“This is a dome that people can enter into to practice the skill of letting go of the bad and receiving the good. When we set the intention to let go of things we don’t want in life, we start the process that is necessary for removal, and when we ask for things we desire, we are making space to receive them. The intentional action prepares us to change the energy in our lives. the purpose of the Chamber of Exchange is to help start this process.”

As my artistic practice often does, this dome focused on creating a ritual that people could participate in to shift something in their lives.

Recently I have been learning the lesson that before we can have certain good things enter our lives, we need to make space for releasing some of the things that we don’t want in our lives. 

 For example, when we are attached to certain things like negative feelings or bad relationships, we spend a huge amount of our time focusing on things that are weighing us down. This focus on the negative often pulls our energy away from things we want to increase in our lives, like positivity, abundance, and good relationships.

The dome was made out of blue and teal shade stars, giving a feeling of calm and weightlessness inside the dome. It created a temple-like atmosphere for people to enter into to participate in a small ritual.

The ritual in the dome was to help people set an intention to let go of what they didn’t want in their lives, to make space for what they did. On a piece of paper, people would write down what they didn’t want in their lives and then they would seal it into an envelope. This envelope would then go into a sculptural form in the middle.

 After completing this action, they would then take a tag and write down what they wanted to increase in their lives. This tag would then be hung from the ceiling of the tent for everyone to see.

 When I first came up with this concept, I thought that it may be a little complex for Figment. Figment is largely a family / child based attendance, and I wondered if this concept might be a little difficult for kids to grasp.

Much to my surprise, this installation was hugely popular and fully engaged with. Well over 500 people participated, and the atmosphere inside the dome was reverent and respectful.

Many kids took it very seriously, and spent a lot of time thinking about things that they didn’t want in their life and things that they did. Some the encounters were so touching that it brought tears to my eyes as children talked about letting go of their anger, sad feelings, or acts of unkindness. 

 Many adults expressed to me how much they appreciated the installation. The encounters I had were sincere and genuine. Everyone who entered into the space seemed to approach it with the seriousness of the meaningful experience I had intended it to be.

It was so inspiring to watch people engage with art in the way that I feel it is meant for. It truly touched my heart and reminded me why I’m so passionate about making these types of spaces for people. It makes all of this work so worth it. 

 Thank you so much to everyone who came and participated this weekend.

"Enter into the Chambers, a place for exploration and discovery. Let your imagination take you away, transform your space and your mindset!"

Shaded Chambers

at

Figment NYC

 was a huge success this weekend! I couldn't believe how many people came out.

Shaded Chambers

had a large central room for hanging out, and then four rooms off the sides, made of two small scout domes, and two nomads. There was the

Chamber of Rebirth

, the

Chamber of Reflection

, the

Chamber of Exchange

, and the

Chamber of Transformation

. Together they made a series of experiences that was able to shift the energy and experience of the participants.

The end result turned out incredible. We were so full of participants that I could barely move at times, and I had more than a few conversations with people who were extremely engaged or touched by the spaces. 

The entire weekend absolutely reinforced in us that these

Archimedes Design

domes are functional artistic spaces, and with the added intentionality to make these into engaging art installations, these domes truly fulfill their purpose.

"This is space for quiet reflection. Please enter with care by spreading the diaphragm. Enjoy the enclosure, the quiet, and the visual environment within. Focus on the warmth, the diffused light, the soft texture. This is a space for the senses to be calmed. If you could be reborn from this space, who might emerge?"

“Our reflections of ourselves are not always clear and accurate. We all have a distorted identity, we may see ourselves one way, others may see us another way. Look into the surfaces and think about what you see. By leaving a self reflection, you are contributing a piece of yourself to this temporary communal identity."

“Inside this tent, artists will be on-hand throughout the weekend to face paint participants. All participants will be painted to match the tent, with a pattern of green spots on a black background. Face painting offers an experience of anonymity through the expression of an alternate self. The Chamber of Transformation offers the peculiar pairing of anonymity through the obstruction of identity alongside the recognition of belonging to a temporary community.”

“This is a dome that people can enter into to practice the skill of letting go of the bad and receiving the good. When we set the intention to let go of things we don’t want in life, we start the process that is necessary for removal, and when we ask for things we desire, we are making space to receive them. The intentional action prepares us to change the energy in our lives. the purpose of the Chamber of Exchange is to help start this process.”

 Thank you to all that came out! It really was an unbelievably magical weekend!

If you're interested in more in-depth stories about these domes, I'll be writing them up on the 

Archimedes Design blog

!

A rainy and grey day today, but the rest of setup went well. All prepared for the masses to arrive tomorrow!

