Category: Workshops

Yesterday I went to another amazing D&D event, at this time at The Arts Centre in Hounslow London to work on ‘Theatre versus Poverty Porn – What can we do to make sure our work is helpful to those in crisis, and truthful without being exploitative?’ 

In my session we had lots of inspiring conversations, some of them about being able to recognise the humanity in every other human being. I was particularly inspired by this thought: 

‘The only thing that evil needs to triumph is for good people to do nothing.’ 

Quddous and Natasha joined the session the whole evening and Olivia, Tajbir and Sarah joined us later. We had lots of fun, lots of laugh and we made six dolls, one of them was named Mali. 

One of the makers experienced a coincidence that often happens when we make dolls – her doll has the same body conditions as she does.

‘Some things happened with the doll – on the side where it has a bad leg, is the side I have my actual bad leg, and the side where the hip ripped, is the side where I had a hip injury.’

‘My experience with making the doll. Well, what can I say. I cannot seem to put it into words. It’s more of a feeling, a feeling of openness. A feeling of coming together, not just with the people in here, but just people. It’s an odd feeling you are doing something so personal yet take on so much from the group.  Here’s one word for this experience. Grateful. I am grateful.’ 

‘My experience today has been very insightful. Creating dolls and stuffing them with dreams and a heart as well as sewing them up and meditating on them was a very personal experience. It was intimate and special. Simply sublime.’ 

‘An open space for any conversation to take place, interesting space, so simple yet so powerful.’

‘Creating a doll filled with love and dreams for the whole world. Dreams that hopefully aren’t as temporary as clouds. Loved this activity, thank you.’ 

At the closing circle one of the participants talked about the importance of meeting complete strangers and spend time together as a community to work on our difficulties. Yes!

Thanks Sarah for facilitate the event, she did a great introduction, it made everyone happy and ready to work, and thank you so much for everybody who joined us to make dolls.

I love D&D . 

Yesterday we were at the Fun Palace in East Finchley Library, London. 

It was hectic! Most people took part of the indoors activities, it was raining.

We worked non stop for four hours making dolls. Children, elders and adults – Mark, Yasmim, Daniel, Niluh, Sofia, Desen, Ross, Yussuf, Vanita, Ariella, Amelia, Borka, Maeline, Saima, Sidra and Emily. We made 15 dolls, most of them I sewed the legs. Despite the packed room, most of us managed to meditate.

We lost only one doll, it was an improvement, last Fun Palace we lost three. 

Thank you to Julia Hines who organised this amazing Fun Palace, thank you to everybody who made dolls and came over to spend the afternoon enjoying loads of great activities with the community, it was such a successful event, thank you!

It’s nearly Fun Palaces weekend!!!

You can join us at the Grange Big Local Fun Palace where we will be bringing a little bit of calm and peaceful meditation along with our dolls. There’s absolutely tons of other brilliant activities going on alongside us so it will be well worth checking out:

East Finchley Library, 226 High Road, N2 9BB

Last Saturday we were at The Great Fête at Alexandra Palace in north London. 

I loved the spot that the festival put Dreams and a Heart in – we were under a beautiful tree, looking at a beautiful view, and an amazing totem pole looking at us. I felt like a queen sitting in my chair looking at other activities going on around us, there was something royal in the air, something dignified, holy.

The first thing that came into my mind when I saw that amazing totem was ‘wow who made this?’ The first person who came to make a doll knew the artist, he is her friend, and she told us all about the love and care he put into his work.

I discovered Sarah’s secret talent, she knows how to do pretty letters, she wrote our little flags.

I ran out of red fabric, so I was afraid we wouldn’t have enough hearts in the pot for the workshop. It ended up that the number of hearts were exactly the number of people who came to make dolls; once more the project was working out its magic.

One person asked “Why are they all boys?” “Are they?!!!” I assured her there were all sexes and genders amongst all the other dolls. So interesting how people project their own feelings over the dolls.

First time ever someone, a child, decided to make some sweets for the dolls, he made them with the string we brought to hold the little flags.

Our makers were Tracey, Romina, Sarah, Rupa, Stuart, Luca, Ivett, Beth, Pasquoale, Maddi, Sofia, David, Talia, Purdey, Lauren, Neha, Joe, Aashi, Ngaio, Aston, Bibi, Joanne, Karrie, Raph, Olivia and Sofie. Some of them were families with their children. It was non-stop from 12 to 6pm. Most people went through the whole process including the meditation. There are some dolls to fix, as always, and a few to finish off. We made 26 dolls with the 26 hearts there were in the pot.

I didn’t remember to ask everybody to write down their comments, but here are some:

‘Such a deep, reflective, moving and simple idea. Synchronicity and Trust. Thank you.’

‘It was such a great experience, gave me lots of peace and reflection. Thanks a lot!’

‘Thank you for the workshop. A lovely calm time to spend with my daughter.’

Thank you so much to Marine who invited us to the Ally Pally Great Fete, to lovely Sarah for all her help including bringing her cozy blankets where most people sat down comfortably during the work, and of course for all the people who came over to make dolls, such a blessed day, thank you!

Get Creative

Dreams and a Heart

Join artist Regina Mendes and take part in her art project which combines gentle meditation and craft. A perfect place to go when you need a moment of calm in the middle of a busy festival.

https://www.facebook.com/events/216655245628989/

https://www.facebook.com/events/217764502189350/

Dreams and a Heart will be part of the wellbeing culture area of Alexandra Palace’s Great Fete! Come along and join in for free, no need to book. Loads of other great activities will be taking place around us, where we will be making dolls, chatting and meditating under a very beautiful tree.

Our next London workshop! We are so excited to be part of the Alexandra Palace #GreatFete on August 18. come along – there will be loads of lovely activities.

Last Saturday we went to Vila Nogueira de Azeitão in Setubal, Portugal, to run workshops at Via Ideia art gallery and at the art association CVA. 

Raquel, Manuel, Patrícia, Miguel, Isabel e José Victor joined us to make dolls and meditate. We completed seven dolls, two I’ll finish myself, nine in total.

‘Eu tive um sonho de sair de mim, e voltar para alguem. O meu coração bateu, então senti o pulsar dos dois, do meu e do de alguem que pulsou em mim.’ ‘I had a dream to leave me, and go back to someone. My heart beat, then I felt the pulse of both, of mine and someone’s who pulsed in me.’

‘I was a bit skeptical about the workshop but when I met Regina I got it. I think what she does through this project is to capture the best in us and make time pass slower. I really enjoyed building my doll and I am pleased to know that this doll I made today will be part of an installation with so many other dolls that people like me helped to make. I am even happier to know that the dolls serve to a good cause. As I meditated my baby felt the energy kicking vigorously my belly. Thank you Regina! ‘

‘I really enjoyed making my doll, it’s a fun activity and we helped an exhibition to be assembled.’

‘It was a privilege to participate in this project. Life is made of dreams. Hopefully we will always dream together united by the same heart.’

‘I made a figure, in it I left part of me.’

One of them said that the minutes he spent making the doll was felt like an infinite space within himself, another person said that the number 21 is special for her and the workshop was on 21st July.

It was lovely to spend the day making dolls with such sensitive people who live in a calm traditional Portuguese village. The difference we feel is huge compared to big cities – there is space, there is time, people breath and love is in the air. 

Thank you so much Ana for the invitation, Raquel and Jose to receive us in their spaces, I really appreciated it,  thank you!