Ista Cante: the-eye-of-the-heart--intuition

Bureau report - iBerkshires.com - North Adams,MA,USA
Friday, January 5, 2007

Art has always been a part of Carolyn Hayes-Knoll's life expression. Beginning in her early 20's, writing began to weave in and out of her art as another expressive form. She wrote her book, Ista Cante with her two daughters in mind.

Originally from Tennesse, Carolyn is presently in our area until May when she will leave for the Peace Corp.

Ista Cante has been a labor of love and passion for Ms. Knoll. It has been a process of teaching, of understanding herself and her own mother more. Her search for a clearer understanding of her own inner voice has led her to study many religious faiths, including Catholicism, Native American beliefs, Sufism, and most recently Tao.

Her artwork and writings reflect love of nature and her spiritual quest to find, for herself and the world, a sacred path with heart. Ista Cante: A story, resembling a myth or folktale utilizes strong, colorful images of a young child growing up, learning to listen to her own intuition through interaction with a cloth doll her mother made from scraps of her "mother's mother's mother's dresses."

The mother named the doll Ista Cante (ishta chanta), Lacota Indian words meaning the-eye-of-the-heart--intuition. Ista Cante may speak to people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. The book is a complete artistic creation in itself.

Author Carolyn Hayes-Knoll will speak at the Writing for Children & Young Adults workshop offered by The Berkshire Writers Room, on Monday, January 8th, 7-9 PM at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, in the Melvillle Building, room 217.

Whether you write poetry, fiction, nonfiction, plays or scripts, all children's authors and lovers of children's books are welcome. A reading/discussion will follow the lecture.