Toby's brand new Chamber of Rebirth went up with out a hitch. A beautiful new bright red dome with a rose print inner tent.

 Michael's Chamber of Reflection got all shiny and pretty with mylar sheeting.

 And Deborah's already all green in the Chamber of Transformation. 

The Chamber of Exchange went up slowly but surely, with several participants who wanted to add to it before the installation was even complete. 

 It was so nice to see people already engaging, even before it was set up!

All set and ready for the mass of people who are going to come over tomorrow! It's supposed to be a gorgeous sunny day, and we can't wait! 

http://newyork.figmentproject.org/

Out to Governors Island today for our first set up day for

FIGMENT

! Setting up five

Archimedes Design

domes in an installation we’re calling

Shaded Chambers

.

 Had some prep that needed to be done at home beforehand, but finally loaded everything onto the cargo truck and headed out to the island.

 Some final things to make and then we're ready to start installing!

 It was a beautiful day, way warmer than

last years setup up

, which was a grey, rainy and chilly day. This year promises to be a beautiful weekend full of art and sunshine!

Setup went wonderfully. The three of us are a pretty good team at this point, and it’s not hard to have all these domes go up relatively quickly with their wonderful design. These domes are made to be quick instal, and the three of us set up all five in a just a few hours. 

 Tomorrow we install a few more aspects to the domes, as well as the art that’s going to go inside of them, and then we will be ready for the masses to arrive on Saturday and Sunday!

If you’re in the area, make sure to come and join us!

and sooner or later no where will feel like home anymore. 

(Train to New York)

Here’s what our parents never taught us:

You will stay up on your rooftop until sunlight peels away the husk of the moon,

chainsmoking cigarettes and reading Baudelaire, and

 you will learn that you only ever want to fall in love with someone

who will stay up to watch the sun rise with you.

 You will fall in love with train rides, and sooner or later you will

realize that nowhere seems like home anymore.

 A woman will kiss you and you’ll think her lips are two petals

rubbing against your mouth.

 You will not tell anyone that you liked it.

It’s okay.

It is beautiful to love humans in a world where love is a metaphor for lust.

 You can leave if you want, with only your skin as a carry-on.

 All you need is a twenty in your pocket and a bus ticket.

All you need is someone on the other end of the map, thinking about the supple

curves of your body, to guide you to a home that stretches out for miles

and miles on end.

 You will lie to everyone you love.

 They will love you anyways.

 One day you’ll wake up and realize that you are too big for your own skin.

 Molt.

Don’t be afraid.

Your body is a house where the shutters blow in and out

against the windowpane.

 You are a hurricane-prone area.

The glass will break through often.

 But it’s okay. I promise.

Remember,

a stranger once told you that the breeze

here is something worth writing poems about.

-Shinji Moon

(

Here’s what our parents never taught us

,

The cinnamon peelers wife, 2012)

Image by Michael Gates

I'm headed out to show at

F

IGMENT

 this weekend, the participatory arts festival in New York! FIGMENT is a free, annual celebration of participatory art and culture where everything is possible. For one weekend each summer, it transforms Governors Island into a large-scale collaborative artwork - and then it's gone.

The

Archimedes Design

 team and I showed there last year, and I found it to be an extremely successful event. I'm really excited to be going back and working with them again. Last year we showed

Shade Archipelago

, four

Archimedes Design domes that had four different interactive zones. 

I showed the

Orison Dome

, which held the

Prayer Flag Project

. This was the project I showed across the country last year where people could add their own prayer flag to to chain of prayers that moved from festival to festival. 

Michael Gates was the brain child of the

Chromodome

. A dome that was set up without flags that people could add strips of fabric to throughout the festival.

 And Toby Vann made the

Soccer Dome

. A giant soccer ball that could be seen as either an obstruction, or an inspiration.

As well the Big Top was set up as a pop up space for theatre, juggling and flow arts. 

Image by Michael Gates

This year we'll be bringing back the domes, but each dome will have a different theme, with a separate artist taking on each space and a collaborative project in the middle.

We will have four domes, called the “chambers” around the middle largest dome. The whole installation will be about 60 feet square. 

Image by Michael Gates

Big Top

(Michael Gates, Jodi Sharp, Toby Vann)

26' diameter dome provides entrance to the Chambers. The Big Top will feature 5 pendulums hanging from the ceiling with 5 sand boxes. Sand boxes will be elevated at different heights to allow access to a broad range of interactions. The pendulums will be free swinging, giving opportunity for endless sand art.

Chamber of Exchange 

(Jodi Sharp)

This will be a dome that people can enter into to practice the skill of letting go of the bad and receiving the good. When we set the intention to let go of things we don’t want in life, we start the process that is necessary for removal, and when we ask for things we desire, we are making space to receive them. The intentional action prepares us to change the energy in our lives. The purpose of Chamber of Exchange is to help start this process for the individuals attending Figment.

