TeRRa HeAvEn Eco-Arts
is an expansive
Art Workshop + Earth Stewardship project.
Welcome to our site
• T.H.E.A. (The House of Earth Arts) centers symbiotic Arts and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) practices for learners of all ages. Our Art + Ecology programs are grounded in the understanding of Earth as our primary teacher, guiding participants in the exploration of the Sacred Original Algorithms that shape natural systems.
Artistic practice is used as a framework for ecological inquiry, material awareness and relational learning, supporting intergenerational engagement, cultural continuity and embodied environmental stewardship.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) can be understood as a kind of ecological technology. Through art, experimentation and place-based learning at T.H.E.A.; students gain hands-on experience that flows naturally into the more applied, material-focused work of Earthen Futures.
For Art + Ecology classes + THEA Program Packages: THEA WEB SHOP HERE !!
🪞ABOUT t.H.e.A.🪞
T.H.E.A. carries forward the ethos of Ancient Pocket:
offering hands-on, nature and art-based learning
Ancient Pocket is the living culmination of Mx. Van’s (Vanessa Santos) 30 years of practice as an Indigenous (Yaqui, Mexica, Kizh, Apache, Hopi) Disabled Interdisciplinary Artist, Healing Practitioner and Studio Arts Teacher, working across weaving, ceramics, moving image, drawing, sound, painting and writing. Van fuses eco-disability advocacy, bionomic futurist ritual and anarcho-animist practice. Ancient Pocket sessions and workshops invite dialogue between the deeper planes of existence and the personal ‘strata of self’ inviting human emotion, transformation and avant-garde inquiry. Through Indigenous Esoteric Studies, land stewardship exploration and ecological art-making, imaginative engagement is reclaimed and connection to Universal Truths unfold.
To work with ANCIENT POCKET click HERE
Above Photo:
Mx. Van (Vanessa Santos), Indigenous Artist & Founder - Ancient Pocket
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Welcome to T.H.E.A. (The House of Earth Arts)
T.H.E.A. is a creative learning space where art, nature and ecology come together for learners of all ages: children, youth and/or families are welcomed in the lessonwork. Our programs invite students to learn through making, observing, experimenting and spending time outdoors, with Earth as our primary teacher.
We believe children learn best through hands-on experiences, curiosity and relationship: with materials, with each other and with the natural world.
What We Learn at T.H.E.A.
At T.H.E.A. students of all ages explore:
Drawing, painting, sculpture and mixed media
Nature-based art and outdoor learning
Clay, fiber, plants, and natural materials
Guided experimentation and creative problem-solving
Herbalism and plant relationships
Individual expression and collaborative projects
Classes are designed to support confidence, creativity, focus and care for the environment.
How We Teach
Our teaching approach is an all ages guidance platform: gentle, structured and adaptable, inspired by Waldorf education, nature schools and material art-based learning models. Lessons are paced to support different learning styles and needs.
Students learn through:
Hands-on making and experimentation
Story, observation and repetition
Working both independently and in groups
Outdoor exploration and seasonal rhythms
There is no pressure to “perform” or compete, each student is supported at their own pace.
All Ages Learning Through Nature & Relationship
T.H.E.A. is rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge, which means we guide others to:
Respect the land and living things
Honor the wisdom and ability levels of intergenerational beings
Learn from seasons, weather and place
Treat materials like clay, plants and fiber with care
Practice gratitude, responsibility and reciprocity
Rather than memorizing facts, students build real relationships with nature through art-making and direct experience.
For Families, For Everyone
T.H.E.A. welcomes:
Children of all ages
Neurodiverse learners
Homeschooling families
Parents and caregivers interested in learning alongside their children (optional)
Programs are designed by an experienced artist, nature educator, Waldorf-trained advisor and parent, ensuring lessons are thoughtful, flexible and family-aware. While our classes are designed for learners of all ages, Mx. Van is also a California state-approved and insured online art vendor through Sky Mountain Charter School.
T.H.E.A. currently accepts Sky Mountain Charter vouchers.
* For questions regarding your student’s enrollment or the voucher process, please contact terraheaveneco.arts@gmail.com.
Our Values
At T.H.E.A. we value:
Creativity and curiosity
Care for land, materials and community
Learning through doing
Respect for diverse cultures and ways of knowing
Safety, kindness and inclusion
T.H.E.A. does not package or teach Indigenous culture as a product. Instead, we focus on ethical learning, respect for place and nurturing a natural sense of wonder and responsibility.
T.H.E.A.’s approach to Traditional Ecological Knowledge is informed by the founder Mx. Van Ehecatl Santos's lived background as Mexica, Kizh, Apache and Yaqui. With a lifelong relationship to land, materials and intergenerational learning. T.H.E.A. does not replicate, package or extract Indigenous knowledge.
We Explore:
• Grounded Practice
• Fine Arts thru Play
• Connection
Programs center relationship-based learning that cultivates humility, respect and accountability to place, emphasizing ecological responsibility rather than cultural consumption.
T.H.E.A. recognizes that Traditional Ecological Knowledge is place-specific and carried by living cultures. Programs emphasize respect for local Indigenous ecologies while encouraging students to develop ethical, reciprocal relationships with the lands they inhabit.
