What do Dale Chihuly, Dr. Tony Nader, I. M. Pei, Columbia Pictures, Robert Keith Wallace, Paramount Pictures, John Hagelin, Sony Pictures, Vernon Katz, Warner Brothers, John Cowhig, Motown Records, David Lynch, Disney Channel, CBS, HBO, Inc. magazine and I have in common?
Filmmaker Michael W. Barnard
Filmmaker Michael W. Barnard has worked with all the above in his award-winning filmmaking career. Recently, he gave me an update on a documentary he has been working on for years. He has now interviewed 170 people who knew or worked with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the internationally known guru and founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement. In my two-hour interview, I shared guidance Maharishi gave me both publicly and privately between 1972 and 2006. Barnard is adding a new segment in this documentary on artists who knew Maharishi and asked if he could include my artwork.
Michael W. Barnard at his ICON show
Artists hold a special place in Barnard's heart because he is a lifelong artist himself. He has exhibited his artwork regularly since 1970 and has had numerous solo exhibitions in North America. I loved his 60-year retrospective show in 2020 at ICON Gallery in Fairfield, Iowa, and how his creative perspective is showing up in his Maharishi documentary.
Preview Screening
Barnard had more good news: A celebrity may be the on-camera spokesperson for a special edition on a popular streaming service. A few weeks ago, the documentary screened twice in Los Angeles. About half the audience was unfamiliar with Transcendental Meditation or Maharishi. Even so, the response was overwhelmingly positive. The preview screening that I saw last year in Fairfield, Iowa, was full of surprises, humor and touching personal exchanges between Maharishi and David Lynch, Robert Keith Wallace, Dr. Tony Nader, John Hagelin, John Cowhig, Vernon Katz, Susan Tracy, Ted Wallace, Monty Guild and Allen Cobb. Ultimately, Barnard envisions an online video database of the interviews that is available for all to enjoy.
Michael W. Barnard interviewed I. M. Pei (architect of the Louvre Pyramid, Bank of China Tower, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, East Building of the National Gallery of Art and other landmarks worldwide).
It is an honor to be included in this documentary by an artist and filmmaker of the caliber of Michael W. Barnard. He interviewed me when he was Program Director for the David Lynch Graduate School of Cinematic Arts. At the time, I did not know he had already produced award-winning documentaries, commercials, music videos, image films and features. It is only recently that I found out that his long and impressive client list includes Columbia Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, Motown Records, MGM/UA, Disney Channel, CBS, HBO, Inc. magazine and Chihuly Studio.
Chihuly blue glass sculpture in Barnard's Chihuly River of Glass
Barnard gave me permission to share his thank-you note:
Suzanne, I appreciate your participation in the documentary and your wonderful healing abilities! Thank you very much for the Distance Healings that you did for me. I think it made a difference in what could have been a serious physical problem that mostly self-corrected during the period you did the Distance Healings.
Internationally known artist Dale Chihuly chose Filmmaker Michael W. Barnard to produce the award-winning Chihuly River of Glass
Barnard now needs funding to finish his Maharishi documentary. This monumental project has required extensive work, resources and travel over the past seven years. If you would like to make a charitable donation or offer assistance, please reply to this email with your contact information and interests, and we will forward your message to Barnard and his team.
I would love to hear your thoughts about my artwork and the contents of this post. You are welcome to do so in the Comment Section below. I love to read your comments! You can use your name or a pseudonym.
Love,
Suzanne
This sounds like a huge and important project, good luck to all involved!