The work of a woman visionary
is to the know the past, dream the future,
and take powerful action in the present.
Shiloh McCloud
Note from Shiloh:
My ministry is to provide sacred images and teachings illuminating pathways to well being, creative practice, and passionate livelihood for Women. Each painting is a prayer. An image designed as a blessing. An icon of love and care for our world. Creating art in this way is my spiritual practice and connects me to a golden dialog with the Divine Ma and Pa God. In my prayer I ask them to reveal new possibilities for our lives that can be shared with community through the Sacred Arts. My art was awakened through my search for the Divine Feminine, and it was She who connected me to the collective woman soul that informs all of my images. It was as if She said: Here I am and all my daughters come with me. From that time I have been passionately devoted to painting images of empowered, joyful, whole and well women. My journey is that of the mystic, always searching for what worlds lay yet unseen that could open us up to deeper understanding, compassion, and freedom. My work is a devotional offering and an honoring of this great radiant mystery that embraces us all. I am so very excited and grateful for the part I play in this wild wonderful adventure! Amen!
Mini-Bio:
Reverend Shiloh Sophia McCloud is a visionary artist, writer, teacher and entrepreneur, who is a major leader in helping to build the Sacred Arts Movement. She has dedicated almost two decades to the study and practice of art as a spiritual discipline and lives and teaches the philosophy that all art forms can be tools for individual and collective transformation.
Shiloh's mother and grandmother were entrepreneurs marketing the work of their hands and she has carried on this tradition through her art, writing, book publishing, and workshops. Her work is dedicated to providing healing images of women and family. She is deeply passionate about helping women gain the tools and understanding needed to develop our own creative potential and inspiring visionaries to become business people so that our collective wisdom can be shared and we can make a living doing our life work.
Shiloh is the founder of Cosmic Cowgirls Ink., a woman and girl member-owned production and publishing company that currently offers five Color of Woman journals with dozens more on the way. Thousands of women have deepened their creative practice through her journals and the workshops she teaches around the country. She has taught at New College of California in San Francisco for five years. She is a minister for the Holy Counsel of Women at First Congregational Church of Oakland. Her paintings are internationally collected and her product line is represented in galleries and fine shops throughout the United States. She and her husband, Isaiah, own Wisdom House Gallery in Mendocino, California.
Color of Woman Gallery - Owned and directed women’s art galleries for seven years, with locations in Boulder, Colorado; Port Townsend, Washington; Sonoma, Berkeley, Sausalito, San Francisco, and Mendocino, California
Owns and directs Wisdom House Gallery in Mendocino, California, since 2004, founded with husband Isaiah McCloud
Art and product line represented in 300 galleries and stores
Revenues from sales of art and books exceed 1.5 million
Co-Creations and Projects Founded:
Among those women/children centered non-profits with whom formed project alliances and events: La Casa de la Madres, America’s Angel, Glide Memorial Church, Women Defending Ourselves, and Parsa (Organization working with widows and children in Afghanistan), First Congregational Church of Oakland, The Women’s Recovery Association, Marin Abused Womens Service, YWCA of Sonoma County, Native Women’s Wellness Circles, Belladonna Sanctuary, Mendocino Environmental Center, and Bay Area Business Women.
Publishing Projects In Process:
Toledo Hospital - working with Color of Woman journals in Cancer Survivor Group
Pine Grove Women's Recovery Center - working with Color of Woman journals in women's recovery group
Girl's Ink - Working with girls and Gennifer Mountain Weaver to create a girl's Rights of Passage journal.
Art Shows and Projects:
Participation in over a hundred juried shows at galleries and art exhibits across U.S.
Produced, marketed, and exhibited at over fifty art, music, and educational events, concerts, exhibits, schools, conferences, and women’s circles.
"The Virgin Show," Galleria Tonantzin guest artist for 11th Annual Virgin Art Show - San Juan Bautista, CA - 2004
“Sacred Body Sacred Woman,” New College of California MA exhibition - Berkeley, CA
“Angels, Women and Heroes,” First Congregational Church, Six month rotating exhibit - Oakland, CA
“Center for Attitudinal Healing,” Marianne Williamson event exhibition - Oakland, CA
“Dancing With The Tree of Life,” Belladonna Sanctuary - Nine Month In-House Gallery Exhibition - Berkeley, CA 2004 - 2005
“Praises for the World” Ritual Concert, with musician Jennifer Berezan, authors Alice Walker and Gloria Steinem - 2004 and 2005
“Source of Empowerment” - Woman as Symbol - California Institute of Integral Studies juried art show - San Francisco, CA - 2004
“Violence Against Women-Women Against Violence” Northern California Women’s Caucus - Nexus Gallery Berkeley, CA and California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco
Celebration of Craftswomen - Exhibitor in the countries only all-woman annual art show for three years through the San Francisco Women’s Building
Napa’s Mustard Festival - Exhibitor, three years and 2nd place winner in competition
Salute to the Arts - Exhibitor, three years In juried shows - Sonoma, CA
DONA - Doulas of North America Art exhibitor in annual conference
“Glide’s Wall of Peace” Commissioned to provide a “platform for creative response” to the war, with hundreds from Glide Memorial participating in custom six-piece mural
“The Healing” Developed V-Day theme marketing and product line for fund-raising events for domestic violence shelters in California
Women Defending Ourselves – (WDO) Sponsored “Wonder of Women” campaign
Middle Fish Gallery, Boulder, Colorado fine art show - 2006
Ashkenaz – Art show in conjunction with Alice Walker event - Berkeley, CA
Created art show environments for events for Marianne Williamson, Leonard Schlain, Kathy Jones, Oriya Mountain Dreamer, Alice Walker, Jennifer Berezan, Vicki Noble, Jamie Sieber, Lucia Birnbaum
Worked with Canadian Mid-wives Association of BC to create logo image for anniversary event.
