Welcome to Space2inspire!
I am Dr. Sian Proctor and I encourage people around the world to use their unique space to inspire those within their reach and beyond.
I have a love for science, art, exploration, and human spaceflight. I have also been an "edupreneur" for a long time and have used my Psy's Creations, LLC to engage in educational outreach activities.
I have recently become a space artist striving to gain prosperity by learning to navigate the art world through the spirit of entrepreneurship. My goal is to help create a Just, Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive space (J.E.D.I. space) for all of humanity.
I wrote a poem for the Inspiration4 contest to symbolize how we can use art and poetry to reach across cultures and borders.
FAMILY LEGACY
My Space2inspire story begins on the Island of Guam. I was born on Guam because my father was working at the NASA tracking station during the Apollo missions. I grew up admiring Neil Armstrong's autograph to my father on his office wall and for a long time, I didn't understand why I never saw people who looked like my dad in the NASA archives from the Apollo period.
If it wasn't for my father's NASA memorabilia, his contributions to NASA, and his helping to put the first human on the moon would be lost to history. I really want to continue my father's legacy of advancing human spaceflight but not as a hidden figure. I want to be the first black female commercial astronaut. As a teacher, I realize how much representation matters and the importance of kids seeing people who look like them doing things that seem impossible.
This past year of COVID has been incredibly challenging for people around the world and then to add in the struggle of being black in America can be disheartening. We all need to be inspired to use our unique talents and passion to go out and make a difference in our world. This is my chance to make that difference.
One delightful result of me sharing my story and desire to go to space is this tweet from former NASA administrator and astronaut Charlie Bolden.
This endorsement means so much to me because Charlie has always reminded me of my father. I wrote this poem in my reply to him.
Our Hero’s and Shero’s stand tall
Illuminating a brighter future for us all
Through the turbulent tug of time
They inspire & light fires that burn prime
Their seedlings rise from the ash of night
Waiting for their turn to shine big & bright
I haven't always been a space artist. In fact, it was the isolated nature of COVID-19 that pushed me to become more creative. My father passed away from cancer when I was 19 and my mother passed away when I was 48. I suddenly found myself turning 50 and wanting to honor their legacy in some way. When my mother passed away, I found a box filled with postcards. She had saved every single postcard I'd sent her over the past 30 years! I was so moved by the thought of how much my mother enjoyed receiving those simple postcards that I decided I would send that same joy around the world. That was the beginning of My Space2inspire. After sharing my art on social media, friends and strangers began to inquire about how they could get a copy. I didn't have a good way of sharing my unique space art and poetry until now. This store enables people from around the world to get signed art from me delivered to their homes. Yes, it's a simple postcard but theirs something magical about getting this type of mail. It just makes you feel good and special.
It also enables me to use my art and poetry to spread the message of a J.E.D.I. space. I try to get people to find deeper meaning about humanity's future among the stars through my images and words. I feel extremely fortunate that this contest has provided me with an outlet to share My Space2inspire.
FUTURE GOALS
My goals for the future are to continue to add original art and poetry to my store and to expand my offerings to include wall hangings, t-shirts, gifts, and other home decor products. I also want to create a traveling Space2inspire Studio that enables me to promote a J.E.D.I. space to people around the world through workshops, educational outreach, and exhibits. As a geoscientist, there is no better planet better than Earth and I believe that when we solve for space we actually solve for issues right here at home. Human space exploration is all about being efficient with food, water, energy, shelter, etc. - all the things we need to survive in space are the same things we need to thrive on Earth. I want to be able to help people make these connections and teach them how to use their unique Space2inpsire those within their reach and beyond!