A person will enter the dome and write down something that they wish to let go of in their lives. This piece of paper will be placed in an envelope and put into a sculptural form on the ground in the middle of the dome. The person will then write what they would like to receive on a tag that will be hung from the ceiling of the dome. 

Chamber of Belonging 

(with face painting by Debra Thimmesch)

Inside a tent with op art pattern of green spots on a black background, artists will be on-hand throughout the weekend to face paint participants. All participants will be painted to match the tent, i.e. with a pattern of green spots on a black background. Face painting offers an experience of anonymity through the expression of an alternate self. Chamber of Belonging offers the peculiar pairing of anonymity through the obstruction of identity alongside the recognition of belonging to a temporary community. 

Chamber of Reflection 

(

Michael Gates)

Dome interior will be lined with Mylar sheets. Reflections will be imperfect, highly subject to the environment, like the surface of lake. Participants will be invited to document a self-reflection on a small strip of Mylar, then tape it anywhere onto the strings suspended overhead. 

Mylar can be fragile and is very portable in the wind. Artists will be on-site throughout the event to maintain the Mylar sheets and the message strips. At night, the message strips will be untied and stowed in a bin, then restrung in the morning. Mylar strips will be stored in a lidded box with instructions, including Leave No Trace reminder. 

Chamber of Roses 

(

Toby Vann)

This space is for quiet reflection. The dome is fitted with a spandex tent printed with roses. The tent is completely enclosed with a sewn in floor and an elastic door. Participants must first remove their shoes before entering; a small mat will be placed outside the chamber. 

Text by Michael Gates

If you're in New York this weekend, make sure to come check it out! 

One of the things I love about having artist friends, is that every space we have the opportunity becomes filled with art and creations. A couple good friends got married the other day, and it was one of the most fun weddings I’ve been to yet because it was stock full of creatives, artists and DJs. 

Essentially, we al just pulled whatever art we had in storage and filled a warehouse. It was a close knit-crew of people who normally organize big events and theme camps, so we rarely have the chance to just build stuff together, and then let loose without having to worry about making things run smoothly for a public audience.

I brought my

Archimedes Design

dome,

Shanie Jalbert-Bossé

brought the cube she made for taBURNak!,

Jody McIntyre

brought his art installation “Ceiling cat”,

Aziz Light Crew

was there doing visuals,

Midnight Poutine

was feeding us all,

Totenkidden

made their appearance, along with various DJs (I can’t remember who all played) like

forage

and

Mushin

. 

 The one new art piece for the night was a sequin wall that Jody McIntyre made. I set up my light kit in front of it, and we had an epic photo booth, filled with costumes, good memories and play!

One of the best things about being in Montreal is being surrounded with like-minded people who want to build art and play just as much as I do. 

Video by Daniel Grozdanov of

Imagine 360

So

taBURNak!

, the Montreal Burner Decomp is now completed, with another resounding success! Bigger and better than ever before, this non-profit, community run event just keeps growing and growing!

All photos by

Renaud Kasma

and

Jamie Janx Johnston

, as watermarked.

taBURNak! is a decompression party for the Burning Man festival, which means that it is built off the model of Burning Man. The focus of this event is the

10 principles

, and the core of the event is focused around art, music and performance, with the idea that each individual is what makes up this event. The participants are encouraged to costume and explore, and to participate in the creation of art and community.

This year we had all kinds of beautiful contributions. The artists especially seemed really inspired this year. It was held in 

Théatre Paradoxe

, a beautiful venue in and of itself. The artists really engaged with the imagery of the church, with light installations that covered the ceilings, alternative religious spaces in the confessionals, shrines and interactive art. Every space that you wandered through had another beautiful space that was wonderfully created by different artists.

You can see setup day and all art descriptions

here

. 

And of course, the Djs and performers always knock my socks off. We are extremely blessed to have some world class entertainers in Montreal who gift their time for our event. 

Even the organizing team of taBURNak is 100% volunteer run, and this year our team once again

rocked

it. So blessed to have these people who were so willing to donate between dozens to hundreds of hours of time and effort to make this stunning event. 

