I would like to share memories of some of my greatest happenings in my life.

1974

Back then the happenings were part of our daily routine. It was the year 1974, when my sensual graphic pieces were first chosen and approved to a public art exhibition. This was a real challenge to the Soviet taboos in art.

Here is a funny story, told by our respected art historian and professor Boris Bernshtein himself.

„After the opening of the Tallinn Spring Exhibtion, I got a call from Ilmar Torn, the chairman of Estonian Artists’ Union. The chairman or the USSR Artists’ Union with his wife was coming from Moscow to see our exhibition! Ilmar Torn asked me to bring my wife as well.

We plotted that they would stand in front of Aili’s sensual graphic pictures together with our wives and block the view, while I would talk about something in such an enchanting way that the whole company would just move on. And just like that, dodging the bullets, we saved the reputation of the Soviet Estonian art. - You might have been kicked out of the Artists’ Union.“ And you wouldn't have been able to buy any more paint or canvas.

1987

Environmental happening in Estonia:
”We are looking for the River!"

The Phosphorite War is the name given to a late 1980-ses in Northern Estonia, planned by the Moscow government. The movement, peaking in 1987, was successful in achieving its immediate goals, but is also regarded as a catalyst that led to the destabilization and dissolution of the Soviet regime in 1991.

It was a cold winter day when we heard that Soviet geologists and high government officials were holding a phosphorite-mining conference near the Keila-Joa falls. We were a group of artists, musicians, writers, and intellectuals and we decided to demonstrate our opposition to the Soviet Union's mining of phosphorite in Estonia by by creating some magic. We decided to unite fire and water at the falls! What right do they have to come and dig up our land! We'll show them how we feel! We bought all the candles we could and headed for Keila-Joa.

The falls were frozen into magnificent Ionian columns! We placed the lit candles into our footprints in the deep snow. As the footprints filled with pulsating light they looked like welcoming lamps in the twilight. It seemed as if they had a life of their own. We had enough candles for the frozen river under the falls, the top of the falls, and even the snowy banks. It was quite a sight in the gathering blue dusk! We stood in awe and deep silence. Suddenly the silence was broken when a Russian border-guard came and yelled at us demanding to know what we were doing. We answered: we are looking for the river! We decided to crash the final banquet of the conference and tell the Moscow officials (straight-faced) that they were under arrest and must come with us. We drove them to the falls.

As we approached we could see the enchanting glow of all the candles reflected on the frozen falls. One of the officials fell to his knees and kissed my hand saying he had never seen anything so beautiful created by people in nature! On the ride back to the conference we let them know why we were so opposed to the mining project. They said they understood but were only following the government's policies. But one of them whispered to me: your only hope is to keep opposing!

So we kept opposing. And won.

Estonian poet Ott Arder lighting the candles.

2009

"Only what is born in madness and written with intellect is always beautiful and powerful." - Andre' Gide

It just happened! 

Here's how you can win back your power from childhood 

Being in the moment – that’s where the miracle of creation starts! The freedom of spirit that we can learn from children. The essence of the carefree existence of a child is the easy going and radiant happiness. It is when you suddenly realize that you do not know – and do not want to know anything about anything! Let me be! — Best condition for example… painting!

I invited the top businessmen and - women to the creativity course and asked them to get ready to meet a very important person.

They came, in suits and ties, but as soon as they took out the paints the elegant businessmen and -women, the Movers & Shakers of our business world, suddenly became real artists, childish and carefree spirits! They bravely stepped beyond their professional boundaries, time constraints and habits. Even the fear of not knowing how to paint.— Everything is possible!

feedback from my lovely “school children”

Mart A. This day (or was it two weeks?) was one of the biggest turn-offs after graduating from university. The squirrel on the wheel was let out of its cage for a while. At first it jumped here and there, explored and jumped. Then it calmed down a bit and doesn't want to go back to the cage anymore.

Heidi K. I have never felt so free at the end of any previous training – not exactly motivated and terribly willing to do something, but internally calm and free. Maybe even happy. I would come with a child, I would even come with my mother – even old people have the opportunity to be happy, remembering childhood and what they experienced there.

Marek P. This course shakes me out of my routine. In any case, at first it seemed unbelievable that it could be taught like this. This course not only worked on me as a leader, but also as a father. I still lacked self-control. Now I feel that I have taken a step forward towards myself.

You must not neglect the brilliant creative individual within you! — At the first opportunity, it will come out anyway. you look and be amazed! — I invited the top managers to the opening party of the “creator’s cave” with the words: “Men still in suits, ties and white shirts, women in festive costumes as always when you go to meet someone very important PERSON to you.

Art historian Heie Treier: “You marvel, how crazy! — But when the paints were received, a real metamorphosis took place. As if the prison guard had turned his back for a moment: All the “festively confined bodies” felt a frenzied creativity from painting, “The characters in chic clothes splashed each other with colors, raving over them with such childish, sincere joy and self-evident concern that you could stop and forbid.”

When you no longer wonder and admire everything in this life like a child, when you no longer feel that uplifting feeling, pure feeling and sincere curiosity about life; you no longer remember how great it was to play and dream, then it is high time to let it all come back to you and you will find out how fearlessly and freely the child in your soul and the other by your side would like to live and act with you.

(This happening was part of the Creativity trainings for top leaders in Estonia)

2002

THE CHILDREN OF THE HAIBA ORPHANAGE CREATED MIRACLES

"The beautiful concrete walls of the lobby of the HAIBA CHILDREN'S HOME were dared to be painted beautifully," the media reported.

Believe it or not, it was painted by the children, teachers and sponsors of the orphanage and was set up in three hours.  

The child proudly announced:

"We did it ourselves! That's why it turned out so beautiful, that they allowed us to stain and smudge the walls!"

Well, you see now! All you have to do is tell the children that we are going to play this game, that we are real artists, and they ARE! All happy artists! Especially because they know how to play.

…more! more!…

I will never forget how beautiful and powerful a moment it was when the youngest, a three-year-old child, waited impatiently until I squeezed out the many, many colors he had so passionately desired onto a large putty knife. Then the two of us, solemnly, as if a little secretly, crept up to the wall. I helped him make just one bold, brisk movement.

Seeing the suddenly appeared wildly colorful spot on the wall, he gasped, ___ and was gone! He carried all his family members by the hand and showed them what he had done with such enthusiasm that everyone, even the teachers, jumped up and down on the spot with joy like little sparrows. __ But the sweet Child kept coming and demanding: More! And more!

You see then! To do something unprecedented, there is only one condition: to play a real artist - from the heart and boldly like a Child. Then the importance of real play in childhood and its value in life will be remembered, and the intoxicating feeling that you can accomplish anything in your life will be established. Even making art is, as you see,__ a piece of cake!