Today we’d like to introduce you to Arunima Orr.
Hi Arunima, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Art & Soul was started in 1988 and has had many homes throughout Nashville. The intention of the studio space was dedicated to artistic growth, creative development, and healing and transformation through the arts. It has been and is a place where the journey of art-making is honored and cultivated.
“I (Arunima) moved to Nashville during the changing times of the 1960s. I felt like I’d learned a lot about myself through making art, having transformed quite a bit. I wanted to share that with other people. I figured I wasn’t the only person in the country who had struggled in that way. I wanted to create a space, a physical space as well as a mental and a heart space for people to feel safe – to go into the unknown and face things in the unknown — which you do every day when you make art.”
Art & Soul continues to be a place of practicing creativity without judgment. A place where one can learn artistic practices while also learning to explore and accept oneself.
Learn to use mixed media techniques and mindfulness in the same location. Find your authentic voice while discovering the magic of watercolor.
Art & Soul is a place where many kinds of visual art, dance and movement, sounding and voice, writing, poetry, and other creative explorations take place.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been a smooth road. Some of the early struggles were defining the structure of the organization. We operated as a co-op for many years while working towards becoming a 501(c)3.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Arunima’s interest in the arts began when she was a child growing up in a small town on the coast of California, where during the summers she had the opportunity to participate in innovative arts programs including creative dance, theatre, music and many forms of visual art, all led by remarkable teachers. After obtaining a degree in literature from Stanford University, she returned to the visual arts, receiving training in painting and drawing from diverse sources including San Francisco Art Institute, Middle Tennessee State University, South Massachusetts University, and receiving an M.A. in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University.
It was during her time in Cambridge that Arunima again began to pursue her interest in interdisciplinary art through the practices of Authentic Movement, Playback Theatre, Improvisation, Authentic Sound and Voice, and Intuitive Artmaking, as well as continuing her lifelong study and exploration of meditation and transformational processes and technologies.
What sets Arunima apart — and Art & Soul– is the foundational belief of creating from a place of non-judgment.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite early memory is having my father chase me around the house and the yard. I just felt like I had his attention. It was so much fun. He would pretend to catch up to me, and I would scream and laugh. Anyway, we both had a great time there. We were really bonded and we “got” each other. Thank God, I had my father.
Another favorite early memory was that I loved walking on the beach. I often walked on the beach that I grew up on. It was such solace for me as an emotional and difficult teenager. It was a meditation. I was able to feel connected with the world as well as the earth. The water was fantastic. It was so fresh and free.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artandsoulnashville.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artandsoulnashville/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eArtandSoul
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@artsoulnashville9578
