Temple of Unobtainable Expectations: An Interview with Kristal Light

Our community has known Kristal Light for a long time. She exemplifies the Burning Man 10 Principles through the artistic gifting nature of her personal lifestyle, and over the years she's volunteered to work First Aid at more regional Burning Man events than we can keep track of. If you've been to a Midwestern or Southern regional Burning Man event in the past 10 years, chances are good you've met her! She also became one of Kentucky's first official Burning Man Regional Contacts, and was one of the founders of Reclaimation, Kentucky's first official regional burn.

Currently living in Lexington, Kentucky, Kristal received a Large Art Grant to bring her vision for The Temple of Unobtainable Expectations to life. She was kind enough to answer a few questions for us, and sent us a few pictures of the work in progress (but nothing too specific, she's not going to spoil the secret!)

How did you first get involved in all this Burning Man business?

My first burn was Transformus in 2005, but I heard of Burning Man years prior from an article published in Wired back in 1996. I moved from my birthplace of Louisville, Kentucky to San Francisco in 1998 and attended some fundraiser parties for Burning Man, thought hadn't yet made it out to the actual event. It took finding community in the woods (at Transformus) to inspire my first journey to the desert. My first actual Burning Man was in 2008, and like with so many others, it radically changed my life. Finding others who are inspired by large art, blank canvases, and vision, I started to make big art of my own for regional burns, not to mention participating in Burning Man's first historic C.O.R.E. (Circle of Regional Effigies) project in 2011. The project was called the F-N Bourbon Barrel and was a 16ft tall by 16ft wide Bourbon Barrel that housed 350 individual art pieces from people here in Kentucky and some native kids in Canada.

Would you mind telling us a little about your project for Mosaic Experiment?

I'm building a temple for Mosaic called The Temple of Unobtainable Expectations. The vision for this art piece came to me while doing 108 days of mantra meditation earlier this year. I wanted a way to help myself and others to let go of the expectations of others so that we can be free to feel more joy and love.

I was inspired by my meditation , my job and my life to make this project. I wanted to use recycled materials from my workplace in a way that dresses them up from their original use. I also wanted to show the art that anyone can make if you make the time to do it.

Our families and friends think they are helping us when they tell us we will be judged by others around us. Sometimes, we are filled with these expectations by friends who want us to do more and more for them. It's when we realize our truths and let go of these expectations holding us back that we can be free to be whatever we choose to be.

The art is very personal for me as I work through the thoughts and ideas that have held me back over the years. I just hope this project helps others to know even well-meaning expectations can be harmful to the psyche and transmutation is the way of freedom.

I look forward to seeing the reactions of others as they interact with the piece and hope we are all healed as this burns at dawn Sunday morning.

This sounds like a profoundly deep project for you. May we ask how much time you've spent on it so far?

Wow.....good question there.....I started with the vision in February this year (2015) and started the work in March. I knew I wanted to bring this piece to Mosaic all along and I'm grateful that I'm getting closer to making my vision a reality.

Are you collaborating with anyone on this you'd like to mention, or working primarily alone?

I've been working on this piece alone, for the most part. I did consult two friends on the building/spiritual parts of the piece, but this has been a single person build all along. The Sacred Grove camp has taken me in as a member this year and have offered to keep sacred space around the piece when I need a break.

Have you run into any unexpected obstacles while building / designing this Temple or has everything been going to plan?

My main challenge has been making sure I collected all the recycled materials to make the project. Luckily, I have done that, and now my only challenge will be muscle help on site to help me lift pieces while I put it together/break it apart.....want to help out? I'd love volunteers.

Would you mind sharing any advice or wisdom to other participants considering a major project like this for a future Mosaic Experiment?

Dream big! Don't be afraid to try something out of your league. It's just a new thing you've not tried yet. Don't give up on yourself or your art. Anything is possible when you have dreams!

One last question: Mosaic's theme for 2015 is "Defying Gravity." How does your Temple defy gravity?

I've decided to look at the world differently than before, and part of doing that is baring my soul for all to see. This project is a sort of therapy for myself dealing with loss, depression, and abuse. As you walk into the project, you'll see several phrases in negative tones. Those words are from the heart and I cried as I let the pain come through me and be placed into the wood for you all to see. Likewise, I have positive phrases inside the heart of the piece to show the healing that has taken place in my life so that it helps others to not suffer as much. We have so much in common and yet we forget that we all hurt, cry, bleed the same. Life is a terminal illness. It's time we fly beyond our faults and embrace our beauty in those differences. Letting go is the hardest part. Dream big and believe in yourself.....that's how true miracles happen.

I hope this temple helps someone not feel alone, ashamed or afraid of those dark things inside. I hope this temple is the vision of beauty I've seen in my meditations. I hope this temple helps heal others as I know it will help heal me.

Remember, this isn't magic, this is your life. Your game, your rules. You can change those rules you've set for yourself if they hold you back from your highest potential. Don't give up on yourself. Don't stop believing. Never stop dreaming.

Thank you, Kristal, for sharing your vision and gifting of yourself with an art piece we can all participate in. The Temple will burn on Sunday morning, October 4, 2015. We look forward to sharing this experience together.

Are you ready for Mosaic Experiment and all the beauty and creativity you'll experience? Be sure to come prepared so you can fully enjoy it! Check out our Weather Preparedness & Self Reliance post, and of course, don't forget to read the Survival Guide.

