Category: Workshops

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at Bhavan Centre to work on ‘what can we be doing to support and amplify non-binary theatre artists?’ 

Sharon, Leo and Sojourner made dolls, we made 9 dolls together. I finished off Heather, Wendy, Adae and Elizabeth’s dolls from previous workshops.

We had lovely conversations about our lives. 

We also talked about the Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen. Leo always remembers this fairy tale when he sews something. 

‘Creating a doll is very fulfilling. As a theatre maker, we are used to the work having no material trace. But this doll… you can touch it!’

‘Here is the corner of making.’  

‘It was a very peaceful meditative experience that formed my background conversation on non- binary experience, as someone who enjoys creating it was fun to help create a doll as part of the project.’ 

‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’ Laozi Tao Te Ching. Regina is making eight billion dolls, she has made almost three thousand, three thousand steps.’ 

I was missing so much to attend a D&D event, this was my first after pandemic. It was brilliant! Making dolls together with people is the best experience ever.

Thank you Sharon for making the invitation, Ess for holding the space and for all the makers who contributed for ‘nine more steps’. Thank You!

It was a fantastic experience to make dolls  at Mäster Olofsgården community centre in Stockholm old city. It is a pleasant calm space with lots of activities that welcomes everyone with an opened heart. 

The makers were Elizabeth and Carola. We shared our lives experiences and lots of laughs. Elizabeth was born in the old city and invited me to a tour throughout the areas and stories of her childhood. Could I find a better guide?

Another day we made dolls with Adin who received me in her flat, we made two dolls. We also shared our experiences and were amazed by the similarities of them. 

We made 14 dolls in total.

‘Now I have made a doll that will be one in 8 billion. Hope it goes to someone who will be happy. ’ 

‘These are dolls for the world’s children to look after each other.’

‘This project is super cool.’ 

‘Cozy, peaceful session with good talks about love, life and dreams.’ 

I felt so blessed to know MO and their people and to meet Adin. I can’t wait to return.

Thank you very much for these lovely days together. Hope to see you all soon. 

Here we are in beautiful Monte Estoril.

Grazi, Pedro, Nina e Mabel came to the session.

Grazi donated her dreams. They were sunbathing for two days before we worked with them. 

We made five dolls, we chat and meditate.

‘It’s not me who thinks my doll is pretty, he told me.’

‘You put dreams in the sun, I put everything in the moon.’

‘Perfect in my own way.’

‘Our hearts are always together.’

It was a real joy to make dolls with you all, thank you so much!

This is our first workshop after pandemic.

I am over the moon!

Yesterday we celebrated Jennifer’s birthday in a most beautiful party I have been for ages!

I brought my dolls and Mathew, Charshy, Caterina and Andrew wanted to make some.

We made 4 dolls and we meditate while people around were chatting, playing games, face painting, crafting ribbons, eating a delicious dinner that included vegan cupcakes, and lots of other lovely things.

It was first time I made dolls in a party, it would obviously be at Jen’s magical party!

       

 

 

We spent a fantastic weekend at D&D15 at the gorgeous Grand Hall at Battersea Arts Centre, London.  

My sessions:

‘Help me to put dreams and a heart into my dolls and draw your own doll, I will sew it for you.’

‘Make your full moon necklace made by all full moons you have lived so far, including the one happening today.’ 

Our makers were: Davinia, Bonnie, Sibylla, Katie, Joannekke, Sanni, Rachel, Nick, Claire, Anna, Suzanne, Natalie, Karri, Nirobi, Kei, Lloyd, Isobel, Anne, Cindy, Fiona, Olivia and Pav. 

We made 18 dolls + 4 dolls’ drawings. 

We also worked on 4 necklaces. The youngest maker completed hers with 315 full moons. I’ll meet the other makers to complete theirs – 676, 449 and 514 full moons. We will thread all of them with a golden thread to remind us the sun. 

The full moon necklace is a ongoing project that I introduced at D&D in 2014, that also happened at BAC, and I brought it back this weekend to celebrate our full moon on Sunday. 

‘I really enjoyed being able to have a conversation with Regina that went beyond small talk, while my hands were occupied with the repetitive but therapeutic and productive task of making the doll- the process felt grounding. I’m pleased to be able to be a small part of this lovely project.’ 

‘Enlightening experience, thank you.’

‘An hour of crafting, bringing people together, a moment of peace in the biggest sense of the word.’ 

‘What a lovely time, wonderful!’

‘Very calming, loving thing to do.’

‘It feels really special to create something that is part of a bigger whole. A little gesture that will join all the others that were here before.’

‘Lovely to be part of this project and to imagine my doll living in the world. It fostered a sense of camaraderie. Lovely to swap stories with people. After a bad experience I am nervous about closing my eyes in public, but I felt supported to do so by the group.’ 

‘This session was such delightful refuge. Regina is a wonderful host holding space and facilitating restorative crafts.’ 

‘I resisted play and making a doll for two days! I feel bad. I need to listen to my heart more and trust.’ 

‘This practice made me feel like I had permission to slow down, to just be present with myself and people around me. No pressure.’

‘Thank you for helping me put dreams into something, wether it’s a doll, a sentence or just to feel my pulse.’

‘I did my meditation by the BAC beating heart. I will give some more dreams to Regina to use. I found that my doll had a thread ‘vein’ which matched my vein.’

‘Thank you again for providing an oasis of love, calm, heart and dreams at the transformational time of the full moon.’

‘It is a privilege to create another doll.’

‘My deep thanks to Regina for her Dreams and a Heart project – which, for what seems like many years, has created space and time at D&D for reflection and contemplation. A truly special project.’

Thank you for all amazing makers who came to join us, we had a wonderful time together, with lots of joy and friendship. 

Thank you so much Olivia, Ben, Sarah, Jeremy, Phelim, Lee, Nick and ALL volunteers who took great care of us so everybody felt really included in the group. 

BAC beating heart is full of joy to have received us in its home this weekend. Somehow I feel that it is missing us already…

Thank you SO much everyone!