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Artist Khiri Lee
Hi I'm Khiri, I'm an artist, dancer, faerie, educator, poet, seamstress, street performer, and all around rennaissance woman. Follow me in my art adventure! Learn more on my website www.khirilee.com
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This blog post is about the seventh mask, Violet Crown Snake created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont. Read the previous posts in this series about Rabbit, Skunk, Swan. Antelope, Bat, & Hawk and other posts about the beginnings of the process as a whole and the success of the actual event. This is the final post in this series. Be sure to Follow my blog to catch all the updates. It has been so wonderful writing and reflecting on the process of this project.
Violet Crown Snake Mask by Khiri Lee
The Beginnings
This was the mask that I was chosen to wear in the Opening Procession, and the medicine of the snake and the vibration of the color violet have been a constant influence on my life so far this year since activating them so intentionally on New Year’s Eve.
The Salvaged Pieces for the Snake Mask
Once all the animals were summoned through the Oracle, Rachel and I presented them to the vision team for the event. Since I was creating them I felt strongly about being in the Opening Procession they were being created for, and many other people were excited to participate in the procession as well. Many of the animals were chosen before I had a chance to speak up, which was fine, because once it landed I felt very good about working with the Snake, the Crown, and the Color Violet.
Work in Progress for the Snake Mask
Since I knew I was going to be the one wearing the Snake Mask it was one of the final masks I completed. I was still painting details of eyes and scales onto the mask the morning of New Year’s Eve! The base of this mask was created using the remnants of a Papier-mache globe, which burst during the drying process. I was at first very upset, but then found the organic shapes came together to almost perfectly create the open mouth of a snake. And it also, for me, mirrored the magic ability of the snake shedding it’s own skin. A transformational and alchemical process. So to have that sense of disintegration and then innovation woven into the very base of the Snake Mask felt powerfully symbolic.
Working with Snake Medicine and the Energy of Violet Crown
The Crown is the transcendent space from the top of the head to edges of the auric body. It is the direct connection to source and heaven. In traditional imagery the Crown is symbolized by the evolved human, Buddha or Kwan Yin or Jesus or Mother Theresa. The mantra of the Crown Chakra is I Am Divine.
Violet Snake – Crown Altar Sketch
Snake was the first Oracle card we drew from the animal deck, and it resonated powerfully with the image of the evolved higher self through it’s power to constantly shed and grow. Activating our inner divinity was an important goal for the event. Tag lines for the event included “Conjure your most magical self to greet the new decade” and “Imprint your super-consciousness with a clear vision of the future you are inviting in 2020.” At the Altar the Snake evolved into it’s magical spirit form of the Dragon, which was another supportive energy present throughout the evening.
Violet is a bright and mystical shade of Purple that vibrates at the top of the light spectrum, the final color in the visible spectrum before the transition into Ultra-Violet. This color stands at the threshold of the seen and unseen. It is the color of dreams, imagination, and spirit.
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The Mask in the Space
The Violet Crown Snake Altar was hidden inside a participatory Dream Fort. Participants were invited to slither or crawl their way into the sequestered space, having the opportunity to create new pathways in their brains through approaching the world through a completely different orientation. The floor of the Dream Fort had vibrational pads, and the invitation on the Crown Altar was to place your head next to the vibrational center and literally rest your Crown in vibration.
Processed with VSCO with c1 preset
Processed with VSCO with c1 preset
The Altar for the Violet Snake Crown was made from a piece of the Healing Helix that was first installed at Arise Festival last summer. I loved the idea of supporting the event by capping the energies of the event, in addition to the crystal grid that was set up around the building, with the Wish Altar in the Crown and the Grief Altar in the Root. Wishing and Manifestation is a powerful way to connect to spirit, so infusing the space with the intentions carried through from the Summer was exceptionally fun.
Me in my Violet Dress, Photo Credit: Darius Demetriou
For the Opening Procession I had the honor of activating the Avatar of the Snake. The original choreography for the ceremony included a Grid Dance to shift into the dimensional space of the spirit. However, such a large press of people had gathered to witness the sacred art we were pouring into the space that after the flocking of the Hawk we no longer had room to Grid. So we released that piece of the performance and instead transitioned straight into the symbolic shedding of all of the Ancestral Secrets. I stood as sentinel for all the Ancestors Stories, held in the skin of the snake, and the other Animal Avatars energetically pulled the secrets away, running their hands across my skin and dress. It was incredibly powerful, and I think I am still integrating. Once this aspect of the Procession was complete we returned each mask with gratitude to it’s Altar were it remained for the rest of the evening. It was deeply powerful to hold space for such an intense transmutation, and snake medicine continues to inform my life.
After we had passed midnight into 2020 my journey with Snake continued. For the past several years I have drawn a card from the Shapeshifter Tarot to find a totem to guide my year. I felt no surprise when I drew the Serpent from the deck, which calls attention to the moment of blind vulnerability Snake experiences as he goes through the process of shedding his skin.
The tree roots, the woman’s hair, and the snake all weave together in a serpentine pattern, symbolizing the serpent lines of energy crisscrossing the Earth and the Oneness of all things. The serpent represents the Great Mother Goddess and the polarities in life such as life and death (rebirth), as well as being a powerful ancient symbol of healing. (Shapeshifter Tarot, pg. 110)
The words on the Altar were as follows:
Violet – Crown – Snake
Clarity of the Soul.
Shedding Old Memories & Past Life to Awaken.
Dragons will Breathe the Breath of Fire Here.
The power of snake medicine is the power of creation, for it embodies sexuality, psychic energy, alchemy, reproduction, and ascension.
The transmutation of the life-death-rebirth cycle is exemplified by the shedding of Snake’s skin. It is the knowledge that all things are equal in creation, and that those things which might be experienced as poison can be eaten, ingested, integrated, and transmuted if one has the proper state of mind. – Excerpt from “Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams & David Carson
Thank You for Reading & Witnessing my Process with these Seven Animal Masks.
I am excited to see how these Animal Allies and Prismic Vibrations continue to inform my year and my decade.
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Join my Patreon for Zine Subscriptions and Weekly Art Updates
I post daily on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook about art, magick, zines, and upcoming events.
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Prismic Vision - Violet Crown Snake Violet is the final color in the visible spectrum before the transition into Ultra-Violet. Standing at the threshold of the seen and unseen. It is the color of dreams, imagination, and spirit. This blog post is about the seventh mask, Violet Crown Snake created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the…
#2019#2020#Colorado#Costume#Dance#deeper understanding#Dreams#Eve#Events#Improvisation#Masks#Performance Art#Sacred#Shrines
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This blog post is about the sixth mask, Blue Throat Bat created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont. Read the previous posts in this series about Rabbit, Skunk, Swan. Antelope, & Bat, and other posts about the beginnings of the process as a whole and the success of the actual event. There will be one final post after this one. Be sure to Follow my blog to catch all the updates. So far it has been so wonderful writing and reflecting on the process of this project.
Indigo – Third Eye – Hawk Mask by Khiri Lee
The Beginnings
All of 2019 I was working very closely with the medicine of the birds. Every week I wrote a zine about a different bird messenger called 52 Feathers. Hawk was the perfect ally to have at the Indigo Altar, which was nestled deep in the Third Eye Sky Shrine at the event.
