Archives: Opening Ceremony and Cleansing of the Site

 Celebration to honor the "Life of Michelle Walker." The gathering will begin at 4pm and end at 8pm. We are calling artists, musicians, drummers, dancers, singers, storytellers, and visual artists throughout California to join us as we come together to honor our friend.

JosephineTalamantez-

May 14, 2013, 4 PM - 8pm Opening Ceremony, Cleansing & Blessing Ceremony of "the land". Josephine Talamantez, in concert with Stan Padilla, will conduct this ceremony to honor the memory of Michelle Walker and her mother, Aurolie Beatrice Walker. Friends of Michelle Walker are invited to attend.

Stan Padilla

Symbolic offerings such as water, teas, wine, sugar, incense, gold and silver threads, flower petals, sunflowers, lavender, grains, seeds, shells, candies, and more can be donated to the International Society of Altar Makers, and delivered to the pottery studio of Anita L. Lowe, 1855 Christian Valley Rd, in Auburn, the week of May 14th - 25th.


Space Cleansing & Blessing Ceremony, in Spanish, the word despacho literally means "dispatch or shipment".

Everything around us is made of energy - from our own physical bodies to our cars, homes, land, trees, etc. Just as we need to keep our own energy bodies cleansed and operating at a high frequency or vibration for Optimal Health & Happiness, it is also important to cleanse the spaces around us where we spend most of our time. Energy accumulates from all historical owners and visitors to that space.

If you want to propose a workshop for your art group, or organization during the retreat contact Visual Arts Development Project, Alpha Bruton, at 773-681-6570, you can register or bring your circle of 12 as participants, send proposals to alphabruton@gmail.com.

All cash donations can be made to the Placer County Arts Council, 808 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95602, for Ondrea Walker's Art Education Enrichment Fund, "Dreams of Colour" a charity that will assist children of diverse backgrounds to attend annual retreats of the International Society of Altar Makers, scholarships for travel and supplies, and to pursue innovative artistic programming.

Michelle Walker, a co-founder and executive director of MAP, passed away on January 29, 2013. She left behind a clear vision for supporting the arts and a vibrant organization to carry it out. Michelle integrated the arts into the giving campaigns of public and private employees. MAP channels those donations to an array of arts organizations, large and small, for education and new audiences.

Most recently, Michelle envisioned sponsoring a fusion between the arts, inventors, and innovators, which MAP is now developing. For her, creativity has no boundaries. For Michelle’s many friends, family, and colleagues, her passing is deeply felt. For MAP, her vision provides an inspiration for producing programs that will bring ever-growing support and recognition to the arts in the years to come.