In 2019 l started to develop the project JOLS in Africa, Kenya. It later grew into a separate international creative project for children "Song of the Universe" with the principal group NACHAMI under the supervision of a Kenyan talented artist and educator Nicholas Mutahi Kaburu. "Song of the Universe" is an eco-project, which became a continuation and development of all previous creative activity into a separate entity. The project is aimed to help children in less fortunate regions of the world to get access to education and better living conditions (by attracting public attention to their needs by means of presenting art created by children), as well as to develop their creative abilities through creative process. It also unites kids of different countries, walks of life, religions, and abilities. It teaches children how to build bridges instead of walls.
Groups of children and young individuals from Nairobi, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, Moscow and St. Petersburg, Kriviy Rig and Gelendzhik were creating for a few years already (and still do) collages from recycled materials. They also draw and paint, create digital images, illustrating Lana B'uri's literary works during special creative classes or via internet communication. The project was presented in New York public libraries, in an exhibition at a cultural center in Kriviy Rig, Ukraine, in Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia. This project just started to find its ground and way in life reality. It has already won multiple international awards and recognition in different countries of the world and various communities. So, we see its beautiful future in growing worldwide even stronger, attracting more and more people and participants, especially children, as we all need more unity, than separation. And the future of this planet is in Unity! Right? So, join us in creating more beautiful expressions!
Project "Song of the Universe" in all its variations (October of 2019 to present).
These celestial paintings from the project "Angels" are dedicated to the children from a Ukrainian orphanage in Odessa. Due to the war, these children had to leave their only home.
I trully like and appreciate many achievements of the modern world. Though many ways of modern human society in general seem to be misleading and destructive. It looks like we've happened to be on the crossroads and our present choices will tremendously influence our own and our children's future.
Maybe to make the right choices, we have to look back in our common past and realize what really had happened in that mystical Garden. And what should be corrected through our life-experiences that was done wrong originally...
I, personally, believe that art, literature and culture in general help a lot to change our common consciousness to bring more light into that mystical dimension of realization and choice-making. This is what l've been doing with my students of different groups, ages, walks of life, interests etc., presenting my project "Just One Little Star", and especially its part - workshop "Peacock Day". Together, we created so many vibrant, colorful, meaningful, very artistic masterpieces in New York, Moscow, Johannesburg, Chicago and Los Angeles.
In addition to that, l've been working on my own writing and creative projects.
So, l am thinking... Maybe it's our way of restoring the Garden here on Earth and our, human, presence in it according to the original divine plan. Tikkun Olam, in other words.
An art of collage is known for thousands of years, but obtained its true power only in modern time. At the moment, I am creating a variable collection of images, based on the Biblical story of the Garden of Eden and inspired by wonderful art of modern Japanese artist Takashi Murakami (I had to capture the beauty of his piece "The Golden Age: Korin - Kansei", 2014).
May 2018 was busy for me, but l found time to meet with my old friends from Day Care in Queens, NY. The workshop was based on my poetry reading and their reflection on that. The topic was "Elders as a role model for younger generations. Paradise is our planet Earth."
Dedicated to the Earth Day celebration on April 22, 2018. Look at their enlightened faces! No words needed.
My visit to LA in March 2018 was dedicated to my poetry and collage-art presentation to different communities, and the establishment of new, meaningful connections for future development of my project.
My poetry reading and collages exhibition at St. George Pathfinders Club. After the event, I was invited to create a program for children, who participate in the organization activities. LA is waiting...!
Winter 2017. Back to Venice, Ecole Claire Fontaine school. This time the workshop is based on my story about blue painted fox, which pretented to be a peacock; as well as Marc Chagall art. Great success! Everything and everyone were covered in paint!
Chicago, Lincoln Zoo, September 2017 - "Peacock Day: the Art of Collage. I love this world all together."
Workshop with Girl Scouts of Chicago was great fun!
September 2017 - Venice, CA. Private school Ecole Claire Fontaine. Children ages 4-5 were making collages answering the question "Where do peacocks live in California?", reflecting in their artwork their vision of gorgeous nature of the state. As Paul Cezzane said, "Art is a harmony parallel with nature." We proved it with the kids!
For thousands of years, the wisest people on this planet trying to answer multiple questions: "Is Paradise and the Garden of Eden the same place? Is it only spiritual or physical dimension as well? Does it still present on this planet in hidden space?" There is still no clear answer on this complicated and mystical subject.