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This mask went through many iterations as I finessed the shape, editing it several times to attempt to capture Hawk, versus another bird such as Eagle or Vulture. This was the second mask I ended up working on, immediately diverting away from my original intention to create the masks in order from Root to Crown. However I have no regrets in following my intuitive path through these seven masks, and in some ways activating my intuitive flow early on, by working with the messenger of intuition, was a fitting choice.
Since this was one of the first masks I worked on I learned a lot about the best ways to work with Papier-mâché. I watched a ton of youtube videos to get the best sense of which paper to use, how thick to make the paste, which materials to make the paste out of, and how to build the armature. The armature is the structure beneath the Papier-mâché, and most of mine included materials such as cardboard, tinfoil, styrofoam, balloons, and masking tape.
I settled on using newspapers for the paper. Even though using an unprinted newsprint may have saved time later, due to needing to prime over all the ads and words, I felt really good about giving new life to the trees that had been used for advertising and news. I didn’t quite realize how much newspaper was being mailed to me each week; weekly ads for the grocery, local press, and a subscription to the daily camera I don’t remember signing up for. I also was thrilled by the magic of tearing newsprint. Pro tip – newsprint has a preferred way to tear, much like fabric. When you find the correct orientation it tears with ease in a straight line. It was SO satisfying tearing hundreds upon hundreds of strips of newspaper.
For the paste I used a homemade mix that was simply flour and water with a pinch of salt to keep it from molding. This project was done on a shoestring budget, so I ended up using a ton of materials that I had in abundance around my house, like flour and water. I found I was happiest using a paste that was fairly thick as long as I could keep it from clumping. There is something extremely satisfying about creating a piece of art with materials that have been in use for hundreds of years. There are records of Papier-mâché being used in China as early as 200 BC!
Before
After
Working with Hawk Medicine and the Energy of Indigo Third-Eye
When Rachel and I began calling in animal allies through Oracle for the event we worked from Crown to Root, and so Third Eye was the second card we pulled. I knew that the Oracle was working when Hawk appeared, since birds are already symbolic messengers of intuition, clarity, and true sight. Their connections to the Heavens through flight makes them a strong ally for the upper Chakras, which are all connected to spirit.
Indigo Hawk – Third Eye Altar Sketch
The Third Eye Chakra is located in the forehead, between and just above the eyes. It is associated with the Pineal Gland, which regulates our circadian rhythm, deeply connecting us with body intuition to the cycles of the world around us; day to night and the change is seasons. The mantra for the Third Eye is I Am Connected.
Indigo is a rich and moody color, easily lumped in with Blue or Purple to the unexperienced. Indigo vibrates with it’s own unique light, a color deeply connected to magick, spellwork, and enhancing psychic abilities. It is the color of the sky in the liminal transition from dusk to night, and night to dawn. Simply resting your eyes on the color Indigo invites a deep sense of meditation.
The Mask in the Space
It seems the Indigo Hawk Altar literally transitioned into a space beyond time, a truly ephemeral altar as I somehow failed to capture an image of it, and no one else I know from the event felt called to capture a picture of the altar. It was so beautiful!
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When conceiving of the design for the Hawk Altar, which would be nestled in the Third Eye Sky Shrine, where psychic readings were being offered, we wanted to have it emulate a nest. We designed it to be a round space, with opportunity to sit and rest all around the altar. Oracle and Tarot Cards were available at the Altar for individuals to tap into their own intuitive knowing, receiving messages for the year ahead. I participated in two powerful readings by the Altar.
The first was a relationship reading, an impromptu divination into my primary relationship performed by a friend using the Osho Zen Tarot Deck. It was spontaneous and amusing to get insights, and like so many tarot readings it was mostly an eerie reflection of what I already knew to be true.
The second reading I did was after New Year’s had passed, as the evening was winding down. I have a tradition of drawing an animal messenger card for the year ahead to see what animal totem would best assist me. I was completely unsurprised when I drew the Blindness Card, which is the card for the snake, whom I was aspecting for the Opening Procession. More on this in the next post for the Violet Snake Mask.
In the Opening Procession, after completing a rebirth dance of the Bat, we flocked together with the Hawk Avatar leading our movements. We concentrated on activating our own head tail connection, a great medicine from bird totems, and peeked over the edges of the balcony, weaving a web of connection through the upper and lower levels. By the time we reached the upper level and were flocking the energy of the Hawk a grand crowd had gathered, to the point that it was becoming difficult to stay together as a flock for the ceremony. Despite the difficulty I was moved by the attention from the participants who were eager to be a part of the sacred manifestation we as ritualist animal avatars were calling into the event.
The words on the Altar were as follows:
Indigo – Third-Eye – Hawk
Medicine of the Messenger.
Far Seeing… Seeing the Whole Picture.
Knowing Somatically & Intuitively.
Mystic observer of the wind and sky, with piercing insight and attention lend me your eyes so that I may see more clearly the landscape of my life. May the subtle movements of emotion, opportunity, and growth be illuminated to me under your keen vision.
With eyes and heart and mind open wide, like the expansive sky, may the obstacles real and unreal be overcome by fierce competence. I am sovereign of my body and spirit as you are sovereign to your sky. – Excerpt from 52 Feathers Zine by Khiri Lee
Stay in Touch
Follow my blog to read about the other animal masks. The final mask in the series is the Violet – Crown – Snake.
Join my Patreon for Zine Subscriptions and Weekly Art Updates
I post daily on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook about art, magick, zines, and upcoming events.
Subscribe to my Newsletter for 10% off in my Etsy Store
Prismic Vision – Indigo Third Eye Hawk This blog post is about the sixth mask, Blue Throat Bat created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the…
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This blog post is about the fifth mask, Blue Throat Bat created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont. Read the previous posts in this series about Rabbit, Skunk, Swan. & Antelope, and other posts about the beginnings of the process as a whole and the success of the actual event. There will be two more posts. Be sure to Follow my blog to catch all the updates. I am looking forward to sharing more deeply about the process I went through with each mask.
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The Beginnings
I was thrilled when Bat appeared in the Oracle for the Throat Chakra. The Oracle continuously sidelined my expectations in the best way. When I was originally thinking about local animals that could hold space for the Prismic vibration of blue and the throat chakra I envisioned animals like wolf or coyote. So when the small but mighty bat appeared it delighted me to look beyond the obvious. And bats are SO COOL! If you don’t know anything about how wonderfully magical bats are, take a second to listen to this podcast by Ologies, and then pop on back for the rest of this post.
The most distinctive features of a bats face are it’s giant ears and adorable nose. Beyond their wings, which I didn’t see a way to include in the mask, they mostly look like mice. I focused on exaggerating the iconic bat features so that the mask would definitely read bat, and not mouse. I started with the ears, using cardboard and tinfoil to create the characteristic ridges.
The nose caused me some trouble, it was difficult to get the angles correct. And then once I had gotten the structure of the face to my liking it took a long time to build the rest of the armature so the mask would stay on the head.
