We had another amazing residency season at Omnibus Theatre last month. We worked 8 evenings during three weeks. 

I decided to do an experiment. I didn’t introduce myself and invite the audience to make dolls as I usually did before. I wondered what would happen if I was just sat in my corner working on my own. There were some beautiful photos from previous seasons at Omnibus. In the last week we did a mini exhibition of the dolls we’ve just created. Would it be enough to grab people’s attention and inspire them to join me? 

I am very pleased to say that quite a few people were curious to ask about the project and some of them decided to make a doll. 

Khalida, Andreas, Eva, Oliver, Alex, Wendy, Nelson, Simon, Celine, Lucia, Miranda, Erin, Sarah, Marie, Ilaria, India, Rieko and Noriko were the makers. 

We made 40 dolls together – 27 brand new (19 by makers + 8 by myself) + 13 which I finished/ fixed from previous events. Two of the brand new dolls have names – Mauro and Patrick.

A lovely thing happened for the first time – a maker asked me to make a doll for him. He draw it with two long arms down to the floor. He uses crutches. He has multiple sclerosis. I made it exactly the way he asked me. He came back next week to complete his doll. I loved to make a requested doll. I would love to have more requests please! 

‘It’s enjoyable to fill a doll of yourself. I like the doll me. Thank you.’

‘People often mistake the world they see on TV or in the media as The World. It is not- it is just a tiny particle of reality. There are so many other realities- you get to choose the one that you want to experience.’

‘I think this is an awesome project, bring the community together and it’s very enjoyable. Thank you Regina!’

‘Making the little stuffed person/doll was very relaxing and mindful, and the conversation and sharing we all had was lovely.’

‘This was a very relaxing and spiritual experience. I really enjoyed working with my hands. It allowed me to connect with what I was doing. I am very proud of my doll and I am excited to see him added to the collection.’

‘I really enjoyed my experience and I think this is a great project.’

‘My favourite part was discovering that my doll and my friend’s doll resembled us in a way- she is much taller than I am and our dolls ended up resembling our heights difference.’

‘I did this with my friend and we chose big and small dolls on accident which is just like us. I am the tall and she is the small- cool! ‘

‘It was very relaxing after being stressed all day- a really great way to end a day of work. I really enjoyed the meditation because it made it feel more personal and like I was giving life to the doll.’

‘It was a great and peaceful activity. I love how sustainable this all is since it’s made from used pillows. I loved it!’ 

‘This is so metaphorical… you decide what everything means as you go along in the process and you discover/uncover new layers of yourself. Thank you Regina.’

‘During the final meditation I felt the pulse in my wrist flowing blood and life through my thumb into the heart of my doll. Thank you for sharing your vision with the community.’

‘It brought me some good memories making dolls with my daughter when she was little. It was very calming. Thank you.’ 

Thank you so much lovely Marie who invited us to celebrate their new cafe bar and gave us a cozy corner to work, thank you for all lovely Omnibus team that once more made me feel at home, and a huge thank you to all the adventurous makers who risk themselves to do something different, meet new people and have a lovely time together. I can definitely say that it was a successful experiment! Much love to you all! 

Yesterday we were so happy to be back to Grange Big Local Fun Palace! This year it took place in the beautiful new Tarling Road Community Centre in East Finchley. 

We stayed in a spot surrounded by children activities and many parents came to us to rest a bit while their kids were entertained doing other stuff. 

Anna, Sasha, John, Aiden, Victoria, Hanan, Alma, Matty, Einat, Gabi, Ameila, Alice, Nick and Courtney came to make dolls. We made 10 dolls. There were a couple of team work when parent and child made the same doll together. A beautiful moment happened when a dad and his two kids meditated together while embraced to each other. 

‘It takes approx 30 minutes to fill the doll with dreams + a heart. It would take 73 days non stop (24 hours per day) to fill 3500 dolls.’ 

‘My family lives in Israel. My mum’s mum made me one of these puppets with sticks, playdough, different colours and pen.’ 

‘I had a lovely time making a doll as part of the Dreams and a Heart project run by a lovely lady named Regina. I look forward to seeing the project when it is launched. Lovely kind idea.’

Thank you so much Julia for the invitation and for all the hard work to organize the event, thank you for all the team who helped Julia to make sure everything was running smoothly, and thank you so much for all makers. 

It was first time I was served food while running a workshop. A tray full of different types of sandwiches, we could chose as many as we wanted, and they offered many times during the afternoon. Delicious! 

