About Us
We are a hopeful and passionate duo with a vision for an online community where you can rest for a while with creativity – both your own and that of others.
Our Community Abbess
Melanie (she/her) is a pilgrim, poet, and priest. She embraces a theology of beauty with a belief that, being formed by a loving Creator, we are all creative beings, and that creating connects us to the Creator and beyond to all creation.
She is the visionary and gathering priest for St. Hildegard’s Sanctuary, an inclusive, arts- based, contemplative Christian community.
Melanie encounters the Holy in the sweet and challenging messiness of daily life.
Website: sthildegards.ca
Our Community Priorix and Podcast Host
Cal (they/them) is a queer nonbinary priest, musician, contemplative, and dervish living, working, and loving in unceded Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, and səlilwətaʔɬ land.
While Cal’s main loves are music and writing, they also enjoy crochet, wirework, chain maille, painting, and gardening. Cal is interested in mystical cross-pollination and often functions as a mutrib (musician) in the Inayati Sufi community across the Pacific northwest. They are also fascinated and fed by Celtic Reconstructionism, and rediscovering the language and traditional practices of their Scots-Gaelic ancestors.
Cal is primarily a Celtic harpist and singer but also plays mandolin, Appalachian dulcimer, ukulele, and guitar. Their music can be heard and purchased here: https://clarityharp.bandcamp.com/
Cal’s sermons and writing can be read here: http://clarityharp.ca/
Friends of SotA
We are grateful for all the people who have contributed – and continue to contribute – to the planting and tending of Sanctuary of the Arts. Here are a few of those friends.
Christina
Community Illuminator and Events Coordinator
February 2021-December 2022
Christina (she/her) is a disabled, queer photographer and writer living and creating in Vancouver. She has been blessed to grow up on the traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples – specifically the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Christina is passionate about building strong communities and making art accessible for everyone. She believes we all have creativity and art within us.
Through her photography she is writing a love letter to Vancouver.
Instagram: @SeagrovePhotography
Monique Francis
Community Prioress
February 2021 – August 2022
Monique was one of the founding members of SotA. She built our website, designed the branding and logo, hosted a series of podcasts, and established the online gallery.
Monique is a disabled monastic creatrix and the conjurer of Fully Woven, a crafty care collective and Palomita, a free little art gallery in East Vancouver.
Monique believes that creativity is life affirming and that everyone is creative in their own way.
Website: fullywoven.com
Instagram: @FullyWoven & @Palomita.Gallery
