Faced with the challenges of being a single mom, Soli Pierce just put one foot in front of the other and had faith that things would work out. She is an interdisciplinary artist working with natural materials and sound to create thought-provoking art. Soli honors herself, respects how she wants to live and doesn’t focus on what others want. Today, she has a standard to be respected, honored and treasured in all her relationships. Tune in to learn how Soli has navigated the twists and turns of life.  Learn more at www.sherwoodforestdesign.com  and www.solipierce.com

Topic #1 Describe your background, how you were raised and life before family

• Raised in the midwest and the eldest of four children, Soli felt like the little mom early in her life and a sense of responsibility for her siblings
• Her father sought to groom her for a specific path but she wasn’t buying it
• Soli studied art for grad school 
• Went to Afghanistan for a month 

Topic #2 How did you handle hitting a rough patch in your life?

• Getting divorced from spouse with mental health issues and becoming a single mom with no financial support and mortgage to pay
• Soli needed to find a way to support herself and son; “How am I going do this?”
• “I could collapse into my story, or pull myself up by bootstraps”
• Sent a  prayer to the universe and the next day she decided that bowls were the answer 

Topic #3 Why bowls?

• When she decided to create her bowl business, Sherwood Forest Design, her Dad’s initial reaction was to “get a real job”
• When we don’t limit ourselves, some of the best things can happen’
• Bowls represent a universal circle theme and her them is “Recipe for a good life”
• “We’ve gathered in circles around fire”; its a nurturing shape
• She’s mentored young women who have become family 

Topic #4 What’s next?

• Sound forest was developed when she saw the discarded wood at her bowl factory 
• “I wanted to create totems from the discarded industrial waste” 
• Partnered with a sound engineer “so we can hear the sounds that come out of the totems”
• Possibilities for installations in public spaces in NY
• Encaustics painting with beeswax; “my art has been on display in Venice, London and NY; I love working with natural materials”
• solipierce.com and sherwoodforestdesign.com
• “I’ve let myself come out of the box to be a kid again”
• In a new relationship with a man who “sees me and gives me time to create”

Topic #5 What is your “brass ring” for success?

• Don’t restrict what will  happen; there are no boundaries
• Don’t get caught up in the moment; it can happen if you dream and think about it
• While she acknowledges that she  doesn’t always know how something can get done, she has faith that things will align
• Never lose sight of your dreams

To learn more about Jean and the Be Joyful podcast visit www.bejoyful.love.