Yesterday we spent the whole day at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London to work with ‘Burning the parachute: can community power survive the funding cycle?’
We worked with Open Space Technology – it allows us to talk and do what we really want and need. We all love it. Mary’s own style introduction was a wave that welcomed pauses and silences, beautiful!
Zyne, Julius, Curie, Raj and Deni came to the session, we made 7 dolls.
‘Regina’s workshop was a real treat! Holding the doll and filling it with clouds (the stuffing) and inserting a heart felt really grounding and connected me to the other people in the workshop and to Regina’s global aspirations (8 billion dolls to represent each one of us on the planet). There was a wonderful sense of calm and unity in the session and seeing the dolls stand up and support each other was wonderful.’
‘The experience was deeply relaxing. It was great to connect with people in the group. The meditation was very calming and energising. Thank you Regina.’
‘In the experience of my kindergarten class I was fascinated with everything especially drawing, in my little anxious mind. I used my transferable skills from my kindergarten class to make a shapeless doll into a fascinating doll with dreams. My entire body was fixed on filling the doll and it had a therapeutic effect on me.’
‘The heartbeat has been regulated. Constant observation on the doll. Quite few minutes are needed to achieve something. Concentration is needed for this exercise.’
‘Togetherness and not isolation. The dolls filled with dreams need each other to stand up together to tell their stories. This for me is balance and balance is mathematics.’
Thank you so much for all makers, for unique Mary’s introduction and for another opportunity to join an Open Space event, thank you!
Last full moon we went to Espaço Sergipe in São Paulo Brazil. It’s a beautiful space created by Cassiano, an old friend that I had the joy to reconnect recently. He likes to call himself the space’s caretaker – he wants to care for the space and for artists in the current difficult moment for the arts in the world.
I was glad that the invitation coincided with a full moon day. I have been thinking to invite people to make dolls on full moon because every single doll is a full moon.
Solange, Gisela e Cassiano came to make dolls. We made five in total.
‘The heart beats and activates life. My little doll is strong and whole, even with atypical scar. It doesn’t matter, he goes…’
‘Each experience is unique. This is my fourth time participating in the project. I noticed that this time it was much easier to put the heart into the doll. May our dreams continue to beat.’
‘Everything that happens around making the doll. Conversations, food, get together, silences of people focused on an activity. Make things with your hands. Memories of family, of women who sewed, of the father doctor who took the pulse. Meditation, a moment of peace, silence, connection with your heart, with hearts. Thank you Regina. It’s good to reunite with you.’
I thank so much Cassiano for the invitation and the makers who joined us for our first workshop in the space. We really enjoyed the experience and we hope to come back soon.
‘As soon as the experience began, I thought about how beautiful it is to have a body filled with dreams; a body entirely made of dreams! I chose the softest dreams to fill my feet so that my heavy feet on the ground wouldn’t hinder my dreams’ ability to fly. I chose the hardest dreams to fill my head because this more solid form made them more real and achievable. I thought about my dreams and those of everyone around me. It was beautiful to think like that. I sewed for the first time so that my dreams wouldn’t leak out of my body, and it was also beautiful to think like that. I missed my bus for a beautiful reason. I loved it!’
‘I loved the experience of making the dolls and materializing the beauty of hidden things, dreaming together is always more fun and challenging.’
‘Making the dolls was a unique, fun and special experience. We were able to exchange ideas and play with the ambiguities of dreams and the word ‘dream’ itself. At the end, we shared a moment of immersion through meditation, which made everything more intense and sensorial. I feel like part of me stays with the doll. I hope it goes far in the world and carries a bit of my essence.’
“Yesterday I had this dream
I dreamt of you
I don’t know if I was dreaming my dream
Or if the dream I dreamt was yours.”
(A Dream – Nação Zumbi)
’It was inspiring to participate in the event and break out of the routine and think less. Sewing is a very special activity for me, and knowing that my hands can form a little doll with many dreams is unique. I found myself thinking more about my dreams and the importance of keeping them inside me, cultivated and preserved. And also remembering one of my favorite songs.’
‘Being able to choose and place each thread of cotton into the doll created almost like a lightning bolt, a connection. I’m not a Christian, but I kept wondering if God had dreamed of his creation this way. Could it be that in his absolute perfection, in his solitude, he wanted to hold us and smile at the corner of his mouth as he wondered if he wasn’t too old to play with dolls?’ “Let us make man in our image…and God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”
‘Making dolls and bringing them to life was an experience of patience and concentration, but also a reflection on the art of manual work. The most satisfying part was making something from start to finish and leaving our mark at each stage.’
