Arts Carrie MaKenna
Studio & Gallery, Denver Colorado
An Interactive Experiential Exhibit by Carrie MaKenna
This interactive art installation and exhibit by artist Carrie MaKenna explores The Universal Circle through painting, sculpture and play. It’s a culmination of 30 years of interest, study, practice and teaching about the Circle as a unique Universal Pattern and Spiritual Resource.
The Circle is found at the center of many spiritual traditions including the Native American Indian Medicine Wheel, the Celtic Stone Circles, the Buddhist Tangkas and Hindu Mandalas among countless others. The Artist has also had a deep life-long interest in Space, the Solar System and the intricate cycles of the Sun, Earth and Moon that define our life on planet Earth.
“We live moment to moment within the influence of The Universal Circle,” says MaKenna. “The Circle is a key form that surrounds and supports us here on Earth. Whether we are aware of it or not, The Universal Circle encompasses our daily lives. It is the basis of the Cycles of Time. We experience the Circle through the cycles of a minute, an hour, a day, month, year, decade, a lifetime. These are marked by the rotation and orbit of the Earth around the Sun, and the Moon around the Earth.”
Enjoy the show.
The Enter The Universal Circle exhibit has several specific elements described below, which include the Four Direction Gates, the Planetary Spiral Walk, the Rainbow Wash, the Moon Phases, and Distant and Unknown Worlds. Additionally the Circle is explored in various visual forms.
These four paintings represent the four directions: East, South, West and North. Each corresponds with a time of day, season and element. They are freestanding in the center of the room to that visitors can approach each of them in the direction they represent.
The Sun and Planets hang in a spiral from the ceiling.
A corresponding spiral on the floor lets visitors know which planet they are standing under.
A narrative panel gives information about the meaning and qualities of each planet.
Not based on any known or existing planets, these paintings explore the experience of a planetary body as it exists in space. What's it like out there - buffeted by gravity and objects, impacted by contraction and expansion, strained by heat and fire. What beauty lies in the pockmarks and striations left on the surface.
This feature of the exhibit allows visitors to literally step inside a rainbow. A Rainbow Wash is a Universal resource that is meant to help you to cleanse and clear your physical, mental and emotional energies.
It is a way to let go of any preconceived ideas and feelings about what you see, think and feel.
It is a way to prepare yourself to experience this interactive exhibit with a sense of wonder and joy.
Part the ribbons anywhere and step into the center of the Rainbow Wash.
Please don’t spin the ribbons, as the attachment is fragile.
Instead, you may turn to the right within the Rainbow Wash.
Let each color wash over you and clear away any fears, worries or concerns about what this is all about.
When you are ready, come out refreshed and ready to move to the Yellow Eastern Gate.
There you will find more information about how to proceed into the Universal Circle and greet each Directional Gate.
Community Mandala Experience
This Exhibit includes several interactive experience elements. On of them is the creation of a Community Mandala that is in the center of the Four Direction Gates.
I can provide an Event in which the attendees participate in a Circle Dance and add an item to the Community Circle from a table of objects I provide. And throughout the Exhibit guests are invited to add one of the provided items to the Community Circle.
Moon Boxes
The Moon Phases are created with mirrors. The Moon
doesn't have it's own light source. It reflects the Sun's light. As visitors look into the Moon Boxes the also see their own reflection in
the various phases of the Moon.
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When I considered what I wanted to convey about the Universal Circle I wanted to make it accessible to anyone without any previous knowledge of the Circle, or any particular spiritual or religious viewpoint. It was relatively easy to think about the Directions of the Circle as they relate to time, seasons and elements. And wanted visitors to be able to approach the Directions and experience them as gateways they could enter visually. My husband, Craig, designed the stands for the Gates.
I also wanted to activate the whole space in the gallery including the center of the room as well as the ceiling, floor and walls through experiences that would engage visitors beyond just looking at artwork on walls and pedestals such as you find in traditional galleries and museums.
Once I figured out the direction gates I thought about the ceiling. "What is circular that hangs in space? Oh, the Planets!" That was a no-brainer for me since I've been fascinated with the Solar System and Planets since childhood. As soon as I started making the forms they started directing me about how they would like to be "dressed" for this occasion.
