About Angie

About Angie

I exist amidst all of my relations. There is no “I” without Other.

I am the wife and life partner of Joshua Hall. I am the mother of Isabella Hall, and Ellessia Hall. I am the daughter of Maria Sciacca Follensbee, and Dennis Follensbee Sr. I am the sister of Dennis Follensbee, Jr. I am the grandaughter of Ronald and Lucille Follensbee, and Conchetta and Mario Sciacca, the great grandaughter of the DiBellas, the Vincents, and infinitely more ancestors and family members.

I belong to the Earth places–the Island of Sicily and the Woods of Vermont, the Abenaki Unceded Lands.

I am an Artist, a Yoga Teacher, and Embodiment Practitioner, a Meditator, and a Breath Practitioner. I have had many, many human teachers, and other-than-human teachers. I am a believer of Animism, I am a lover of Crows, of Hawks, of Herbs, and of Trees–they are all my teachers.

My Story

I am an artist and a teacher.*

The way in which I embody my personal story and my creative practice informs my teaching practice.

I was born on the captivating island of Sicily at the base of Mt. Etna, and I grew up running around in the quiet mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont. My mother always told me to be very proud of where I was born and of our rich Sicilian heritage and tradition. Her father, my Sicilian “nonno,” or grandfather, also told me, in his heavily accented English, that I am Sicilian first because the island claimed me at birth.

My parents moved to the US when I was just over one year old. For my father, it was a return home, and for my mother it was the manifestation of her long-held childhood dream to live in America. We moved to my father’s native New England, first to Vermont and then to New Hampshire.

I love world cultures and have traveled across the US, Europe, and India. My free-spirited childhood on two continents, cultural inspirations, and love of the natural world are primary influences in my art-making and creative living.

Artist

My parents are both artistic, though not directly artists. From my mother, I learned to create passionately in my daily living, cooking, and homemaking, and in artistic and spiritual pursuits. From my father I found a love of nature, especially the woodlands of Vermont and New Hampshire.

My artistic inspiration comes from the world of nature: the wisp of grass swaying in a winter wind, or the small sprout searching for the sun’s nourishment in spring. In each creation, I invoke a meditative quality reflecting upon the world of myth, story, and nature, suggesting a connection between all beings at their source.

I love everything about being an artist: the endless ideas and inspiration, the messy art studio, building art, creating art, and exhibiting art. I have exhibited and sold many works of art over my career, nationally and internationally. My primary medium is handmade paper. For nearly 20 years I have explored the art of hand papermaking from both pre-processed and raw plant fibers. My art process is always evolving as I find new ways to be inspired.

I transform many mixed media sources— rope, paper, paint, and botanicals— with inspiration drawn from the world of nature. I have long been inspired by world myths, religions, and classic fables. I am interested in the shared stories and archetypal symbolism of all humanity. The imagery from these stories will often emerge in my paper creations. In my work, I seek to describe the relationship between humans, the earth, and the heavens in an intuitive felt experience

Teacher

As a guide and trusted teacher with over 20 years teaching experience, I strive to be a model of how to live a life of abundant creativity, personal growth, and healing.

My mission in teaching is to awaken in you a sense of connection, belonging, and soul purpose through self care, artful living, and empowered intentions.

My yoga teaching strives to artfully combine the wisdom of Yoga and Ayurveda with classical philosophical study and modern somatic discovery. My yoga teachers come from many traditions and lineages, both in the US and from India. Ever since my visit to India in 2014, the great avatara Sri Anandamayi Ma remains a strong influence in my personal practices. Sri Ma reveals that yoga is far more than a physical practice as it assists the body in fully knowing the divine Self.

I am interested in connecting you to your deep inner inquiries through a direct felt experience, helping you to move with fluidity to discover your yoga practice as a living organic and soulful expression. In my art classes, workshops, and trainings, I strive to create loose frameworks and open structures that allow room for free exploration and curiosity, while offering encouragement for students to trust in their own process of learning, discovery, and creation.

My formal studies include a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree through Plymouth State University, and a Master of Arts degree in Education and Creative Practice through Goddard College. I am an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500 hour level, trained by Linda Lalita Winnick of Saugerties, NY. I spent many years studying Swakriya Yoga with Swami Gurusharanananda, with time in India and by hosting him in the USA.

I am a Reiki Master Teacher, trained by the late Reverend Trudi Denison; a Certified Traditional Herbalist, trained by Rosemary Gladstar; an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Practitioner trained by David Frawley; and an Attunement Energy practitioner, trained by Andrew Shier. I have led over 5,000 hours of professional classes and workshops.

However, I believe we learn from each and every experience of life. When we are open, every moment offers more learning than any university or official program of study.

As a writer, I have been featured in Annapurna Living, the Peaceful Dumpling and Teach.Yoga. I have authored two yoga training manuals and am dreaming up a publication to share with you so very soon.

Learn more about my background, art process, and thoughts on creativity at the Left Brain Artist Podcast!

*I am not a guru. That is a Sanskrit word from the rich spiritual tradition and culture of India. I do not want, nor pretend, to be a guru. I am not at a: therapist, counselor, doctor, dietician, physical therapist, or any other type of health professional.

I encourage people to seek out those professional services when needed.