I decorated the mask with crystal imagery, since the Blue Bat Altar was located in the entrance of the Diamond Light Healing Temple, a space for bodywork and sound healing with singing bowls. I adored the crystalline shade of blue I used for the base layer. Shout out to Joy and Aaron, who came in at the 11th hour to help me prime and paint several of the masks. The timeline for this project was a short four weeks, with the winter holidays eating up a fair amount of time. Thankfully, with the help of my artistic community, all of the masks were completed in time for the event on New Year’s Eve.
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Working with Bat Medicine and the Energy of Blue Throat
Having Bat Medicine at the Altar dedicated to communication was extremely cool, because Throat Chakra is dominated by imagery of finding and activating your voice, when being a skilled listener is an extremely important piece to the clear communication puzzle. Bats use echolocation, were they project sound into space and then listen for the map around them. This unique skill teaches the importance of a holistic approach to communication. They are also a creature of the night, becoming an ally for entering our inner landscape. The altar mirrored this association by being in the most cave-like area of the space.
Blue Bat – Throat Altar Sketch
Blue is positively related to truth, peace, loyalty, strength, wisdom, spirit, and freedom, all of which can be unleashed through the use of our voices. It also held space for water and diamonds in the space, the wishing well waters of manifestation.
Throat Chakra is the fifth chakra, and is connected to breathing and speech. The mantra for this Chakra is I am Expressive, and it also deeply connects us to our own inner truth. Finding your unique voice and then being able to share that voice with the world is the gift of the Throat Chakra.
The Mask in the Space
The Blue Bat Altar became one of my favorites at the event. It had amazing movement, with beautiful blue fabrics flowing across a multi-tiered altar. It had a pool of water, connecting the ideas of voice to the fluids of the body. And around the base of the Altar were a collection of river stones, each with a different mantra.
Participants were encouraged to choose a stone and then speak the words, literally activating their voice, into the space. Phrases included “I am the spiral path,” “I am ease,” I am trustworthy,” “I am strong.” I encountered several individuals throughout the night speaking their new found mantra confidently.
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Processed with VSCO with c1 preset
In the Opening Procession the Bat Aspect had three parts. The first was a sounding, and we were invited to hum and call and sing and sound the cave-like space of the stairwell. Once we reached the pinnacle of the space, the top floor of the event, we popcorned across the room exploring our angular body, mirroring the eccentric way of being a bat, with arms folded or emulating hanging upside down. From this position of the folded angular bat we began a rebirthing sequence through dance, birthing new possibilities into the world through our bodies and our voices.
Photo Credit: Jack Jameson
The words on the Altar were as follows:
Blue – Throat – Bat
Sonic Powers.
Death & Rebirth of the Voice.
Skilled Communication.
Bats are gifted with the rare magical ability of echolocation. This highly sophisticated sense combines hearing, speaking, & seeing into a unique experiential super-sense. Practice your unique communication, expanding not only your own vision but also of those around you.
Bats move between worlds with their ability to navigate through the dark (unknown), bring rebirth from death (transformation), and then release fears that stifle growth. What are you ready to let go of? -Tanya Casteel
Stay in Touch
Follow my blog to read about the other animal masks. The next mask in the series is the Indigo – Third Eye – Hawk.
Join my Patreon for Zine Subscriptions and Weekly Art Updates
I post daily on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook about art, magick, zines, and upcoming events.
Subscribe to my Newsletter for 10% off in my Etsy Store
Prismic Vision – Blue Throat Bat This blog post is about the fifth mask, Blue Throat Bat created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the…
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This blog post is about the fourth mask, Green Heart Antelope created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont. Read the previous posts in this series about Rabbit, Skunk, & Swan and other posts about the beginnings of the process as a whole and the success of the actual event. There will be three more posts, one for each mask. Be sure to Follow my blog to catch all the updates. I am looking forward to sharing more deeply about the process I went through with each mask.
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The Beginnings
Once we all had landed on the idea to work with animal allies, in addition to the Prismic Vision theme and the chakra rooms with altars, it also became clear that we wanted those animal allies to be found locally in Colorado. We used the Animal Medicine cards by Jamie Sams & David Carson to discern which allies would appear at which altars. I loved getting out of my own way, allowing my personal mythos and associations to fall away to see what threads of connection the universe wished to bring into the mix.
The Animal Ally from Animal Medicine cards by Jamie Sams & David Carson
For the other animals the way forward was fairly clear. However, when we came to the Green Heart center Rachel and I felt pretty strongly that we wanted Deer, or a similar animal ally, to be the guardian of our heart space. The Heart Altar was the central altar, in the middle of everything, and so it was especially important for our heart opening intentions. We couldn’t stop laughing when we drew the blank card from the Oracle deck, a clear sign that it was up to us to choose. To be extra sure we drew one more card, and that card was Pronghorn Antelope. I was excited by this message, for in India Antelope is already the traditional animal totem for the Heart Chakra. To spin this towards our own native Antelope ally lit me up.
I started with the horns, since Pronghorn Antelope have such interesting and distinctive antlers. I looked at many images to be sure I understood the delicate curve, which starts in one facing and then elegantly curves so that the points create almost an upside down heart above the Antelopes head. Like many of the other armatures, I used a combination of tape, cardboard, and tinfoil before cloaking in papier-mâché.
Getting the angles correct
Where do I put the eyes?
Attaching the Antlers and Ears
Finishing the Headdress
The head of the mask took a long time to trouble shoot. Unlike a Rabbit or Skunk, the placement of Antelope’s eye are nothing like that of our human ones. To accurately mimic the elongated face of Antelope I needed to come up with another solution for seeing out of the mask. I eventually settled on lifting the whole face above the head, similar to the Swan mask, making it more into a headdress. Maria of the Shamanic Dolls lead the opening procession. I wanted to be sure she could see clearly to guide the ceremony confidently.
Working with Antelope Medicine and the Energy of Green Heart
Green in the Heart always evokes for me images of Green Tara, Earth Mother, and Kwan Yin. Powerful and Kind goddesses of the Earth. The human eye can see more distinct shades of green than any other color, so I chose to work with the Greens found in the Prismic Vision Postcard, lovely colors between soft jade viridian and a true spring green. Colors that I can easily visualize radiating out from my heart into the whole world around me.
Green is fundamentally linked to nature, as well as joy, balance, harmony, and luck. The Heart Chakra is also a wellspring for balance and deep calm. It is the center were love originates. The mantra for the Heart is “I am Loved.” It is the center of the seven chakras, sitting equidistant from the higher realms of spirit and insight, and the lower realms of ground and action.
Green Antelope – Heart Altar Sketch
Pronghorn Antelope in this Green Heart space speaks to choosing action from the Heart. In society today we so often make decisions based on our mind or our gut, being driven by the pressures of every day to stay afloat in the chaos. Decisions made from the heart lead us along a different pathway, and although it may not seem clear at first, in the end our decisions are made with authentic integrity.
The Mask in the Space
The Green Heart Altar was extremely special. The base was built just for the event to meet the ever evolving needs of the central room. The central lobby was the literal heart of the event, with people pulsing through it constantly and a flurry of diverse performances, workshops, and art installations.
