In 2003 I began to plan a community art and event space, but circumstances led to a shipwreck instead of a success. It was through that experience and learning to forgive that I had a life changing encounter with God and my life took some many different and unexpected roads. Now, after a long and eventful and many times miraculous journey, in a few short weeks I'll be having the opening celebration of a new art gallery.
On my first moving in day, August 2, the first ;piece that I brought through the door was the hand drawn poster made by the beautiful Artist Dana Gambale from the logo she created for Love & Plenty, the project to help restaurants get funding to provide meals for people in need that I've written about in these pages before. When I placed it on a countertop, it looked like it was made for the space, and it will serve as a constant reminder that everything that I do and in every way I can, sharing abundance and blessings with everyone is the most beautiful path there is.
There is a feeling I have about the new art and event space I will be opening that has me thinking about the recent Art, Dance and Performance Installation collaboration I was honored to be a part of with the beautiful Artists Alberte Bernier and Jhalak Dance, "Leak" x "What Is Revealed" at ChaShaMa Art Space, and the poem I wrote "The Flower And The Flame" that was inspired by our work together. There are parts of ourselves that we keep hidden from the world, and when we choose to reveal them the revelation creates a sacred space where possibilities and growth and new life and inspiration are found. For months as I began speaking with Artists about this new gallery I didn't tell them anything about it except a general location. Now, as they begin bringing their work to me they receive the address, and I've jokingly thought I should tell them I will meet them on the corner with a blindfold. There has been a beautiful respect that has been shown for my request for privacy as I share information in a slow and sometimes cryptic reveal as if this were a treasure hunt with clues appearing as each step is discovered and doors are unlocked.
As each Artist arrives with work, the space begins to take on a life of its own, breathing out and taking in creativity and light and becoming in a way a kind of home. As I write this I think about one of my age old New York City loves, The Home For Contemporary Theater, and I realize that every time I have worked on a play the feeling within whatever space we are creating in is like that of a place where people live. It is not just a place to work, it is a place to feel at home, a place where we can be vulnerable and show the many facets of ourselves without fear that they will be rejected, discarded, misunderstood or unwanted. It is in those sacred spaces where the greatest work is done and where we grow to new heights in our own and our collaborative work.
When the gallery is open I will share more, but for now I will leave the door slightly ajar here with one word that has meant so much to me on this journey. With everything that has happened in my life, both the beautiful and the not so, the one thing I had to keep doing through this walk is to say Yes to things that were frightening and daunting because of my past experiences and the feelings of loss and grief I experienced before that I never wanted to feel again. Saying Yes is in its own way a sacred act, because we open ourselves up to what is and what can be, and as we open our hearts to something new and put aside the old fears and hurts and allow hope to come in, we open doors to possibilities that are not yet seen and allow ourselves to dream of something beautiful.
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