On 8th November we went to Newbury at 101 Outdoor Arts. The space is amazing, it’s huge! Also huge gorgeous animals around us, I loved them!
The makers were Libby, Mel, Rose, Catherine, Katie, Ailin, Hannah, Lorna, Amy, Olivia, Simon and a couple of people I didn’t get the names. We made 14 dolls, some I’ll finish myself.
Some makers took their dolls to other sessions, some finished them at the closing big circle and we meditated together after it.
I forgot to ask most people to write their comments, here are few of them:
‘Both therapeutic and relaxing with a beautiful concept at its heart.’
‘A beautiful exchange of words and thoughts. Thank you.’
‘Really lovely and touching, I felt very connected doing this in a group, provoking conversations you wouldn’t normally have.’
Thanks Nick, Sarah and Olivia for holding the space for us and thank you so much all the makers who joined us in this wonderful space.
In 2018 Nicola, Fiona and Flavia came in four sessions at Cufos Community Centre in London.
We made 23 dolls together.
I cancelled almost half of the yearly sessions because I was running workshops abroad in Iceland, Lisbon and Brazil and also at the exhibition in London.
I made dolls on my own in one session, the band was playing next door, they were sad that I was alone but actually I didn’t feel lonely, they were there and it was lovely.
Yesterday morning we disassembled the exhibition. Godmother Sarah – without her there would be no exhibition really – was there to help us, we are so so grateful, we love you godmother!
The dolls are now back to the suitcases, but our friend didn’t want to say good bye to them at all…
We lived a beautiful story – there was a gap to be filled in four weeks by the community. As soon as the gap was completed – the end of the story, black out.
Usually an art work when completed is appreciated by the public for a certain period of time.
It seems it was an art installation with a theatre/ performance soul, was it?
Last Saturday was the last day of the exhibition at Omnibus Theatre
and
WE MADE IT!!!
We completed the gap left four weeks ago, I added the last doll at 10pm!!!
We made 115 dolls together, in 16 workshops, an average of 7 dolls per day.
1+1+5 =7
1+6 =7
Magic!
We had no idea wether we would fill the gap or not. We could had filled the gap some days before or not fill it at all, but it took us the exact amount of days I was there running workshops, actually the exact amount of hours to complete the task, incredible!
I felt more confident we could complete it last Thursday, two days before the end of the exhibition, we had more makers inthe last week.
This exhibition was born at a D&D when Marie invited us to exhibit the dolls at Omnibus Theatre. Huge thanks for all the team for being so welcoming and a huge thanks for each one who made dolls and helped us to complete the display.
Last week makers were Andrew, Kristin, Carolina, Edie, Tom, L Ann, Nicola, Afsoneh, Sash, Steven, David, Georgia, Anne, Ali, Ivory, Johanna, Margarita, Malsara, Shalona, Sveta, David, Mari, Paul, Rosie, Edith, Shaun, June, Joe, Sarah, Vera, Ellan, Ali, Vici, Marianne, Mel, Glynis, Nelson, Debbie, Mietek and Edith.
We made 49 dolls in total.
‘An unusual tactile experience in a lovely format.’
’Strange, unexpected, but welcome. A lovely concept.’
‘Calming, connecting and a lovely experience. Muito obrigada!’
‘A lot of fun meeting everyone. Had a blast!’
‘Inspiring evening.’
‘It was a wonderful addition to an already special evening, (having watched a very imaginative and powerful production) to be invited to take part in this fantastic, epic art event. I met some fascinating people and enjoyed channelling happiness and connection into my little doll. Memorable.’
‘What a wonderful way to trap some dreams and bind them up with a visible heart. My little dream- filled doll will stay with me for a long time, an incredible memory of an evening spent with strangers, magical and joyful. Happenstance led me here, happenstance led me away again. Dreams connect these two points.’
‘Thank you for the peaceful + reflective moment. Good luck with your project!’
‘Making the figure was very meditative and thinking about ‘her’ was strangely moving with her beating heart.’
‘Free therapy very needed and I’m grateful. Feeling calm and content. Thanks Regina, you’re cool.’