Photo Credit: Jack Jameson
The altar was built up to be a mound of sacred earth energy. Moss had been collected then reverently placed across it and a giant activator quartz crystal anchored the center. Pieces from the Healing Helix that had blended wishes and grief at Arise Festival were affixed to the sides for a communal weaving. Baskets of yarn were arranged around the altar, interspersed with candles and mindful art. The Antelope Mask rested confidently on the connection of two pieces of the Helix. Above the Altar hung sacred geometric shapes, a crystal Merkaba and a copper activator pyramid which flooded the space with energy.
As happens so often with participatory art the weaving took a life of its own. It expanded beyond the intended panels from the helix to envelop the whole altar. Even the Antelope Mask was woven into the Altar. When the time came to retrieve the mask for the Opening Procession it was already thoroughly bound into the magic of the Heart, and took some delicate unraveling to free it for the ceremony.
The Altar was on wheels so when the Procession arrived in the central room it was moved to make room for our dance. We began by spiraling around Maria, creating a nexus of energy, a revelation. We danced toward her from Despair to Hope, dancing from the action of our hearts, landing connected together. Then spinning back out into the room we called out our intentions, inviting the whole room to speak their activations. It was a glorious, hopeful moment of Unity.
The words on the Altar were as follows:
Green – Heart – Pronghorn Antelope
Clear & Direct … Decisive Action.
Ancestor Wisdom.
The Imagination of the Heart.
Antelope signifies knowledgeable action; action that has its basis in clarity, focus, and commitment. Antelope is a symbol for the antenna of your hara, which attaches you to Great Mystery by its long cords of light. As we look at Antelope, we become aware of our mortality and the short time we have on this planet. With this is mind, we must act accordingly.
Antelope medicine is the knowledge of life’s circle. Knowing of death, Antelope can truly live. Action is the key and essence of living.
– Excerpt from “Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams & David Carson
Rachel and I Resting & Admiring the Altar after the Event
Stay in Touch
Follow my blog to read about the other animal masks. The next mask in the series is the Blue – Bat – Throat.
Join my Patreon for Zine Subscriptions and Weekly Art Updates
I post daily on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook about art, magick, zines, and upcoming events.
Subscribe to my Newsletter for 10% off in my Etsy Store
Prismic Vision – Green Heart Antelope Pronghorn Antelope in this Green Heart space speaks to choosing action from the Heart. Decisions made from the heart lead us along a different pathway, a pathway of authentic integrity. This blog post is about the fourth mask, Green Heart Antelope created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the…
#2019#2020#Colorado#Goddess#healing#HeartDance#Horned Gods#Masks#nature#Performance Art#Sacred#Series
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This blog post is about the third mask, Golden Solar Plexus Swan created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont. Read the previous posts in this series about Rabbit & Skunk and other posts about the beginnings of the process as a whole and the success of the actual event. There will be four more posts, one for each mask. Be sure to Follow my blog to catch all the updates. I am looking forward to sharing more deeply about the process I went through with each mask.
The Beginnings
When I began working on the Swan mask I couldn’t fathom a way to clearly signal that it was in fact a swan mask with the face of the animal alone. And so I ended up creating a whole Swan headdress, with the elegant neck and powerful wings in full view. After the Rabbit Mask, the Swan was the largest of the masks. Creating the armature for the head, neck, and wings was extremely satisfying, although it took a lot of trial and error to determine the best course to take.
The Head and Neck of the Swan were made out of cardboard and tons and tons and tons of masking tape to secure all the pieces together. It took several attempts at construction and reconstruction before I was satisfied the silhouette was correct. The body of the Swan was from a balloon. Using a balloon to create the base for Papier-mâché is a tried and true method. I used it for several of the masks, including the snake, rabbit, and skunk. During the drying one of the balloons popped before the process had completed. My carefully crafted globe of wheat paste and newspaper was a floppy mess. After a brief moment of devastation I salvaged as much as I could of the deflated mass. At first I thought these salvaged pieces could become the wings of the Swan, but in the end they weren’t the correct shape and I pivoted to using them for the snake. To create the wings of the swan I instead used copious amounts of tinfoil, which I then carefully encased in masking tape, and then sealed in Papier-mâché.
The Primer-less Swan
Sara Trying on Her Mask
Late night studio session to paint over all the newsprint.
The Swan was one of the first masks I started and ended being the final mask I Papier-mâchéd; it took forever to dry. In my haste I forgot to paint the mask in primer before attempting to spray paint the base color of yellow. I learned very quickly that the primer of white was fairly crucial. Pressed by the deadline I soldiered on, but I ended up using way more spray paint and acrylic to completely cover the newsprint on the Swan. Despite the complications and setbacks the Swan mask became one of my favorite, and Sara, who aspected the Swan in the Opening Procession wore the mask beautifully.
Working with Swan Medicine and the Energy of Yellow Solar Plexus
I was so ecstatic when Swan appeared as the animal ally for the Yellow Shrine and Solar Plexus Chakra. My partner in conjuring the allies wasn’t convinced at first, as we already had a bird for the Indigo Shrine, Hawk. However I felt that Swan and Solar Plexus were a delightful pairing. Swans are a bird for the Warrioress, and as the Solar Plexus is the seat of will in the world, creating a new story of Feminine Power in relationship to this Chakra was extremely evocative for me. The Chakra Mantra for the Solar Plexus is I am Strong, and Swan’s are certainly a powerful bird.
Golden Swan – Solar Plexus Altar Sketch
Over the course of the project Yellow morphed into a more Golden aspect. Gold is a luxurious and royal color. It glows like warm honey and the shining sun. It radiates a sense of wealth, success, and shining optimism. Stories of the Swan linked to the Golden Egg and Valkyries heavenly armor continued to weave a web of mythic meaning around the Golden Yellow Swan Mask. I especially wanted to capture the sense of the Woman Warrior by evoking the iconic imagery of the Valkyrie’s winged helmet in the placement of the Golden Wings on the Mask.
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The Mask in the Space
The Altar for the Swan was in the entrance hall to the event. After transcending into the space through a prismically rainbow stairway the Swan Altar became the first piece of the even participants encountered. It was one of the most stately shrines, and to continue the desire for welcoming and invitation supplies to write New Year’s wishes were provided at the base of the Altar.
Photo Credit: Jack Jameson
Photo Credit: Jack Jameson
Photo Credit: Jack Jameson
People wrote the most beautiful wishes, resolutions, activations, and manifestations on the giant mural provided by the Swan Altar, and I enjoyed revisiting the opening hallway as the night progressed to see how the mural continued to evolve.
Photo Credit: Ethan Green
For the Opening Procession we circulated the energy of the event, briefly traveling outside and then up the Rainbow Stairway into the main space, gliding like a flock of elegant Swans and whispering our Swan Mantras. “Listen to your intuition”… “Find power through graceful and beauty”…”Only through the feminine will we find our revolution”… and so on. It was so beautiful to whisper such meaningful affirmations while witnessing all of the people who had come to enjoy New Year’s Eve at the event.
The words on the Altar were as follows:
Yellow – Solar Plexus – Swan
I will surrender to the flow of the spiral
and trust what I am shown
Beauty, Light & Grace.
