4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ JUNE 29, 2016
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
RYAN CRONK , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
E XTRAORDINARY P EOPLE
Kat Cunningham
C ATHERINE J. R OURKE
For the Siuslaw News
_____________
Symbologie clothing line of wear-
able art and fashion accessories
available at her shop inside Resto-
Arts on Bay Street, a spiritual min-
istry called Circle 4 Oneness, an
online TV show and a magazine
called “BLISS” (Beautiful Living in
Sacred Space). But that’s still not
enough for a creative powerhouse
with a mercurial mindset.
Last year Kat submitted her
design and won the contest to create
the first piece of public art spon-
sored by the Florence Regional Arts
Alliance. She painstakingly hand-
painted each tile of the three-sided
Florence Scenic Column, unveiled
last fall at the Port of Siuslaw board-
walk.
But there’s even more to Kat than
meets the eye. Behind all the art-
work is a visionary who always
thought outside the box, often gener-
ating ideas 10 years ahead of their
time. Whenever faced with business
or economic setbacks, that’s when
Kat generated her most alchemical
ideas, weaving proverbial straw into
gold.
“My ideas come to me when
everything hits the wall,” she said.
“I’ll get a sudden download of infor-
mation, but the cup has to be emp-
tied first in order to fill it.”
N
o one single word can peg
the enigmatic Kat
Cunningham. Versatile,
visionary, creative and innovative —
these are just a few that describe the
resourceful artist, author, designer
and entrepreneur.
Kat has accomplished more in
seven decades than most people
could tackle in seven lifetimes.
That’s just one reason why her book
is called, “Kat’s 9 Lives of Self-
Discovery, Moving Passion into
Action for a Feel Good Life.”
As a teacher, corporate trainer,
publisher, counselor, product devel-
oper, mentor, community advisor,
coach, caregiver and now minister
and TV producer, Kat is a consum-
mate go-getter who lives in a peren-
nial process of reinvention.
“Creativity runs through every-
thing I do,” Kat said. “I have rein-
vented myself every nine years.”
More than just a memoir, her
story serves as a guide to help others
see “how each needle of choice sews
the threads” of life into a magnifi-
cent tapestry. With
passion as the
“All of my life choices have allowed
driving force
behind her multi-
me to become a bridge to show how
faceted roles and
everything is connected.”
globe-trotting pur-
—KAT CUNNINGHAM
suits, Kat created
a “road map” to
help others tap their passions and
Like spontaneous combustion, Kat
“feel good” about their life choices.
possesses a magical wizardry to
“In my book, I summarized how
build a magnificent bonfire from
each of my ‘nine lives’ was threaded
scratch, using her versatile skills as
to the other to reimagine my next
kindling to ignite the spark.
direction,” she said. “At 70, my 10th
“I bring all of who I am to the
reinvention is a chance to share with
table with everything I do,” Kat said.
the world the lessons of what I have
“Having been raised in the hospitali-
gained and lost.”
ty industry, I also understand mar-
Ongoing endeavors include her
keting and communications.”
Such skills proved handy in all of
Kat’s “nine lives.” Born in Miami,
raised in Illinois and educated in
California, Kat was the daughter of a
widely respected hotelier. After
receiving her bachelor’s in advertis-
ing art, she embarked on a series of
diverse professional adventures all
interwoven with her creative needle
and thread.
“Everything we need is already
inside us,” she said. “And nature
holds all of our answers. It grows,
depletes itself and returns in a com-
pletely new form.”
A master of metamorphosis, Kat
looks to nature for her inspiration,
not just for her art but for every
aspect of existence.
“Winter doesn’t just occur once
in a lifetime,” she said. “It returns
annually, along with spring. That’s
how we need to view our work and
our lives.”
Kat should know. One of her
worst “winters” came in the ’90s
when she was diagnosed with
Trigeminal Neuralgia, a debilitating
condition that causes severe facial
pain. Kat also faced another kind of
pain as she lost her magazine busi-
ness, her savings and a long-term
relationship. By “letting go and
learning to trust,” she found a sur-
geon who eventually relieved her
pain and a new springtime returned
to her life.
Kat moved to Florence 11 years
ago to care for her now deceased
father and later her mom, who just
turned 106. She turned to teaching
and cultivating the arts for all ages,
establishing the first local arts organ-
ization as well as a youth art gallery.
“What keeps me here is friends,
fellowship, a caring community and
a simpler life,” she said. “Florence
helped me to come into my own
vision for how I could make a differ-
ence in this world. I found the
answer lies in ‘Oneness.’”
Kat now runs a spiritual ministry
PHOTO BY CATHERINE ROURKE
Kat Cunningham designed and painted the Florence Scenic Column
at the Port of Siuslaw boardwalk in Old Town.
called “Circle 4 Oneness,” a center
where “people of all faiths can come
together to explore who they are and
what they want in their lives.”
“All of my life choices have
allowed me to become a bridge to
show how everything is connected,”
she said. “I want to help people dis-
cover how to make heart-based deci-
sions based on their passions.”
This philosophy forms the founda-
tion for “BLISS,” her new online
magazine, and an online TV pro-
gram called “LivingBLISS.TV.” Set
to broadcast in September, Kat
describes it as “a lifestyle show with
a conscious living twist.”
“Finally, technology has caught
up with my dream,” she said. We
need this type of heart-based content
on a global scale to show how nature
functions in all of our four spaces:
personal, home, work and the world.
We have so many vibrant people
here looking for what’s next. I want
to help them see the potential of
unseen miracles around them — and
have some fun.”
Stay tuned for the next episode of
Kat’s many lives.
______________________
Catherine J. Rourke is an award-
winning writer, journalist and book
editor who teaches creative writing
at the Florence Regional Arts
Alliance. She may be contacted at
CJReditor@gmail.com.
LETTERS
Food for thought
Finding serenity
With prayer and our flag being such contro-
versial items these days, I thought perhaps a few
words from some fellows that we should all
remember might be in order.
James Madison, primary author of our
Constitution and fourth President: “We have
staked the whole future of American civilization
not on the power of government, far from it. We
have staked the future of all of our political
institutions upon the capacity of each and all of
us to govern ourselves according to the Ten
Commandments of God.”
John Adams, America’s second President:
“Our constitution was made only for a moral
and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to
the government of any other.”
George Washington, America’s first
President: “While we are zealously performing
the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we cer-
tainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher
duties of religion. To the distinguished character
of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add
the more distinguished character of Christian.”
Thomas Jefferson, “God who gave us life
gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be
secure when we have removed a conviction that
The first time I voted, I voted for Kennedy.
Since then, I have always known who was elect-
ed for president before my vote was ever count-
ed.
I don’t think I will move to the East Coast, so
my vote will be counted before I know who is
elected as president.
I still vote because of bills and people who
have an effect on Oregon.
I went to a Lutheran college. I had to take
Christianity because it was required. There were
some things that didn’t rub off on me. I never
turned the other cheek, but I never looked for
trouble. I never was a person to envy what any-
one else had.
I have learned over the 80 years of my life
that religion has killed more people than any-
thing else. I don’t understand why people can’t
believe what they want to and not force it on
others.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the
things I cannot change; the courage to change
the things I can; and the wisdom to know the
difference.” —Serenity Prayer
Virgle Bechtold
Florence
these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I
tremble for my country when I reflect that God
is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.”
Some pretty good food for thought.
Tony Cavarno
Florence
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