I knew Life Force Arts Center was going to be part of my life the first time I heard Joan say “where art meets spirit."  This motto resonated with me because I have always tried to infuse my art with that added dimension, and LFAC seemed like the ideal venue to both display and nurture my talents.

As a teenager, I learned astrology and the tarot from my mother. My mom was the classic "Earth Mother" and helped raise the whole neighborhood; it must be that Gypsy Italian blood! She was a spiritual church leader, astrologer, and tarot reader, so I was brought up to be open minded when it came to spiritual matters. 

I followed in her footsteps and now enjoy reading for others. My friend and teacher Demetria Nanos has been another important influence on my spiritual development. Attending her tarot and astrology classes prompted me to find my own spiritual path, the path I still follow today.

I have explored many artistic and spiritual practices and worked in many professions, but in times of stress I found myself always returning to stones and crystals. While designing jewelry, I found that different beads made of crystal or stone, their colors, shapes, and textures, were definitely having an effect on me, but it was when I started studying the ancient beliefs and customs surrounding them that I really fell in love. 

I design jewelry by blending different energies for healing or magical purposes. Stones and crystals can connect with our body chemistry and help us on all levels. For instance, lepidolite has a high lithium content and is widely used by crystal healers to relieve stress and anxiety. In recent years I've shied away from selling my jewelry in typical commercial stores because I make jewelry with meaning and purpose, not just for aesthetics or profit. LFAC’s mission ensures that that meaning is not lost.

I am privileged to have been part of that unique vision from the beginning. I have worked with stage and set design for many years, but as LFAC’s store designer I have a special opportunity to create space with spirit in mind. I love helping LFAC transform and evolve to reach its potential.

In turn, I have found a place that fosters my own spiritual and artistic growth and inspires new personal goals. Through LFAC I discovered that the same crystals and stones I love to use in my jewelry also make ideal materials for creating sacred mandalas for use in meditation. I created three such mandalas for LFAC's current art show, Sacred Geometry: Art of the Mandala (Feb. 19 – Mar. 31) I  am excited that LFAC is giving me the chance to debut this new project!

Thanks to LFAC, I was introduced to the neo-pagan order, the Brotherhood of the Phoenix. Bonding with other men in ritual and meditation helps me tune in to my own "life force" and provides an energy and perspective that I might never have found elsewhere. It is a healing experience to be a part of something bigger than myself, and their charity and community work continue to impress me.

I admire how LFAC continually grows and adapts to suit its members and its mission. LFAC has encouraged me and others to step on a path of healing and love, and I hope sharing this will help you achieve your own goals. I want to thank Joan and everyone who works with and attends LFAC for helping me achieve mine. It is a beautiful space for visual and performing art, truly a temple!

Steve Adams is an artist and designer who works with natural materials like stones and crystals to create symbols with spiritual resonance. He is LFAC's store designer ,and he also creates spirit-based jewelry, which he displays and sells at the store. An Aquarian Tarot reader for 30 years, Steve is an LFAC Healing Room Practitioner.