Art Training, Study Programs, and Education:
Two year mentorship in painting and clay with artist and illustrator Sue Hoya Sellars, who illustrated Rita May Brown’s first book, Plain Brown Wrapper
Icon Painting Apprenticeship to famous Russian iconographer, Pavel Tikhimov
Academy of Art, San Francisco, CA 1992-1994
College of Marin, Kentwood, CA 1990-1992
Dominican College, San Rafael, CA 1989
St. Mary’s Seminary, Boulder Colorado - 2 year Ministerial Program
Ordained, Reverend Shiloh Sophia McCloud, by Grace of Sophia Church - 1996
Publishing Projects With Others:
We Moon Calendar - 2001 and 2007
Sage Woman Calendar through Amber Lotus publishing - 2008 and 2009
Rachel's Bag, In Search of the Qabbalah of Our Mothers, by mother Caron McCloud - cover art, chapter illustrations, introduction, co-published by Flaming Heart and Trafford
Peak Vitality - Elite Books, Cover image and article The Awakened Heart - 2007
She is Everywhere by Lucia Chiavola Bimbaum, Belladonna Publishing - 2004
Light of Consciousness - Showcase of work - December 2007 Issue
Independently published five illustrated journals for women’s creative development, featured in 90% of women’s bookstores in the United States, two in third printing with over 15,000 copies sold, used as curriculum for teaching programs:
Color of Woman - Journey to the Sanctuary Within
She Moves To Her Own Rhythm – A Guided Exploration
Heart Wings – A Book About Real Friendship
She Dances Between The Worlds - Exploring the Language of the Heart
Her Evolution – Women’s workbook for personal transformation
Heart of the Visionary - A Workbook for Entrepreneurial Women
Designed book covers - She is Everywhere by Lucia Chiavola Birnbaum; Peak Vitality, Elite House, Jeanne House; Rachel’s Bag, Caron McCloud
Alice Walker Greeting cards project - Shiloh’s images—Alice’s poetry.
Founder of Cosmic Cowgirls, LLC -A Woman and Girl Member-Owned owned independent production and publishing company
Book illustrations for women’s book jackets and inside illustrations
Plans for twenty more journals include healing and recovery topics ranging from, feminine divine, breast cancer, prayer, creativity as a spiritual practice, pregnancy, infertility, marriage, divorce, self-healing practice, business/vision plans, surgery/trauma, abuse, teenage issues, alcoholism and addiction, and more!!!
