Today we’d like to introduce you to Iva Stewart-Barre.
Iva, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’m 28 now, and just touching the tip of my artistic iceberg. I have always been a creator, but I hadn’t explored it much outside of gathering people to do some pretty awesome things (domestic or abroad). Then, I dated a creator & my soul shook. After a car accident, some counseling & some sage, I realized the life I was living was a bit deceptive and definitely a lie. I quit my job working in higher education, and moved to Los Angeles, CA for one month to become a certified yoga teacher. I didn’t (and still don’t) have it all mapped out, but I knew (& know) there is more to life than what I had made of it.
Life was cool, but I had not truly enjoyed many details of my life. This “journey” didn’t make sense to most (sometimes it even freaks me out), but all of the stars aligned for me to put into motion these ideas I had. November 2017, I was in a car accident that left me with a totaled car & evidence of some hip misalignment (along with other minor injuries). I liked to participate in elevated activities, and yoga was suggested by my chiropractor. I began to consider combining the two, and sharing it with my community to join. At the time, I was not certified, or even felt comfortable telling anyone which leg or elbow to go anywhere into anyone’s downward dog. However, after being in community with a dope yogi, Allan Smith, I knew the wheels would begin to move.
Allan, Ray & I began hosting Sunday Garden Party weekly, allowing guests from our communities to share the practice of yoga. Naturally, I enjoy a meal and true community after such an intimate time together, we started having lite snacks, tea and water available. Almost a year later, and we have a roster of almost 200 people and six teachers at any given time.
Recognizing I have an interest in authenticity, I have thoroughly enjoyed the power of yoga and its beauty in bringing people together to do abundant and amazing things! Yoga brings self-back to the breath, back to our bodies & back to purpose. As we have created a yoga community rooted in love and light, we encourage others to live our best selves and truths. Since hosting this community, I have returned to my passions and interest of fashion, outdoor & extreme sports, travel, painting, creating & co- creating.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I curate mindful experiences that return one to self, the breath and the core. In coming into who I am at this moment, yoga has been a guidance and gateway for me to return to my being. I have created cannabis friendly yoga experiences for adults. Our community is called Locdnloaded (LNL) & we are a loving community of yogis, uniting through love and the love of practicing yoga. I began hosting this experience weekly, to hold myself accountable for stretching, breathing and sitting still. I could do that for at least one hour, once a week, and with friends. I was also in the process of taking a course titled “Mindfulness” that had me all wrapped up into this mindset. Things began to shift for me, I began to feel better and lighter, so I had to share it with my friends and family. My goal in sharing mindful experiences with those of whom I come across is to simply return back to a more authentic way of living one with nature. I know everyone is not trying to become vegan, but my goal in sharing vegan recipes and easy snacks is so that people can be equipped when they are ready. I want people to realize that we are living a bit tougher than we have to, so let’s get back to nature and to being one with self. Be it we are hula hooping, painting, practicing yoga or sharing a meal, it is important to me that we do it all with love in mind. Honoring self with love first, then sharing it with the world.
Our weekly experiences are filled with love from preparation to execution. I purchase fruits, veggies & whatever else we feel like sharing with for our Sunday Garden Party. I soak all of the items, where we will use the skin, in water & apple cider vinegar to wash off the dust and dirt. Listening to silence, I begin to cut fruits & veggies for after class snacking, preparing fruit bowls and veggie trays. I sage my home & my garden, blow away the leaves and nature fallings back into the garden, light some incense, put up a few paintings & hula hoops, then set up table with water, bug spray & our sign in sheet. Afterwards, I lay down one yoga mat in the center to show we are gathering as a community in a circle before entering the practice of yoga. I turn on some light tunes to set the mood, be it Black Coffee or Erykah Badu, and begin to welcome in some awesome energy.
As the guest arrive, we gather to get to know one another with our words, hugs and cannabis love. Then we get deeper, with self & each other (& nature because she can’t get enough of us breathing in sync). We meditate and flow to a different flow weekly, allowing no one person to get attached or addicted to any one teacher, environment or flow. LNL just wants people to feel good in their authenticity, and what better way to activate that feeling and that lifestyle than with a dope community of yogis?
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
Success is a mindset, and for me I am successful already. I have begun walking in my success the moment I acknowledged my power in creating. Success is, for me, being at peace with what is. And so, it is.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can support my work by following me on Instagram @ivadevaughn for tons of mindful adventures and other dope yoga related amazingness happening! Each Sunday we are experiencing #SundayGardenParty, with more details on that IG page (@locdnloadedfam).
Contact Info:
- Website: ivastewartbarre.com
- Email: ivastewartbarre@gmail.com
- Instagram: @ivadevaughn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iva.stewartbarre
Image Credit:
@ivadevaughn; @madblack15; @derneeka
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
