Saturday, March 29, 2025, Westward Look Inn, Tucson AZ
Artistic Creation and the Natural World: Deepening and Healing Relationships through Art, Dance, and Literature
with Cristina Biaggi, Laura Shannon, Adhi TwoOwls, and Ying Xu
- Rescue and Myth, Cristina Biaggi
- The Tree of Life in Balkan Women’s Circle Dance: from Mother’s Placenta to the Mothering Principle, Laura Shannon
- Healing Through Spirit and Expression: The Intersection of Shamanism and Art, Adhi TwoOwls
- Carrying Pebbles in [Their] Grief: Qiu Jin (1875-1907) and the Jingwei Bird/Nüwa, Ying Xu
Cristina Biaggi, Ph.D. has achieved significant recognition for her contributions in the art and in the literary worlds, in the field of feminist art and Goddess Studies. She is the author of five books: Habitations of the Great Goddess, Footsteps of the Goddess, The Rule of Mars, Activism into Art and Four Legs and Two. She has also created large installations, abstract collages, figurative works, portraits of people and their animals.
Laura Shannon has been researching traditional Greek and Balkan women’s dances since 1985. Founding Director of the Athena Institute for Women’s Dance and Culture, Carol P. Christ’s successor as Director of the Ariadne Institute for the Study of Myth and Ritual, and an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Sacred Dance Guild, she is currently writing a PhD on women’s circle dance at the University of Gloucester (UK).
Adhi TwoOwls is an artist, educator, and alternative healing therapist specializing in the intersection of shamanism, art, and wellness. With expertise in art history, drawing, and holistic practices, Adhi leads workshops and retreats exploring creativity, spirituality, and healing. Passionate about fostering connections between ancient traditions and modern approaches, Adhi empowers individuals to find resilience and transformation through guided meditation, ceremonial art-making, and integrative therapies.
Dr. Ying Xu earned a BA and MA in English in China and a Ph.D. in English from UNM, specializing in nineteenth-century American literature and Asian American literature. A contributor to OUPblog and Oxford Bibliographies, her latest work was featured in MLA’s special collection on Teaching. She translated Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony, published in 2023, and is currently translating Joy Harjo’s Crazy Brave, set for release in 2025.
Read all about the ASWM Conference and register here.