KATHARINA EISENBERG : EXPLORING ART THROUGH SPIRITUAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES Katharina Eisenberg (also known as: Kunst und Klartext) is a contemporary artist from Germany. Concerned with the abilities of the human mind, her works reflect  psychological and global issues, mirroring the qualities and specifics of the time and sphere we live in. In her multiparted series - acrylic paintings and mixed media 3D installations- she also often works with symbols, which talk to the subconscious.  Currently making international projects and art residencies in different countries, expanding her global network to get to know the meta-level of various forms of beings. This is a great inspiration for her, leading to multilayered new artistic impulses. The metamorphosis process is very aware in her artwork, the phoenix will tell you more.

MARY ANNE DE HAAN : GROWING SUSTAINABLE MICROGREENS, HERBS & EDIBLE FLOWERS IN THE DESERT ENVIRONMENT  A fascinating conversation with the Founder and Director of Mary Anne’s Fresh Produce through a holistic lens from sustainability in farming methods, to experiences of being an entrepreneur and the interlinks between primary farming industries to tertiary cuisine sectors. An innovative and forward thinking farm where sustainable microgreens, herbs and edible flowers are grown in the UAE desert environment. From Nasturtiums, Amaranth, Gem Marigolds to Genovese Basil amongst others. Mary Anne De Haan grew up in a small town in the Netherlands, she was raised by a Dutch dad and an American mother, together with her little brother. She has an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering and a Masters in International Business. She relocated to Dubai as an expat, and initially started working as an account manager who would support with particular trainings, and her fascination with agriculture grew. She is now a working mum, with two dogs, two turtles and a horse, with an expanding family. She  is the founder Mary Anne’s Fresh Produce, where they are committed to bringing the Dubai chef the greatest variety of special products grown locally at the farm through sustainable methods. Mary Anne’s Fresh Produce grow a large variety of innovative products that help chefs bring their dishes to the next level. Products range from edible flowers, to microgreens and specialty leaves, through ensuring the highest level of quality through their unique growing method.

Emirati Women's Day   Female perspectives on Emirati Women's Day, exploring perspectives and insights through a lens of art, culture and heritage.    Nesa Khaled Alshehhi, an Emirati Artist, Sculptor, Designer & Entrepreneur. She was born in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. She holds a Bachelor in Fine Arts Studies from the University of Sharjah in 2013. She pursues contemporary, abstract and interactive conceptual art. Her artwork is  characterized by patriotism, its source is the land of the UAE (formally, thought and imagination), and its output is a link between the heritage of UAE and the modernity of the contemporary world. Nesa focused on extracting the (natural art) surrounding her. She has a deep relationship with nature, especially the desert environment and palm trees. She uses raw natural materials in her work, as a language to talk through and a way to show the beauty of natural details in the environment of the United Arab Emirates in a modern way different from the classic image that the public used to see. Nesa has been chosen as an Emirati artist and designers to work on many government projects. She has been appointed as a designer & supervisor for the Special Olympics (World Games - Abu Dhabi 2019) Monument which was built in Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah. she also did voluntary art installation for RAK Media Office. She also has been chosen by Zahrat Al Khaleej Magazine to participate in the Ataya Charity Exhibition in Abu Dhabi. She participated in Ras Al Khaimah Visual Arts Festival 2020 (as a guest of honor) with an interactive artwork titled (Who am I?). Other than that, she has participated in Dubai Art Exhibition amongst  other exhibitions and commercial projects.   Fatema Al Sharhan is a young, ambitious Emirati poet, writer and multitalented artist. She is known for her strong personality; she is able to explain her thoughts to others and leave a mark on their minds.'   Furthermore, Fatema is the founder of The Spark Media and Clutch n Pouch. She is also a graphic designer and the public relations manager for O and A group of companies, as well as being a certified international trainer of media communications and transformational coaching.