T.H.E.A. Activities Include
All ages Nature + Arts Education
Traditional Ecology-Based Learning Systems
Fine Arts Foundations
Artistic Skill Development
Guided Experimentation & Material Inquiry
Online Classroom & Multidisciplinary Studio Arts
Anthroposophy + Hand Arts
Herbalism for All Ages
Our Arts Pedagogy
T.H.E.A.’s educational approach is biodynamic, interdisciplinary and intergenerational, grounded in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and informed by established alternative education lineages while remaining in touch contemporary ecological and artistic practice.
Earth is approached as a primary teacher, with learning centered in relationship, observation, material engagement and lived experience.
Our pedagogy is inspired by:
Fine Arts Studio Practices multi-age
Steiner / Waldorf Education
Célestin Freinet’s Art-Based, Cooperative Learning
Nature School & Place-Based Learning Models
Plein Air École & Outdoor Learning Movements
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
At T.H.E.A., Traditional Ecological Knowledge is not taught as static content, but reinforced as a living, relational methodology. TEK forms the structural spine of all Art + Ecology programs and is practiced through relationship, repetition, place and hands-on engagement.
TEK is reinforced through:
Place-Based Learning rooted in local land, climate, plants and materials
Intergenerational Knowledge Transmission through shared making, observation and mentorship
Material Intelligence treating clay, fiber, plants, pigment and earth as teachers
Seasonal & Cyclical Time aligning learning with natural rhythms rather than linear pacing
Reciprocity & Consent-Based Ecology emphasizing care, permission and accountability to place
Embodied & Oral Learning including story, movement, handwork, repetition, pattern-work and memory
Artistic practice becomes a method of ecological remembering, reinforcing knowledge systems that honor land as animate, intelligent and reciprocal.
Pedagogical Lineages & Context
Plein Air Écoles / Outdoor Air Schools
The Plein Air École movement emerged in the early 20th century from the belief that fresh air, outdoor learning and contact with nature support physical, emotional and cognitive well-being.
Founded by Prof. Dr. Bernhard Bendix and Berlin school inspector Hermann Neufert, these schools offered “open-air therapy” to urban youth, creating learning environments rooted in health, movement and sensory engagement.
Anthroposophy
Anthroposophy seeks the development and elevation of human consciousness, described by Rudolf Steiner as:
“The elevation of the human faculty of knowledge to Imagination, Inspiration and Intuition.”
- Rudolf Steiner, Third Conference, Dornach, April 15, 1923
At T.H.E.A., this informs our emphasis on imagination, handwork, rhythm, observation and ethical relationship with the natural world.
While informed by Waldorf approaches to imagination and experiential learning, our programs are critically adapted to honor diverse cultures and community-centered practices.
Célestin Freinet Pedagogy
Freinet’s educational philosophy centers learners as active participants in their own education through lived experience. His five defining principles include:
Pedagogy of Work making, building and offering meaningful contributions
Inquiry-Based Learning experimentation, trial-and-error and discovery
Cooperative Learning collaboration and shared responsibility
Natural Method learning rooted in real-life experiences
Democratic Self-Governance agency, voice and collective decision-making
These principles directly inform T.H.E.A.’s studio structures, collaborative art ecology practices and TEK-centered learning environments.
Curriculum Development
All lesson plans at T.H.E.A. are developed by an educator who is simultaneously:
An Artist in Practice
A Nature School Teacher
A Waldorf-Trained Educator
A Homeschool-Fluent Parent
A Studio Arts Teacher for all ages
This integrated perspective ensures resilient, adaptable curriculum design that supports:
Youth of all ages
Adult learners
Families and caregivers
Community supporters and learning institutions
Each program is composed with flexibility, care and respect for diverse learning needs, capacities and lived realities.
Our Story
Originated by Mx. Van, Terra Heaven Eco Arts (T.H.E.A.) provides intergenerational, hands-on learning across studio arts, outdoor education and inclusive technical skill development. Through experiential, place-based curriculum, learners of all ages develop creative confidence, problem-solving abilities, collaborative skills and environmental awareness.
T.H.E.A. was founded in 2010 while Mx. Van was raising their young children, in response to a gap in accessible, intergenerational programming. Art education was often disconnected from ecological and cultural contexts. Models that meaningfully integrated art, ecology and ancestral knowledge were scarce. With the goal of connecting learners of all ages; including their own children, to the processes of fine art-making while fostering awareness of Indigenous heritage and local ecosystems. T.H.E.A. developed a curriculum grounded in the land itself.
The program honors the intersection of art and science, offering experiential learning that cultivates creative courage, ecological understanding and community-centered engagement.
Informed by the broader vision of Ancient Pocket and in partnership with Earthen Futures Studio, T.H.E.A. bridges art, environmental stewardship and innovative inquiry to support resilient, community-based learning.
T.H.E.A. exists to spark curiosity, connection and skill-building across generations. We look forward to welcoming you!
Now based in East Hollywood, CA. T.H.E.A. welcomes learners of all ages to participate in both in-person and online programs.
Ready to learn more? Explore our programs and classes for K–12 students and adult community members.
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* Top photo of Mx. Van by Vivian Rubin
Photo by Vanessa Santos
Photo by Alia Walston