Event Coordinators

Asha Courtland

Jodi Sharp

Administration Lead

- Asha Courtland

Deployment Lead

- Jodi Sharp

Volunteer Lead

- Nicholas Lucky

Tickets

- Nicolas Lucky

Music Coordinators

- Dikran Poladian & Aaron Ball

Art Coordinator

- Jodi Sharp

Art Grants Coordinator

- Jodi Sharp

Art Grants Committee

- Aaron Ball, Camille Berube, Shanie Jalbert-Bossé 

Stage Design

- Shanie Jalbert-Bossé 

Performance Coordinator

- Valerie Joyal

Stage Manager

- Derek Jones

Workshop Coordinator

- Jodi Sharp

Transport Coordinator

- Derek Jones, Pascal Naute

Setup Coordinator

- Jodi Sharp

Setup Volunteer Coordinator

- Grayden Wagner

Teardown Coordinator

- Grayden Wagner

First Aid and Rangers Team Lead

- Jody McIntyre

Greeters Team Lead

- Sylvana Bellec

Fluffers Team Lead

- Shaïda Ayeva

Sanctuary Tent

- Simon Amar and Sabrina Adams

Legal

- Camille Berube

Communications

- Asha Courtland

Promotional Graphic Design

- Jodi Sharp, Glenn Grant, Aaron Ball, Valerie Joyal

Translators

- Nicholas Lucky, Shanie Jalbert-Bossé

Signage

- Glenn Grant

Website

- Asha Courtland

Thank you to all that came out, and keep an eye out for our next event

Ignition

.

For the first time ever, we will be holding a regional burn in Quebec. A three day festival of art, performance and music, once again all participant created!

See you there!

So, it's been a couple weeks since taBURNak! 7, and I have to say, the down time was definitely needed! My 6th year working for this festival, and my 3rd as the Arts Coordinator. Although I love this event so much, the amount of work it takes to pull off is pretty crazy. Worth it, but crazy! 

This year the event was held in a new venue, and I have to say, it made all the difference. Not only was

Théatre Paradoxe

 a stunning venue, but the people who ran the venue were amazing, supportive, and very like minded individuals. 

"In 2010

Groupe Paradoxe

, a non-profit that supports social and professional insertion in the audio-visual field, acquired the historical church Notre-Dame-du-Perpétuel-Secours and imagined a visionary plan to keep the church benefiting the community.

With its impressive volume and unique architecture the space was ideal for the project. After three years of intense labor, Theatre Paradoxe finally opened its doors to the public on February 12th 2014.

 Behind its massive wooden doors and stone facade, typical of the spiritual place it used to be, is now a highly adaptable venue. Original stained-glass windows give a unique signature to events taking place there. Whether for a show, a launch, a corporate event or a wedding, our modular structures can transform the space to suit your needs. A world of many possibilities can be imagined inside the Theater."

- 

Théatre Paradoxe

 website

As well as being a venue for different types of events, Groupe Paradoxe is also a non-profit organization that helps train undereducated adults with a skill so that they can be employable. They were completely on the same page in terms of community building, and giving back energy into the world. It always makes me feel so good to partner with other organizations that have the same values of bettering the world around them. And needless to say, the absolutely stunning venue added so much to the feeling of the event. 

Setup went amazing. The artists who applied this year really upped their game by bringing awesome art, and there were plenty of amazing volunteers that showed up to lend a hand. 

Shanie Shine built our amazing stage this year. A 8' x 8' cube that flattened into a 2D shape when you looked at it dead on.

Shanie is an architect aiming to build a better world. She seeks to create playful experiences through architecture. She's inspired by optical phenomena such as illusions, parallax and retinal persistence. For taBURNak!, she has created an "interference cube", hanging above the stage. The cube's appearance rearranges itself depending on the perspective and the point of view of the pARTicipants, creating openings and occlusions that evolve with movement.

Ryan Matthews

Falling stars

Carpenter or Artist?

Designer or Fabricator?

Builder or Sculptor?

Facilitator or Participant?

Whatever…

sometimes Ryan creates stuff just for the hell of it.

 Ryan's piece was particularly difficult to set up.

 A series of wooden stars that interlock and lean against each other to form a 25' sculpture.

 But, after several hours, a few broken pieces and a hardware store run, he finally got it up, and it was wonderful!

Sixfish's Artistry

, retrospective of sculptural works

A local Montréal Artist pushing boundaries, and exploring new material possibilities in sculpture.

Matti's pieces looked particularly wonderful with the background of the church. 

The

Archimedes Design

Glo-Dome made a reappearance this year, although they updated it with some new colors. 

Archimedes Design presents the Day-Glo Play(a) Dome. Stop by for the visuals, stay for the fun!

Day-glo fun, in a neon op-art chill dome. Come in and play!

The

Orison Dome

and the

Prayer Flag Project

made their appearance as well this year, completing their year long circuit of festival tours. 

