The Real Life Story

An ambitious project that started with a very small but important moment...

Making art has always been my most cherished activity, at the core of my being. But over the last decade an unknown illness had slowly crept up on me (which I now know was triggered by mold). Sick in bed, and increasingly preoccupied with my physical wellbeing to the exclusion of my creative wellbeing, I was losing sight of who I was. It was clear I needed to find some way to re-envision a future where I was not only healthier, but up and creating again. Happy again. In that moment, reflecting on small comforts I’d grown to appreciate during the course of my illness—tea and sci-fi, to be specific—I decided to make those comforts the focus for my next artistic endeavor. The project, Space Grandma’s Tea House at the Nexus of the Universe, became my artistic beacon, guiding me towards wellness.

The persona of Space Grandma and the development of her soon-to-be-constructed Tea House have since become a way for me to honor that which I hold most dear in life: Art, science fiction, and tea of course—but also friendship! In undertaking this project, I’m bringing together my friends from around the world. Those who left an impression, shared a kindness, and have unique talent and vision. This project is in part a way to bring my friends together to meet each other, sometimes for the first time, sometimes across the globe. It is also an opportunity for them to inspire each other, and for me to cultivate and witness the fruits of a unique nexus of talents brought together for the sole purpose of creating a very special intergalactic sanctuary.

The fundamental object of this venture—the Tea House itself—will be fashioned as a seven-sided UFO, filled with art items created by myself and numerous collaborators from four different countries, including a Codex of stories and apocrypha, and serving seven herbal tea blends I’ve crafted. As the proprietor, Space Grandma will host and serve in costume.

The project has a global trajectory, the art pieces and costume will be fashioned in the United States, the Tea House structure will be built in South Africa to premier at Afrikaburn 2020, and will then be shipped to North America in time to land at BurningMan in 2020. After its transcontinental tour, the Tea House will return with me to my hometown of Santa Fe, where I hope to continue to engage visitors.

In a celebration of friendship and co-working, a selection of collaborators from the United States and beyond will be joining forces in South Africa to assist with setup and upkeep at Afrikaburn. And in turn, a handful of collaborators from South Africa and beyond will travel to the United States for assistance at BurningMan. Apart from contributing to the art and design, they will be helping in Tea House construction, serving, performing music, and embodying alien entities to fully realize the truly intergalactic nature of the project.

In the following year, I hope to open up the project to an even broader range of collaborators, growing Space Grandma’s Tea House into an ongoing global artistic endeavor.

Are you interested in making this intergalactic friendship dream come true? Let’s be real, it won’t happen without the support of Earthlings like you.

Contribute now or on the Kickstarter starting August 1st, 2019.