What is also interesting, that in many spiritual mystical teachings a peacock bird is presented as the bird of Paradise, guarding the gates. No wonder that such earthly beauty of creation became divine in human mind. Which makes me think: "Maybe we never were banished from the Garden, but just lost the ability to see, appreciate and preserve the natural beauty of this amazing world. Maybe when we realize what a precious gift we received from the Creator, we'll start to restore what we've ruined already... Then maybe the gates will be opened again... The gates of our own minds and hearts."
Since spring of 2017, the project "Just One Little Star" focused attention on the "Peacock Day" workshop. The first class was held in Illinois at the Westmont mosque. It was a really rainy "Peacock" day. But the birds opened their tails with the help of Muslim children; they were also glad to learn how many beautiful expressions in art, mystical teaching and poetry the bird has in the Islamic culture. The class was fun, very neat and the results you can see yourself.
In May, the children from the Sunday school in the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in New York painted their version of peacocks. What beautiful vibrant colors!!!
In June, I participated as a volunteer in "Once Upon a Fairy-Tale" children's festival in Illinois, near Wheeling. The money raised was transferred to the children's hospital in the Greater Chicago area. It was a truly beautiful event in a great location, with lots of participants and performers. As for our project, this time children with the help of adults and Girl Scouts from Chicago were making figures of wonderful bright peacocks. And at the end we placed all of them on the surrounding trees. Look how gorgeous it looks!
Creative project "Just One Little Star" is good for all ages. A group of elders (age 75-95) was creating great collages on the covers from shoe boxes. You should see their smiling faces and feel their excitement!
And last, but not least... The girls from the "Magen David" Summer Day Camp created a vibrant, coloful masterpiece. The point of this creative class was to show what unity means. Each girl was allowed to paint on or cut and glue to the same cardboard images of the Garden of Eden (according to her own vision). The result was simply breathtaking!
Afterwards, I felt the good spirit and joyful excitement of creating wonderful masterpieces with different groups, and I started to believe that not everything is lost for humans on this planet. We still have the hope to restore peaceful life and bring it to the level of the Highest Dream. We just have to keep going and unite as one global human community trying to resolve our differences without hate and bloodshed. At the end of the day, we are all created in the Highest divine image with great love!
In January of 2017, I went to the City of Chicago, the Golden City, founded as a settlement in 1780s and incorporated in 1837 on the Shore of Lake Michigan. This magical city, which reminds me of the legendary hidden golden city of El Dorado, carries different names: the Windy City, Chi-Town, Second City and City of Big Shoulders... But my favorite would, probably, be "Urbs in Horto" (City in a Garden), which also serves as its motto. And it's true - with multiple parks, winter gardens, private gardens, rooftop gardens, starting with Chicago's most famous City Hall's Rooftop Garden (which consists of 20,000 plants of more than 150 species) - the city has the right to carry such name. My next trip to this magnificent city definitely should be in spring-summer time to see all the glory of its blossom!
Chicago is a place of great culture as well! The Mayor of the city Rahm Emanuel declared 2017 as a "Year of Public Art". Many cultural places of the city are opened to public for free or affordable visiting: Chicago Cultural Center, Children's Museum at Navy Pier, multiple galleries, museums, libraries, art exhibitions, musical, theatrical, dancing and creative groups... You name it!
It is in this atmosphere I want to develop my project "Just One Little Star", as well as others. And I started with Cultural Center "Krug" in Chicago area (Whelling, IL). Center "Krug", which means "a circle" in Russian, is a social club, initially targeted Russian-speaking community of Greater Chicago area. It has open, non-judgmental, friendly environment and a very creative flow. It invites into its circle not only Russians, but anyone who is willing to experience its refreshing warm energy. "Krug" unites old friends, new-comers, families and single people, older ones with youngsters and kids. Everyone find their own space in the center. People gather in the center to participate in different cultural events: concerts, poetry readings, art exhibitions, theatrical performances. But also they come together to socialize and even to create their own masterpieces during art classes.
I had an opportunity to have 2 creative classes in "Krug", presenting my project "Just One Little Star". This time there were two groups of children with their parents, who created beautiful and meaningful collages after listening to my stories. And, by the way, we used recycled materials (used cardboard and paper) to put our artworks together. The first story "Just One Star" helped children to realize what true Unity means, how to differentiate and separate darkness from Light, to see what a beautiful result collective effort may bring. The atmosphere was beautiful, warm and... it was FUN!
We also had delicious pizza! (A very important part of Chicago's life!)
