Building A Mountaintop Oasis

Hi everyone, thanks for checking out our campaign!This is Cathy & Paul Calderon, and we've been teachers, artists, community builders and students of life for many many years.  We met 37 years ago in acting school and have had a wild and unconventional life together ever since. *** { Paul has focused mainly on acting, writing and directing (you can see more about his work at www.paulcalderon.net).  Cathy worked as a film and theater director for many years (was the first artistic director of LAByrinth Theater Company, among other credits), then moved into leading yoga & healing retreats, workshops, and trainings worldwide, and founded Shambhala Yoga & Dance Center in Brooklyn, NY in 2001 (see more about her work at www.celebratingthecall.com).  They've collaborated over the years on many projects, both in theater/film/dance and in the healing/energy realms.  They are currently co-teaching their own acting classes.}

Two years ago we purchased 17 acres of land high in the beautiful northern Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York with a vision of creating a santuary for ourselves and eventually an oasis for people to come together to explore their creative voices, to renew their spirits, and to support a thriving, vibrant community of people of all backgrounds.  We are currently in Phase 3 of our project.  Here's a brief summary of what we've done so far... (You can check out our fb page "Building a Mountaintop Oasis" to see lots of beautiful pictures of the land and what we've created in partnership so far.)

Phase 1 ~~ Summer of 2013:  Purchased the land, dubbed it "The Farm," began clearing selective parcels to create gathering spaces, pitched tents, built two base camps, an outhouse, a fire pit, hung solar-heated showers with water gathered from a nearby mountain spring, held our first "work weekend" with 12 people attending, and still found time for horseback riding up into the wilds of the mountains.  The Farm was launched!

Phase 2 ~~ Summer of 2014:  Our first major construction - a beautiful 18 x 40 foot deck up on top of the mountain, with stunning sunrise views looking out over the valley and across to the next rise of hills.  With the spirited help of friends during our second annual work weekend, we assisted our wonderful contractor in completing the deck by mid-July.  The deck is large enough to hold up to 25 people doing yoga, and can also serve as a stage for "Theater-in-the-Mountains" with a lush forest backdrop and a soaring sky above.  We also built two smaller decks - one for a large tent, and another just big enough for one person to do their own solo yoga or meditation, tucked away in a forest glade.

Phase 3 ~~  Summer of 2015:  Here's where we are now, with an ambitious vision to build a beautiful multi-purpose studio, with views of the mountains and forest, to host all sorts of gatherings (most of them free or donation-based with work/study opportunities):  yoga and meditation retreats, theater and dance workshops, play developments (bringing writers, actors and directors together to workshop a new play or screenplay), healing ceremonies, workshops on sustainable living practices, and other festivities designed to bring the surrounding community together with those of us traveling up from the cities.  We also have plans to build another large deck in the forest that will serve as a platform for 'tent cabins' and will function as a dormitory for visiting guests until we move into our next  phase and build an actual dorm house. Eventually we'd love to host teens who are struggling to find their footing, offering them the opportunity to spend time in nature, learning sustainable living skills and participating in building and farming projects, while being part of a safe community where they can share the concerns and pressures of life as a young person in this increasingly stressful culture, and find an oasis to unwind and remember how to connect with their own inner wisdom.

So this is where YOU come in!  We need to raise the money to make this studio and second deck a reality.  So far we have about 2/3 of the funds that are needed.  We've found a wonderful local community of Amish builders who design and build beautiful, sturdy, innovative structures (working together with the purchasers to create a custom designed gem that perfectly suits their vision.)  The studio will be one long room, with a 'lean-to'style roof, which creates a very high front wall filled with glass to allow in the light and breathtaking views.  Eventually we may add a small kitchen off one side, as well as a few smaller rooms to serve as healing arts rooms for massage, reiki, meditation, etc.

We hope you will consider joining our vision.  Everyone who makes a contribution (no matter how small) will be our guests at a festive grand opening weekend celebration in the early summer of 2016, once all construction is complete.  We look forward to many wonderful experiences together up in the magical mountains that seem to be calling us home.