OLLI-PEKKA HEINONEN : LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION AND THE LEARNING JOURNEY  “It’s also the question of how you grow as a human being, how you understand what does it mean to be a human being.” Olli-Pekka Heinonen Director General of the International Baccalaureate. An authentic and honest conversation with Olli-Pekka Heinonen, addressing how education can be made as meaningful as possible for students, supporting them to become lifelong learners as well as the fine balance between skills and knowledge. Olli-Pekka is an ally and advocate for teachers, discussing the benefits of distributed leadership in education, and the meaningful way in which education is making an impact globally through a holistic process of learning. Olli-Pekka Heinonen was appointed as Finland’s State Secretary of Prime Minister in 2012, he became State Secretary of all National Coalition Party cabinet ministers in 2015. In September  2016, he was appointed general director of the Finnish National Agency for Education. Olli-Pekka has graduated as Master of Laws from the University of Helsinki in 1990. From 1994 to 1999, he served as the Minister of Education. In 1995, Olli-Pekka was elected to the Parliament of Finland, representing Satakunta. In the second Lipponen Cabinet, he served as the Minister of Transport and Communications from 1999 to 2002. In 2002 he was appointed a manager at Yleisradio, the public broadcasting company of Finland. He was responsible for the transfer from analogue television to digital television in Finland. In September 2016, he was appointed general director of the Finnish National Agency for Education. Since 1 May 2021 Olli-Pekka Heinonen has held the role of Director-General of the International Baccalaureate.

Barjis Chohan: Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Fashion & Interiors 'The day we were born, we were born to fly' Barjis Chohan CEO of Barjis London. A candid interview with Barjis Chohan, discussing everything from sustainability in fashion, immigrant diaspora, interior design to class barriers and her experiences of being a student at Central St Martins. An authentic insight into challenges in the Art & Design industry and overcoming them through individual perspectives.   Barjis London is an award-winning Fashion & Lifestyle brand based in London. Pioneer in high- end modest fashion with a timeless and multi cultural twist. As well as a veteran in bespoke rugs. Barjis London recently diversified into interior products for the luxury homes and stylish hotels.   The Founder Barjis Chohan is a graduate from Fashion school – studying at London College of Fashion and Central St. Martins, working with the iconic Vivienne Westwood and a French house in Monte Carlo before starting her business in the year 2000. She expanded her business with her celebrated clothing line in 2011 and since then has been the pioneer in introducing high – end fashion to the modest market.   Barjis’s story of going against the traditional immigrant story is inspirational. A speech at her college introduced Barjis as a professional Motivational Speaker. Barjis speaks internationally at global conferences. The topics range from breaking the glass ceiling, motivational, embracing equity and diversity, sustainability in Fashion, how to maintain integrity and your brand ethos in a saturated fashion industry.   Recently Barjis was awarded Fashion Brand of the Year for its unique take on Fashion. In 2018 Barjis Chohan launched The Barjis Initiative to support creative businesses and encourage creativity and enterprise at schools.

FATEMA ALSHARHAN: FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSITY OF TALENTS AND SKILLS   A wonderful conversation with the multitalented Fatema AlSharhan, who is breaking barriers and pushing boundaries with the wide array of disciplines that she is excelling in.   This interview is also an important conversation centering on topics such as having a diversity of talents and skills and to passionately fulfill them!   Fatema is a young, ambitious Emirati poet, writer and multitalented artist. She is known for her strong personality; she is able to explain her thoughts to others and leave a mark on their minds.'   Furthermore, Fatema is the founder of The Spark Media and Clutch n Pouch. She is also a graphic designer and the public relations manager for O and A group of companies, as well as being a certified international trainer of media communications and transformational coaching.

