The Gathering Place Art Galleries

Kathleen Stefancin

The Healing Bench: Exploring Your Inner World

Kathleen Stefancin Artist Statement and Bio:
 

This exhibition is about noticing. Noticing what's outside of you. Noticing what's inside of you.

Photography has taught me how to notice. As I walk through the woods, along the shores of Lake Erie, or in the Metroparks, a bench, a tree, a leaf, or the way light falls across a path sometimes feels as though it's calling to me—"Take my picture." When I pause and listen, I often discover something extraordinary.

Over time, I realized that the same is true within us. Something inside each of us is always asking to be seen, heard, or understood—our feelings, longings, values, truths, and quiet inner wisdom.

The Healing Bench grew from a deeply personal season of grief. After losing both of my parents to dementia, I found myself searching for solid ground. Nature became my sanctuary—a place to walk, pray, breathe, and slowly find my way home again.

During those walks, I began noticing benches.

Sometimes I sat on them. Sometimes I photographed them. Gradually, they became more than objects in the landscape. They became symbols of refuge, presence, hope, and healing. They reminded me that healing doesn't always ask us to move forward. Sometimes it simply invites us to pause.

Today, the bench remains one of the most meaningful subjects in my photography. It has become a metaphor for returning to ourselves with gentleness, curiosity, and compassion.

As you move through this exhibition, I invite you to imagine yourself sitting on each Healing Bench. Each themed bench is accompanied by three affirmations and two reflective questions. Allow them to guide your own inner listening. There are no right or wrong answers—only an invitation to notice what is present and what within you is quietly asking to be seen, heard, or understood.

The Healing Bench is not a destination. It is a practice. A practice of pausing. A practice of noticing. A practice of listening. A practice of coming home to yourself.

My hope is that these photographs offer you a place to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with your own inner world. If you leave feeling even a little more grounded, present, or connected to yourself, then these images have fulfilled their purpose.

Because healing often begins the moment we pause, notice, listen... and come home to ourselves.

-----

Kathleen Stefancin is a whole-food, plant-based registered dietitian, visual artist, poet, and award-winning children’s book author with six books on Amazon. She has taken over 20,000 photographs of nature and creates work centered on healing, mindfulness, and inner awareness. Her ongoing Healing Bench exhibitions and The Journey of Inner Listening—an 8-week reflective class series with a companion workbook—invite reflection and reconnection with oneself.

-----

Contact Kathleen on Facebook: Kathleen Stefancin | smartpicks@gmail.com

 

Please join us for an art reception at The Gathering Place East on Thursday, September 16th from 4:30pm-6:30pm. 

Click HERE to register.

Kathleen is donating 20% of her proceeds to The Gathering Place. 

Miles Schneider

The World Around Us

Miles Schneider Artist Statement and Bio
 

I am a professional artist, whose journey is a continuous exploration of the beauty and complexities of the world around us. My process relies on creating dynamic and captivating acrylic paintings that can be enjoyed by all. I am humbled and grateful to be able to share it with the you.

-----

Miles Schneider is a self-taught professional artist based in Sandusky, Ohio. Their work explores the vibrancy of the world around us. Painting from his independent studio, Miles’ artwork is created using acrylics on canvas. His artwork has been featured in group exhibitions and has won multiple awards including best of show. Miles hopes to inspire those who view his work. 

-----

@milesschneider.artist on Instagram | @_miles_official on TikTok

 

Miles is donating 25% of his proceeds to TGP.