Conversations with Wren Polansky

Wren, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m native to this area, having grown up in Solana Beach. Growing up, my dancing mom pioneered modern dance in San Diego as a company founder. My Dad was an outdoorsy yoga and meditation practitioner, and worked in mental health as a psychiatrist. In my professional life, I’ve blended both of my parents’ influences.

I danced as a kid.  At fifteen I got into visual art and started practicing hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation. I have been teaching and practicing these disciplines on and off now for almost thirty years.

Also at fifteen, I left high school. With the blessing of my high school art teacher, Fred Marinello, I enrolled in junior college. For the first time I really got to savor the experience of learning on my own terms. I cite this fork in the road as the single-most confidence booster for me as a homeschooling parent. As a young teen, I took six semesters of Life Drawing with adult artists and nude models! I studied art history, existentialism, eastern philosophy and religion; basically whatever struck my fancy. It was incredibly liberating. With the generous encouragement of local artist Raul Guerrero, I had my first solo show in downtown San Diego when I was sixteen.

I transferred into Scripps Women’s College in Claremont, CA – a small liberal arts school. I graduated with a BA in Studio Art at twenty. Post-college was a rich and restless time of travel and constant relocation. I taught in many museums and schools, and struggled to make my own work. It was a period marked by many deaths and losses, which led me to immerse myself more fully in long-term spiritual retreat. Out of that deep, real life learning I embarked on my formal study of psychotherapy at both the Buddhist University, Naropa, and the Wright Institute in Berkeley, where I earned my MA degree.

While in the Bay Area, I met my husband, Pete, a musician. We now have two boys (7 and 9). The relationships with my sons and partner are the  center of my living and learning today. They are the reason why we created our homeschool and after school program, Creative Freedom Enrichment.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been an adventure!  There were definitely moments when I didn’t know if I was doing what I should be doing (especially when spending so much money on graduate school), but in general, the journey felt rich.  I’ve tried my best to follow my gut.  I look back at any learning, formal or circuitous, as a good use of my life.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Performance art, installation, mixed media, drawing, painting, and a good helping of photography are all methods I’ve employed as a maker.

In the past couple of years I’ve begun illustrating books in ink and graphite for Shambhala Publications: “The Awakening Body” by Reginald Ray, “The Fourth Trimester” by Kimberly Ann Johnson, “Hip-Healthy Asana” by Charlotte Bell, “Conceiving with Love” by Denise Wiesner, and “Yoga Myths” by the renowned yoga expert, Judith Hanson-Lasater.

Most recently, I have been collaborating with my sisters’ local dance company, LITVAKdance, creating mixed media artworks. Innate sensitivity, enthusiastic research, mindful attention to detail, and a love of beautiful raw materials inform my work.

My musician husband and I have just started an awesome home-based home school and after school enrichment program called Creative Freedom Enrichment. We interweave Art, Music, Science, and Yoga under various monthly themes for kids ages 5-12. So far the kids are loving our hands-on, open-ended approach.  We are indoor/outdoor in a lovely home-based setting.  It’s a blast!

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I am particularly inspired by children’s books lately. We have an enormous kiddo library.  The book “Free to Learn” by play researcher Peter Grey captures our philosophy.  It is an insightful read.  I encourage parents and educators out there to pick it up!  The podcast “Honey, I’m Homeschooling the Kids” has also been supportive.

Contact Info:

• Email: wrenpolansky@gmail.com
• Website: www.wrenpolansky.com and www.creativefreedomenrichment.com
• Instagram: @creativefreedomenrichment @wrenpolansky
• Facebook: @creativefreedomenrichment