Opening the door to deeper reflection and fresh insight through art.
Opening the door to deeper reflection and fresh insight through art.
Discover the power of art
for exploring your
Discover the power of art for exploring your
Why This Work Matters to Me
This work brings together many threads of my life:
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A master's degree in art history
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Decades of experience in museum education
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International Coaching Federation-accredited coach training
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A deep belief in the power of art to help us see ourselves and our lives in new ways.
Current Art-Centered Offerings
Museum Sage®
A Guided Experience with Original Art
A 90-minute guided experience at the Minneapolis Institute of Art
There are questions we carry that don’t always respond to logic alone.
This is a space to bring one of those questions.
The Origins of Museum Sage®
I had the great fortune of being trained in the Museum Sage® approach by Laurie Phillips. Her husband, Jon Spayde, developed the program in response to Laurie's desire for a more meaningful way to slow down and experience art. Officially starting in 2000, Laurie writes on their website that people, "all over the world have benefited from using this fun and soulful practice to get direction on some pretty gnarly life issues — and experience art in a whole new way."
What this experience is:
This is a guided, one-on-one (or small group) session that blends reflection, presence, and conversation—held in front of a single work of art.
We will meet at the Museum, not to analyze art, but to let it meet you where you are. Through a simple, intuitive process, we’ll allow a work of art to find you. From there, we’ll slow down, notice, and gently explore what begins to surface.
You bring a question.
The artwork becomes a mirror.
I’ll help you stay with what unfolds.
What you might discover:
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A new perspective on something you’ve been carrying
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Language for what hasn’t quite been clear
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A quiet sense of direction—or simply a deeper understanding
You don’t need any background in art, just a willingness to be curious about what might be emerging.
These experiences are stand alone and open to everyone, you need not be a coaching client.
Working with Michael through the Museum Sage experience was nothing short of extraordinary. Her innovative approach introduced a powerful third dimension to coaching, using art as a catalyst for profound personal insight and transformation.
What set Michael apart was her masterful ability to create presence. She guided me through the experience with intentional pacing, allowing space for genuine reflection and discovery. Her questioning went beyond surface-level inquiry; she knew exactly when to dig deeper, uncovering layers of insight I hadn't accessed before.
Michael's unique background in art combined with her coaching expertise creates something rare, a grounding, immersive experience that engages both the analytical and creative mind. She skillfully built our entire session around the art itself, making the art a mirror for self-exploration.
Pricing for 1-3 People
DETAILS
Length: Apx 90 minutes
Location: Minneapolis Institute of Art
Format: Individual or small group (up to 3 people)
INVESTMENT
Individual: $225
2 people: $150 per person
3 people: $135 per person
Museum Sage® events are available to groups as well! If you are looking for an opportunity to create lasting resonance, consider Museum Sage for a team offsite, client entertainment, or a meaningful social event.
To learn more visit MuseumSage.com
Looking for a unique gift? A Museum Sage® experience is a great way to create an unforgettable opportunity for someone special. If you'd like to explore this opportunity, simply reach out HERE. If you decide to move forward, you will receive a PDF gift certificate which you can print and deliver to the recipient(s).
Group Events
Museum Sage® events are available to groups as well! If you are looking for an opportunity to create lasting resonance, consider Museum Sage for a team offsite, client entertainment, or a meaningful social event.
To learn more visit MuseumSage.com
Gift Certificates
Looking for a unique gift? A Museum Sage® experience is a great way to create an unforgettable opportunity for someone special. If you'd like to explore this opportunity, simply reach out HERE. If you decide to move forward, you will receive a PDF gift certificate which you can print and deliver to the recipient(s).
Want to learn more or schedule an event?
Traditional Coaching in an Art Museum
Sometimes you have to step outside of a situation to get a fresh perspective. As a coach, I strive to offer unique ways for people to explore, reflect, and question as they navigate their way forward.
Reflecting on issues and goals surrounded by original artworks opens up a myriad of opportunities for fresh conversations. I have long been a fan of an approach suggested by author and educator Parker Palmer. He often introduces a "third thing", a way to explore a topic beyond the constraints of direct conversation. Introducing a poem, song, painting, or other form of art, he helps facilitate learning and growth with the assistance of something that can become a container for the discussion.
This variation on coaching is offered as an option for a session during part of an overall coaching engagement with current coaching clients.
What would a session like this look like?
We would meet onsite at a museum for our session. Beginning as usual, with an aim for that day's session, we can move our discussion to different artworks for fresh ways to tease out ideas, brainstorm next steps, or simply seek clarity around what feels "right' and what doesn't.
These onsite sessions will be scheduled individually with clients who would like to try this approach.
Sometimes you have to step outside of a situation to get a fresh perspective. As a coach, I strive to offer unique ways for people to explore, reflect, and question as they navigate their way forward.
Reflecting on issues and goals surrounded by original artworks opens up a myriad of opportunities for fresh conversations. I have long been a fan of an approach suggested by author and educator Parker Palmer. He often introduces a "third thing", a way to explore a topic beyond the constraints of direct conversation. Introducing a poem, song, painting, or other form of art, he helps facilitate learning and growth with the assistance of something that can become a container for the discussion.
This variation on coaching is offered as an option for a session during part of an overall coaching engagement with current coaching clients.
What would a session like this look like?
We would meet onsite at a museum for our session. Beginning as usual, with an aim for that day's session, we can move our discussion to different artworks for fresh ways to tease out ideas, brainstorm next steps, or simply seek clarity around what feels "right' and what doesn't.
These onsite sessions will be scheduled individually with clients who would like to try this approach.
Art Through the Lens of Life ~ Virtual
Art has a way of helping us notice what we might otherwise overlook.
In these virtual group experiences, participants are invited to slow down, look carefully, and explore works of art as doorways into reflection, insight, and conversation. Together, we practice the art of observation—responding to what we see, asking thoughtful questions, and discovering how differently each person experiences the same image.
Grounded in my background as both a museum educator and coach, these gatherings are designed to create meaningful connection through art. Participants are guided through a carefully curated experience using artworks, quotes, prompts, and reflective questions before choosing a piece that especially resonates with them to explore more deeply.
No art background is needed—only curiosity and a willingness to notice what emerges.
These experiences can be adapted for teams, organizations, retreats, community groups, or private gatherings and are designed to foster reflection, dialogue, perspective-taking, and personal insight through the shared experience of looking at art together.
Art has a way of helping us notice what we might otherwise overlook.
In these virtual group experiences, participants are invited to slow down, look carefully, and explore works of art as doorways into reflection, insight, and conversation. Together, we practice the art of observation—responding to what we see, asking thoughtful questions, and discovering how differently each person experiences the same image.
Grounded in my background as both a museum educator and coach, these gatherings are designed to create meaningful connection through art. Participants are guided through a carefully curated experience using artworks, quotes, prompts, and reflective questions before choosing a piece that especially resonates with them to explore more deeply.
No art background is needed—only curiosity and a willingness to notice what emerges.
These experiences can be adapted for teams, organizations, retreats, community groups, or private gatherings and are designed to foster reflection, dialogue, perspective-taking, and personal insight through the shared experience of looking at art together.
To check for the next virtual group event, please visit the EVENTS page.
All artworks featured on this page have full citations on the SITE CREDITS page.