The first one to speak up was Pluto who said, "I'm a Planet dammit!" Then it showed me an image of the comic strip Rose is Rose in her alter-ego Vicki the Biker Chick. Pluto said, "I'm out here in far space holding to my orbit despite the sub-zero temperatures and the lack of light. I'm badass. I want to wear rhinestones and chain-mail."
And of course the Moon had to play a significant role in the exhibit. I was working on the Moon boxes I tried several ideas to create them. Since the Moon doesn't create it's own light I wanted them to be reflective. I settled on the idea of carving the back of round mirrors and painting them so that the mirror material would reflect people's faces as they looked at them. The idea was that we see the moon reflecting the sun and we are reflected in the Moon's phases.
I created 32 new pieces of artwork in 3 months during which I had a hip replacement. It was a unique time because as I worked there were many coincidences that occurred. I often worked at odd hours and into the night.
While working on the Planets and the Moon Boxes I could sit on the couch with the tv on for company. One night flipping through channels I came across a new series about recent discoveries about the Planets. Another time I found a documentary series about the Moon missions.
This was also the summer of the American Solar Eclipse. On August 21, 2017 my husband and I drove to Wyoming to be in the path of the path of totality. Talk about a Universal Circle experience. It was the ultimate interplay of the Sun the Earth and the Moon.
This work is a high point in your art. I was literally stunned by the beauty and degree of creativity.
09-09-17 Pat Pendleton, Lakewood CO
09-09-17 Patricia Moore, Centennial CO
09-09-17
Mike Kloepfer, Arvada CO
09-09-17 Doug Wells, Lakewood CO
09-09-17 Tabetha Landt, Denver CO
09-10-17 Deanna Raso, Lakewood CO
09-11-17 Ericka Salerno
09-13-17 Sharon Frenzen, Lakewood CO
9-14-17 Mary Jo Honiotes, Centennial CO
9-14-17 Deb Gee, Lakewood CO
09-16-17 Mark Penner-Howell, Lakewood CO
09-18-17 Barbara Sweeney, Lakewood CO
Thank you Carrie MaKenna! My ten-year-old granddaughter and I recently experienced together your ingenious art exhibit: Enter the Universal Circle. We were blown away. The exhibit inspired us to think deeply about life and the universe.
Our discussions centered around creation, the galaxies, and the seasons. We talked about their connection to our never-ending interdependence with all people and all life. This led to a heart-to-heart about love, which we concluded is not only essential to the existence of life but is also the eternal purpose of life.
We are so looking forward to visiting your exhibit again and to seeing what mind-blowing experiences you have in store for us in the future.
09-18-17 Beverly Gibson, Denver CO
09-18-17
Keith Harley, Boulder CO
These are pieces I could stare at for days and just soak them in, Carrie!
The detail and perfection of your lines and balanced use of color makes them so easy on the eye and makes me happy. There are not many paintings that I can look at and truly smile. Have a sense of ease with.
I imagined times, memories, and future happenings when looking at the directional ones (north, south east and west). It was a sort of meditation even with so many people around me.
Thank you for that.
09-19-17 Stacey Teegardin, Edgewater CO
It’s an amazing exhibit. In my opinion, your best work yet on many levels!
09-19-17 Cathy Hatfield, Lakewood CO
09-19-17 Deb Gee, Lakewood CO
09-21-17 Laura Relue, Lakewood CO
Lovely! We sat, looked, talk, reflected, learned.
09-29-17 Marcia Swords, Arvada CO
10-03-17 Marti Stewart, Lakewood CO
10-17-17 Colby Hatfield, Lakewood CO
10-18-17 Lorene Joos, Arts Programming Curator, Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood CO
10-19-17 Leslie Papa
10-19-17 Kathy Tolman, Wheat Ridge CO
10-19-17 Steve Cinocco, Calistoga CA
10-20-17 Thalassa Naylor, Fair Oaks CA
10-20-17 Tierra Lalk, Lakewood CO
10-20-17 Clay Kirkland, Denver CO
10-27-17 Maggie Duffey Corkery, Littleton CO
10-27-17 Kevin White, Lakewood CO