Check Out Regina Compernolle’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Regina Compernolle.

Hi Regina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Sacred Earth Arts began its journey November 11, 2000, as a new-age art center at 45th and Bell, featuring herbal products and art from local artists and Tibetan art and jewelry imported directly from artists in Nepal. We had classes in meditation, personal mythology, art and herbalism.
In the summer of 2001 we moved to 39th street and became a community center for the alternative community. Richard Mabion joined us with African imports, PrairieWise herb school had classes. Regina Compernolle the owner, taught classes in herbal home remedies, astrology and art. We hosted events like a fundraiser for the UMKC vagina monologues, Women’s Re-Birth Day of Sacred Play and drum circles.
The business struggled to pay the rising cost of rent in the area and Regina accepted a job as the school director for City in Motion and Sacred Earth Arts closed its doors in August of 2005.
Regina moved to a 40 acre woodland property and started teaching workshops in herbalism and women’s spirituality. Events like Women Who Drum With The Wolves, Wild Woman Nightwalk, Reiki Play Day and For The Forest Environmental Art experience drew attention and classes became more popular. Regina developed apprenticeship programs in home herbalism, sustainable farming and reclaiming our inner shaman. The programs grew into a community of artists, herbalists and healers. Former students now teach and co-teach classes.
Rick has created an orchard and blueberry You-Pick on the property and directs the maintenance and growth of our herb gardens and forest farm, introducing new indigenous medicinal and edible herbs. He’s transforming our former hay field into native prairie.
We offer native plants, fruit and herbal products for sale at the farm by appointment. Every 3rd Sunday we host an open house and volunteer work day. People can come out at tour the forest or get their hands dirty by helping with gardening.
Other and events are planned for later in the year.

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?
Building this business has been a long slow road. When we first got started Communiversity was a great source of students. People could sign up for classes for a really low price. People could sample the classes for a nominal fee and teachers got great exposure.
Communiversity closed in 2008 after Rick Mareske retired as director so we started to rely on Facebook to attract students. This worked initially but as time went on the logarithms made connecting with people more and more difficult. We are still relying on Facebook and Instagram as well as local fairs and pop-ups sales for exposure but word of mouth is proving to be the most effective in terms of expanding our audience.
In the past 2 years Regina has been having mobility issues, making some of her teaching tasks difficult or impossible. Fortunately her advanced students stepped in and managed everything from website design and social media marketing to giving plant identification tours and teaching classes. Our focus and direction is evolving to incorporate other teachers of herbalism and sacred arts.
Regina and Rick are getting older and the work of the farm is difficult. Our apprentices and work study students have stepped up and are learning to maintain the farm and forest gardens.
Our current struggle has to do with our governments short-sighted funding cuts, We’ve been in the process of becoming an NFP organization and recently found out that the Trump administration is prohibiting any organization associated with environmentalism from receiving, not only government funding, but tax-deductible funding from private donors. This may slow our growth but we remain a haven for plants, animals and people connected to nature.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Sacred Earth Arts is all about supporting the Self-Creative individual through connecting directly with Mother Earth in a variety of ways. Opportunities to garden, learn to heal with the help of local plants, to soul soul-empowering art experiences.
“The Forest Is Our Teacher” is what we say. Students in the forest shamanism class learn to connect with their ancestral inner shaman, drawing wisdom from within themselves. Meditating in the forest, drumming and art experiences are the main aspects of the curriculum.
We host an art event every October called For the Forest. Artists make pieces from items found in nature and biodegradable materials. The focus is on the process, not the product. Art is made as a gift of appreciation for what this Earth has given us. The event is low-key, held in a sacred Linden grove on the property. Artists, friends and guests participate in a ceremony honoring the forest. We drum, sing, recite poetry, dance and revel in the beauty of the forest and the community of friends gathered in her support.
Our herbalism apprenticeship offers students the opportunity to identify plants in all their phases during the year. They harvest responsibly and learn to grow and cultivate herbs to create herbal products from teas to jam to incense.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
We wouldn’t be where we are without the support and knowledge of many individuals. Most notable are my current staff, without whom we wouldn’t have survived the last two years. Sierra Stucz, Quinn Kavanaugh, Liz Strother and Kelsey Gordon have helped transform the school from a one-woman show to a community of herbalists. They are now capable of teaching and running every aspect of the school, giving Regina the opportunity for more study and creative development and Rick more helping hands on the farm.
In addition to these amazing women are too many people to count. Many friends, students, family and previous teachers have contributed to the programs and community. All are deeply appreciated and we look forward to the evolving Sacred Earth Arts experience.

Pricing:

• Herbalism Apprenticeship $1300
• Shamanism Apprenticeship $800
• Animal Druidry $450
• Sustainable Farming – Work Exchange
• Other Classes/Services priced individually

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sacredeartharts.com
• Instagram: @sacredeartharts
• Facebook: @sacredeartharts