‘I feel I have created a living thing. What a strange feeling. It is just a stuffed doll after all.’
‘It was nice to make a human from dreams with a heart. It took time and now I don’t really want to leave him…’
‘Dreams are always within us in abundance, but only those necessary for our being are realised. Making Billy after watching a play was a wonderful way to reconcile the emotions and thoughts evoked throught theatre.’
‘A strangely soothing social ritual.’
‘I am very grateful of meeting you in the middle of my adventure in London and have the chance to participate in your project. This project make people meet each other and also give you the opportunity to create some lovely dolls. In the moment I am making my doll I forgetabout everything else, I am in other peaceful place. Thanks Regina for helping us and give us the chance to enjoy this big project.’
‘Peaceful, collaborative, joyful, creative, happy. A sense of joy, a sense of peace.’
‘Real magic.’
‘A wonderful creative process, physically and spiritually. Many thanks. The journey is the destination! Much love.’
‘Profound, surprisingly moving and powerful. Regina’s calm and sincere energy made my participation valuable ad memorable. Regina’s mission to make one doll for ‘each one of us’ has inspired me to be more mindful of the inter-connectivity between all of ‘us’. Soothing. Relieving. Beautiful!’
‘Harmony with strangers.’
‘Peace, love and determination.’
‘Thankful for the hands-on loveliness, the beauty of chatting and connecting, and the joy of creating.’
‘It was a lovely time meeting Regina, making new friends and making the dolls. Such a nice, warm, welcoming atmosphere.’
‘Very rewarding and beautiful experience. Thoroughly enjoyable. A great masterpiece of Regina and the community. Wonderful idea.’
‘A God given experience. Inspiring, calming, interactive with amazing people. An unexpected wonderful interval of life.’
On the third week at Onminbus the makers were Vicky, Jess, Sash, Mital, Celine, Alison, Anne, Karen, Rex, Amy, Lucy, Jules, Christopher, Leo, Charlotte, Susan, Afsoneh, Laleh, Reza, Angela, Robin, Mitu, Jonathan, Georgia and Louise. Carolinda and Mary came as spectators.
We made 34 dolls together.
Some of the makers wrote comments, the two first ones connect the exhibition to Omnibus space.
’Superb place to exhibit because its ethos represents what you are doing in your art.’
‘Regina’s dolls are the books in this former library containing ‘dreams’ and people’s stories.’
‘Thank you for the experience. Carry on working on the dreams.’
‘It feels like meditation while working on your dreams, then you actually meditate. Absolutely amazing and relaxing, so lovely experience.’
‘Lovey and creative experience. Had really natural and honest conversations.’
‘It was lovely to sit and talk while making my doll. It’s nice to just relax and get away from work and the hectic world.’
‘It was lovely to meet you, you are relaxing and joyful lady, as I was making the doll for my dreams my life was passing away throughme like a film, I hope one of my dreams come true for happiness and love and health.’
‘A very relaxing time spent stuffing a dolls, a perfect way to complement a wonderful intense play.’
‘One more doll for the community.’
‘A lovely and therapeutic experience. Loved connecting with Regina, fellow participants I didn’t know and my family members.’
‘Regina is very sweet lady and made me feel welcome and comfortable from the start. This was a very relaxing experience and I highly recommend everyone to give it a go! The meditation at the end was the icing on the cake.’
We spent another great week at Omnibus, actually this amazing experience is just getting better and better.
Lawrence, Tina and someone I forgot the name, they joined me, we made four dolls while listening to the artists’ presentation. We started at the break and continued till the end of the event.
One of the artists told me he loves this event, he feels it so uplifting, it make him realise that we are also great artists not only the ones over there – he pointed the Royal Academy main collection.
‘My doll has a lot of love to give…’
‘My doll and I loved connecting together with the meditation, look into his eye, maybe you can share a moment.’
Molly told me ‘do you know when you don’t know you were missing something?’ Then she told me that it’s great to have Dreams and a Heart in the room.
Ohhh Molly, she is such special opened heart woman, thank you so much Molly for giving us this opportunity and for your generous words, you are amazing, thank you!