The Orison Dome is an installation that has been touring eastern Canada starting in Spring of 2015. The outside is adorned with imagery representing the artist's ideas of art and spirituality, while the interior of the dome creates a mobile sacred space for people to ponder, worship and gather community. Inside is the Prayer Flag Project, a moving installation that started at last years taBURNak! and has since traveled across North America. People across the country have written their own prayers for peace and happiness on blank prayer flags that the artist has created, which then spread through the countryside. The purpose of this project is to inspire people to actively participate in creating their own spiritual space and to promote community wellness.

Kiri did her first ever welding project for this event, and it turned out beautifully. 

I won't be found

Kiri is a pirate and a maker of strange objects, usually wearable in nature. Now she is starting to play with recycled structures, beyond the world of costumes and accessories, into the imagination of metal and form.

We had

Aziz! Light Crew

and

Wasko

 doing projection mapping on the walls of the church. The integration with the architecture was completly stunning. 

A team of renegade projectionists, initiated by VJ userZero & Bun Bun,will perform live projection mapping with alc_freeLiner: their very own free/opensource feature-full geometric animation software.

We are a Montreal based international Burning Man theme camp! Together we create a communal space that celebrates the childlike mastery of the art of play. So come to The Neighborhood, where it's Recess all day! Whether noontime or nighttime, leisure or labor, do us a favor...Won't you be our neighbor?

Alaric Bergeron and Justine Levesque

Gallium Hourglass

We both have a deep passion for science, and love to share interesting and fascinating aspects of it with everyone! Also, we often feel like the distance between science and art is often grossly overestimated.

Sunday Créations / Créations du dimanche

....I would like to give a picture of a creation

Batman: The killing joke.

Matthew James

I see you (see me)

The act of watching.

Do you like to look, to watch, to gaze? How do you feel about being watched, to be looked at?

What are your feelings about being objectified?

This is your chance to be put on display, to be watched without having to feel the gaze.

The empowerment of presence is yours to give and to take.

I see you (see me).

Self Conscious

Sabrina's images, poems and objects take you on her journey of self-discovery through various experiences, rituals, and rites of passage, inviting you to reflect on your own journey and to arrive in the present moment.

 Paradoxe allowed us to us a couple of the confessionals for our event. Having art inside of them added so much historical content and spiritual themes to the pieces.

Bookmaking Jam at taBURNak 7!

This Bookmaking Jam is a space where you become coauthor of a book on the transformative power of Burning Man and other festivals. We'll ask you questions and you can share your stories, poetry, your drawings and your doodles. Come ready to share!

 You can still add content to this book

online here

!

Umbrella Beach

 is a community of highly skilled creative people at 160 Bartley who want to rise through the potential of humanity though art, food, and being.

Chrysalis

I am a healing artist and spiritual activist. My artwork takes the form of drawings, paintings, installations and zines. My spiritual practices now mostly consist of gardening and breathing but sometimes include yoga, theology, reiki and other forms of energy healing.

A party in Quebec isn't perfect without having a poutine after midnight. Midnight Poutine will perform the task and fill your stomachs. Come party with us outside!

Other artists who were representing, that I didn't happen to snap a shot of at setup- 

Osseous Grove

By combining forces, Ados & Creatures build a wilderness from the dead, the living and the created.

Jeremy Schembri

LED Pong brings to live a colourful version of Pong recreated using LEDs! Play against an opponent or artificial intelligence as you move your paddle horizontally to victory. Discover new rules from the palate of hues and become the LED Pong Champion.

City and Jungle

Millie Caron is an self taught artist who learned through her travels and love of nature. Her art blends dreams, mind and visual illusions and marvels of nature.

The Dusty Beavers

We are the Dusty Beavers. We are a camp at Burning Man. We are from Québec, France, and the US. We bring love, joy and maple syrup to Burning Man.

Vj PUMPKIND

ès son tout jeune âge, Pumpkin a toujours été différente des autres, elle aime vivre dangereusement et intensément. Les nouveaux défis ne lui font pas peur. Elle a déjà son propre style et se démarque par ses idées originales et parfois même choquantes.

Après avoir vécu ses 17 premières années à Rivière-du-Loup, elle prend son courage à 2 mains pour venir dans la grande ville de Montréal y étudier le cinéma, les arts visuels et les effets spéciaux et l’architecture de paysage. Entre temps, Elle a travaillé quelques années dans la post-production cinématographique. Sa rencontre avec la scène électronique et le nightlife à Montréal a été électrisante. Elle s’est mise à organiser elle-même des soirées dans des bars en engageant plusieurs Djs connus. Elle aimerait pouvoir tout faire en même temps si elle en était capable…

Guillaume Roberts-Cambron / Stephen Fuller

Self projection well

Di Lynn Emirzian is a digital artist specialising in 3D graphics. They enjoy creating emotionally moving pieces using expressive humanoid gestures.