Beautiful, Majestic, Powerful, Loyal Swan! Remind me of my own inner grace and beauty. Share with me the wisdom of time and change. To reflect inward, as the water ripples out across time, on how to connect my mind to my heart, my inner landscape to my outer appearances, and my self love to the partnerships in my life. Be here now. -Excerpt from 52 Feathers Zine by Khiri Lee
Through the Feminine will we find our Revolution
Stay in Touch
Follow my blog to read about the other animal masks. The next mask in the series is the Green – Heart – Antelope.
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Prismic Vision - Golden Solar Plexus Swan Mask Beautiful, Majestic, Powerful, Loyal Swan! Remind me of my own inner grace and beauty. This blog post is about the third mask, Golden Solar Plexus Swan created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the…
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This blog post is about the second mask, Orange Sacral Skunk created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont. Read the first post in this series about Red Root Rabbit and other previous posts about the beginnings of the process as a whole and the success of the actual event. There will be five more posts, one for each mask. Be sure to Follow my blog to catch all the updates. I am looking forward to sharing more deeply about the process I went through with each mask.
The Beginnings
Originally my plan for these masks was to create them in order, from red to orange, and root to crown. However, after the completion of the Rabbit mask the timeline and my own creative flow didn’t allow for that to happen. In the end I worked on several masks simultaneously, creating different pieces of the armatures for some, while finishing the base of others.
The skunk mask was one of the last I completed. At first I thought I wanted to aspect as the skunk in the Opening Procession, as I had been working closely with orange in a Rainbowmancy course by the endlessly magical Molly Roberts. I was wearing orange, eating orange and had reset my altar to be be overflowing with orange. So when the animal allies were being assigned I was at first dismayed to miss out on deepening my connection to Skunk and Sacral energies. In the end holding space for the Snake, which will be the final post in this series, was deeply satisfying.
As I began creating the armature for the skunk, and looking at reference photos, I quickly realized that I had a very poor mental image of what a skunk actually looks like. Look at a real skunk. They are adorable! Their faces are actually quite long and slender, somewhere between a cat and dog. And communicating that the mask was a skunk, while also making it orange versus the iconic black and white that skunk is firmly associated with, was a challenge. In the end I did incorporate more black and white then any of the other masks, and the tribal spots were a last minute addition that felt just right. It had an aboriginal, ancestral quality to me, and the lower chakras have always felt deeply resonant with ancestry.
Working with Skunk Medicine and the Energy of Orange Sacrum
My home is filled with Orange. I have lots of orange art and a one-of-a-kind orange couch. When I grew out of completely adoring Pink and Purple, I stubbornly adored Orange for most of school (Today I have returned to loving Pink and Purple as well). Orange is also my husbands favorite color so I spend a lot of time with this color. It is a color of spunk and surprise. Its warming, like cinnamon and spice. It is a cheer to look at, filling one with energy. A kind and optimistic color.
Orange Skunk – Sacral Altar Sketch
The Sacral Chakra is the second Chakra, located between the belly button and hips, and powered by the sexual organs. It is the Chakra related to creativity, relationships, and sensuality. Once your root is grounded, the Sacrum facilitates feeling and connection with the world. The mantra for this Chakra is “I am Creative.”
When skunk appeared in the Oracle I knew it was the perfect fit. Skunk appears to remind of us our place in the world, and the connections between scent and sensuality are obvious. Perfume, bouquets, pheromones, and musk all have a potent symbolic mythology in the collective culture for relationships, and so skunk, with his potent smell, sits comfortably as the animal ally for Orange Sacrum.
The Mask in the Space
The Orange Skunk mask resided on a playful altar in the room where workshops, contact improv, and food were being offered. It was against a mirror, inviting reflection on Body, Self, and Connection to the event. The interplay between the activities in the room and the invocations on the altar worked seamlessly.
In the opening procession Maria and Joy invited us to connect and disconnect, playing with the tension of eye contact then moving toward a partner and then moving away moments before touching. A rapid drum beat demanded attention and stirred the energy of the prayerformance. To finish the activation of Skunk in the space we finally landed in connection with another, melting into contact and into the floor.
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The words on the Altar were as follows:
Orange – Sacral – Skunk
Self Respect and Reputation.
Attraction & Repulsion… that then melts into connection and yielding.
When one learns to assert, without ego, what and who you are. Respect follows. Your self-respectful attitude will repel those who are not of like mind, and yet will attract those who choose the same pathway. As the odor of Skunk attracts others of its kind, it repels those who will not respect its space. – Excerpt from “Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams & David Carson
What are you attracted to? Where have you set your boundaries? Who do you want to be in the world? Notice the energy you are channeling into the room… how are others reacting to you?
Stay in Touch
Follow my blog to read about the other animal masks. The next mask in the series is the Yellow – Solar Plexus – Swan.
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Prismic Vision - Orange Sacral Skunk The creative process for creating the Skunk Mask for New Years Eve Opening Procession. This blog post is about the second mask, Orange Sacral Skunk created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the…
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Red Root Rabbit Mask by Khiri Lee | Papier Mache & Paint (2019)
This blog post is about the first mask, Red Root Rabbit, created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont. Read my previous posts about this event to learn more about the beginnings of the process as a whole and the success of the actual event. There will be six more posts, one for each mask. Be sure to Follow my blog to catch all the updates. I am looking forward to sharing more deeply about the process I went through with each mask.
The Beginnings
Bringing together the constellation of symbols and meanings for each mask and altar was quite the task, however it began evolve into a unique mythology for the event. When I began the endeavor of creating seven animal masks for Prismic Vision New Years Eve in December I at first thought I would create them in the order of the Chakras, or the Rainbow, that inspired their colors.
And I did begin with the Red Root Rabbit, which is the expected place to start. However, beyond starting with Rabbit, which was the smoothest to create, the others were created in a mixed up mash of pieces and parts that wandered from one animal to the next in the most watery way.
It had been many years since I last worked with Papier Mache. I created the armature for the Rabbit mask with a balloon, paper, masking tape, and some styrofoam from a pair of boots. I used many reference photos from Pinterest (what an amazing resource!) which helped me stay on course. In the end I was quite proud of the likeness of a rabbit I created. The intention was to have masks that had a grand presence of their own in the space, which lead to them being quite large.
Working with Rabbit Medicine and the Energy of Red Root
The root vibrates with the color red. Red is the color of blood, passion, and action. It is a highly stimulating color filled with warmth and vitality. It encourages movement. The Root is the first chakra, located at the base of the spine, the pelvis, and down through to our feet. It is associated with Courage, Finding Ground, and the Mantra for this Chakra that I was working with was “I am Safe.”
Red Rabbit – Root Altar Sketch
When the Rabbit appeared in the Oracle it was unexpected and simultaneously wonderfully apt, like so many of the animal allies that came in for this event. I loved the initial images of a blood red rabbit that sprang into my mind. Rabbit, with their big feet, are in deep connection with the ground, and have a strong sense of erotic intelligence, which the lower chakras hold domain over.
