This installation was inspired by and created for artist Miss Mary Quite Contrary (aka Mary Williams), an exceptional woman who inhabited her own space in this world.  Mary lived her life as an artist, an ardent aesthetician and agent of the creative in all forms; inspiration, intention, and skillful expression were paramount.

 

Created in secret, this space contains pieces of Mary from the home I shared with her for many years.  Sentiments and symbolism, icons, reconstructed fragments from some of her prior installations, an intersection of stories and hidden messages conveying the unspoken and inarticulable, in homage to her creative philosophy and style.

 

For years I dedicated myself to this woman, Mary, because I recognized how rare and brilliant she truly was, the lens with which she viewed the world and her capacity to manifest that which she desired to was stunning and it changed my perspective on how remarkably beautiful a woman, this life, and this world can be.

 

As her partner during the last eight years of her life, I was the only witness to how deeply she was affected by significant losses in her life, especially of people so dear to her like that of Messrs. Johnny Smythe and Steve Grosskopf, former partners and brothers in her life’s journey.  But it is only with her decision to slip away into the forest and cross over to whatever may exist beyond this life that I truly understand and feel the sense of love and loss that I witnessed her struggle with.

 

As I searched for the right location in the forest to create Mary’s Secret Tea Garden, I discovered this lovely abandoned old structure that was slowly being taken by the elements and time, with one wall so sun bleached the boards had disintegrated.  With just a couple of hastily taken pictures of my newly discovered reliquary, I prepared some of the remaining fragments of the time I shared with this woman, and over the course of a few weeks during the fall of 2017, I would return in secret to this location, accompanied by only the scent and sounds of the forest outside as I worked in silence as to not be detected while creating Mary’s Secret Tea Room.

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This installation is intended to be temporary and it is my hope that it will remain undiscovered and be slowly taken by time, but regardless of its duration what’s relevant is that for the moment, it is real, this exists.  Though its manifestation is specific and personal, the act of creating this space was meant to acknowledge a context greater than that of just my own personal sense of loss or honoring this memorable woman.

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Due to the intention of this space and that it was created in an unauthorized location, it is not intended for people to visit and save for a few exceptions, it’s exact whereabouts are not meant to be known.  Though the location is meant to remain secret, its existence is not, so I have also created this virtual space “restore a memory cast” so that I might share it with you, especially if this woman’s existence meant something to you or she crossed your path but for a lasting moment.   You're welcome to visit anytime and stay as long as you like.