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Building the Mirror Blaze in Pictures I: Preludes and Inspirations

April 9, 2017Photos, Things We've Builtadmin

So, you may have been following our adventures with Mirror Blaze at Burning Man in 2015. However, there was a significant amount of work put in by many people to make it work.

But before all of that, it started with sparks of inspiration. Or perhaps more precisely, flames of inspiration from S. We had been to the Burn with Site 3 Fire Arts in 2013 (pictures forthcoming[1]), and in late 2014, we had started talking about putting something together for 2015 (August/Sept).

Sometime in December, I was hanging out with some of my friends who do fire spinning, and (in addition to being pretty cool), it helped keep fire art at the top of our minds:

I also thought enough of this picture of the Man to screenshot it, perhaps to remind myself:

The other members of S3FA were also experimenting with various flame effects, such as Carrie’s Sniffly Dragon:

Carrie shows off her 'Sniffly Dragon'. — Carrie shows off her ‘Sniffly Dragon’.

Carrie's 'Sniffly Dragon', aflame. — Carrie’s ‘Sniffly Dragon’, aflame.

Along the way, after the success of the Charcade in 2013, we decided to put together a ‘Charnival’. Many ideas were thought up. I don’t remember if these were from a brainstorming session with all of S3FA, or just S and I, but I do remember that it was S’s idea to do a flaming mirror maze[0]:

Some of our wacky ideas for a Charnival.

You can see a number of ideas here which made their way into the Charnival (either on their own, or from a brainstorming session such as this one). Specifically, a ring toss game (‘Flaming Hookers’), the hall of mirrors and fire mirror maze were combined into Mirror Blaze, and there was a high striker (‘Hellblazer‘), amongst many others:

One of the other wacky ideas that was discussed was a fire-bumper-car game, working title ‘Crash & Burn’. There was vigorous discussion about the artistic direction of this project, and I ended up facilitating[2] a session where we settled on a combined vision:

'Dark', or 'Sparkle Pony'? A very important question. — ‘Dark’, or ‘Sparkle Pony’? A very important question.

Sadly, ‘Crash & Burn’ did not receive enough funding to go forward, but it lives on (in a fiery way) in our hearts.

We did go forward with Mirror Blaze, and this was apparently one of the initial Google searches I did while we were first researching geometries:

A glimpse into what we were thinking about early on in the Mirror Blaze process.

Next time, I’ll start in on the Mirror Blaze design and build process. Stay tuned!

[0]My posts are almost by necessity from my perspective. The initial idea, and most of the driving force for Mirror Blaze came from S. (Just ask her about the quartz tube story!)

[1]Don’t ask about the order that I post pictures. I don’t know, either.

[2]This was the first time that I really facilitated a meeting like this, and it really cemented my desire to do more facilitation. If you’re wondering what it looks like when I run/host a meeting, it may look something like:

This is what happens when I host/run a meeting.

Burning Man 2015 in Pictures LXX: Decompression in Reno

April 4, 2017Photos, Travel, Uncategorizedadmin

It’s always an experience coming home from an immersive event. Good movies can do it, especially when you’ve experienced catharsis, I’ve also experienced it a good meditation or epiphany.

But when the event is weeks long, with a totally different culture and social mores, the decompression experience can approach culture shock in its intensity.

When I first came home from Burning Man in 2013, I was biking down the Danforth, looking at all of the establishments along the road. Because I was still decompressing, I saw them as emplacements whose main goal was to persuade passers-by to give them resources.

we had decided to spend a day or two in Reno on the way back from the Burn in 2015, a trip which I will document later. Today it’s more about the decompression experiences.

We arrive at the hotel in Reno! Also visible: Mike, possible Marc.

Is it a strange alien beast, or bungee cords?Is it a strange alien beast, or bungee cords?

This is what playa dust looks like in Real Life(tm).

These were the best bike locks. You just had to spell a word, such as 'HIRP', and it would unlock. — These were the best bike locks. You just had to spell a word, such as ‘HIRP’, and it would unlock.

POLT. Also, we left these locks (and our bike baskets) behind for the next renter.

In the Reno airport, we saw an installation that seemed somewhat familiar.