Publications and Reviews:
Reviews by Louise Hay, Dick Bowles, Vicki Noble, Luisa Teish, Judy Grahn, Rose Offner, Sark, Christin Lore Weber
Periodically published in Sark Woman Magazine
Coloring books featured/reviewed in over twenty magazines and publications
Artwork/articles/poems from the books featured in over thirty publications, including We’ Moon calendar
Other writings have been published in over twenty magazines/publications and images featured in over fifty
Shiloh’s Art Included in the following collections:
Individuals: Alice Walker, Leonard Schlain, Gregg Braden, Marianne Williamson, Ani DiFranco, Delores Heurte, Lucia Birnbaum, Sheila Kitzinger, Jennifer Berezan, Dick Bowles, Pratiba Parimar, Lucia Birnbaum, Patricia Lynn Riley, Janice Mirikitani, Marjorie Power
Church/Sanctuary/School Collection: Grace of Sophia - Boulder, Colorado; Gnostic Sanctuary - Mountain View, California; First Congregational Church of Oakland; Ebenezer Baptist Church - San Francisco; New College - San Francisco, Belladonna Sanctuary - Berkeley; Mountain Song - Anderson Valley, CA; Institute of Integral Studies - San Francisco, Christ Sophia Sanctuary - Oakland, CA
Work Presented at the following Conferences:
Association for Peri and Prenatal Conference (on-going)
Doula’s of North America Conference (on-going)
Women’s Rights of Spring (on-going)
Native Women’s Wellness Circles. Commissioned by nonprofit focused in educating Native peoples to teach journaling to women on reservations using Color of Woman’s journals and class materials
“Personal Iconography” presentation w/slides, sponsored by the Lillith Institute “Voice of the Spirit” series
Work featured at the 2003 Stanford Conference on birth awareness and the 2003 DONA Doula Conference
The Virgin Image Conference, Gallery Tonantzin, taught painting practice
Faith and Feminism Conference, Solo Show - 2007
Teaching Experience and Curriculum:
Faith & Feminism Conference, "Wisdom's Urgent Cry," Presenter and guest artist - 2007
First Congregational Church of Oakland, Speaker 2007
New College of California, Women’s Spirituality Department, MA Program 2002-Now New College of California, Creative Inquiry, MFA Program 2002 -Now
Founded small independent school in 1999, “Constellation of Wisdom” A Mystery School for the Creative Arts
Woman of Vision Workshop Series - workshops for visionary entrepreneurs
A Teaching Ministry: taught and mentored hundreds of students from age three through seventy-five with an emphasis on healing through creativity
Class instruction in watercolor, oil, acrylic, drawing, sumi calligraphy, journaling, design, project and program development, marketing, creating your artistic identity, etc…through one-on-one classes, group workshops and weekend retreats
Mountain Song Montessori Schools, Mendocino County, CA - taught art to children for 4 years
Taught creative learning and art classes to home-schooled children and at community centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, including “Be Your Own Superhero” series at the Sonoma Community Center - 2002
Books are part of curriculum for: Women’s Wellness Circles - OVCD, Not-for-profit women’s healing program in Bakersfield, CA and Institute of Art as Medicine - Sacramento, CA,
Books used for curriculum for Mount Saint Mary’s College for three years, and at New College, Women’s Spirituality Program
Books and curriculum used at Pine Grove Treatment Center for Women - Hattiesburg, MI
Book and curriculum approved in 2008 for Toledo Hospital Cancer Recovery Program
Teach at New College of California MFA Creative Inquiry Program - Visionary Business and Art Class - San Francisco, CA
Native Women’s Wellness Retreat - Owen’s Valley Career
Development Tribal Tanif - taught medicine shields and sacred journaling - Bakersfield, CA
Have provided counseling and pastoral services for over five years to women and teenage girls
Taught self-expression through painting images and words at the after school program for Sonoma High School Curriculum Development
Developed and co-taught workshops with following teachers/organizations:
“Ecstasy of Sound” co-produced workshop about painting to rhythm with Jennifer Berezan, producer of “Praises For The World” concerts in Oakland -2002
“Journaling the Soul” with Rose Offner, author of Journal to the Soul at Readers Bookstore, Sonoma, CA - 2000
“Transformation of the Sole” workshop with La Casa de las Madres - painting women’s “shoes” symbolic of leaving damaging situations, San Francisco - 2003
“Mother-Daughter Workshop” created with my mother, poet Caron McCloud and sponsored by The Women to Women Institute of Sonoma - 2002
“Palace of The Soul” Summer Camp creating your own myth through paint, rhinestone, and 3-D collage with Artist Elizabeth Gibbons - 2003
“Painting from the Inside” with master Sue Hoya Sellars teaching women to paint from the inside - 2001
“Illustrating Your Foundation” class for entrepreneurs to illustrate the steps to success in full color - with JoAnne Kellert, Gateway Consulting - 2002
“Creation Arts Consulting” image and logo development, with Isaiah McCloud, establishing a creative identity for businesses and entrepreneurs - 2004
Trained advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault
Publishing Projects:
Founded Cosmic Cowgirls Ink, LLC - A Woman and Girl Powered Publishing and Production House, with 25 other Founding Mamas - 2005
Holy Counsel of Women - Co-founded Ministry with Reverend Ama Zenya of First Congregational Church of Oakland - Established 2004
Soulrise Gallery, Denver, Colorado - mentored owner Heidi Damata for six months in all aspects of gallery management and product development - 2006
Flaming Heart Publishing - Co-founded wholesale publishing company with Isaiah McCloud - 2006
Circle of Compassion - Facilitated Girl’s Rights of Passage for teenage girls - 2006
Palm of Her Hand - publishing launch of greeting card line with Alice Walker and Shiloh McCloud - 2007
Art Consulting and Design Projects:
Represented, marketed, coached, and launched hundreds of women artists and exhibits for product and material development, logo presentation, and fine art exhibitions
Created design environment for women’s beauty services/salons, including, Brushworx Artistry, Plush Beauty Bar, Pleasanton; and Bellizza, Suisun
Alice Walker Collaboration- Graphic designer for two major events and launched a greeting card and poster line with Alice's poetry and Shiloh's images.
Art Alliance Projects:
Reverend Shiloh Sophia McCloud
A life experience resume and summary of creative adventures!
