#TheSerenityExperience
The Serenity Experience is a piece I created to soothe, and now it seems the world could use a bit of soothing.
Watch this video for even just 5-10 minutes to experience a greater sense of calmness. Try watching it before going to sleep, or during the day at any time you feel like you’re spiraling into negative thoughts. Pick different parts to start watching at. Experiment to see what works best for you!
A bit of background: A handful of years ago, I created a piece that I titled "Serenity" because of the waves of calm that seemed to emanate from it. The more time I spent with this piece, the more I wanted to create a bubble where I could experience it with all my senses somehow. It took months of researching and experimenting (specifically, what triggers our brains to feel calmness and happiness, and are there ways we can harness this?), and the end result was a multi-sensory immersive installation that included a version of the original "Serenity" piece, with video and text layers added to animate it. I wanted to create something that felt like a hug to my own inner child, and for anyone else who spent time in the installation. The response I've had from sharing the installation with dozens of people during events here in Ontario, Canada and also during an artist residency in Paris, France has been great, and I felt beautiful connections with those people. Until early 2020, it was clear in my mind that this was intended to be an "in-person" experience, so that people could connect in real life instead of through a screen. The massive amounts of self-isolation and stress and anxiety experienced globally during the Covid-19 pandemic changed my mind, and inspired me to create the best possible online version that I could, with a couple of guidelines to help viewers become "co-creators" in the way they experience it.
I hope you enjoy a feeling of increased calm, and please feel free to share far and wide!
Scroll down for a few tips to make this a more complete sensory experience if you want :)
** Make sure your audio is turned on, and I would recommend watching in full screen mode if possible **
Tips for the best experience: normally, we would be sitting together in a small booth watching this and experiencing the other sensory elements of the piece, but now you and I are co-creating this :)
Your contribution:
* silence and put away your phone
* find something comforting to hold - I use pebbles from beaches I love, but a stuffed animal or other favouite object would also work
* if you can, surround yourself with a relaxing or uplifting smell - you can diffuse essential oils (lavender is relaxing, citrus is uplifting, or choose a personal favourite), spray a bit of your favourite perfume, light a scented candle - whatever will relax you or bring happy memories
* find somewhere comfortable to sit
* make sure your audio is turned on, and I would recommend watching in full screen mode if possible
Slice of Serenity - a daily series of short videos that I posted on Facebook Live with EASY ideas to reduce stress and anxiety, and increase your happiness levels! Click here for archive of videos.
What’s it all about?
The Serenity Experience is an experiential art installation based on one of my 2D abstract landscape photographic artworks. I’ve used digital and analog techniques to create a multi-sensory experience of the piece within a small hut. My intention is to bring together themes of childhood memories, connecting with nature and the community around us, environmental conservation, and mental health. I believe that art has the power to not only inspire change, but also to heal.
There is an interactive portion at the end, which will engage people further and allow them to share their experiences. Search Instagram using the hashtag #TheSerenityExperience to see behind the scenes images and videos of the original building of the installation, along with sneak peeks and lots of interactive responses from visitors during the 2018 Winter One of a Kind Show and my solo show in a gallery a couple of months later.
As part of my solo exhibition at the Artists’ Network Gallery early in 2019, I created a one-day Serenity mini-retreat. The idea was to take some of the ideas and inspiration behind #TheSerenityExperience installation, and turn it into a day full of good vibes and beautiful moments in the gallery. Click here to see what the schedule of events for the day looked like.
A quick walk through of my immersive installation entitled "The Serenity Experience", starting from approaching the installation through to the interactive magnetic comment board at the end.