Your trusty correspondent, outfitted in full Space Cactus regalia.

And, that’s all she wrote.

There are still many more photos to process (we had so many people helping us plan and build!), but this is the chronological end of the project (modulo a couple of moves of the installation parts when they arrived home). It feels good to feel like I’ve finished something, even if it was in much more depth than I had ever expected.

Here’s to next time. Thanks for reading. 😀

Burning Man 2015 in Pictures LXIX: Final Camp Teardown and On The Road Again…

April 3, 2017Photos, Traveladmin

When we last saw our intrepid adventurers, they had just finished combing the desert around the Charnival installation.

Today, we join them as they teardown the main camp, and set off for their next adventure!

S, leaving our home away from home for the last time... — S, leaving our home away from home for the last time…

Our home away from home, all packed up and ready to go!

We leave playa as we found it, a place beautiful in its starkness. (Note also Trevyn (or perhaps Splat) joy in the background.)

Totenkitten main camp, before teardown. I'm often sure of the exact level of intentional irony. — Totenkitten main camp, before teardown. I’m often sure of the exact level of intentional irony.

As Francisco discovers, tarps are not to be trifled with. *OM NOM NOM NOM*

Evan walks towards the invisible quonset wall.

On the road, the dusty, dusty road... — On the road, the dusty, dusty road…

Civilization! the first time we stopped here on the way home, in 2013, we were so struck by the abundance that we bought everything in sight.

Burning Man 2015 in Pictures LXVIII: Combing the Desert!

March 27, 2017Photos, Traveladmin

When we last saw our intrepid crew, they were in the middle of teardown of the Charnival. Today, we see them finish teardown of the Charnival, and start combing the desert[1] for MOOP[2].

S, Greg, & Kosta take a break, while Seth rides up and NekoBus looks on.

S: "I found this guy hiding in one of the benches!" — S: “I found this guy hiding in one of the benches!”

The Sunday night Temple Burn is a very emotional and spiritual experience for many.

Ships' masts are much lighter this way. — Ships’ masts are much lighter this way.

The tradition of geometric-shaped art cars continues. Here we see the Square Pyramid and Projected Icosahedron.

After one last *FOOM* from Medusa, it was time for bed!

[1]Ref: Spaceballs.

[2]This is a long and painstaking process. Somehow, I didn’t take any pictures of this. Imagine raking an area of desert the size of a football field under the blazing sun. But Leave No Trace is that important.

Burning Man 2015 in Pictures LXVII: Teardown of the rest of the Charnival

March 26, 2017Photos, Things We've Built, Traveladmin

Last time, we saw our intrepid crew teardown the last of Mirror Blaze. Today, the rest of the Charnival!

M & M work on disassembling Francis the Fantastic.

E looks on as C 'rolls the fence'. — E looks on as C ‘rolls the fence’.

M & C are caught in an instant of slow-time.

The furious dissasembly of Riskee Ball continues!

l-r: Riskee Ball dissasembly, Charnival Front of House, Fire Tetris, C.

The hardy team working on Riskee Ball. l-r: AD, KZ, CH, AL, RL.

Splat takes a break in the shade while Mike surveys his packing of Francis.

The Riskee Ball dissassembly crew, hard at work. l-r: Mike, Andrea, Steph(?), Kosta, NekoBus, Greg.

Splat surveys what is left of the skin on his fingers.

Burning Man 2015 in Pictures LXVI: The Last of the Mirror Blaze Teardown!

March 25, 2017Photos, Things We've Built, Traveladmin

Last time, we followed our intrepid adventurers as they continued the teardown of Mirror Blaze. Today, we follow them as they complete this task.[1]

MF & GL walk by the remaining upright parts of Mirror Blaze.

Fire and acrylic mirrors. Sometimes they have an effect on each other.

Greg and splat work on the final mirror!

l-r: Lifeguard Stand, Stepstool, Flamey, Quartz Tube, Charnival Sign, Mirror Posts.

Flamey side view. Note the use of rebar, and the large amount of non-flammable fabric and teflon used to protect the quartz tube.

Note the aluminum foil protecting the wiring.

S, G, & M bring down the last part of the lifeguard stand. Done!

