1st place winner for non-fiction/ memoir in the 2013 Global Book Contest. This book will change the way you think about art and understand yourself. Shaping Destiny is about the conflicts between who we were taught to be and who we actually are. It drives to the heart of what it means to be a woman and an artist, while it reveals the sources of art that lie hidden in one's own personal experience. This compelling narrative illuminates the creative process, shows us new ways of looking at and talking about art, and demonstrates how making art helps us discover our humanity and determine our lives. "The closest literary fellow traveler to Shaping Destiny that comes to mind is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Shaping Destiny puts a finger on some important truths about the interaction between life and art - including the painful and difficult parts - and lays bare those truths with courage and conviction" -- Ted Orland, co-author of the bestselling book Art & Fear