Jamie Janx Johnston

Planet Path

Jamie Janx, is a multidisciplinary international award winning, imaging professional and visual artist with an in-depth artistic and technical knowledge in both traditional and digital photography. His intricately crafted images explore a wide range of styles, which successfully combines imagination and knowledge. Most recently using photography as a launching pad toward other street arts with installations, murals and projections being added dimensions to his growing range of fine art production. 

A few more infrastructure things, and the team is almost ready.

Tired, but happy. Ready to do lighting tests and start the night!

The lighting looks great, and we are ready to play!

Thank you to the venue, and all of the amazing artists and volunteers who helped make this event possible!

More on the event to come later!

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”

 -Pablo Neruda

Life is mostly quiet 

Believe me, you don’t have to know.

Not so much that you render yourself helpless.

Helpless in the face of what Life brings next.

So make peace with knowing very little.

About Love.

About Others.

About how life should be.

Make amends with how things are.

Not knowing a thing,

walk with gentle knees,

ready to drop them at any moment

that Life dictates.

Keep an empty hand

so that it can be brought to your heart

when a grief arrives.

Make up a bed that you can fall into

as your own comforting arms.

We come to find that Life is mostly quiet –

it asks us to live by our Knowing,

while surrendering that very same thing.

It vibrates easily around us,

candid and benevolent.

You see, it’s only when we root ourselves

solid in some Knowing again

that Life seems to have to shout –

rises,

lovingly,

from Its whisper.

-Em Claire

 It's time to prepare...

I'm ready...

I am in the full on mode of getting ready for taBURNak! this weekend. Emails, phone calls, organizing artists, volunteers, venue, building stuff, the list goes on. And yet somehow in the midst of it all, I'm still sitting here, pinning leather together for my latest costume to wear to the event.

Why? I ask myself constantly. I have SO MUCH to do right now, and yet for some reason I can't seem to cut building a new costume off my list. I fuss around, building thing after thing, trying to see what will come together. 

 I struggle for a while, wondering if I am vain, but no. There's something deeper here. Something that stems down to my deep need for creativity and self expression.

There is one thing that has always remained a constant in my practice, and that is the use of my own body. I think that because of growing up in what, for me, was an oppressive space, I am very cautious about imposing my own world views on top of others. Because of this I use my own body, with the belief that, by changing myself, I can form a link in a chain that will possibly change others.

With this idea in mind, I do believe that if I change how my body looks, acts and relates to a space, I have the capacity to change my environment day by day. This is one of the major reasons that I find costuming so important. The ability to change how I look not only communicates on my outside how I feel on the inside, but also allows for me physically change my environment.

I cannot count the amount of people I have met, the amount of art I have added to spaces, and the amount of conversations I've had about my lifestyle, just because I have been dressed up. It is my art, and it is my mode of connection.

So, in the effort of sharing inspiration, and encouraging others to make a difference through the use of their own bodies,  of here are some of my costumes from this last years festival season. I did not manage to document them all, and I will try my best to list all the photographers, although I've forgotten some. The majority of what I wear I make myself, with found add ons as well as sometimes some lovely things made by friends.

Hopefully it will help inspire you to come to taBURNak! and contribute through the use of your own body!

Calendar 2016- Photo by Christopher Ayling

Firefly- Photo by Lucky

Calendar 2016- Photo by Christopher Ayling

Halloween- Photo by Robyn Crouch

Firefly- Photo by Robyn Crouch

Firefly- Photo by Robyn Crouch 

Future Forest

Om Reunion

Om Reunion

Om Reunion

Om Reunion- Photo by Derek

Firefly

Om Reunion

Om Reunion

Piknic Electronic

Pride Parade

Santa Con

Om Reunion

HeartAttack

Firefly- Photo by Robyn Crouch 

Firefly

taBURNak! Photoshoot

Brulers on the Mountain

Block Party

Om Reunion- Photo by Jan Derful

Lighting Photoshoot

Future Forest

Calendar Photoshoot- Photo by Christopher Ayling

taBURNak! 6- Photo by Jamie Janx Johnston

Birthday Party- Photo by Jamie Janx Johnston

Alexandria Art festival- Photo by Jamie Janx Johnston

Space Gathering

Space Gathering

taBURNak!5- Photo by Andrei Kalamkarov

Space Gathering

Birthday Party- Photo by Christopher Ayling

Om Reunion- Photo by Julz Moore

Some rave

Halloween- Photo by Glenn Grant

Halloween- Photo Selection

Intention BC- Photo by Ian Birdwell

Groove Temple

Intention BC

Igloo Fest

Alexandria Art Festival- Photo by Justin Smith

Intention BC

Intention BC

Groove Temple- Photo by Renaud Kasma

Burning Man- Photo by Julz Moore

Alexandria Art Festival- Photo by Jamie Janx Johnston

And what I'm listening to today as I work-

Mounds of sheets and piles of pillows
(It's slightly hot in here!)
Sitting up, I brush my head against
The drooping blanket roof;
Silver light and sounds of rain and wind
Add to the cozy cheer
Of curling in a blanket fort, completely
Weatherproof.
Our classes have been cancelled, we're
Advised to stay inside:
We'll don our robes and steep our tea
Against the stormy cold,
And take advantage of this unexpected
Break to go and hide
In blanket forts and make believe
That we are five years old.