[1]Still arduous, but took about 1/3 as long as putting it together (not including MOOP sweep).

Burning Man 2015 in Pictures LXV: Mirror Blaze Teardown Continues!

February 27, 2017Photos, Things We've Built, Travel, Uncategorizedadmin

Last time, we watched the first stage of the Mirror Blaze teardown. Today, we witness the second part of the teardown, and some of the (very very very sooty) effects of having flame effect equipment in an enclosed tube for a week.

Mirror Blaze, at the start of phase II. Note the wind bracing sticks at the top.

Callum pulls up the fence protecting the fuel depot for Mirror Blaze and FaIRE Hockey.

l-r: Case, Kosta, Kevin, S (slight case of clamber), and Splat

l-r: Kevin, S (slight case of peeping), Greg, Splat

The disassembled pieces of Mirror Blaze pile up!

Greg holds up some of the padding used to protect the quartz tube from the metal straps holding it up.

The quartz tube, marks left over by the silicone and not-so-flammable fabric padding.

The quartz tube, in situ. Note the sooty colour.

Kosta unhoking 'Flamey', the flame effect. — Kosta unhoking ‘Flamey’, the flame effect.

'Flamey' is quite 'sooty'. But the aluminum foil protecting the wiring held up! — ‘Flamey’ is quite ‘sooty’. But the aluminum foil protecting the wiring held up!

Next time, the rest of the Mirror Blaze tear down!

Burning Man in Pictures 2015 LXIV: The Teardown Begins!

February 25, 2017Photos, Things We've Built, Traveladmin

Last time, our intrepid adventurers gave Mirror Blaze a sendoff with a last mighty *FOOM* on its last night in operation for 2015.

Today, we follow them as they start the teardown of the Charnival.

First, to set the scene, we have a pic of Evan working on the ‘big top’ outer casing of Mirror Blaze:

Evan starting to bring down the big top.

Then an important montage of S showing how a mirror is supposed to be detached from the posts:

S starts detaching the mirror... — S starts detaching the mirror…

The first side done, she starts detaching the other side.

S demonstrates the proper way to become mirrorximist.

Marc shows the proper technique for removing rebar from playa.

Greg and Splat show the proper breakdown decorum.

Burning Man 2015 in Pictures LXIII: Sunlight Poutine and Mirror Blaze Final Night!

February 19, 2017Photos, Things We've Built, Traveladmin

(Last time with our intrepid heroes…)

Midnight Poutine. There is nothing quite like it. You would think that the time of day would make no difference in the taste of a food, but you would be wrong[1].

The Quebecois flag. A welcoming sight far away from home.

[1]It could also be the temperature, or the altitude, or the (lack of) humidity,

Moving on from Midnight Poutine, our trusty crew traveled back to the installation, spotting some friends along the way:

The Charnival at night...but wait...who's that? — The Charnival at night…but wait…who’s that?

"Hello Adventurers. You are almost at the end of your quest. Remember all that you have learned, and to put all of the pieces together..." — “Hello Adventurers. You are almost at the end of your quest. Remember all that you have learned, and to put all of the pieces together…”

Climbing up on top of a shipping container, the crew watched for the signal that the Man was about to burn. And there it was! The arms were raised!:

After the Man burned, it was time to make a little fire of our own!

S went up to the top of the lifeguard stand to test the Blaze part of Mirror Blaze, blowing a fiery kiss:

We then went into the maze, to celebrate a final *FOOM* before teardown and cleanup:

Our intrepid heroes celebrate the final *FOOM* of 2015!

Join us next time, when we start teardown and cleanup, the most important parts of any installation!

Burning Man 2015 in Pictures LXII: Unnecessarily High Fives!

February 18, 2017Photos, Traveladmin

When we last saw our intrepid crew, they had just finished researching and learning about MOOP.

Today, we follow them as they explore more of the wild (and not so woolly) camps.

(Note that this post is many pictures and fewer words. With all the distracting things happening in the world right now, I’m finding it difficult to find the mental space to form and create. This is my way of getting that process restarted. Thank you all for your continued support.)

Today, their journey starts at Mazu, Goddess of the Empty Sea (Or rather, the skeleton left after the previous evening’s burn):