PROJECTS
![Working on The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya in Colorado Drala Mountain Center, Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, Ralph, painting](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SHAMBHALA-MTN-CENTER-Ralph-at-work-N-Colorado-2018.jpg)
That's me up there! A team of us worked diligently in 2018 to repaint the stupa's four colorful entrance gates in an engineered coating (fancy paint) that's designed to withstand the elements.
![R. Williams Works on Buddha Sculpture Inside The Great Stupa Monument in Colorado Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, Drala Mountain Center, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SHAMBHALA-MTN-CENTER-prepping-stupa-for-Dalai-Lama-consecration-2006.jpg)
Prepping the Buddha, just prior to the Dalai Lama's consecration in 2006. Here, I am assessing the smoothness of the Buddha's backside to make sure it's ready for gold paint. Definitely, that's what I'm doing.
![Title Panel for "Church History" Exhibit in Colorado by R. Williams First Methodist, Ft Collins, Colorado, church history exhibit, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/CHURCH-EXHIBIT-First-Methodist-of-Ft-Collins-CO-2015.jpg)
This exhibit is one of my favorites because it was soooo important to my mother. She was the historian of her church, and for years she talked about doing a church history exhibit, so in 2015, that's what we did!
![Dragon Hand-Painted by R. Williams on Coat coat, hand-painted, dragon, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/DRAGON-COAT-by-Ralph-and-Benjamin-2010.jpg)
I finally finished painting this dragon, a symbol of power and love, on the back of my pea coat in 2020 when the Covid lockdown first went into effect. Years ago, a friend of mine in France drew the dragon outline for me (thank u, Benjamin!), and I had always intended to fill in the design with paint, but I just couldn't get around to it. Clearly, it took a pandemic lockdown to finally get it done.
![Children's Bedroom Mural Painted by R. Williams in Zürich Children's mural, painting, Switzerland, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GIRLS-ROOM-MURAL-for-Pia-Zurich-2012.jpg)
I painted this bedroom mural form my friend, Pia, which she then presented to her two young girls, who are depicted beneath the tree. Gotta love all that hot pink―her girls certainly did!
![Shoe Artistry & Branding by R. Williams hand burned, leather work, shoe design, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/FANCY-SHOE-designed-by-Ralph-2018.jpg)
MY RUBY SLIPPERS! I decided to dress up a pair of brown leather Birkenstocks by dying them red and branding a pattern into them with a wood-burning tool. Fun experiment!
![Set Artistry by R. Williams for "Secret Garden" at the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, Heidelberg, Germany, Secret Garden, set design, scenery painting, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-painted-by-Ralph-for-Secret-Garden-Roadside-Theater-Heidelberg-GE-2008.jpg)
This floor pattern for "Secret Garden" didn't take me nearly as long as most set pieces and backdrops. Maybe 3-4 hours? That back panel below the colorful flowers is my favorite part―looks like a mystical, primordial forest.
![Set Artistry by R. Williams for "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, Heidelberg, Germany, Little Shop of Horrors, Ralph, Set Design, Army base](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-for-Little-Shop-of-Horrors-painted-by-Ralph-for-the-Roadside-Theater-Heidelberg-2009-6.jpg)
My contribution to this flower shop set involved checkerboarding the floor, painting the cityscape silhouette, and faux-finishing the walls in blue-gray. Nice shop, cool plant monster!
![Brick Backdrop by R. Williams for "Little Shop of Horror" at the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, Germany, Little Shop of Horrors, Ralph, set design, Patton Army Base](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-by-Ralph-for-Little-Shop-of-Horrors-Roadside-Theater-Heidelberg-2010.jpg)
I decided to vary my reds on this brickwork to create a multicolor effect. After the opening number, the brick wall would separate in the center and slide off stage to reveal the flower shop set for the next scene. Clever!
![Backdrop by R. Williams for "Oliver" at the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, Germany, Oliver, Ralph, Patton Army Base, set design](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-by-Ralph-for-Oliver-Roadside-Army-Base-Theater-Heidelberg-2011.jpg)
This Dickensian London-scape for Oliver was first cut from wood panels and pieced together―then I went in with a magic paintbrush to add windows, rooftops, and whatnot. Wish you could see more clearly the details on the "Big Ben-ish" clock tower and the dome to St Paul's Cathedral (far left). But that's okay, you get the idea.
![Backdrop by R. Williams for "CATS" at the Roadside Theater in Germany CATS, Roadside Theater, Germany, Patton Army Base, set design, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-by-Ralph-for-CATS-Roadside-Army-Base-Theater-Heidelberg-2010.jpg)
For this production, I painted the moon and the stonework on the risers. That moon is actually painted in gray—the color just changes with the spotlighting. I used a sea sponge to give some texture to the moon, and then I lightly sprayed it with adhesive and threw glitter over it to add a twinkle-effect. That's right, it's the magic of glitter!
