We recently connected with Erin McGrath Rieke and have shared our conversation below.
Erin, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes first from my ancestral lineage. I carry the strength and fiery determination of the generations before me. I hold their refusal to be crushed under the weight of survival. They fought on, carving out a way forward, providing for their families, and giving the next generation a better life. That perseverance is my foundation.
But resilience is also something I’ve had to build for myself, piece by piece, like a mosaic of chipped, iridescent seashells. I first discovered it through writing; my journals turned unspoken pain into words and reminded me I had never truly abandoned myself. Art became another vessel, a place to pour storms of thought, currents of memory, and tides of emotion. Every canvas, every sketch, became proof that I endured. Resilience also grows in community. Through my projects and installations, I’ve invited others to leave their words, scars, and hopes alongside mine. To see one’s pain reflected and answered lessens the burden. It reminds me that resilience multiplies when it’s shared—when silence is broken by another voice.
There is also the quieter, daily work: meditation, breath, the steady practice of returning to the present when the past threatens to pull me under. These rituals aren’t dramatic, but they form the scaffolding on which I rebuild myself again and again. And finally, my resilience is anchored in love. Love that persists through fracture, steadies me when I falter, and believes when I cannot. My partner, my children, my chosen family—they tether me to the world when I feel it slipping away. They remind me resilience isn’t only about surviving; it’s about returning, again and again, to joy.
So resilience, for me, has never come from a single source. It’s inherited and self-made, personal and communal. It is the story of continuing.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’ve never thought of what I do as one single thing. My work is a weaving of art, writing, advocacy, and lived experience, all coming together to reflect both my personal journey and the communities I care deeply about. I am an interdisciplinary artist and writer, but I also see myself as a witness, a mentor, and an advocate. At the core of everything I do is a desire to break stigma, foster empathy, and create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported.
Through Just E Productions and my previous organization, Divinemoira Studio, LLC, I’ve developed projects like The Aria Rising Project and Turbulence Behind Tranquility. These initiatives blend personal stories with collective healing, addressing issues such as gender violence and mental health. They’ve also given me the opportunity to collaborate with organizations I deeply respect, including UN Women, NAMI, AFSP, The Trevor Project, RAINN, and the Angel Band Project. Over the past five years, I’ve devoted myself to RedBike Outreach, working directly with individuals experiencing homelessness, and to the Yale University Mentor Program, providing counseling and support for people living with dual diagnoses. Both roles allow me to help people build community, regain dignity, and navigate some of life’s toughest challenges.
Currently, I am focused on the I am. I am. I am Project, an evolving exploration of identity, memory, and survival. It is both a personal reclamation and an invitation for others to engage in self-reflection and creative expression. At the same time, I’ve returned to exhibiting my work, including shows at ArtFusion at Laclede’s Landing in downtown St. Louis, which has been a meaningful way to reconnect with local gallery scene once again which reconnects me to my community. I am also in the very earliest stages of writing a book that weaves together my personal journey, creative work, and the themes of resilience and collective healing that underpin all of my projects.
What excites me most about my work is the moments when someone recognizes themselves in a piece of art, a journal entry, or a participatory project and realizes they are not alone. Every painting, every installation, and every project is an opportunity to open doors, spark dialogue, and show that even in our most difficult experiences, connection, resilience, and hope are possible. My work has become a mirror of my own inner belief system, reflecting the values, convictions, and compassion that guide both my life and my art.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
If I had to choose the three qualities that have shaped me most, they would be listening, imagination, and persistence. Listening, both to the quiet voice within and to the experiences of others, has taught me that wisdom often lives in stillness and humility. Imagination has allowed me to see possibility where there seems to be none, to find strength and beauty in moments of struggle, and to create from what is fragile or incomplete. Persistence has shown me that growth and healing are not achieved all at once but are the result of returning again and again to the work, even when progress feels slow or uncertain. These qualities remind me to approach life with patience, curiosity, and compassion. My advice to others is to linger in listening, let yourself be moved by wonder, and never be afraid to begin again, even gently, one small step at a time.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
The people who have been most helpful in helping me overcome challenges and develop the skills, qualities, and knowledge I rely on are the ones who have shown up consistently in my life, both through presence and through example. First and foremost are my children. They have been my greatest teachers, inspiring me to be brave, patient, and compassionate. Their curiosity, honesty, and unguarded ways of seeing the world remind me daily that courage often lives in small, quiet acts rather than grand gestures. They are the reason I show up in every part of my life. They push me to grow and to be better, not for recognition, but because they deserve nothing less.
My husband and life partner, Paul, has also been a cornerstone of my growth. Through his steady presence, he has taught me that life is not about perfection but about commitment to love, compassion, shared values, and to one another. He has shown me the power of patience, letting go, and trusting my own voice. With his unwavering presence, I’ve learned to release the burdens of my past and the expectations of others, and I have grown to approach both challenges and opportunities with clarity and courage.
Beyond my family, I’ve been profoundly shaped by mentors, friends, and chosen family. I have been shaped by those who live in truth, honesty, and understanding. They have offered guidance, reflection, and affirmation without judgment. They have shown me that even in struggle, integrity, kindness, and connection endure. These relationships have been invaluable in helping me cultivate empathy, resilience, and the courage to continue, both personally and professionally.
All of these influences together—my children, my partner, and my chosen family—have given me the foundation to face challenges with strength and persistence. They have helped me grow the skills and qualities I rely on every day: listening, imagination, and the quiet courage to return again and again to the work that matters most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.justeproductions.org
- Instagram: @justeproductions1975
- Facebook: Erin McGrath Rieke Art and Life
Image Credits
photos provided by artist erin mcgrath rieke
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