A Hard, Happy Announcement

I’m excited to tell you that all of “Sheila Atchley Fine Art” (otherwise known as the website www.sheilaatchley.art) is getting a refresh! You’re already looking at it!

Can you tell? Go ahead and click around! You’ll find a brand new artist statement page and the beginnings of a gallery page as well as a much-tightened-up “About Page”.

“Why”, you ask?

Because I am, as we speak, working hard, writing the outline for my first Masterclass, to be offered right here on my very own website.

After speaking at The Illuminate Conference last week, I sat in on a break-out session with Douglas McKelvey, author of the series of books “Every Moment Holy”. The title of Doug’s session was called “Wrestling With Angels”, and in it he gave us seven “guideposts” that point the way to the fact that I am, in fact, doing exactly what I have been called to do, in terms of my art.

I was wiping tears by the third guidepost. I had a feeling (which soon proved to be accurate) that I may have encountered all seven of those guideposts, in my journey as an artist and a writer. I have.

I also met a new friend named Lori. Lori is an accomplished fiber artist, married to a guy who just retired from a career in working what she called “K and R” otherwise known as “kidnap and ransom”. (!!). He worked with high-level instances of kidnap and ransom, helping with negotiations for the freedom of the person or persons held hostage.

Whoa.

She approached me to let me know that she (quite recently) found me through my course “Middle Makers”. And she needed me to know that everything I have ever said (basically) about “the middle” has resonated deeply with her, and she wants more.

We all spoke on “Nourishing Young Souls With Beauty”

Doug McKelvey, killing us softly with his song (ha ha)

Back to my new friend Lori.

I basically promised her, right over our catered Chipotle lunch, that I would follow through with developing more content for women “in the middle”. And she generously low-key pledged her support, all the way down to the use of her vacation home as a place to go to write, if need be.

Hold me. (I cried on the drive home).

Somehow, by the Spirit of God, I knew that Lori represents many, many women.

Big doors are opening, and I must walk through.

This is a happy announcement, because doing my calling brings joy.

This is a hard announcement, because I am doing every bit of the work of refreshing my website, and developing it to sustain class video and class content, all by myself.

…moments before Andrew Peterson came to chat with us…

“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me!”