VIG•IL \vij-uhl\ n.
1: a period of keeping awake during the time usually spent asleep, esp. to keep watch or to pray
2: a stationary, peaceful demonstration in support of a particular cause, typically without speeches
3: a nocturnal devotional exercise or service as an occasion of religious observance

Eric Nez, Aloria Weaver & Nikki Moon in the early stages of a 30+ hour painting vigil at Yosemite, CA

Dreaming Co:nexus regularly engages in the act we have come to know and love as ‘Art Vigil’.
This devotional painting experience creates a field of unity and connection between not only the artists,
but between all who participate through witnessing and supporting this intensely focused act of creation.

These sustained offerings of art span anywhere from 18 to 48 hours in the events and arts festival settings,
while the larger murals and installations typically come to fruition within 8 days and nights.
The artists build a general vision from which to work, then begin painting with a deep trust that one will pick up where another leaves off,
coming and going as necessary to keep the candle of wakefulness lit, passing the flame back and forth until nothing more can be painted.

Often, the greater circle of Dreaming Co:nexus allies are present for these occasions, holding the frequency of creativity
while inviting others to come into the circle. This regularly entails the offerings of tea ceremony, altar spaces & peaceful areas to rest
in events which may otherwise have little to speak of in these areas of sanctuary and comfort.

“DreamCo, taking it way too far, ever since yesterwhen.”

David Heskin / Aloria Weaver / Noah Dann / Nikki Moon
To start the new year on an epic pace, DreamCo descended upon the amazing new Temple of Visions Gallery in downtown Los Angeles. This gigantic gallery dedicated to the emergence of visionary art has hosted many of today’s cutting edge artists. Our task was to design an installation on the walls of the main gallery.

Aligning ourselves with the vision of the Gallery, it became essential to expand ourselves in order to produce an installation that defied our individual styles and techniques in favor of a timeless universal aesthetic.
Beginning from the ground, we determined that gold leaf would be our medium for the Temple. Using only a compass, each of the 37 ‘eyes’ were drawn on the wall, composed of a pair of superimposed Vesica Piscis. As one of the essential basic forms of sacred geometry, this repeating image shone forth with a universal quality enhanced greatly by the reflective gold.
Upon completion of the foundation, we looked to further the presentation in many other areas. Standing in splendored reflection are two gilded peacocks, auspicious totems of the visionary gallery. Atop one wall is a gold leaf phyllotaxis dome, which in proper lighting becomes a completely 3D ecstatic winged eye. Opposite this wall is a 36 foot wide geometric mosaic mural, integrating sand tones with the gold leaf, this complex pattern was mapped out by hand atop a 12 foot ladder.

The Temple of Visions Art Vigil lasted 9 days, including multiple 48-hour shifts. After so many transformational experiences in the unveiling of this gallery, forging beautiful alliances with all who have made the Temple come into being, it feels like home.

The Temple of Visions is located at 719 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014
www.templeofvisions.com

Eric Nez / David Heskin / Aloria Weaver / Noah Dann / William Phelan
Opening a portal for a new visionary art gallery in northern California, a 4-dimensional cube, or tesseract subtly became the ocean from which 2 islands emerged. Upon realization of a divine connectivity between all beings, the twin islands grew together a branch of love. Golden tears of joy spill forth from the awakening experience, falling on the artist’s altar, inspiring creation. The branch of peace becomes the artist’s easel and the original mandala empowers all that may be created in this sacred studio environment. In the front window of the gallery, the space was designed to integrate live painting performances into the display, and to show that what lies behind the finished artwork is a work of art in itself.

No art studio would be complete without a place to share tea. The first of its kind, a topographical tea table infuses the ritual of presence and the natural elements together into the creative nexus.

Aloria Weaver / Eric Nez / David Heskin / Nikki Moon
Noah Dann / Kai / Keala Young

Gallery and 30-hour collaborative 4x12ft painting.
Gallery structures created in collaboration with Ryan Hamilton of Crafters Collective.
Tension fabric roof created by Greg and Mar Ricketts of Guildworks.

Aloria Weaver / David Heskin / Eric Nez / Nikki Moon

Gallery and 40-hour collaborative 4x12ft painting triptych at the 2nd annual Beloved Sacred Art & Music Festival. For the second year, DreamCo provided the main art installation of the event, including art on center stage and in multiple distinct locations throughout the 1500 person event.

Eric Nez / Aloria Weaver / David Heskin

Gallery and 18-hour collaborative painting to ring in the new year 2009.

Bamboo altar created in collaboration with Ryan Hamilton of Crafters Collective.

David Heskin / Aloria Weaver / Eric Nez / Noah Dann
Dreaming Co:nexus presented Art Temple, a sacred presentation of large paintings, each one as a unique altarpiece. Featuring the rotating glass geometry of Norm Dibble as the chandelier, the dome transported its visitors to an altogether different dimension.
Our 18 foot Earthrise scroll was center stage as the backdrop for all the musicians and performances. Eric painted Buddha (8′ x 10′) through the night. Tea culture arrived in the Art Temple, and established a grounding experience for the visitors to be still enough to truly absorb the artwork.

Eric Nez / Noah Dann / Aloria Weaver / David Heskin
In May of 2007, imbedded within the main venue of Portland’s 7th annual Village Building Convergence, Dreaming Co:nexus created Earthrise, an 8 x 18 foot scroll, seen here hanging from Burnside Bridge. Since 2007, Earthrise has been exhibited at a multitude of cultural events and gatherings, symposiums and festivals.

David Heskin / Aloria Weaver / Eric Nez / Jerod Knapp
In 8 days, four artists brought this 20 x 60 foot wall to life as a part of Portland City Repair’s 6th annual Village Building Convergence, or VBC6. Perhaps the first of the large scale Art Vigils, and the first DreamCo mural, this one set the pace for what was to come.

Awakenings Healing Arts Center, Portland OR