It is brilliant how Fun Palaces weekend has spread all over UK and abroad. Wonderful Stella, Fun Palaces’ mum, says that it is a weekend of action, it is the community at the heart of culture, it is local people sharing skills and creating tiny revolutions. 

We are honoured to participate for the third time in Fun Palace and can’t wait for the coming one next year. 

Yesterday we did the second D&D event on ‘What can role-play gaming and theatre learn from each other?’ at Omnibus Theatre, London.

It was my second time playing Dungeons and Dragons. My group was five players plus a master. We had big challenges for three hours inside a tavern. I was a gnome. We always helped each other going upstairs and downstairs inside the house trying to resolve scary situations all the time. I felt the urge to go outside in the nature many times but every time I tried to do it something happened that made it not possible, too many weird urgent things happened inside that tavern!

The second half of the event we did Open Space also for three hours. Vivienne made one doll and I made three while listening to conversations about theatre and D&D game.

Thank you so much Adventures Wanted Chloe and Chris for the invitation and Sarah for opening the space for us. We had inspiring conversations and lots of fun!

This week we went to another great D&D event ‘What can we do to support and represent awesome women in the arts?’ at Cambridge Junction in Cambridge UK.

The makers were Lucy, Rachel, Martha, Shereen, Jean, Emily and Cath. We made seven dolls. 

‘I felt empowered because I created with a group of women a creature with a beating heart! It pumped life into me. Thank you! ‘

‘I’m not keen crafts person so wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did, and  in some respects I found the discussion flowed more easily within this group then some of the others. There was a quiet intimacy and Regina’s energy was so lovely to be around.’ 

I loved to spend the afternoon in conversation with awesome women. We all gathered together to help each other.  

Nick was the only man in the event because he helped to organise it. I hope next time men will come and have conversation with us.  

Thank you so much Ruth and Hannah for the invitation, Nick and Olivia for holding the space and thank you for all makers. 

Olivia led the introduction for the first time and did it brilliantly! And at the end of the event we had the most magical bell’s ritual ever, thank you all! 

We had a fantastic weekend at Wapping Open Studios. We made dolls at Happiness at Work studio last Friday and Saturday and on Sunday we worked all day at Moorings Hermitage.

The makers were Mary, Julia, Mayou, Helen, Simon, Henry, Jenny, Edith, Nick, Olivia, Tasia, Nina, Krishma Moorthy, Shobha, Kripa, Coco, Tina, James, Fiona, Andreas and Angelos. Henry and Jenny made a doll together, Jenry. 

We made 20 dolls in total, 8 of them are sailors. First time we worked on a floor that rocked over the water. Before we left the moorings they all played at the ship’s wheel.

‘A total inspiration, if only we all had dreams and peace. Thank you Regina.’

’Nice peaceful experience.’

‘An amazing experience, journey really, that begins with a simple exercise and ends with an unexpected awareness of what is created, felt and embraced through the mind and soul.’

‘Let the world be at peace all times.’

’An experience that grows on you as you create a body that lives with a heart, and maybe a liver too! A calming and warm session.’

‘I’m hoping this will help people look outward. A great project.’ 

‘This was an unique experience and a labour of love to make a doll rich with symbolism. It was a fantastic ice breaker in a new community, to take time out of the day to day and to focus on creating, while being gently and lovingly guided by Regina.’ 

‘Lovely to meet you, your project really warmed my heart.’

Thank you so much Mayou for inviting us to the WOS19 and for organizing all the event with such amount of care and love. I had the most beautiful birthday ever, an unique experience at the moorings and a weekend surrounded by adorable people. I am really honoured and grateful, thank you! 
       
                                             

Yesterday we were all together in another Emergency D&D. The first one was in July 2016 just after Brexit referendum.

The event yesterday was an invitation by Ben, he asked us ‘What action can we take as the arts sector in response to the proroguing of parliament?’

Jo, Kelsie and Rachel came to make dolls, we made 6 dolls and we meditated.

The dolls answered to Ben – they want to queue to the sky. They are going to get help. 

A huge thank you to Ben for inviting us to an essential event, thank you so much Phelim, Nick, Olivia, Sarah and all D&D team who organised everything in just one week, to BAC for the wonderful space and thank you so much for all makers who helped us to be nearer the sky.

We are going to reach the stars together. 

We will learn how to live in our beautiful blue planet. 

The queue is getting higher and higher…