The Grand Transformation: Crescendo

We’ve been in Venice all year at Castle in the Air, in spirit if not always in the flesh. It seems like ages ago we were stood in Piazza San Marco dressed head to toe as birds, jesters, and mysterious dames, so much has happened here at home in the meantime.

Like the water lapping the walls of Venice, the Grand Transformation occurs in waves. As visitors pass between the striped gondola pillars at our front door they witness the latest wonders—glass ornaments piled on trays as high as their heads, like desserts in a dream…the pyramid decorations spinning in the breeze…the incredible array of holiday cards…

A stone archway topped with the lion of Venice beckons friends into the classroom upstairs, where our teachers lead the final classes of the year, give crafting demonstrations, or just spend the day working quietly on their own, happy to share their knowledge with the curious.

Castle in the Air has taken on an even more festive mood than usual over the past few months, hosting many merry evenings for artists near and far. The masks on the walls take our thoughts back to Sergio Boldrin’s visit and the magic of that night.

In unexpected ways, our magnificent masquerade of a year has led to our dropping some of the masks we’ve worn in the past. We were so happy to see John McRae unveil his Dresden jewelry collection, and what a crowd came out to cheer him on and take home some of the treasure. Our launch for The Stumpers was equally festive, the song, dance, and feasting lasting long into the night. Gatherings like these seem to affirm the importance of letting down our guard a bit and sharing more of ourselves with the world.

And there’s still so much more to discover! If you’re nearby and haven’t yet come to swim in the spectacle, I hope you will. This really is Castle in the Air’s most amazing year yet, and all of us are so grateful for your help as we ferry our dreams across into this world.