The Mask in the Space
The Dance Floor at Prismic Vision NYE – Photo Credit: Jack Jameson
The weaving that Maria and Joy brought into the story, through the choreography of the opening procession, was conquering fear and the quantum leap. The leap symbolized the growth that we all see and hope for in our communities toward a wild new way of living, loving, and being on the Earth. In the Procession we carried Margo, who was aspecting the Rabbit for the event, across the room in a dynamic show of community and flight. Unfortunately very few photos of the Opening Procession were captured, which in some ways is deeply appropriate, as ritual space is beyond the veil of pros
Red Root Altar at Prismic Vision NYE
The Red Root Rabbit Altar was on the dance floor, mirroring the ecstatic movement of dancing in spirit. Below are the words found on the Altar:
Red – Root – Rabbit
Energetic of Great Leaps of Consciousness.
The Energy of Conquering Fear.
Fertility.
Making hops, leaps, and rapid turns are a comfortable and natural choice for Rabbit. You don’t follow a linear smooth path, so trust your instincts for where to jump next. Rabbit plans for all possibilities.
As you plan, notice your fears and explore them. Are they just an exaggerated story? Where does that story come from? Are you worrying about something in the past or future? Ask yourself what’s actually happening right now, in this moment. – Tanya Casteel
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Stay in Touch
Follow my blog to read about the other six animal masks. The next mask in the series is the Orange – Sacral – Skunk.
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Prismic Vision - Red Root Rabbit How the Red Rabbit Mask for NYE 2020 Came to Be. This blog post is about the first mask, Red Root Rabbit, created for the Prismic Vision NYE event hosted by the Body Earth Collective in Longmont.
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This NYE I was honored to have the opportunity to create seven magnificent animal masks for seven Prismic color altars and a ritual activation performance at Body Earth Collective’s Body Alive Prismic Vision event.
Activating the Avatars in the Opening Ceremony
The night was filled with beautiful spaces, beautiful people, nourishing food, nurturing workshops, evocative performances, and heartwarming music.
The Beginnings
In collaboration with Rachel Prairie-Wiebeck, Producer of the the event, and the amazing Joy Vita Verde, we designed the altars to meet the needs of each individual space, color, and animal.
Our goals were:
To create pockets for contemplation and introspection in every corner of the event.
To activate the magick of the seven colors which anchored the theme for the whole event and infused the spaces.
To charge the event with ritual and deeper meaning.
To showcase the seven animal masks, which were designed to amplify the mythic meaning for each color altar.
To unify the three levels of the event with sacred spaces in every room, connecting the colors in a continuous exploration of spectrum.
Blue Bat – Throat Altar Sketch
Indigo Hawk – Third Eye Altar Sketch
Violet Snake – Crown Altar Sketch
Golden Swan – Solar Plexus Altar Sketch
Orange Skunk – Sacral Altar Sketch
Green Antelope – Heart Altar Sketch
You can read more about the beginnings of this process in my previous blog post here.
The Shrines
As an artist there is something truly magickal about seeing a sketch become a fully realized spectacle of beauty. Each shrine turned out better than I could have imagined, and our teams ability to bring to life the loose ideas from the sketches was utterly magnificent. The shrines came together on the day of the event with such ease, and the added a level of artistry to every space. I am so proud of how they came together.
Red Rabbit Root Altar
Red Rabbit Altar Sketch
The Ritual Activation
Maria Flegas of the Shamanic Dolls and Joy Vita Verde choreographed the richly symbolic opening ceremony for New Year’s Eve. The ritual traveled through each space, activating the animal ally and the prismic intention of every room. It was evocative, spontaneous, primal, and a powerful way to end the year. I participated as the Violet Snake, ending the prayerformance through the symbolic shedding of all the ancestral secrets, the other ritualists running their hands over my body, physically gesturing the pulling away of skin and secrets, just as the snake does with its own skin as it grows.
When I tune into my body I am still buzzing with the power of the ceremony. It was transcendent to hold space for ancestor, for change, for alchemy, for secrets, for the room of witness. I wanted to burst into tears. I wanted to cry out in exaltation. I want to thank Maria and Joy for creating such a powerful moment of performance and ritual.
I am still trying to track down any snatches of video of the opening ceremony to share with you all, but I fear that it was an ephemeral moment, only meant to be witnessed by those in the room at that time and place. Despite the lack of physical ephemera from the ceremony I am confident that the ripples of purpose are continuing to affect the year ahead.
The Masks
Green Heart Antelope – Papier Mache & Acrylic Paint (2019)
The animals for the seven masks were summoned through Oracle for the event. It was a tremendous journey creating each one, integrating them into the space and then the ceremony at New Year’s Eve. Each one was infused with intention, bringing a medicine into the room whether the participants were aware of the magic around them or not.
I will be featuring each mask in it’s own blog post over the next week to share the depth of meaning and artistry that was infused into each one. I will also share more about each shrine, and each piece of the ritual ceremony. Stay tuned and follow this blog or my twitter @magick_socks to receive notifications about each post.
My hope is to continue to create art with these masks. I see more ritual procession this year, keeping the magic of these animal allies alive through performance, costume, and play.
Thanks for Reading. Be Well.
Prismic Vision NYE – Masks, Shrines, & Ritual Theatre This NYE I was honored to have the opportunity to create seven magnificent animal masks for seven Prismic color altars and a ritual activation performance at…
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52 Facets - New Weekly Zine for 2020
52 Facets - New Weekly Zine for 2020 about Crystals and their shining Magick!
A new year! A new weekly zine!
My last rotation around the sun was deeply informed by my weekly vigil with a different bird messenger in 52 Feathers. Each week I would discover the mythic medicine of various birds and it always blew me away how synchronous each invocation was to the present moment in my life.
Birds are aligned with the East and the East is symbolic of Air and…
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I feel blessed to have been invited onto the Vision Team for Body Earth Collective’s absolutely life-changing event Body Alive NYE – Prismic Vision 2020.
I attended their NYE event last year, and it rocked my world. It prepared me for so many of the amazing opportunities that spiraled into my life this year. The midnight meditation was affirming, the music and dancing was invigorating, and the community was palpable.
Ritual Procession
To activate the event and begin creating the portal to transition into the new decade a ritual procession has been choreographed by the wonderful Maria Flegas, of Shamanic Dolls, and Joy Vita Verde. To support the energy of this ritual I have created seven animal masks. These animal allies showed up through oracle to be a part of the event, and each on brings such powerful medicine to the room.
In addition to appearing as avatars in ritual procession these animal masks will also be on seven prismic altars throughout the space. The event is across three floors, with dancing, meditation, participatory performance art and art installations peppered throughout. These seven altars hold and connect these spaces with the magic of the rainbow and the protection of the animal allies.
Chakra Rooms
Crown – Snake – Violette – Light Club
3rd Eye – Hawk – Indigo – 3rd Eye Sky Shrine
Throat – Bat – Blue – Diamond Light Healing Temple
Heart – Antelope – Green – Heart Lounge
Solar Plexus – Swan – Yellow – Transition spaces
Sacral – Skunk – Orange – CI/Workshops – Cafe
Root – Rabbit – Red – DJs – Renaissance Room
Animal Mask Creation
Creating these masks has been a huge push of my creative efforts. It has been many years since I created with Papier-mâché , and I forgot how satisfying it is to sculpt in 3D. Here are some images from my process:
I am brimming with anticipation for New Years! To see these masks come alive at the event is an artists dream. I will be activating the Violet Snake Mask for the procession, which will be on the Crown Altar in a participatory dream fort installation. I am so ready to dance, ritual, meditate, create, and play into the 2020.
