Welsh Artist, Storyteller & Facilitator
Stella's work responds to the stories within the landscape and her local ecology in South Wales, while exploring the enchanting world of Britain's ancient history, guiding people through story and embodiment into a deeper relationship with their landscape, their voice, and their creative potential.
This endeavour began when she tapped into her grief and longing for the rich, mythic culture buried within the depths of Wales's and Britain's suppressed historical past.
Stella is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Illustration and Animation where her chosen project is focused on deep-mapping her local river, the River Taff, through animistic visual storytelling, researching similar traditions throughout time.
Events & Workshops
Stella facilitates events and ceremonies that weave you into the living story of the more-than-human world, and the forgotten but not lost wisdom traditions from Wales and Britain. Stella offers storytelling and educational teachings alongside embodiment practices through poetry, rap, movement, vocal liberation, and land-based ritual.
Stella hosts pilgrimages to sacred water springs and wells, ancient trees, and stone circles in South Glamorgan.
Awen Mysteries
Awen is an ancient Welsh concept that describes a force that rises from the Welsh Otherworld called Annwfn, it is said to be the source of inspiration. This force has guided the poetic-craft of the Bards of Wales and Britain throughout time, weaving modern artists and musicians into a sacred relationship with their practices. Stella works with the Awen through ritual, art, and ceremony in her personal life and in groups as a way to co-create with the muse of the Earth, known as Cerridwen in the Welsh tradition, to tap into our creative potential.
Alongside Stella's spiritual endeavours, her fascination with the Bardic craft comes from her experiences in Cardiff's underground rap scene.
WORK WITH ME
Grief, Growth and Grounding.
Although my parents rejected all religion and were as atheist as they come, the spiritual path I'm on is the result of their influence. My mam and dad both passed away before I was 25 due to suffering with addiction. They were not made for this world, but they made me so that I could be, introducing me to the psychedelic and psychotic landscape of the mind and through the underworld to which I’ve risen from many, many times.
My parents were both self employed, they were artists, activists and anarchists, taking me to music festivals and introducing me to local urban grassroots movements from the moment I was born.
I was introduced to drug culture and fell into addiction at 15, it was my creative passion and the spirits of the natural world that brought me out of that rut. Both have acted as divine guides for me to transmute the darkness and chaos I've endured into creations beyond my wildest dreams.
My deeply passionate relationship to divine creativity and what I like to call 'the wilderness spirits' is why I resonate with the ancient Welsh mystic tradition of the Awen which translates to 'the spirit of inspiration'.
My parents influenced me into becoming an activist due to the lifestyle I was brought up around; but an activist of the sacred, for reconnection and belonging, two things that I witnessed my parents struggle with.
I'm now a self employed artist, mother and business women following my calling, wherever it may lead. We're all shapeshifters and my work here is to remind us of this, weaving the teachings and myths of my ancestral wisdom traditions into my work.
Many blessings to mum and dad, Larissa Sheppard and Alan Davies.
Deepen the Mysteries
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