June 2026 Newsletter: Finding My Place
Shirley Hay Shirley Hay

June 2026 Newsletter: Finding My Place

Someone recently told me about an environment where she felt too different, and wasn’t sure if she should take up space. It hurt my heart to hear this, and I immediately became her defender. Of course you can take up space, and should! But later that day I considered my response. Did I really believe it? Could I live by my own words?

Read More
April 2026 Newsletter: Reframing
Shirley Hay Shirley Hay

April 2026 Newsletter: Reframing

Recently, I’ve been a bit consumed by my surroundings. Everywhere I look, I find myself seeking calm to replace the chaos, order to reign in the anarchy. Am I trying to exert control over something in an insatiably noisy and uncontrolled world? Yes. Yes, I think I am.

Read More
February 2026 Newsletter: The Need for Sadness in Art
Shirley Hay Shirley Hay

February 2026 Newsletter: The Need for Sadness in Art

When my girls were young, they often heard me listening to Jann Arden’s music. If you’re unfamiliar, her lyrics are a poetic observation of what it means to be a human. She is an observer, a storyteller, a witness.

Read More