The second story, "A Fable about a Green Caterpillar, a Bright Butterfly and a Wheel of a Cart" taught children how to reach their biggest potential, how to be patient on this path of personal and spiritual growth, how to keep faith in the positive flow of life and Creation under any circumstances. Butterfly is a symbol of rebirth, resurrection, new beginning. It is also a symbol of our remembrance of horrible destiny of children who suffered and were killed during Holocaust times. January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Center "Krug" was presenting an art exhibition dedicated to Holocaust on that day. We dedicated our collective art work with butterflies, made during our creative class, to the children of Holocaust as well.
The founders of the Cultural Center "Krug" - Marta Gavrialov and Roman Polinovsky - are doing a wonderful job creating an oasis of love, appreciation, creativity, beauty and hospitality in Chicago area. Our world needs so much such positive and restoring energy! I wish them all the success and hope for further cooperation!
The City of Chicago, as well as many other places on the planet in modern times, has its challenges and fallbacks. But it also has a motto: "I WILL", which shows, without any doubt, its resilient, determined, strong, even feisty spirit! This city has potential to rise back into its beauty from ashes again and again!
In other words, I spent a wonderful and productive time in Chicago City! I fell in love with the city and its people! I found my El Dorado! And I am eager to be back soon!
- The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
Anti-bullying Day is a special day (in different countries the date may vary) when people wear pink, blue and purple shirts to show their anti-bullying position. In 2012, the United Nations officially recognized May 4th as the Anti-bullying Day and it was supported by many countries.
Bullying is an unwanted aggressive behavior of one or many individuals towards other human and it may be: verbal, emotional, physical and cyber. It includes teasing, name-calling, pushing and stealing somebody's things, ignoring, gossiping, messaging, threatening etc.
Bullying is very serious social disease of modern human society. It happens a lot in life of kids and young people, very often leading to emotional and mental disorders and even suicide. Half of the suicides committed in the US happen as the result of bullying and depressive state of mind it creates.
Bullying is unacceptable!
Bullying can be and should be prevented by constant education and wise supervision of young people.
On Sunday, January 15, 2017 we held a creative class in Floral Park, LI, NY at the Bright Horizons educational facility "Ann's House" for the group of 11 children. It was based on the story about little sea-horse, which faced the same problem trying to find new friends. The results are wonderful! The children had a discussion about bullying in school and during after-school hours. They listened to the story. And then they made wonderful, bright illustrations, expressing their vision of the story on paper.
A few words about Bright Horizons: it's a unique, family and kids-oriented organization, which has its facilities in many-many locations of the United States. FORBES noted that Brighton Horizons is one of 100 best companies to work for. It has friendly and non-judgmental environment, well-organized structure and openness for new thought and creativity.
We live in the country where the Constitution guarantees people to have right to be free and happy in spite of all our differences. America is truly a country of great opportunities and dream-accomplishments! And we have to use these opportunities to grow into own dream, supporting others as well on their life path. This was the main message of the workshop and, I believe, it was delivered to the kids.
Next is Chicago!
- Maria Montessori, a well-known Italian physician and educator
This workshop is part of the project "Just One Little Star". We meet with children in art schools, public schools, spiritual centers, private classes and etc. and tell them about a peacock life story (Do you know, for example, that a peacock's homeland is India and Sri Lanka?), show them images of the bird (Have you ever seen a pink peacock?). As usual, through our work, we talk to children about nature and the necessity to protect it. Then we read my story "Only You" and let them illustrate it. At the end we ask them to think and tell about their own divine-given gifts or write a small composition on this topic.
A peacock day at the Bronx Zoo. Inspiration. Photos by Lana B'uri
The workshop just started to find its place in physical reality, but we have already a few good results.
Children from one of the schools of the Sparrow Schools Educational Trust South Africa, which provides education for disadvantaged children in Johannesburg, South Africa, made beautiful illustrations of the peacock from my story, which tells us about the potential hidden in our nature and belief into Divine support. With their artwork, children from the school support local orphans (specifically, two orphanages in Johannesburg - you see their photos below). And, of course, the kids had lots of fun!
*peacock photograph courtesy of by Thilochana Akpd (Sri Lanka), he is working on an eco-tourism project. A real Sri Lanka peacock!