SARAH AL SENAANI: FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ON MENTAL WELLNESS AND ART   A wonderful interview exploring mental health perspectives, well-being and interlinks to art. Sarah has a unique outlook with her seven pearls of happiness; things that make her happy. Art and music; Humanitarian Acts; Cultural Tourism; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; Cultural Communication and Research; Kitchen Therapy, and Equine Assisted Therapy.   Sarah Al Senaani is the Founder and Managing Director of Atelier Sarah Al Senaani. She graduated with a MA in Cultural Communication and Tourism. Atelier Sarah Al Senaani combines a holistic approach with a focus on mood disorders and innovative art approaches such as mosaic workshops.   .

Lacuna International Contemporary Arts Festival 2023 Artists Cohort discuss the theme of Metamorphosis and how their work relates to it, with opening and closing statements from the Founder and Director of the Festival : Sarah-Jane Mason. Artists responded to the following prompts:   What does Metamorphosis mean to you both in a personal and artistic sense?   How does your artwork relate to the theme of metamorphosis?   What elements of the Metamorphosis process do you find the most fascinating?   How did you explore that in your artwork?   Artist cohort:    Simone Tetrault Melusine Brosse Terri Lloyd Odessa Ford Molly Goehring  Katharina Eisenberg Beverley Porter     Sarah-Jane Mason is a Creative Practitioner, Facilitator & Educator who specialises in using mixed media approaches to personal and participatory arts projects. She believes that creativity is the key that unlocks learning and that play and experimentation are important parts of the creative process. Sarah-Jane comes from a traditional Fine Art background. She studied for a BA (Hons) Fine Art at Liverpool John Moore's University (UK) and DipCipris (a postgraduate degree) in Fine Art at the Cyprus College of Art (Cyprus). Continuing her studies, she focused on creative education, completing a PGCE (Art & Design) at the University of Leeds (UK) and a Post-16 Teaching Certificate at Cyprus College of Art (Cyprus).   Simone Tetrault is an Asian-American writer, director, and creative producer who tells stories about power, responsibility, and resilience. The creator of Vice (2021), "Letters to the Universe" (2020), Through the Looking Glass (2016), and Symphony of the Fourth Dimension (2015), Simone’s work has been featured in SEISMA Magazine, Animal Ethics Review, OnStage Blog, Womxn Artists, and LAFPI’s Women of Fringe series and has been presented at NYC’s Abrons Arts Center, Access Theatre, and THEATERLAB, in Los Angeles at Griffith Observatory, Japanese American National Museum, Zephyr Theatre, Odyssey Theatre, and DURDENANDRAY, and nationally at the National Women’s Theatre Festival and FIGMENT Festivals.   Terri Lloyd is a self-taught artist living and working in Los Angeles. She spent 25 years working in commercial art as a graphic designer. At the age of 50, Terri left the working world to pursue a career in fine art. The death of her father in late 2017 was the catalyst for a return to painting. During the pandemic lock-down of 2020, Terri saw the effects of trauma. This prompted her to move beyond the canvas and explore other manifestations of art making. Beverley Porter is a figurative ceramic artist from West Yorkshire, UK. Her work has developed through her interest in the human form and fascination with surface texture. She is drawn to worn flagstones, peeling paint and crumbling walls. She finds the myriad of textures that surround us to be an endless source of inspiration. She feels that the landscape around us has a direct influence and connection. Her work is all handbuilt and therefore each piece is entirely unique.   Katharina Eisenberg (also known as: Kunst und Klartext) is a contemporary artist from Germany. Concerned with the abilities of the human mind, her works reflect about psychological and global issues, mirroring the qualities and specifics of the time and sphere we live in. In her multiparted series - acrylic paintings and mixed media 3D installations- she also often works with symbols, which talk to the subconscious.   Molly Goehring is an artist from Pennsylvania, USA who works in a variety of media, including drawing, painting, and mixed media.  Her work explores themes of femininity, her complicated relationship to her Catholic upbringing, and the struggles of navigating chronic illness.  Her work is colorful and bold, often utilizing unconventional or underappreciated materials to challenge the viewer to reconsider their preconceived notions of what art is and start imagining what art could become.   Odessa Ford is an Oregon based Sand/Earth Artist. For Odessa, art and spirituality are one in the same. Wherever you find her, she will be in nature painting stones, the sand, and even herself with vegan food coloring! She is making the world just a little more colourful and joyful!

