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Ann Stokes, the visionary behind Welcome Hill Studios, believed that “Every woman is an artist.” For Ann, art was a way of being. Her legacy invites us to recognize the artistry all around and within us, from the music of leaves dancing in the wind to the gentle nourishment found in a perfect cup of tea. When we listen deeply, the awareness of the art inherent in nature, to which we are intrinsically woven, begins to awaken within ourselves. Two women, Reverend Susie Webster-Toleno and Jill Morgan, both healers and spiritual guides, have spent time at Welcome Hill. Their unique work reveals how art flows through sacred acts of care, creativity, and both the grand and quiet moments of life. Susie, a minister and former hospice chaplain, came to Welcome Hill seeking time and space to write. What she found was the ability to hold stillness amidst life’s chaos and to recognize beauty even in the hardest moments. “The beauty takes time,” she says. “Part of the art of living is finding ways through retreat or everyday moments to create space for that beauty.” Susie described her art as visible creation and the steady presence she offered people facing grief and trauma. “Healing is about process, not a final state,” she explains. “Sometimes, in grief, what I do is notice the beauty for others and hold it until they’re ready.” Susie also emphasized that art doesn’t need to be recognized or commercialized to matter. “Art doesn’t have to be famous or profitable to be real. It’s about keeping the soul of the Earth alive in everyday life.” Jill Morgan, also a hospice chaplain, coach, and interfaith minister, spoke about creativity as a universal connection to the Divine. “Everyone is creative if you believe that each soul is connected to Source,”she shares. “There are as many art forms as there are individuals, all creating in their unique ways.” For Jill, creativity flows from intuition and spiritual connection. Whether she is guiding a client with prayer, Reiki, or music, or expressing herself through writing and visual art, she views these acts as manifestations of a deeper art form born from being rather than doing. “I consciously strive to live from my soul, not from busyness or achievement,” she says. “This way, my intuition is clearer, and I can hear the small, still voice that guides me.” Welcome Hill Studios has become a beloved retreat space for Jill’s creative renewal. “It is imbued with gentle feminine energy and the beauty of nature. At Welcome Hill, I can let go, slow down, and follow my innate rhythms. I may meditate, write, walk in nature, or simply do nothing. There are no rules – only the freedom to be. I always leave feeling renewed and more connected to Source.” Both women wrestle with the cultural tensions around what is recognized as art and whose work is valued. Susie reflected on Ann’s original statement that every woman is an artist, noting, “How do we help women know that their very being is an art form? Especially in a culture that often overlooks parenting, nurturing, and caregiving as art?” For Jill, whatever arises in her encounters with her clients, including whatever modality she is inspired to employ, is considered a piece of “art.” “For me, intuition is the key to tapping deeply into Source, which allows me to be guided as to how best to meet the needs of the person in front of me.” Together, their reflections remind us that art goes beyond the making of something new to display. It calls us to consider how we show up and what we’re offering in a time of instability and undoing. Art can be many things; the presence offered to a grieving family, the stillness kept amidst bedlam, the creative breath drawn from nature’s embrace. Ann’s vision for Welcome Hill as a sanctuary of feminine energy and artistic presence continues to thrive through voices like Susie’s and Jill’s. Their stories enrich our understanding of art as a lived practice that is rooted in healing, connection, spiritual wholeness, and the sacred responsibility to maintain the vitality of Earth. As we move forward, may we all remember Ann’s invitation: we are all artists. Our lives, our care, and our beings are our art forms. In this realization, we find a wellspring of possibility.
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