I am also developing this project with Christian ministry of Russian Orthodox Church in Pakistan. I believe that
In the middle of the concrete Manhattan desert, melting in the heat of the late-spring sunny day, I found an oasis of harmony, creativity, peace, beauty, unity, fun and Unconditional Love. CAM: Children's Museum of Art. This place is quite unique and special, as it doesn't matter how much money one has or how "important" they are, no one can simply enter the museum without... kids! They are the only pass which opens the magic door to this wonderful world! Only thanks to the beautiful art work children created for the project "Just One Little Star" I got the permission to enter the place. In this dimension, children paint, work with clay sculpting animals and other beings, create their own animation, play musical instruments and have lots of fun, under caring supervision of talented teachers. We hope in the future to find a spot for the project "Just One Little Star" in this unique creative process.
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination"
In 2007, I was introduced to Candace Tong-Li by her mother Anne Tong. Candace is a multi-talented New York-born author and artist of Chinese origin, who illustrated cover of my book Paradise-Tree or... Bitterwood?. China is one of the leading countries in the transition to the renewable energy path for humanity and we are glad to have Candace in our team.
As Candance says: "I believe that understanding brings us all together."
Paris Climate Change Conference was held from November 30 to December 12 of 2015 and negotiated a global agreement on the reduction of climate change. On April 22, 2016 (Earth Day), 174 countries signed the agreement in New York and began adopting it within their own legal systems.
The world is shifting to renewable energy from fossil fuels faster than expected. New solar, wind and hydropower sources were added in 2015 at the fastest rate the world has yet seen. Investment in renewables reached $286 billion worldwide in 2015. Over 8 million people are now working on renewable energy worldwide. As a part of the process, we print all our books, post cards etc. on 100% recycled paper.
Though we, as global human community, might be facing a few challenges on sharing of "green" energy, its storage and global planning of further development. Here we all need unity, collaboration, education and mutual respect.
On May 7, 2016 Russian Orthodox Youth Committee at the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA together with the Russian American cultural Heritage Center and approximately 500 participants celebrated the 71th Anniversary of the World War II victory. The "Immortal Regiment" event was held in Battery Park in New York City, in honor and grateful memory of veterans as well as millions of civilians who went through the war. I carried the portrait of my father, Pavel Aleksandrovich Bugrimov, who risked his life to free the planet from the nightmare of Nazi occupation.
Close to the march site is a public art exhibition "Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet" designed by a non-profit organization Cool Globes, Inc. to raise awareness of solutions to man-made climate change. One of the globes displayed there - a bright blue wonder with images of happy kids - was created by Francis W. Parker School (Chicago, IL) and named Non Electric Play, centering on the subject of inside and outside fun and creative play without electronic devices. The Cool Globes campaign is happening all over the world and its motto is "Public Art with a Purpose". Its philosophy aligns with ideas and activities of the "Just One Little Star" project.
By working together, we can protect and save the life on our beautiful planet. Together, we are a force!
Working on the "Just One Little Star" project, I am thinking:
"What kind of planet (if any) are we going to leave for our children to inherit?... "
Anti-Semitism, racism, bullying and other numerous manifestations of intolerance;
Worldwide financial crisis and badly-planned economical structures;
Corruption and criminalization of political power everywhere;
Global warming, pollution, ozone holes, oil spills, destroyed forests and poisoned waters;
Spiritual laziness and anarchy with low moral standards or no standards at all;
Abuse of all kinds: physical, emotional, sexual, drug and alcohol abuse, its victims are most often women and children;
Prejudice, judgment combined with humiliation and disrespect of human life of any kind;
Endless wars and threat of upcoming nuclear war...
What else?... You name it.
But the main concern of the project "Just One Little Star" is the ecological and social heritage we are leaving behind for future generations.
The poor ecological system condition on our planet becomes more and more seriously damaged. Such factors as air and water pollution, which caused global warming and climate change, play a major role. We can talk here about wastefulness of human community, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, threatening bleaching of coral reefs, poor standards of living worldwide etc.
Climate change is real and it affects us in ways we can feel. Aren't we now constantly experiencing freakish weather, when temperatures rise and drop daily? It is hotter and the weather is very unstable. Unusual storms, floods or unexpected decrease/increase of temperature cause crops to die, decreasing the amount of food production. That in its turn brings hunger and famine to less developed nations. It also imbalances wildlife and has many other disturbing effects on our planet's life cycle.
What can we do on a personal and more global scale to prevent climate change from escalating even more?
It is real!!! Global warming and climate change are on a deadly course.
It is a cause we need to invest our close attention, money and time immediately, before we hit the point of no return.
