Tara Wright, GIVEN ’16

Please share a little about yourself – feel free to include a fun fact!

Hi! I’m Tara. I’m an artist, illustrator, small business owner, and award-winning writer and creator. More importantly, I’m a wife and Mama to three boys.

Describe your professional work. How were you led to this? What are you passionate about?

At the moment, I work full time for Sesame Workshop, the non-profit behind Sesame Street. I get to create resources (Muppet video, storybooks, courses, printable pages, and more) for young children, families, and the providers who support them. In pockets of “spare” time, you’ll find me running my small business, Tara Wright Studio, where I mostly paint flowers and take on the occasional illustration project. Professionally, I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to develop so many skills, from writing and producing, marketing and wholesale. I wear many hats, which at times feels overwhelming, but mostly so cool that I get to learn something new practically every single day.

What are the personal strengths that you’ve been given and how do you utilize them?

I’ve recently been diving into my charisms — my highest scoring are craftsmanship, writing, music, and wisdom. I fortunately get to use many of them in my work, and I’m actively discerning how I can be more intentional about using them. It sounds funny, but I think I have a gift for calling people out…in a good way! I have a gift for seeing potential, possibility, and goodness in others. Sometimes that they feel brave enough to acknowledge themselves. At the moment, I use this *gift* at weekly bible studies and small groups, when I put my friends on the spot and ask them what their dreams are!

What women inspire you, and why?

I’m so inspired by other moms who are really in the thick of it–with toddlers and kids, or who are navigating big challenges–but who still maintain a positive mindset and persist in growing in holiness and faith. My sister immediately comes to mind. No matter what she’s going through, she leans into the Lord’s love for her with so much confidence.

Are there friends and mentors that you depend upon? How do they support you?

Since moving back to Oklahoma, I’ve grown in friendship with other women from our Parish. Bible studies, book clubs, and Saturday morning coffees have given us time to get into the Good Stuff. I rely on them all the time! I learn from them, they make me laugh, we toss our kids into a room together while we reconnect with who we are!

Prayer is essential for everyone, but especially for women who are active in the life and mission of the Church. Do you have any favorite devotions or prayers?

Walking, painting, and singing are my most favorite ways to pray. I often get “stuck in my head” and have found that getting my body moving almost instantly helps to bring me back into reality. I can quiet my mind and feel the Lord’s presence and hear his voice. I also aim for reading a chapter from the Bible in the early morning hours while the house is still quiet. I savor that morning time, but with three little ones, it doesn’t always happen!

Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

I’ll never stop loving John Paul II’s Letter to Artists. A quote I meditate on often, and one that informs my creative practice and business is this: “That is why artists, the more conscious they are of their “gift”, are led all the more to see themselves and the whole of creation with eyes able to contemplate and give thanks, and to raise to God a hymn of praise. This is the only way for them to come to a full understanding of themselves, their vocation and their mission.

What were your key takeaways from the GIVEN Forum?

I attended GIVEN back in 2016. I had just moved to New York City from Oklahoma, started a new job, and gotten engaged! Life was full and thrilling. I remember the energy of meeting other women who had all these amazing ideas. It was really inspiring. The theme was, and is today, about receiving the gift you are. The idea of gift sticks with me constantly. Practically a decade after the experience, I still daily (or from moment to moment) need to receive again God’s enduring love for me, and to know that my life is a gift to be given. It looks a lot different now, but it’s still there!

What was your GIVEN action plan? Describe its mission, audience, and impact.

Together with my friend, Erin Day, we developed an in-person retreat called, Hello Beauty, which offered encounters of the Lord through beauty and creativity. We hosted it at the Mother Cabrini shrine in Colorado and it was a truly beautiful experience. I think about 25 women joined us for the weekend. With growing families and living far apart, we haven’t been able to grow the ministry much in the past few years. Erin and I still dream and collaborate on ideas that I do trust the Lord will bless in his timing!

Could you tell us a bit about what motivated or led you to develop this action plan? Was this something that you had on your heart prior to this past year or was it something you developed through the GIVEN program?

We came to GIVEN with the idea partially developed. We both naturally encounter the Lord through beauty (nature, hiking, relationships) and when we’re being creative. We’d co-led a couple of in-person creative workshops together and we were seeking a way to expand those experiences in a more faith-focused way.

How did you grow throughout the year as you worked with a mentor on your action plan? Were there any moments where you had doubts or felt like you had taken on too much of a challenge? If so, how did you overcome them?

After GIVEN, Erin and I collaborated to over phone and video calls to craft the details of the retreat experience. She’d moved back to Colorado, so we decided we should lean into the natural beauty of the place. We also invited creative friends to help us lead workshops at the retreat and help with marketing beforehand. I do remember feeling like, “Is this going to work?!” when we paid the deposit on the retreat house. We weren’t sure if anyone would sign up and if we’d be able to recoup the cost. Thank God, they did!

What were some of the fruits you saw from your action plan? What did you find most fulfilling in this process?

The weekend itself was incredible. The weather was beautiful. We were able to have Mass, Confession, beautiful music, talks, and creative activities. I pray that the women who attended are still using the creative skills they learned to connect with God. For Erin and I, we went through quite a lot of personal development and really refined our thinking about how to guide women through how to receive and encounter beauty. I trust that the framework we developed (and the format for the retreat!) will manifest in some future goodness! You can see pictures and learn more about our work at ScatterandSow.com