Tickets are still available & I would love
to see you there!
Buy your tickets here!
Animal Masks for Prismic Vision 2020 - Don't Miss this Magical NYE Event
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Triple Goddess Stickers
Everyone love stickers! I have stickers all over the place. On my water bottles, on my fridge, on my computer, in my journals. Piles of stickers waiting to find a place to be stuck. Oodles! And it seems other people love stickers too! So I made some stickers. Huzzah!
Announcing my Triple Goddess Sticker Pack!
The Triple Goddess stickers feature the Crone Goddess Cailleach Beara, the…
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Sometimes a Playshop comes together with a delicious constellation of participants, art supplies, meaning, and creation. The HeArt Zine Creative Playshop I co-facilitated with the remarkable Dodi Jackson was one such moment in time.
You can read about the creative process that lead to magic of this Creative Playshop in this post.
Invigorated and cocooned by the intentional Heart energy that permeated the whole of The Body Now Retreat, hosted by Turning the Wheel Productions, a circle of woman gathered in a snug room separate from the expansive spaces the rest of the retreat. Everyone dropped into a creative process guided by their intuitive heart with ease. Dodi and I fostered the creative environment with embodying activities and meditations at the beginning of each session.
A Watery Maximalist Composition
Warm Reds and Bronze
Pops of Color
Strips of Texture
Spacious Nuetrals
Bold Colors and Gesso
The first two days of the Creative Play were spent with colorful papers, feathers, Gelli-prints, and fabrics which were used to create some of the most evocative collages I have ever seen. Each one was a unique manifestation of the individual. As always I was caught off guard by the unexpected combinations of color and texture, swirling into existence in ways that I would never imagine myself.
I always make the project along with participants. Not only is it fun to play as well but I have the opportunity to model different ways to work with the materials.
Once the collages were complete and dry we folded them up. This was a wonderful process to witness. The images completely transformed as they metamorphosed from a flat one dimensional image into an interactive booklet with eight tiny collages. Complete but separate. I adore this process of change. It keeps the process free of attachment, which so deeply mirrors the truth of our Heart space.
The Beginnings of my Heart Message
The final step of the process was to discover a message from your heart to weave through the images of the collage. Dodi is a master found poem creator and brought her genius to this process, gently guiding people into discovery. I had also curated a luscious list of words and quotes, as well as shared the magical collection of love notes from my friend Lizzi. The combinations that appeared in the poems were surprising and profound and unique. I was deeply touched by each message.
Hydration by Khiri Lee @magick_socks
Hydration by Khiri Lee @magick_socks
Hydration by Khiri Lee @magick_socks
HeArt Zine by Lulu Delphine @lululistens
HeArt Zine by Lulu Delphine @lululistens
HeArt Zine by Lulu Delphine @lululistens
Wild Awakening by Marlena
Wild Awakening by Marlena
Wild Awakening by Marlena
The completed HeArt Zines were placed in the space for the closing ritual of the retreat to radiate their deep heart wisdom into the room. The coven of creators also had the opportunity to embody a piece of their poem in front of the whole retreat, moving and speaking and showing off their zine. There is a video of all the zines together on my Instagram. Be sure to check it out and follow me over there. It’s pretty magical!
I hope to bring this HeArt Zine Playshop to more people and other venues. I was so nourished and satisfied by the process. I now have three HeArt Zines, and going back and reading them I still receive fresh wisdom from my found words each time. If you would like to join me for my next HeArt Zine Playshop be sure to Sign Up for my Newsletter to never miss an offering or Like my Facebook Page to see upcoming events.
Be well and Blessed Be!
Reflections from my HeArt Zines Creative Playshop at the Body Now Summer Retreat this past June. What beautiful creations! Sometimes a Playshop comes together with a delicious constellation of participants, art supplies, meaning, and creation. The HeArt Zine Creative Playshop I co-facilitated with the remarkable Dodi Jackson was one such moment in time.
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Last May I participated in a Ritual Theatre Workshop hosted by the Shamanic Dolls called Pattern Disruption. The premise for the workshop was to create a character to disrupt some pattern in your life. I met Melinda, one of the two facilitators, at a Denver Immersive Theatre gathering earlier in the year and as soon as she told me about the Shamanic Dolls I was itching to get involved with their magical work.
Shamanic Dolls is an interactive theater company devoted to the expansion of consciousness through ritual, activism, sacred comedy, political-burlesque, and embodiment of the divine. Our collaborative approach allows us to offer a powerful platform for artists to explore relevant topics in a unique and compelling way. (from the website)
I jumped in, despite a few nerves, already in a different character. The first day of the workshop coincided with the Pearl Street Tulip Festival and I didn’t have time to change costumes before rushing down to Denver. I knew I was in a good spot when I was welcomed with enthusiasm.
The performative and ritual practices of the workshop definitely challenged me in new and interesting way. I didn’t always enjoy the activities, but I could feel new ideas emerging and growing and manifesting so like a good long run or visit to the dentist I felt like I was benefitting A LOT.
The other facilitator Maria encouraged us to dive deeply and quickly while holding sacred space. The intention set was clear. “The intention of this workshop it to ARM you with lasting tools, techniques, and practices that will enable you to powerfully CRAFT your ritual performance and ACTIVATE your unique performative signature.” It felt good to be in a circle of people committed to heal through the arts. I am no stranger to the idea the creativity is a vital part of any healing journey, and it was refreshing to come at this idea from a new angle.
The Character
Sing to the stars!! Absurdity!Epiphany! Anything can and will happen. ~~ Quantum is time. A vast radiant Self that has been awaiting this remembering. Reality is to be manifested. @spacedancekitten as QuanTime~ the Quantum Time Traveller Pattern Disruption 2019 Photo by Devotion Earth Media
Through the course I created the character Quantime, the Time Traveler. Here is her story:
Quantum was born with the Star Beings when the story of time birthed out whole and complete. She knew her place in all of time and space.
And then forgot.
Forgot through the trial and error of relation and assimilation and now finds herself in a linear dimension caught in a cycle of give and regret. She has placed every part of her self up and out of herself, in buoyant balloons. They are playful, like she was, and free floating, like she was, and she keeps giving them away, whether she is sure to give them away or not, with the hesitant hope of being met or being loved or being seen. But its not working. Each time she gives away a precious piece of herself the weight of regret is heavier, a loom of disappoint, mixed with embarrassment and shame and loathing, a veil of memories that keep the truth of space and time and self away. And then Give turns to Take, the story continues to skew further out of focus.
And then all the balloons are gone.
The linear cycle exhausts itself. In sleep or dream or day dream with nothing left to give.
photo credit: Devotion Earth Media
Remember. I am here. This is trust. This is connection. This is health. I exist here. Quantum exists above, beyond, within, without stepping to and from which ever time space dimension is needed to be in connection, in love, in pleasure, in trust, as this time is right time best time and all time is happening now. Keep this feeling. Through friendship the veil is lifted away.