DAFFA KONATE:  THE FUTURE OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART   A conversation discussing contemporary African art and Daffa's advocacy through art for African heritage and culture, through public engagement and raising awareness.    Daffa Konaté is from Malian and Senegalese origins. She was born and raised in Paris. After six years in Istanbul, she is currently living in Dubai.    Art Kelen was set up with the passion of sharing the stories of far-away places through art and with the vision of connecting people to discover the wonders from Africa in order to create a more connected world.

BREAKING BARRIERS, TACKLING STIGMA AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS   Linda Hendrickson Syth is the CEO and co-founder of The Layered Onion. The Layered Onion is a social impact company created to eliminate the stigma of mental health by sharing and promoting works by artists with lived experience. Linda spent over 30 years working in businesses from agriculture to manufacturing to healthcare to insurance. She has experience in Fortune 500 companies to a small business to not-for-profits. Linda is passionate about helping women find their voice and supporting social and environmental change through entrepreneurship. She now finds herself where she dreamed at the start--growing and supporting her own social impact enterprise.

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN ARTISTS   Natalia Koren Kropf is a contemporary artist, based in New York, working in drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Natalia has received a solid classical education, which allows her to explore many ways of expression, inspired by nature, music, and science. Movement and light remain recurring themes in her artworks, which she refers to as visual poems.   Notable exhibitions include New York University East Galleries, Parsons School of Design Gallery, NYC; International Print Center of New York, Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT;  Silvermine Artists Guild, New Canaan, CT; Monotype of New England, Cambridge, MA; Lynn Art Museum, MA; Arts Club of Washington DC; Strathmore Mansion, Bethesda, MD;  New York Public Library, Art Students League of New York, Awagami Handmade Paper, Tokushima, Japan; Kreuzeskirche Gallery, Essen, Germany; RAVE MIAMI ART Fair, Miami, FL, ART EXPO New York.   Natalia Koren Kropf’s work is in national and international private collections. She is a member of the National Association of Women Artists, where she served as a President during the tumultuous years of the Pandemic, 2019-2021. Presently on the Board of Directors. She also is an Elected Member of the Allied Artists of America, the Art Students League of New York, Monotype Guild of New England.

GASLIGHTING AND BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE – BUILIDING RESILIENCE   A poll by MHR (a company specialising in HR, talent management, analytics & reporting, workforce management and business planning) in Nottingham found that 58%  of employees have experienced gaslighting in the workplace.  Better Up (a team behavioral scientists and talent management strategists) define gaslighting in the workplace as a form of psychological manipulation, where the gaslighter (the person doing the gaslighting) manipulates the gaslightee (the person being gaslighted) in a way that forces them to question their own version of events and even their own sanity with symptoms such as: persistently hearing negative accounts of work performance, negative, untrue gossip and questioning perception of reality at work, with belittling of emotions, efforts, or perceptions, exclusion from events required for the role. As a health and resilience consultant and burnout prevention specialist, Maz Wyllie has spent decades changing lives with a powerful approach to holistic health.  She has extensive experience in voluntary sector management and uses exercise as an alternative treatment for Diabetes, Obesity and Depression. With her own in depth experiences of trauma, Maz set out to uncover the mysteries of resilience.  Why do some thrive while others fall at the first hurdle, and what is it that influences our ability to “bounce back?” She is currently writing a book recording her findings. Maz is director of a company that has been named after her poignant and powerful life motto –“ Life Is For Living.” That uses a very unique set of holistic tools to create resilience and prevent burnout within businesses , students and disconnected families.

