Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandi Sabourin.
Hi Mandi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It all started with cupcakes! I took my son, who was four at the time, to a community education event – cupcakes and canvas. I really enjoyed the experience and although my artwork wasn’t outstanding in any way – it inspired me to begin to look at art in a different way than I ever had. I had recently begun exploring the world of meditation and mindfulness and was fascinated. Before too long I found myself ordering all the supplies and scouring the web, learning all I could about acrylic painting. When I went through my divorce, painting really helped me cope. I quickly learned it was much more than a hobby, it was therapy. When you’re creating art, you’re present and that’s practicing mindfulness. The benefits I personally gained were so profound that I couldn’t keep it to myself. I’d had a strong urge to become an entrepreneur for a few years, starting a few different side businesses but never really following through. Then I just knew that I wanted to bring art as a form of mindfulness mainstream so the idea of Create & Connect Studio was born. In my study of mindfulness and meditation, yoga always came up. I was deeply interested in learning more about it and somehow knew that art and yoga could be related somehow. When I decided to open a studio, I thought it would be the perfect combination. Yoga classes would be held at times and art classes at others, keeping the space occupied and revenue coming in. Unfortunately, as well as the art events were doing, yoga wasn’t drawing as many students from my community as I had hoped and since I wasn’t yet teaching yoga, I was paying yoga teachers and the model quickly became financially unsustainable.
During the year the studio was open I became a Children’s Yoga teacher and had started working towards becoming a yoga instructor. However, when the time came to renew my lease I just knew I needed to do things differently. I closed the studio at the end of October 2019, only a few months before Covid would have shut me down and stuck me in an unaffordable lease. I’m so grateful I trusted my gut, as hard as it was to give up my studio. I still really believed in myself and my dream, however, so much so that in January 2020 I left my full time employment to pursue my goals, switching to a mobile studio model. I had relationships with spaces around town to hold events and soon I started teaching yoga as well. When Covid eventually shut everything down I started teaching yoga on YouTube and via Zoom and I even held some painting events on Zoom too. I was grateful to be available for my son at the time, too. The divorce was very hard on him and with me being home we were able to address a lot of issues. We chose online school for the 2020-2021 school year, he was in 3rd grade. I’m so happy to say that he’s thriving now. While being home with him and being his teacher I was able to utilize online methods to keep my business going enough that when things began to open up, I was able to hit the ground and work my way back to finding a groove. During the shutdown, I decided to turn my basement from a toy and tv room to a home studio for both yoga and art classes. I’ve branched out in other areas, adding classes at senior centers as well as working with adults with disabilities. You can find me teaching yoga to kids after school through community education and at local breweries and entertainment establishments holding painting events. I get to do birthday parties and private parties for families, bridal showers and all sorts of events. The best part is, I’m bringing mindfulness to so many – whether they know it or not, even if only for a few hours. I love what I do, I’m truly blessed.
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?
The road has been anything but smooth. I’ve had to flow with the changes brought on by many factors, Covid probably being the biggest. I felt as though just as I was really getting going and things were about to take off, I was cut off at the knees and forced back to square one. I persisted, however, and I’m proud of where I am today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a yoga teacher, my focus is on mindfulness, meditation and breath work as well as movement and poses. Yoga for kids incorporates dancing, games and music, in addition to mindfulness practices like meditation and breathing exercises. Even my chair yoga classes include meditation in addition to great stretching poses and breathing exercises. I view yoga in the mind, body, spirit sense and not as just a form of exercise. As an artist, I see myself as a guide to open people up to their own creativity. I believe everyone can create and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. I ask people to relax, breathe and just enjoy the process – most people are pleasantly surprised by what they’re able to do and that’s what it’s all about for me.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I grew up in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis/St. Paul so the atmosphere is home to me. People care about each other. The opportunities to get out and explore nature are everywhere. I especially love the lakes in the summertime.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.createandconnectstudio.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/createandconnectstudio/
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/createandconnectstudio
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCgTqwzmCpE-XqToBRpbYvtQ
Image Credits
Nicole Spangler Photography
