"What if today we simply considered how to be at peace within ourselves." - Emmanuel Jal
When your dream collaboration comes out of no where, you take it. No matter how terrified you are.
When I was asked to apply and come up with an installation concept for Lululemon's "Breathe it all in" holiday campaign in less than a week, my first thought was "Oh NO, I CAN'T do that." I had all the excuses inside my head - "What if I can't find the right project, how on earth is this going to look, I don't have enough time, what if don't get chosen, what if they hate it, this is too much..." Pause. Breathe.
The next day, after a good sleep, I began to dive into the real intention behind Lululemon’s "Breathe it all in." Within a few hours of researching, brainstorming, crumpling sketches, and daydreaming I finally visualized exactly how I wanted to bring my vision to life. A day later I was writing my proposal and sending it off to Toronto. I was kicking it into high gear, and leaving my fear in the back seat.
A couple of days later, I received the email that my project was accepted! My heart exploded - game on! The next week and a half consisted of hours of experimenting and preparation. I had never actually painted a large-scale window before! That meant a serious amount of work was necessary to make sure the execution went flawlessly. My windows at home were covered in designs and paint samples. You don't always see or appreciate the hours of work behind the scenes before you see the finished piece, but you better believe there was an entire journey before the finished product.
One of the most daunting moments of creating is those first few moments staring at a blank canvas.
I had two days to make the mural happen. I showed up, popped my headphones on, and got to work. The next two days were incredible. I worked mindfully and vigorously to bring my exact vision to life. Mixing the paint, applying each brush stroke, repeat. Live painting throughout the day, while bystanders and store guests passed by to chat and watch the experience.
This project was the perfect combination of organic and deliberate movements. A decade of learning, painting, researching, and experimenting, and as I continued painting I found myself truly lost in the moment. Thoughtfully and repeatably mixing colour patches, and organically laying out the composition. It was truly spectacular to witness a subconscious rhythm completely take over and guide me along the process.
I always smile when I hear things like "Are you just winging it?" The answer is yes and not at all.
Breathe it all in.
Art making is a meditation, creating a space and invitation to greater mindfulness, self-exploration and unending potential.
For the Kingston location, I created a vibrant and intricate art installation. The painting itself consists of thousands of expressive brushstrokes, blooming out in a stunning translucent color gradient. I hope this installation captures your attention from afar, inviting you closer, to appreciate the small details and take a look at what’s inside. One of my favourite elements of this installation is how much it changes from the inside and the outside, depending on the time of day and light, it's mesmerizing.
"Being generous with yourself with a few deep mindful breaths allows you to be more generous with others." - Paige Elenson
"Breath holds the power to bring us to the present moment so we can get more out of every joyful, calm, busy, beautiful moment the holiday brings. Share all the moments you're breathing in every last drop of this holiday season and hashtag #breatheitallin." @Lululemon
I want to extend my gratitude to the team at Lululemon Kingston and Toronto teams for working with me. Thank you for the opportunity and encouragement to make my dream collaboration happen, and for allowing me to share my gifts with the community. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Danielle
WATCH IT HERE!
Breathe It All In - Lululemon Mural || Video By: Mercury Media
Photo's + Video By: Jake Forsythe // Mercury Media - www.facebook.com/mercurymediaca
@thetravellingartisan Snapped a picture on location? Hashtag #ygklululemon!