AAESHA AHMED: FEMALE PERSPECTIVES ON POETRY AND HERITAGE    Female perspectives on poetry inspiration and heritage, with a discussion on the importance of poetry. Aaesha Ahmed is an esteemed Emirati writer and poet from Ras Al Khaimah, with a degree specialising in Tourism Studies. She has a multitude of renowned participation in cultural and literary fields, and her poems are inspired by the beauty of nature, life and romance. Aaesha's poem was awarded the Poetry Award [Arabic Category] in the RAK Fine Arts Festival. Her poetry is celebrated by holding a place of honour in the RAK Heritage Village.

FEMALE PERSPECTIVES ON WORKING MOTHERS AND WOMEN, IDENTITY, CHALLENGES AND WELLNESS Empathetic, research based and insightful perspectives from the Managing Director and Founder of The Light House Arabia on working mothers and women, female identity,  transitions older women experience in their forties and beyond, body positivity, challenges, wellness and inclusive conversations about women!  Dr Saliha Afridi is the Managing Director and Founder of The Light House Arabia, which she founded with the intention of making a positive impact on the mental health of individuals and families living in this region. Dr Saliha is a clinical psychologist with generalist training and experience in a wide range of mental health issues. Over the last decade she has had extensive experience consulting with executives and the corporate workplace on a range of issues related to wellness, stress management, coaching and transformational counselling. She holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Arizona School of Professional Psychology.

VIVIAN REBRIN: FEMALE PERSPECTIVES ON ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE, COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY AND WELLNESS APP NUNA   An innovative and ground-breaking application utilising artificial intelligence, CBT and positive psychology; Nuna.ai is a complete mental health toolkit built upon a clinically validated foundation of research by some of the world’s leading institutions within mental health. Nuna utilises psychotherapeutic evidence-based methods approved by FDA and NHS. Those methods can amongst others alleviate depression, anxiety and stress.  With easy applicable tools rooted in CBT and other proven methods Nuna assists people to structure their thoughts and find new ways of coping in their everyday life. Nuna has been featured on Fox, USA Today, Digital Journal, NCN and the Daily Herald amongst other prominent platforms. Vivian Rebrin was born in Brazil and has grown up moving around the world, she’s lived in Chile, Switzerland, US, Puerto Rico and now is in Portugal. She considers herself a third culture kid which means she grew up outside of her home country and has mixed cultures in her life. She currently works as a marketing manager for Nuna and handles all of the ambassador programs as well as customer service and content creation.

SARA SCHROERLUCKE WITH ANUM FAROOQ: PERSPECTIVES ON THE ENVIRONMENT, ART, CONSERVATION AND HUMAN SOCIETY   Sara Schroerlucke is an interdisciplinary artist, and is interested in creating work that is accessible for all- and has written and produced multi-media shows that are dedicated to telling tales of the earth, and of healing. Sara is a holistic creativity coach, and works with those who desire to reconnect to their authentic creativity. She currently serves as founder and executive director of UneARTh. Classically trained, a contemporary rebel at heart, Sara is electrified by all things movement. She began her dance training at the age of four, under the tutelage of Toni Carrion and Denise Donovan. She continued her training at the University of California, Irvine, where she holds degrees in Dance Performance and Anthropology. Sara currently lives in Massachusetts, and has danced with companies including Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Hanna Brictson & Dancers, and Cocodaco Dance Project. She has performed works by choreographers including, but not limited to, Lar Lubovitch, Sherry Zunker, Christian Denice, Dante Puleio, Jose Limon, and David Maurice. She has presented works at festivals including 92Y’s Mobile Dance Film festival, and the Contemporary choreographic Dance Festival.

