BY KAREN BOSSICK
Singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne wears butterfly wings—a nod to Psyche, the Greek goddess of the soul, who wore butterfly wings to represent the trials she’s endured.
The wings, Wynne says, remind her that she can make big changes to transform her victimhood into agency, just as butterflies grow and transform.
Wynne, who was raised in Spokane, Wash., and is currently based in Gresham, Ore., will lead a workshop on the healing power of the arts this afternoon ahead of her concert at The Argyros on Thursday, Dec. 7.
Wynne will share her path to healing herself through music using sound, visual art and movement to calm the mind and get back on track after experiencing trauma and running away from home at 16 during a free workshop. The workshop will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today—Monday, Dec. 4—at the Sun Valley Museum of the Arts in Ketchum.
During the workshop, she will lead participants through creative exercises designed to offer support during crisis. She has honed her skills as a trained teacher for First Aid Arts, a Seattle-based nonprofit that teaches people how to use the arts for mental and emotional health. No special art or music skills are needed. Pre-registration is encouraged.
On Thursday, Dec. 7, she will perform a Singer-Songwriter Salon Concert at 7:30 p.m. at The Agyros in Ketchum. The She will perform her alternative rock and folk-pop music that has been featured on NPR’s “All Songs” Considered” and “Tiny Desk Contest.”
Wynne has opened for such artists as Lucinda Williams, Dave Mathews, Tanya Tucker and the Indigo girls.
“Maiah’s music and onstage presence are deeply affecting. She connects with audiences through her talent, vulnerability and honesty in a way that is truly unique,” said Kristine Bretall, Public Programs Director at SVMoA.
The concert hall will be set up café style with tables and chairs up front and riser seating behind. Purchase of table seats will include wine from the Museum’s cellar with the price of tickets.
Wynne’s visit to the Wood River Valley is a precursor to the Museum’s next exhibition, “Bodies of Work: Art & Healing,” which will open on Jan. 12, 2024. The group exhibition will feature artwork by contemporary artists who have used their art to explore and process their own experience of medical illness and the experiences of others.
To register for the workshop or to purchase tickets to the concert, call 208-726-9491, send an email to information@svmoa.org or visit https://svmoa.org.
DID YOU KNOW?
Maiah Wynne will work with several student groups while in the Wood River Valley, including the Flourish Foundation’s Compassionate Leaders, The Advocates’ Every Teen Counts interns and students from Silver Creek High School and Sun Valley Community School.