Gwen Pollara is a lifelong explorer of the human experience.  Through a deep seventeen year plus study of Buddhist dharma and meditation, Gwen delves into what it means to be human through her artwork, her work with people and groups, and through her writing.  She uses several maps to inform her work.  She is a meditation instructor in the Buddhist tradition. She has completed the Hakomi Mindfulness Somatic Psychotherapy training.  In addition, she has worked with dancers to bring the Dharma Arts and Mindfulness to the process of creating performances.  Dharma Arts is a program from the mind of the late Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (Buddhist teacher and leader) that she continues to study to date.  Gwen loves to work with parents and other people who want to create more meaning and satisfying connection in their lives. Her art, whether it be clay sculpture, photography or writing, is always informed by the maps of these lineages. 

Gwen's work is a lyrical, yet tender expression of a fantastical intersection of the human and natural realms. Her work aims to reveal the heroine/hero archetype. Like an excavator of the primordial landscape, Gwen uncovers the ancient origins of the tender hearted warrior. Clay provides the perfect elemental contact with the Earth itself and to the human creative lineage. Her pieces have been described as "projecting a secret garden with a touch of sadness."