We were invited to run a workshop at UNIFESP – Federal University of São Paulo Brazil last June. We felt honoured and excited to work with the students, mainly students of Languages.
Isabella, Yan, Leandro, Luana, Rafaela, Helena, Mariana e Ana came to the session and we made 9 dolls.
We also looked at Dreams and a Heart picture book and talked a little bit about the book’s creative process.
I am super grateful to Ana Claudia who carefully organised the event, to Simone who opened her class for the project, to Beatriz for the flyer, to Unifesp for the space and to the makers for their openness and creative joy – we had such a lovely time together, thank you!
Yesterday we met at 503 Studio to work on ‘Do we need to talk about the future of Executive Directors?’
Joanna joined us to make a doll, we made five in total.
One of the dolls was confused about their identity – am I an artistic or a creative director? We joined a session where people tried to help them clarify it, they felt happy and less confused.
‘Thank you for a lovely session to pause, reflect and make something beautiful. I found the experience and conversation to be very supportive and generous. Thank you! ‘
Thank You Joanna! I am also grateful for the inspiring sessions, for Ellie delivering her first ever introduction and holding the space alongside Varshini. We had a great opportunity to be together and have important conversations, thank you!
This week we went to Battersea Arts Centre to work on ‘What does migrant solidarity look like now and for our future’.
Fiona and Olivia came to make dolls. We made three in total. We were happy to remember that migrants don’t ‘think with accent’. Would be great if we can always keep it in mind. Looking at the dolls standing in the middle of the room we also remember we can’t stand up alone, it’s simply not possible.
‘I really enjoyed being immersed in the story of the project, and it felt very honest and simple yet very moving and beautiful! It was also great to make something with my hands and break away from the heaviness of the day.’
‘I found my experience making the doll to be very therapeutic and relaxing. Filling the doll with dreams and making sure it is very strong felt like a reflection of life and putting the heart in at the end gave a sense of completeness to the doll. I really enjoyed the meditation at the end whilst holding the doll, it was a spiritual experience that connected the physical with the non physical aspect of life which was so powerful and positive.’
I’m grateful for the makers and the entire group for giving their time to work on an essential question in such difficult times, thank you!
We spent two and a half days at D&D event at beautiful Shoreditch Town Hall in London last weekend. We called many sessions to discuss ‘What are we going to do about theatre and the performing arts’.
Karam, Esther, Emily, Marisa, Fleur, George, Shelley, Aoife, Ria, Caitlin, Arturo, Danny, You-Ri, Monica, Kanako, Isabella, Katherine, Ruth, Scarlet, Claire, Beccy, Xiangyu, Beth, Aïko, Ellie, Lloyd, Cerys, Izzy, Jessi, Rulin, Lex, Lillian, Cara, Rebecca, Louis, Stella, Midge, Joy, Saskia, Anna, Amie, Steven, Matthew, Rachael, Taiwo, Elizabeth, Qasim and one more I don’t remember the name, came to my session. We made 48 dolls in two and a half days.
In the final big circle I said – imagine I am writing a book. At the moment I am writing the last pages of the first chapter. When I finish it there will be the next chapter which will be exactly the same as the first one. A book with many chapters that are exactly the same. However they are also different – there will be another people and another settings, cities, countries. The same exact thing but different.
That’s what I also feel with every session I run in all these 12 years – we are doing the same thing but every single maker/ group experience is unique.
I love the potential of this project to bring us to a beautiful loving place. The process remains magical like it was for the first time.
A massive thank you for the universe, for the makers who joined us this weekend and for D&D team who allowed it happen. I love you all so much, Thank You!
Below are comments some makers wrote about their experience. I forgot to ask all of them to write it. I’m gad though that sometimes I remembered to ask. I felt really emotional while reading these comments.
‘Every time I come to D&D I look forward to the moments of peace and calm conversation while making doll with Regina. Thank you for the repetition of this ritual.
‘Making a doll was such a meditative process. A chance to slow down, focus on something while your brain continues to process the day, the conversations, the thoughts, questions, ideas, and I found myself dreamy too, prompted by the doll in my hands the metaphor was, is, very felt. Being full of dreams and not letting your heart get lost, be swallowed by them. The gentle conversations while people craft are some of my favourites. And Regina you’re a gem. Something magic exists in this space and in these dolls and in you. I’m so glad to have met you and be a little part of this chapter.’
‘A surprisingly rich experience. It feels good to make a doll and place a heart inside it. Sitting with others as we each make our own dolls provides a gentle and fertile base for conversation and connection.’
‘When I was making my doll, Regina said to me: ‘I think you can get some more dreams in there’. And that felt like a good summary of what I needed to take away from this weekend. Crowd your body with dreams and put your heart on top. Thank you Regina!’
