Posted 12:32 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026
UWL art professor will explore how nature and creativity can open the door to mindfulness at the next big event Oct. 1
In a world filled with email notifications, chat messages, social media feeds and endless to-do lists, finding a moment to slow down can feel like one more thing to manage.
Meditation and mindfulness are often suggested as ways to quiet the noise, and there is no shortage of apps and online tools designed to help.
But what if the path to mindfulness doesn't require another app?
What if it begins by stepping away from screens and expectations and reconnecting with something more fundamental: curiosity, creativity and the natural world?
That's the idea UWL Professor of Art Jennifer Williams will explore during her TEDxUWLaCrosse talk at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, in The Bluffs Ballroom in the Student Union. Williams is one of three featured speakers who will explore the Driftless Region through the themes of land, air and water at the free event. Registration is required.
Williams, who has taught at UWL for 30 years, has found that sense of quiet stillness and presence through what is known as creative flow — a deeply focused mental state in which a person becomes fully absorbed in and energized by an activity.
For Williams, that state often emerges while creating plein air paintings, in which she paints directly from the landscape around her.
While the path to creative flow can look different for everyone, Williams will share the process she uses to reach that state and how those ideas can apply to many forms of creative practice, from painting and writing to poetry, sculpture and other pursuits.
Williams sees two experiences as especially important to creative flow in nature: responding directly to the environment, ideally without the distraction of high-tech devices, and becoming immersed in the practice of making art.
“When creative work takes place without ego-driven judgment, creative flow can occur more readily,” she says. “Creative flow can then become place-specific and impart a sense of immediacy and authenticity to the artwork.”
Williams has made a home in the Driftless Region for 30 years and has come to appreciate the value of being fully present in the landscape around her.
“I would like people to see that finding that sense of mindfulness and connection doesn't necessarily require traveling far or seeking out an extraordinary experience,” she says. “Sometimes it can begin simply by paying attention to the place where you are.”
That idea also shapes Williams’ teaching. She encourages students to develop a sense of purpose and connectedness in their art practice, regardless of their medium or subject matter.
“In all spaces, I want students to feel like they belong and that they can build their confidence as artists in a variety of ways,” she says. “One of the ways is to connect more deeply with the environment and the Driftless Region. Though it may be a student’s home for only a few years, creating art in direct response to nature carries over into other studio practices through increased visual, tactile and self-awareness.”
Other featured speakers at TEDxUWLaCrosse will include:
- Niti Mishra, UWL professor of geography and environmental science, who will explore how drones and other technologies can reveal subtle environmental changes. Read more about Mishra's research.
- John Smith, songwriter and performer, who will reflect on how the Driftless Region's rivers, streams, coulees and ridgetops have influenced his compositions and approach to music-making. Visit Smith's webpage.
UWL student speakers will also take the stage to share what Driftless means to them. Student speakers include: Lexi Mincoff, Nainil Jariwala and Avery Manthe.
TEDxUWLaCrosse has been held at UWL since 2013. TEDx events are independently organized events that bring people together for a TED-like experience, combining live speakers and TED Talks videos to spark discussion and connection around a broad theme.
TEDxUWLaCrosse is also the first event of UWL's Spotlight Series, a collection of events designed to showcase some of the university's most engaging experiences while strengthening connections among students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community.
Learn more about the Spotlight Series.
Event parking: Parking will be available near the Student Union on levels 1-3 of UWL's North Parking Ramp, at the intersection of 16th and Farwell streets. View the campus map.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
About TED
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. TED champions curiosity, reason and wonder in the pursuit of knowledge.
What began in 1984 as a conference focused on Technology, Entertainment and Design has evolved into a global community that welcomes people across disciplines and cultures to connect and engage with ideas exploring science, business, education, art, current affairs and more. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events bring people together on every continent. TED drives global impact by sparking ideas and action on the world’s most urgent issues—accelerating climate solutions through TED Countdown, advancing self-determination through TED Democracy and supporting early stage innovators through TED Fellows.
In addition to the TED Talks curated from its conferences, TED produces podcasts, video series and educational lessons (TED-Ed) that are translated into more than 100 languages. Through The Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze billions in funding for projects that support bold solutions to the world's most urgent challenges. View a full list of TED's programs and initiatives.
