Short Bio
Daughter, sister, mother, heart quester, visual- social, and ritual artist and facilitator, early childhood and early grades teacher, nature- parent, and child advocate, journeyer, writer, accomplished hard worker, sacred witness, dancer, lifetime student, woman, and friend.
Iris started utilizing the Holy Nights in 1986 when she happened on a Rosicrucian text outlining how the holy nights correlate with the year to come. Originally she used magazine collages and made calendars for the ensuing year. Iris began to see synchronicities and received insights about current events from the art. She has continued to practice through all of these years, and has dozens of sketchbooks, which are now journals of each year. When she went through her Rite of Passage training with Rites of Passage International she learned the bleeding tissue paper art-process and has continued mainly with that through the years. Iris has done her own Rite of Passage every decade of her life. And continues to facilitate Rites of Passage.
Iris studied movement at Naropa Institute in Boulder and received her Waldorf teacher training at Haleakala Waldorf School on Maui, while mentoring with journeyman and master teacher Keith McCrary for 5 years. She taught in Waldorf School for over 20 years, still holding a Director license to operate a large early childhood classroom. She deepened her understanding with continuous personal work as well as at Gradalis Seminars where she studied Therapeutic Education. Iris practices five rhythms. She home-birthed two beautiful boys and raised them with her then-husband of 33 years with whom she is still dear friends. Iris now serves families in various ways to care for their children and support the parents!
Iris facilitated over 16 Rites of Passage with 14 year-olds and their families as well as adults doing their Inner-adolescent work. These Rites of Passage occurred around Santa Fe, New Mexico, Boulder, and on Maui in the 1980’s and 90’s as well as in the 2010’s.
Iris supports and celebrates each person’s individual’s artistic style to catalyze self- discovery and growth through the creative process. She has created many programs and currently is working with her program called Heart Quest Passages.org. The programs include The Hero’s Journey for 10-12 year olds and their families as well as passage processes for adults.
Iris would like to thank her many teachers and influencers: My mother, Virginia Bard, three sons, marriage relationship, Torkom Saradarian, Kia Woods, Ralph Nader, Dali Lama, Mt. Shasta, Rudolf Steiner, Tom Browne, The Circle process, T. Lobsang Rampa, Malidoma Patrice Some’, Melissa Michaels, Will and Kalima Sawyer, Maui, The Rites of Passage process, Martin Prechtel, Joseph Campbell, Jeannine Parvati Baker, Findhorn Community, Haleakala Waldorf School, and all of the parents and children whom I’ve had the beautiful opportunity to serve.
