I have found this to be true for women as well. I knew it was time for personal change. I had been on journey of self-study and I wanted to finally take a leap to do something for me. On a whim, while I was on a trip to Italy, I decided that I wanted to start a yoga teacher program when I returned. So I did. I met with the owner of the studio where I practiced and three days later I signed up for my first class. I have been practicing yoga since I was in 10th grade. At that time, my mom said “you can’t stay at home during the summer and do nothing, so why don’t you sign up for classes at the local community center?” My Hatha yoga class was my first experience practicing an asana class. I have found yoga woven in out of my life ever since.

Now that I am starting to teach my own yoga classes, I am offering traditional Yin, Restorative and Yoga Nidra (asana) classes, along with breath-work (pranyama), and meditation. To keep my classes authentic to myself and style I have woven in the arts throughout the practices that I teach. It is my hope that through creative play, space to rest, be still, and just be, my clients will leave feeling nourished.

I am proud of the fact that I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone, that I got out of my own to way, and that I decided to add creativity back into my life in a way that feels good to me. More importantly I’m proud of the fact that I am doing something I love. I am weaving my love of the arts with yoga. Those that have come before me didn’t have opportunities to live out their dreams because of their circumstances and I am able to do that now. I am their wildest dreams and I know they would be proud.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Providing equitable access is one of the most important things that our society can do to support artists and creatives so that they can thrive. Pay people what they are worth, create positions where the arts are at the center, and pay them not only a living wage but a competitive wage to other sectors, prioritize and celebrate artists that identify as BIPOC, women, and those with other marginalized identities.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

When I was in art school we had one class (one semester) that covered topics around running a business. That was it. 20 years later as I start my business, I wish I had a better understanding of the financial side of things, creating your brand, marketing, ect.. I recently took a 3 day course through an organization called Women Venture here located here in the Twin Cities but I can’t afford to take the longer course at the moment. It seems like a wonderful organization and helpful for women who are starting their own business. Many of the students were artists or creatives. I’m learning as I go and I wish this wasn’t such a barrier for me. I also wish I had a mentor or a thought partner in this process. That would be really helpful as I’m launching my business.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @mothertreelearning.wellness
• Facebook: Mother Tree Learning & Wellness Public Group
• Other: I am finishing my website in the next few weeks. Can I send the link then? Email: [email protected]