Eternally Grateful

The greatest success of this exhibition were guests engaging with each other. It was so special and beautiful to see two or more people connect in meaningful ways with each other while standing, roaming the exhibition, and sitting in the spaces I created to encourage these kinds of interactions. I love bringing people together and providing the fertile ground for them to plant the seeds of a relationship with each other beyond that singular moment in time and space.

Those who came did not disappoint. They exceeded my expectations.

Nothing lasts forever but my gratitude is eternal.

Thank to those who come, participated, and created these warm memories with me! Thanks to all of you for receiving and reading these diary entries, and for being a part of my life and letting me be a little part of yours!

Success!

Success is an interesting word and idea that can be interpreted in so many different ways. In regards to this past weekend's exhibition of the new collection of sculptures and vessels exploring inner and outer space, it exceeded all my expectations and met my definitions. Seeing people engaged, thoughtful and emotional, each on their own personal journey of discovery was peak. I adored seeing the photos that people shared with me and online. I enjoyed hearing their thoughts and witnessing their reactions to the pieces. I cannot wait to respond to the replies to the questions in the online guide in the coming weeks.

Success was also turning my home into a studio, then a gallery.

Another bit of success for me was using our current technology to add to and support the experience. We live in a very exciting period of time in which techonological advancements have happened very quickly and I'm glad to be here for it. I decided to provide an unconventional guided tour of this exhibition, which offered attendees the opportunity to connect with the art in a different way - through a song, reading a poem, learning about a person who inspired the piece itself, or asked people to answer a question.

Moment captured by Thania Moore

Special Thanks

There are a few people I would like to mention and highlight who made the presentation of this collection and having the open Studio happen. Their contributions, support and help were essential to my vision. 

There were three music-makers who I collaborated with - Feroza Cayetano whose song Lay Your Armor Down that was paired with Walls Within, Jasce whose songs make you want to dance and were paired with a few different pieces, and the band Skylight whose songs were suggested listening with the Laurels of Victory and Peace and some of the kinetic sculptures. You can learn more about and connect with all of them and their music here. If you would lilke to support these music artists, please use Bandcamp to buy their music. They get one hundred percent of the proceeds from your purchase.

Only four of Skylight's songs from their new album The Warping of Space and Time can be found on Bandcamp. The rest exist on CD and vinyl - Into the Oort Cloud, Alien Mind Probe, The Steppes, and Mass in C. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, you may contact Peter Minde directly by email: pete.minde@gmail.com

My copy of Skylight's new album is in the mail on its way to Madrid as we speak.

Their support and allowing me to utilize their music in my vision made the experience all the richer. I am so grateful for their collabortation, support, friendship, their existence... doing what they do to add a little joy and beauty to this world.

And, I would like to thank three special people who I am so lucky and privileged to call a 'friend'. The first is Peter who some of you met on Saturday before noon, and Sunday at the afterparty that formed. He is an incredible human being, a friend with a heart of gold and the chillest vibe. He came early on Saturday to help me hang the show, then came by on Sunday bringing libations to celebrate.

The second is my amazing and wonderful friend, Thania. For some reason, I took no photos documenting the event, but she took a few and shared them with me. She also stayed on Saturday to help me bring some of the more delicate pieces inside from the outside display, then she sat and had lunch with me celebrating the first day done. I'm smiling just thinking about those hours she and I spent conversing about all the things while breaking bread.

The third is my lovely friend Hazel who some of you met on Sunday morning and at the unexpectedly delightful afterparty. She flew from London to come to this show and helped me get everything ready on Sunday morning before the guests arrived. I have no words for gestures like this, just tears of happiness in my eyes. Even now, writing this, I can feel them pooling.

Lastly, I would like to thank my partner, Gavin. Those who stayed to hang around on Sunday got to meet this wonderful human being who is my other half, a unique and wonderful person I share my daily life and living quarters with. He has been so supportive, understanding and loving through all of this. Even when the pieces were all staging, being stored in one part of the studio (half of our living room), and his having to navigate through them multiple times daily to reach the terrace outside like the maze in Ocean's Eleven.

Seriously though, living with all the art has been a challenge. Especially with this collection and how it occupies space. When he came back from working in Paris on the Opening and Closing Ceremony of the Olympics, the first thing he said was "I am never going into the living room," because he was so concerned about accidentally breaking a sculpture or two. He has gotten more comfortable with all the work all hanging all around the living room, and even last night, he mentioned to me how medatative and peaceful the kinetic sculptures are, and how much he likes having them around. Success! I am grateful and glad to share a life and love with a person who understands me, supports my visions, and appreciates their manifested existence in our physical reality.

I must also include a shout-out to Lance, James, Joriam, Kels, Gonçalo and Peter for kicking off an unexpected afterparty. You all poked my heart.

If you have friends such as these, keep them close and let them know how much you care often. They are gold!

Moment captured by Thania Moore

Next Steps...

Next week, after a few days of respite and replenishing the well, I will begin documenting and preserving these sculptures in photo and video, and some of you who weren't able to come may be wondering when you wil get to see this new collection. Some of you asked me how it works with purchasing a piece and giving it a new home, which I will address first.

The price list is here. The password is the same as the one I gave you for the guide. Contact me directly by email or my mobile and I will answer all your questions.

For those outside of Madrid living in other countries wondering and waiting, I'm sorry but the wait will need to be a while longer while I go through the process of documentation and preparing an online exhibition for later in the year, possibly the beginning of next year.

For those living in Madrid who were unable to attend, stay tuned! I may have another open studio (or may be exhibiting some of this collection) elsewhere in the city.

While all this is happening and even during the weeks leading up to the open studio exhibition, I have been quietly preparing a collection of photos from my travels abroad in the past year or so for an online exhibition that will run for two weeks in late October into November. More details soon!

Moment captured by Gavin Cassidy

Bonus!

If you have made it this far, I have decided to let you have a look at Dreams no. 1 without filter, distortion, or only in a small detail. Even original sound.

All those who attended the open studio were given these instructions, and I am very excited to respond to those who included their email along with theirs. You may want headphones for when you press the button. The following button and question will inform you in some way about the thoughts and feelings that inspired me to create this first in a series of kinetic sculptures. Enjoy!

Now, don't you wish you had seen all the rest? :)

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A friend has been telling me for ages to write a book, a memoir, of all my wild past-life experiences. Maybe I'll write a book about my life when I'm older, maybe around 80 (if I am blessed to live that long). I've decided to keep this diary instead.

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