I can be found creating a multitude of things while nestled in the woods of the San Juan Islands. I do this in service of transforming the collective wound through many different art mediums (painting, drawing, sewing and crafting jewelry). The laws of nature as we know them work together in an elaborate display of polarity. In this landscape of soul expansion we call earth, trauma is as much a part of our lives as any joy or fulfillment is, both personally and collectively. Art is how I navigate a path through the given trauma of life and find a way to plant seeds of acceptance and evolution to cultivate resurrection along the way.
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I honor the reservoir of creative waters that lies within each and every one of us. In quiet gestation, it holds the power of our natural state of being. I am in service of humanities spiritual expansion through my own unique personal expression. It manifests in my art, my connection with nature and all sentient beings everywhere.
I have two unique and incredible sons for who’s existence I am blessed beyond measure. My children have been my biggest teachers. My family and friends are what I love the most about life. This earth is sacred and I am in reverence of all of her manifestations in nature; birds, owls, the nights sky, sunshine, all the animals, the ocean, river, clouds, mountains, desert, forest, plains. I love to get out in nature, with a good walk, hike, bike ride or snowboarding. I also value greatly the feeling that comes with curling up by the warm fire with my cat, Swan. I love the plants of this planet and carry a wealth of botanical healing wisdom. I love to travel and explore all the landscapes there are to behold. Inner landscapes included. Music is communion with spirit and I love to dance!
I have two unique and incredible sons for who’s existence I am blessed beyond measure. My children have been my biggest teachers. My family and friends are what I love the most about life. This earth is sacred and I am in reverence of all of her manifestations in nature; birds, owls, the nights sky, sunshine, all the animals, the ocean, river, clouds, mountains, desert, forest, plains. I love to get out in nature, with a good walk, hike, bike ride or snowboarding. I also value greatly the feeling that comes with curling up by the warm fire with my cat, Swan. I love the plants of this planet and carry a wealth of botanical healing wisdom. I love to travel and explore all the landscapes there are to behold. Inner landscapes included. Music is communion with spirit and I love to dance!
I see life on earth as the fertile ground for our souls transformation. The natural human process of the rising of the Phoenix, from ashes to lift off. This happens through deep shared vulnerability and intimacy in relationships. And through expressions of art, and self love. I believe that by turning towards our shadow aspects and giving them the love they need, we can transmute that darkness into pure light. Art graciously lends me the ultimate vehicle for this transmutation.
Ever since I was a little girl as small as age four, I loved to color. When I was seven I started flying to my grandparents ranch in Montana alone in the summers. It was there that my grandmother, Anita Jones, taught me to sew. We mostly made clothes for me and for my dolls. I also spent hours on end riding my horse and herding the cattle and backpacking in the Rocky Mountains with my grandpa, who was in his day one of the last real cowboys. Back in Washington as an adolescent, I sewed dresses for my own wardrobe with the help of my mom and then curtains for the infamous school bus that my oldest son, Mountain, was born in. I have always been creating something.
Ever since I was a little girl as small as age four, I loved to color. When I was seven I started flying to my grandparents ranch in Montana alone in the summers. It was there that my grandmother, Anita Jones, taught me to sew. We mostly made clothes for me and for my dolls. I also spent hours on end riding my horse and herding the cattle and backpacking in the Rocky Mountains with my grandpa, who was in his day one of the last real cowboys. Back in Washington as an adolescent, I sewed dresses for my own wardrobe with the help of my mom and then curtains for the infamous school bus that my oldest son, Mountain, was born in. I have always been creating something.
I follow the intuition of my higher self and my heart above all else. Life has been an exceptional journey so far full of the most epic tales of grandeur, success, tragedy, adventure, escapades, and love. A story to behold to say the least. I will bring you along for the ride when my memoir comes out (stay tuned). But for now, here are a few highlights of some of the things I have been doing, learning, and contributing along the way.
In 2003 I spearheaded the creation of an organization called the Birth Attendants while I was enrolled in Evergreen State College in their Politics of Prison course. I brought the Birth Attendants together in order to provide a support group and doula services to incarcerated pregnant women. I had to leave about a year into starting the program to answer my call to midwifery. However, the Birth Attendants continue to provide support to incarcerated pregnant women in Gig Harbor Washington to this day.
I went to school in Portland Oregon for the next four years at Birthingway College of Midwifery and apprenticed at many births. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery and became licensed as a Direct Entry Midwife in the state of Oregon. I spent eight years practicing midwifery there, at first at a birth center and then I started my own home birth private practice called Blossom Midwifery. Most of the births I attended were water births. It is such a gentle and peaceful way to be born. I loved to weave the transformational art of midwifery with painting and honoring the women I served through adornment and presence. I walked with nearly four hundred women through what I consider to be one of the highest portals to awakening there is; birth.
In 2003 I spearheaded the creation of an organization called the Birth Attendants while I was enrolled in Evergreen State College in their Politics of Prison course. I brought the Birth Attendants together in order to provide a support group and doula services to incarcerated pregnant women. I had to leave about a year into starting the program to answer my call to midwifery. However, the Birth Attendants continue to provide support to incarcerated pregnant women in Gig Harbor Washington to this day.
I went to school in Portland Oregon for the next four years at Birthingway College of Midwifery and apprenticed at many births. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery and became licensed as a Direct Entry Midwife in the state of Oregon. I spent eight years practicing midwifery there, at first at a birth center and then I started my own home birth private practice called Blossom Midwifery. Most of the births I attended were water births. It is such a gentle and peaceful way to be born. I loved to weave the transformational art of midwifery with painting and honoring the women I served through adornment and presence. I walked with nearly four hundred women through what I consider to be one of the highest portals to awakening there is; birth.
One of the latest adventures came about as a result of a calling away from the city of Portland where I used to practice midwifery. I was called back home to the San Juan Islands. I got rid of everything that I owned, bought a sailboat and sailed it across the Columbia River Barr, into the open ocean and through the Straight of Juan De Fuca to get home to the island that I love. I lived on my 36 foot boat for two years after that with my son who was five years old at the time, and our cats. Heeding my hearts call to return to the island, connected me with my soul friend, my life partner. The three of us and our cats now live together in the woods of these beautiful islands and love communing with our community of human friends and animal friends abound; the owls, hawks, eagles, rabbits, deer, trees and we even have a resident leucistic (white) hawk!
Love ~ Joy Jech
Love ~ Joy Jech