‘I found the meditation part of the experience very emotional. I felt very connected with myself, my doll and the person I shared the meditation with.’
‘Thank you so much Regina! What a pleasurable and nourishing experience, embracing the meditative, practical, conversational, spiritual, creative. I’m so glad I made a doll – thanks for your help getting enough dreams into it to make it stand up.’
‘A very meditative experience- allows you to reflect and re-connect with your inner peace. Regina leads with care + passion! ‘
‘Poetical, moving, calming experience. I loved the feeling of contributing to a wider, collective happening. And the meditation felt connected and liberating. Thank you!’
‘I love having this slow and safe space. It makes me feel held + I love my doll. Thank you Regina .’
’Such a wonderful experience connecting with myself and others. I loved making the doll, it felt like an extension of my feelings, hopes, and dreams. Regina was a great facilitator, deeply caring and engaging – had me hooked to the process!’
‘The act of stuffing my dreams in a doll reminds me how Large and Wild our imagination can be. I felt very connected with my memories and feel hopeful about the collective power of 3000 individuals and more to come.’
‘A mix of fluffy and substantial dreams. The doll holds a surprisingly amount of dreams. Connection with the person next to me. The dolls hold hands for a moment embodying what happened. Small head and big heart, something to aspire to.’
‘I wasn’t expecting to stay so long but I ended up having an important conversation. At the end, our dolls held hands.’
‘The process of making something with my hands, feeling textures, fibres, materials, felt like a welcome contrast from the more ethereal medium of speech. I found meaning, more meaning than I thought I would: ‘ don’t lose your heart in the dreams.’ You need an equal amount of heart and dreams to make a project come through/go forward/ realise/materialise.’
‘Regina describes the doll’s chest as ‘a bed for the heart’. While I was making the doll my heart was at rest. Truly at rest. While I stuffed the dreams into the doll I was grateful for all the dreams that have been stuffed into me by everyone here. Thanks for being the custodian of the dreams and hearts Regina .’
‘A beautiful time with the right people. Thank you Regina.’
‘Taught me that I can create with my hands. I threaded a needle – with my new […] I loved it.’
‘Regina made the process deliberate and important. It felt like a collective event and was held with much care. Prepared and made with love. I’ll remember it for a very long time. I’m pleased to know my doll will join so many other well and lovingly made hearts and dreams.’
‘Putting someone’s dream in a doll… such an interesting feeling. As soon as I heard the word ‘dream’, the filling became a magical substance and my doll was so alive. In the end we put our pulse, heart and breath into the dolls. Wishing those dolls long dreaming.’
‘I was amazed how many dreams you can stuff in this tiny doll. Tiny but full of dreams. Such a honour to be able to join thousands of other dreams that we wholeheartedly care. It is such a lovely experience to feel my pulsed and sending my energy into the doll’s heart. Thank you so much for such a beautiful experience and meditating together, so much love to our dreams.’
‘Pulse beating. Heart touching. Thread weaving. Needle stitching. Conversation unfurling. Hand making. A moment of peace. Thank you Regina!’
‘The process of making something with my hands meant so much to me. to be able to slow down and do something methodical- filling the head, hands and feet with dreams first, then arms, legs and body – felt like a very nurturing and connective process. and to fill my doll with dreams and a heart was a perfect reminder to keep feeling and dreaming amongst all the other work we do.’
‘Lumpy or soft, my dreams are limitless and my heart is stuffed. Thank you!’
‘Dream Big.’
‘I learnt the process of connection of delayed gratification which comes with creativity.’
‘I loved the collective experience of making the dolls and meditating with them together – it was beautiful to share our dreams and wishes with the dolls and each other!’
‘A meditative and joyful expression of present moment bliss. How glorious to be the maker of my own dreams. How uplifting to hold my own heart. What a privilege to be involved in collective making. Thank you.’
We installed 300 dolls made from 2014 to 2024 in big D&Ds. They were at the balcony listening to us, they bumblebeed and butterflied around being inspired by our sessions.
They were moved to see 48 newborns, their small sisters and brothers, creating a beautiful mandala in the centre of the final big circle. They loved when Phelim jumped in the middle of them, sounded the bell and danced with them, magical!
Some of us got emotional when we saw them looking at us from the balcony.
A Huge Thank You for all the makers who joined us to make dolls, for godmother Ess who helped to create a gorgeous poster for the dolls’ installation, for Paul Levy’s photo celebrating one of Open Space principles, for lovely Varshini and all D&D team for receiving all of us and make us feel so welcome, Thank You!