MARYSIA ZIPSER: ART, CULTURE AND TOURISM - PRESERVING HERITAGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS   Marysia Zipser is the founder of Art, Culture, Tourism (ACT) England, which she founded in 2013. ACT was established as a strategic vision to embrace the prominent creativity and flourishing of community interest and cultural groups in and around Beeston and Nottinghamshire with a global outreach.   Marysia is also an ACT Ambassador representing Nottinghamshire (and then over the next few years the rest of the East Midlands region - Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire). Her first visits were two regions in Italy - Genoa/Liguria and Ravenna/Romagna, as there are many art, culture, literature, history connections between Italy and Nottinghamshire, with three literary icons - Lord Byron, DH Lawrence & Alan Sillitoe. She will be doing the Byron & DH Lawrence trails there, as well as highlighting Robin Hood as the global brand.

Bobby Forsythe with Anum Farooq: The Future of Art Female perspectives from the art world, and the dreams of an artist. A passionate perspective and an in-depth discussion on the future of the art world.   Bobby Forsythe is an English artist, curator, art technician, and art historian, residing in Ipswich, Suffolk. Throughout her career, she has explored and revisited the ideology of how the beholder experiences artworks. Her creations focus on the beholder’s interaction with installation art and transforming space by utilising both natural and artificial light. Forsythe is the founder of the art collective, Supporting the Arts which was established in 2020. She is the curator for exhibitions that support local, international, and emerging artists. Supporting the Arts was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she realised the impact the pandemic had on the arts and decided to host an online exhibition to support creatives within the U.K.

Sue Kamal with Anum Farooq   SUE KAMAL: INTERNATIONAL TRADE: A PERSPECTIVE ON ITS ROLE IN HUMAN UNITY AND CULTURE   Sue Kamal is a Global Ambassador Commonwealth EC and a Global Award Winning Entrepreneur. A Malaysian born womenpreneur with a global reach. Currently involved extensively in the Aerospace & Satellite Development, Oil & Gas (Energy) and High Technology related sectors.

Sarah-Jane Mason and Simon Turner with Anum Farooq THE WORLD OF INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL DIRECTORS, ARTISTS AND THE FUTURE OF WELLNESS   Behind the scenes at the logistics and future plans of the Lacuna Contemporary International Art Festival with Directors Sarah-Jane Mason and Simon Turner, as well as their insights into their respective artistic processes and perspectives on the  future relationship between art and wellness.   Sarah-Jane Mason is a Creative Practitioner, Facilitator & Educator who specialises in using mixed media approaches to personal and participatory arts projects. She believes that creativity is the key that unlocks learning and that play and experimentation are important parts of the creative process. Sarah-Jane comes from a traditional Fine Art background. She studied for a BA (Hons) Fine Art at Liverpool John Moore's University (UK) and DipCipris (a postgraduate degree) in Fine Art at the Cyprus College of Art (Cyprus). Continuing her studies, she focused on creative education, completing a PGCE (Art & Design) at the University of Leeds (UK) and a Post-16 Teaching Certificate at Cyprus College of Art (Cyprus). Her role as the director of an annual, international, contemporary art festival is an important aspect of her arts practice. This position allows Sarah-Jane the opportunity to create an environment and hold a space where artists and audience members can interact, question, share and otherwise meaningfully engage with each other. She is supported in her work for Lacuna Festivals by land artist, Simon Turner. As part of her work in creative education, Sarah-Jane plans and delivers participatory arts projects, often aimed at those for who there may be significant barriers to engagement. In addition, Sarah-Jane runs a publishing company, Next Generation Publications, that publishes visual books created by and for children and young people. Past books are held in the British library collections as well as in local libraries, schools and community centres.   Simon is a self-taught land artist, eco-friendly jewellery designer and photographer with an interest in reducing our impact on the planet.  Land art interventions are an important part of Simon's practice which he uses as an opportunity to draw attention to everyday landscapes.  Simon is also an eco-friendly designer and set up PNEÜ! to showcase his jewellery designs, created predominantly from waste rubber products including bicycle tyres and inner-tubes. He is continually developing his knowledge of working with waste products, to create new pieces of sculpture, interior decor and jewellery; experimenting and exploring with new ideas for upcycling.