Sorry to say, we live in a society of selfish, irresponsible and cruel consumers. For example, according to statistics, each person in Western developed countries produces 2 kilos of waste daily! Individually and as a human society in general, we cause terrible damage to the environment with our irresponsible activities. You can name all of them: speedy environmental pollution and degradation, depletion of natural resources, local, regional and global air pollution; accumulation and distribution of toxic wastes; destruction and depletion of forests (the "lungs" of our planet), soil and water; depletion of the ozone layers and emission of "green house" gases... these threaten the mere survival of humans and multiple living species, the integrity of the Earth and its biodiversity.
Do we have clear answer on how to stop and reverse this destructive process? What about recycling, reusable products, "green"-clean energy etc.?
It comes in different forms: litter on the streets of the big cities, smog that covers the blue sky above sky-scrapers, plastic bottles that are floating in the Pacific Ocean etc. We manufacture tons of unnecessary stuff which also leads to pollution of water and air, emitted from factories. Immediate gain and uncontrollable production are the main focus and features of these business enterprises.
Who is going to help us collect our own garbage, reduce use of any kind of products and develop a habit of recycling? What do you think?
At the time when we need more forests, trees are being uprooted at an alarming speed. It is rapidly-growing problem in many countries of Africa, Central and South America. 50% of tropical rain forests, producing fresh air for our planet, have been chopped down and they may be completely destroyed in the next 40 years if we are not going to reign in our senseless and careless behavior. The fewer trees - the less cleansing oxygen, displacement of wildlife, drier climate, increasing of global warming and pollution.
What can be done to help our green friends and saviors to re-grow?
Project "Just One Little Star" will use 100% recycled paper to print our books.
Each species, each living thing on our planet has its unique place and role in life of our ecosystem. And when it is hurt or dies out, it has unchangeable and catastrophic effect on the entire system, where everyone and everything is interconnected. For example, the decline of the bee population in recent years (with their role of pollination) has incredible effect on the environment and food production in agriculture. Today many species are in danger of becoming extinct, as they are being mercilessly killed, forced out of their habitats by man's activity or climate change.
And again deforestation, pollution, global warming, waste of natural resources are all links of the same chain. For example, one of the stories...
150,000 penguins killed by Climate Change!
In a newly-published study scientists say that for about 150,000 Adelie penguins died after a massive iceberg grounded near colony of the birds in Antarctica, forcing them to make a lengthy trek to find food, which causes their exhaustion and death.
What does "the iceberg's grounding" mean? It means that due to change in climate condition and accumulation and increase of sea ice around Antarctica in contrast to the Arctic, where global warming is causing ice to melt and glaciers to shrink, the penguins have to walk more than 37 miles (around 60 kilometers) to find food. Many birds died during that tiresome journey and the ones that survived are clearly struggling. It doesn't give them a chance to hatch and take care of the next generation of birds.
What can be done to help penguins to survive and restore their population?
At the end of the day, this story is not about penguins. It's about us! We all are facing serious environmental issues.
Climate change causes a very dangerous problem - melting of polar ice-caps and as a result, rising of the sea level. Average temperatures in the Arctic region are rising twice as fast as somewhere else, which causes the ice to melt and rupture. By the end of this century, we might not have ice at all in summer season in this area. Our oceans will be over-flooded by fresh water of the melting ice, which will destroy oceans' unique ecosystem. But also many coastline places will go underwater, even such major cities as New York and London. Can we find a solution fast enough to overcome this threat?
More and more dead zones are developing in coastal overpopulated areas where depleted oxygen levels can no longer support marine life. Development of such dead zones is caused by high level of chemicals in the water. Fish cannot reproduce in such areas; seafood, seaweed and air are polluted. Coral reefs are bleaching and dying. Many inhabitants of the underwater kingdom loose their home.
Climate change and global warming caused hundreds of kilometers of coral reef in Australia to bleach. The mass coral bleaching event is destroying the Great Barrier Reef. If the bleaching is bad enough or the temperature remains high for long time, the corals die, which also causes disbalance in marine life of other living species in the area. It's already the third global bleaching event since 1998. The most unique and iconic example of the world heritage is in great danger!
While wildlife is decreasing its numbers, human population on the planet is growing (currently reaching 7 billion), what will put a strain on water, food, well-being, space and even sanity of human individuals. So much food, water and energy wasted in some places, while in others, people lack the basic necessities. Only unity, raising level of common consciousness, sharing and responsible behavior, and development of new technologies along with raising standards of life, spirituality and morality will help us to survive and live beautiful life on our gorgeous planet.
It is possible to educate people who currently live on the planet and the new ones that are being born to make smarter choices and consume more responsibly.