-Orla (Hello Poetry)

Chautauqua Trail, Boulder, Colorado.

You start dying slowly if you do not travel,
if you do not read,
If you do not listen to the sounds of life,
If you do not appreciate yourself.

You start dying slowly

When you kill your self-esteem;
When you do not let others help you.

You start dying slowly

If you become a slave of your habits,
Walking everyday on the same paths…

If you do not change your routine,
If you do not wear different colours
Or you do not speak to those you don’t know.

You start dying slowly

If you avoid to feel passion
And their turbulent emotions;
Those which make your eyes glisten
And your heart beat fast.

You start dying slowly

If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, or with your love,

If you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain,

If you do not go after a dream, 

If you do not allow yourself,

At least once in your lifetime,

To run away from sensible advice…

-Pablo Neruda
(You start dying slowly)

 In Denver visiting family, and had some super fun art days with my nibblets! (nieces and nephew)

Things are always seen from such a different perspective when hanging out with children. For example, I've had this stuck in my head for the last week-

But really, the biggest gift of seeing art with kids is all of the wonder and excitement they approach it with. Everything is an exploration. 

 The Denver Art Museum had tons of fun stuff to do with kids. I was super impressed by how many interactive artistic activities they had to offer.

 There was a full studio with lots of stations set up where kids could play and make art.

A beautiful exhibit by Francisco Alvarado-Juárez, which was still kid friendly and participatory. You could color and cut out animals to add to the exhibition.

Even the art that wasn't participatory was still of fascination to the little ones, although the concept of "don't touch the art," seemed a little confusing after all the art they could touch. 

Loved these photographs by Danny Singer. They so stunningly capture the feeling of the Prairies. 

 Luis Tapia

 Daniel Sprick

 A postcard making station where they had stamps of art that was in the exhibit. You could color them and post them right from there!

 A stunning exposition by  Brad Cloepfil. A room that was filled with a series of metal structures that held up beautiful non-functional objects. The whole piece felt precarious, while at the same time the craftsmanship was impeccable.

 They also had a really amazing Aboriginal exhibit (although they still call it the "American Indian" exhibit, a term you'd never see in Canadian exhibit these days.)

 I really liked it because along side their historical artifacts they also had a lot of contemporary Aboriginal art that discussed issues of colonialism. I found it a really refreshing way of commenting on the issue of Aboriginal artifacts in the museum.

 Jaune Quick-To-See Smith. I really loved this piece, I found it so compelling.

 A beautiful cape made out of Condor feathers.

 James Lavadour.

 And there were just so many things for the kids to do!

 Making Samurai hats out of paper.

 Building Japanese pagodas out of foam blocks.

 Dressing up in Samurai outfits.

 As well, in a different gallery in Boulder, some pieces that I absolutely LOVED by Nancy Anderson and Dale Peters. I couldn't find them online but I absolutely adored these pieces. It's really rare to see work made out of found objects that still looks new and interesting. Not to mention the subject matter of the kitsch of religion, which I love.

 So much fun to see some of the art that's going on in Colorado!

I swear to God 

it was beautiful. 

The way she

loved herself.

And when 

I asked her how,

she said, 

slowly,

slowly,

slowly.

-Key Ballah

Come play sometime...

FLOW - 6 YEARS from Yan Eric Chalin on Vimeo.

Photo by Artefact

HeART ♡ Attack at the Matahari Loft went great on Saturday night! Deglazer Lazer's projection mapping was killer and the mural looked great behind the stage.

Matahari Loft is a pretty easy venue to make look great. Open concept and a local gallery, it's already filled with art and character.

An Archimedes Design dome made an appearance for this event. A simple and beautiful way to break up and add coziness to the space.

And of course, covered in pink, it was perfectly festive!

The mural ended up being really striking in the space. It's always a concern when you paint a backdrop that it won't quite feel big enough when it's in the venue. But with the sharp black and white lines, I felt like it was a great focal point. 

Hanging full plywood panels from the ceiling was a bit of a pain, but we got it eventually. 

Hung and ready to go!