She doesn’t want to forget again. She doesn’t want to forget herself. She doesn’t want to regress back to the linear cycle. She is a magnificent Time Traveler with wild and wondrous powers. Still hesitant. Watching. Slow. Distant. Elevated. Apart from. Drifting. Safety through stillness, caution, steadiness. Fear of losing herself again. Seeing the illusion and seeing time and space, through lenses, through her bones. Seeing allies in the dimensions beyond time. She wants to forever stay the same. In this place of knowing.
Seeing the forces at work that teach a cycle of consumption she freezes. Static.
A solution. If she captures this moment. If she sinks deeply inside herself. Into the bones knowing then there will be safety. Knowing that this knowing is the solution. Satisfied. FLASH
photo credit: Devotion Earth Media
Paradox through freedom. Stillness is not the solution. The bones are never still. They are water and grow and change and heal. Absurdity. Epiphany. Anything can and will happen. Quantum is time. A vast radiant Self that has been awaiting this remembering. Reality is to be manifested. She is much much much more than she could have ever hoped for. From here anything and everything is possible. Expansive. Let’s play! Let’s play in the magic of it all!
The Pattern Disruption Performance
The culmination of the workshop was the opportunity to perform. I LOVE to perform! And the opportunity to place this character into the alchemy of ritual and improvisational theatre was enticing. Costumed and Rehearsed as an ensemble we had two delicious and unique performances.
photo credit: Devotion Earth Media
The first was at the Nalanda Campus of Naropa in an intimate studio room. “Step into a constellation of celestial time keepers, dreamers, and healers. This performance will be the alchemy of a seven-week shamanic journey through the psyches, dreamscapes and cellular wisdom of 18 magnificent human entities. Hold ritual space. Meet them. Touch the heart of desire and fall in love with humankind.” The audience sat in and around three stations for vignettes to appear. The show was deeply complex, as each participant had an arc they wished to complete. That in itself was a learning, seeing how we all negotiated the script and the improvisational elements to activate the stories that needed to be. In all the show was beautiful, like a waking dream.
Maria Flegas as Fractyl photo credit: Devotion Earth Media
photo credit: Devotion Earth Media
photo credit: Devotion Earth Media
The second performance was even more fluid, appearing at the Howl at the Moon festival, outside in the elements. “Relish in a deep Full Moon Ritual as you explore this caravan of wild beings from beyond. Tour the mystic menagerie and discover what gift each has for you. Immersive exploratory theater experience followed by a procession of spectacle which will capture you in a time beyond time.” The show began loosely with the cast of characters out in the crowd. It felt good to explore the edges of giving away balloons, the hesitancy and uncertainty of loss with strangers. Once the show began it was filled with serendipitous encounters. It began to rain as a water blessing began. My camera, which hadn’t worked the night before, caught many wonderful photos of the finale. The “Flash” of epiphany came through sideways when the lights for the show began to blink unexpectedly. Originally I felt stirred up by the shamanic portal opened under the full moon. Now I feel gratitude for whatever needed to shift inside me.
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With the perspective of time I am so glad I had the opportunity to be a part of this experience. I learned and grew in unexpected ways. I am especially thankful for the abundance of friendships, collaborations, and opportunities that have manifested since the workshop. I look forward to many more performances with the Shamanic Dolls, as the work they are doing is deliciously complex and nourishing to the soul.
You can learn more about their exciting work on their website. They are also hosting a workshop this weekend Sept 22nd at the Circus Center in Boulder. I’ll be there!
“Chasing the Sun, Dreaming the Dark”
Shamanic Dolls ~Pattern Disruption~ A reflection of my experience in a ritual theatre workshop and performance. Last May I participated in a Ritual Theatre Workshop hosted by the Shamanic Dolls called Pattern Disruption.
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Birds of Paradise Paintings
Birds of Paradise Paintings
Before reading this blog post on my new series of paintings take some time to go listen to The Feather Heist on This American Life. I recently listened to this podcast on a road trip to California, and it solidified my desire to create a series of paintings focused on the magic of the Birds of Paradise, the bird, not the flower.
Birds of Paradise are a group of 39 birds found primarily in New…
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Kaleidoscope Collection at Still Cellars
Kaleidoscope Collection at Still Cellars Final Viewing Friday Aug 16th.
Thank You Still Cellars for hosting my art. Thank you Midnight Medicine for playing amazing music!
I thoroughly enjoyed creating a new collection for this show. I ended up hanging the collection on a series of repurposed frames. The end effect was extremely satisfying, reminding me of a cabinet of curiosity. I hope to bring this art as an installation to other venues in the future.
You can read…
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Calling in the Wishes!
Sending out the Grief!
I was gifted an amazing opportunity to co-create an interactive installation for the Healing Village at Arise Festival. It has exceeded all of my expectations for collaboration, creation, participation, and beauty. My heart is brimming with gratitude.
After a brief conversation about my Wishing Well at Enchanted Forest from last year, I found myself in a whirlwind of creation. I didn’t know exactly what I was creating but I knew I was bringing the opportunity for wishing and manifesting to Arise.
I had the joy of collaborating with Damien, Greg, and Beth AKA the Grief Freak, and we conceived of a spiraling temple where wishing and grieving, two extremes of human emotion, could dialogue, expand, manifest, and release.
First Sketches for the Healing Helix
Brainstorming for how to weave Grief and Wish together.
Beth came up with the truly ingenious plan to tie together sticks into portable panels. Two altars would exist at either end of the double spiral. From these altars individuals were invited to add their own mark on the installation. It was a brilliant plan!
So rarely a vision comes together in reality with such ease. When Beth and I first came together to work on the “Healing Helix” we were both visited by snake energy. I found a fully intact snake skin in my yard moments before gathering the first sticks from my spring deadfall, and Beth’s cat found a snake in her yard when she went home to put together her first panel. What a fortuitous visiting!
Beth (the Grief Freak) and I building the “Healing Helix” Credit: Beth Erlander
The “Healing Helix” began its time at Arise as bare skeleton. People at the festival were immediately called towards its simple beauty. As the weekend unfolded it only became more poignant. The Wishing Well was covered in hundreds of wishes concealing all manner of wondrous desires to be called in. The Grief Altar was adorned with hundreds of bundles made from fallen bracken.
As part of the weekend at Arise Beth and I both held events to amplify the power of “Healing Helix.” I offered two Wish Dances, where I gathered an intimate group around the Wishing Well and we embodied our wish through a guided dance. Beth led Grief Ritual.
I was deeply moved by the ritual, experiencing and moving my own emotions. And after we gathered all of the bundles from the weekend and burned them in the sacred fire at Wisdom Village, letting all the Grief go.
Wishing Well on Day One
Grief Alter on Day One
We let the Grief go, and the Wishes have been collected. I will be weaving the wishes into a magical rope of manifestation over the next few months, creating a lasting monument to the dreams that were called in at Arise.
Be sure to follow Beth and I on instagram to see even more pictures & video of the installation, and also so you can see what continues to grow from the “Healing Helix” at Arise.
Blessed Be.
The “Healing Helix” on Day Three photo credit: Beth Erlander
The Healing Helix at Arise Festival Calling in the Wishes! Sending out the Grief! I was gifted an amazing opportunity to co-create an interactive installation for the Healing Village at Arise Festival.
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