![Backdrop by R. Williams for "Crazy for You" at the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, Germany, Crazy For You, Army base, scenery painting, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-for-Crazy-For-You-painted-by-Ralph-Roadside-Theater-Heidelberg-2011-2.jpg)
The main challenge with this backdrop was to create a rainbow sunset with colors that blended seamlessly. So I ended up laying the whole drop out on the floor and rolling the paint on horizontally with a roller, shifting from coral-pink to fuchsia to deep purple, and then blending everything together. Follow? It's pretty darn seamless, and I love the look of that Arizona mesa against it in black.
!["Crazy for You" Set Piece by R. Williams for the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, set design, Ralph, Patton Army Bases, Crazy For You](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-by-Ralph-for-The-Roadside-Army-Base-Theater-Heidelberg-2008.jpg)
I love this set piece, but I wasn't entirely happy with it when first painted it. I thought it came out a bit too rosey-pink. But now I think it's pretty spot-on, because it's the GAIETY THEATER after all. ; )
!["Crazy for You" Set Piece by R. Williams for the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, Crazy For You, Army base, Germany, Heidelberg, Set Design,, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-for-Crazy-For-You-painted-by-Ralph-Roadside-Theater-Heidelberg-2011.jpg)
I like my blue brickwork, but I think the best feature on this set piece is the deco doors. You can't imagine how much masking tape I used on that linework? A LOT!
![Backdrop by R. Williams for "The Sound of Music" at the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, Germany, Sound of Music, Army base, scenery painting, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-by-Ralph-for-The-Sound-of-Music-The-Roadside-Army-Theater-Heidelberg-2008.jpg)
This Austrian Alps backdrop took me close to two weeks to get through. Somewhat grueling, but nothing compared to getting through the Austrian Alps on foot like the von Trapp family. Context!
![Backdrop by R. Williams for "The Sound of Music" at the Roadside Theater in Germany Roadside Theater, Sound of Music, US Army base, Heidelberg, Germany, set design, scenery painting, Ralph](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BACKDROP-for-Sound-of-Music-painted-by-Ralph-Roadside-Theater-Heidelberg-2009-7.jpg)
Ballroom dancing in a decadent villa in Austria―have to admit, it's been a long time since I've done that!
![Window Display by R. Williams for HOPESTONE Cancer Support Center in Oklahoma Hopestone Cancer Center, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, USA](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/HOPESTONE-CANCER-CENTER-Raphs-window-Bartlesville-OK-2012.jpg)
IT'S DECEMBER and we weren't officially open yet, but I created a holiday window anyway. The dress that you see on the mannequin, constructed out of newspaper & burlap, was created by my talented niece, Gabby (Jen's daughter). Spectacular!
![Exterior View of the Kagyu Buddhist Center for World Peace in London Kagyu Samye Dzong Buddhist Center, Spa Road, London](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/KAGYU-CENTER-For-World-Peace-Spa-Road-reno-London-2019.jpg)
Although designed and built in the Victorian era as a public library, the Kagyu Center for World Peace in London fits perfectly in this building. Good karma!
![Drafting Plans at the Kagyu Buddhist Center in London Kagyu Samye Dzong Buddhist Centre, Spa Road, London](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/KAGYU-CENTER-For-World-Peace-Spa-Road-reno-Ralph-Lama-Thubten-London-2009.jpg)
Here I am with Buddhist sculptor, Lama Thubten, drawing a map of the mysteries and solving some zen koans. Or then again, I might just be taking orders for lunch.
![Friends at ROKPA International in Zürich ROKPA International, Zurich, Switzerland, Lea Wyler](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ROKPA-INTERNTL-NGO-hosting-the-Dalai-Lamas-sister-Zurich-2010.jpg)
One afternoon at ROKPA, a humanitarian NGO headquartered in Zurich, the Dalai Lama's sister stopped by for tea. Nice surprise! Pictured L to R, ROKPA Director Lea Wyler, the DL's sister, me, and ROKPA Administrator Gabby Lenk.
!["Stupa Project" Display by R. Williams at the Shambala Retreat Center in Scotland Findhorn, Scotland, Buddhist, Ralph, Retreat Centre, Stupa project](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SHAMBALA-RETREAT-CTR-Ralphs-exhibit-Findhorn-Bay-Scotland-2008.jpg)
Here's a presentation board that I created for the Shambala Retreat Center (now closed) in Scotland to help promote their plan to build a stupa. I worked into the wee hours one night to get this board finished, hence the dark circles and the coffee cup in hand. In the end, the stupa project never got off the ground...good display, though!
![Hand-Lettering by R. Williams for Client in Switzerland Portfolio photo of some hand-painted western-style lettering that reads, "URSI'S CANTINA" in sunset orange( on white walls) that Inner Space host, Ralph Williams, painted above an arched doorway to a kitchen for a client in Switzerland.](https://innerspacewithralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/HAND-PAINTED-by-Ralph-Zurich-Switzerland-2012.jpg)
I/Ralph painted this for a writer in Switzerland who hired me to design and paint some classic western-style lettering above the saloon-door entrance to the family kitchen, as a birthday gift to his wife, Ursi. Came out well...and Ursi loved it! Happy wife, happy life, as they say.