Once Deglazer started projecting, the piece really came alive. 

And the dome looked cozy and romantic in the red light. 

After hanging a bunch of hearts from the ceiling we were ready to go!

Thanks to all that came out, and Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Photo by Christopher Zabaneh

 So, painting a mural for saturday night's event HeART ♡ Attack at the Matahari Loft in Montreal. The mural will be projection mapped by Deglazer Lazer. That means that all of the white areas in the mural will be projected on, and all the black will stay dark.

Here's an example of what Deglazer did on Keil Magdzik's mural last month. 

So I started out sketching black and white image patterns in photoshop, which essentially meant making a whole bunch of black and white squares, cutting them up and moving them around until I came up with something I was happy with. And it turned out like this-

Then, I had to take that sketch and transfer it to 3 sheets of plywood to make it into a 12'x8' mural, which basically just involves a whole lot of measuring, counting and painters tape. 

Can't wait to see what Deglazer is going to map on it tomorrow! More pictures to come soon! 

Also for deco at the event, Archimedes Design domes!

Can't wait to see how the space will turn out, and if you're in Montreal, can't wait to see you there! 

Matahari Loft ♡ 1673 Mont Royal Est
$15 before midnight ♡ $20 after midnight

♡ Alectric Shock ♡ 10 pm to 11:30 pm
dancehall, tech house & clowning

♡ Mark Morgenstern ♡ 11:30 pm to 1:00 am
funky house & techno with a lil prog

♡ Asha & Forage ♡ 1:00 am to 3:00 am 
techno, techno & garage

♡ Lane & Kiel ♡ 3:00 am to 5:00 am 
liquid & dub

♡ Glam Gam Productions! ♡ before midnight
short, sexy & scandalicious performances

And just an idea of what kind of music you're getting into tomorrow, an awesome summer mix by Dj forage-

“In chaos, there is fertility.”
-Anaïs Nin

Well, it has been a crazy few months. And maybe, fingers crossed, a rest is coming soon...

I was in Toronto for the Micah Lexier installation on and off since September. I knew I needed to move, and one of my weeks home I googled some places, found a place in 3 days, signed for it for January, and went back to Toronto. I came home 5 days before the end of the month, packed up my entire house and moved (no small thanks to the help of some incredible friends), and went back to Toronto again. 

When I got home mid-January, I looked at the chaos around me. Piles of boxes, stuff shoved in corners, and an apartment that would need to be completely renovated. I just wanted to cry.

I was tired. It had been a long haul in Toronto, way longer than any of us had expected, and the thought of coming home to another huge disaster of a project was completely disheartening. I definitely had fantasies about burning the whole thing down and heading for Cuba. It has been such an incredibly tough year, and I just wanted to rest. 

But bit by bit I started to find homes for things. Bit by bit I started to build things to make the space more functional. 

Walls got painted, storage got built, shelves installed...

...cupboards and desks got made, art got hung, lighting installed, curtains made...

...and as I started to sweep the sawdust out of my eyes, and bit by bit find spaces for the clutter, I realized something- I have a new home.

It's a space that I made, with my own hands. That, even though the task seemed impossible to me, all I need to do was get up every day, and just do one more thing.

And all of those little things, one by one, turned into a much bigger thing- I was able to order my chaos to make something beautiful.

I'd love to say that now I get time to rest. I say that as I stand in my studio staring at a 12'x8' plywood backdrop that needs to be made for an event this weekend (pictures to come later).

But even though I know that life probably won't get that much easier anytime soon, one thing has changed. 

Now I have a home and studio, all to my own. A place that is calm and ready for me every time I come home to it. 

I don't know what the next few months will hold. As Agnes de Mille said well, "Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.” 

Well, I may be leaping into the dark yet again, but one things for sure. I'm home now. It's finished. A place where I can rest my feet and nurture myself, and remind myself that I have the capacity to make something out of the chaos.

And just so you can see the change, this is what it looked like when I signed the lease. Goodbye olive green and beige! Pretty substantial change for only having been here 4 weeks! 

And on to the next project... Pictures coming soon! 

I've been completely occupied setting up my new home and studio, images to come soon...

But until then, here's some of the music I've been listening to.

I'll be back online once I'm finished being covered in paint and sawdust for a while.

So I'm moving again.

Away from my beautiful apartment full of light and art. This place will always hold a special spot in my heart.

And although I HATE packing up and moving my stuff, especially in the winter, I do love the possibilities a new space has to offer. 

And that means it's time to dip into my folders full of house design ideas, pull out my color swatches, and get some inspiration for new house design! 

 I think I'll make this new house blues and greens and white, with lots of book shelving and plants...

And what I'm listening to as I pack-