2015 Art Grants Awards

2015 ART GRANTS AWARDS ANNOUNCED

Mosaic Experiment’s Art Grant Committee is pleased to announce the following 2015 Art Grants awardees. Thank you all for your hard work, participation, and vision. Giving out funds for art is probably the best job around!

As you can see, most grants were not funded in their entirety. Help our fellow artists out! Click the donate button next to any description to donate directly to that project. If you’d like to donate to ALL the projects (your donation will be divided evenly), donate here:

Our temporary home in the cosmos of Reclaim is being built slowly, art project by art project … we can’t wait to see the magic you all create.

LARGE ART GRANTS

DEFIANT PHOENIX by Joel Lam Defiant Phoenix will represent a bird, a symbol of “Defying Gravity”. The bird will be more of a skeleton, with straight sticks of wood representing its feathers. It’s wings spread wide, as though emerging from the flames and beginning it’s ascent to the heavens. This installation is a reminder that we can soar high above the challenges of life. This phoenix is defiant; she burns brightly, gives warmth, follows her own path, and soars higher than anyone says she should. She’s also a constant survivor. Budget: $1,000 | Granted: $550

REFLECTIONS by Jaime Robbins Reflections is a swinging pergola. This structure accomplishes this feeling of weightlessness, happiness and flying while being safe for burner participants to hang out on and reflect. Hanging from the roof of the pergola will be many small mirrors medallions reflecting the light from the LEDs that will also be added to the structure. The effect should be something similar to floating around in space, staring up at the stars. Budget: $970 | Granted: $550

TEMPLE OF UNOBTAINABLE EXPECTATIONS by Kristal Light Temple of Unobtainable Expectations highlights the fact that expectations are all around us and in our daily life. We really do take for granted that things will always be the way they are now and they won’t be. Each moment in time is different than another. There is no going back, only forward. So, why not go forward with a new direction? The direction of healing. The artist’s goal is to help transmute the energy of guilt of expectation into a loving remembrance of who we really are. When we free ourselves of expectation, we make more room to express more love and joy. This art project will be a structure you walk into and experience the messages the project has to show through the well thought out art. Able to be walked into in small groups. Budget: $679 | Granted: $300

MEDIUM ART GRANTS

CLOUD CITY P.O. by Bill Fisher Cloud City P.O. allows the Mosaic community to live outside the box, “Defying Gravity”, by creating a mailbox from which they may mail postcards to their future selves. Participants will be able to create a personal message they will mail to themselves to be delivered in the future. Participants can be as creative as they want with the postcards. They will be able to draw, color and write whatever they wish. If a participant does not want to include their address or does not have an address, they can address it to the universe. It will still be mailed out, so it is delivered in the eyes of the participant. This installation hopes to inspire the Mosaic community to think about where they are in the world, with themselves or with others. To look within themselves and take notice of the aspects they would like to see evolved. To set small goals for themselves. Or even to simply say hi to their future selves and put a smile on their faces.

Preprinted postcards, pens, crayons and markers will be provided. Names and addresses will NOT be used for ANY other purpose. The mailbox will be participatory 24 hours a day. It will be lit up on the inside and the outside at night by battery powered E.L. Wire. The postcards will be mailed out at a time no longer than one year later. Budget: $330 | Granted: $250

CAMP FYS BURNER SURVIVAL TINS by Jaime Robbins Camp ‘Fix Your Shit’ is offering up Burner Survival Tins made out of recycled Altoid tins. The outside of the tin will be spray painted to look like a miniature galaxy/starscape and will say Mosaic 2015. Anyone can visit our camp and build a tin, which includes first aid supplies, sewing supplies, ear plugs, mini lights, nail trimmers, mylar blankets, etc. It’s a little bit of functional art for participants to take with them to use again and again. Budget: $300 | Granted: $175

TAKE MY HAND by Katelin Fisher Take My Hand was inspired by incredibly fond memories of one participants dad walking into a room with a tune or hum on his lips and spontaneously twirling her mom or one of the kids around and sharing a dance­ be it a swing, slow, bluegrass, funk­ and then letting it end as quickly as it came on with zero awkwardness. For about 60­ -120 seconds at a time, they were engaged with one another and having fun, no preamble, no time limit, but definitely smiling. At burns, participants often hope that they will be able to share the same kind of sentiment in their interactions with new friends and old family alike...spontaneous moments of meaningful engagement. Take My Hand intends to create a space that facilitates these interactions. Imagine as you are on one of your walking adventures to check out what Mosaic is doing, with a person you are happy to have in that moment­ a friend, a lover, a parent/child/brother/sister, a new acquaintance, a crush, a recent stranger­ and you frolic across a stand alone space where you can sweep in and out of a dance at both of your wills. Maybe it makes you nervous, and maybe it gives you butterflies, maybe it feels like the most natural thing in the world... sway back and forth all night or until the end of the song.

Take My Hand, either we’ll tether each other to Mosaic or we’ll float away together. Budget: $191 | Granted: $175

THE OFFICE by Robert Kolb The Office is an experiment in alternative realities, perceptions, learning, and interpersonal communication through highly interactive experiences. The Office is a replica office setting from 1972 complete with file cabinets, desk, phone, water cooler, and more. The concept is blending the burner world with the default world, a world from the past. There will be board meetings, office parties, company picnic, and cutting edge industry discussions. Budget: $333.22 | Granted: $250

TOAST & JAMS by Carrie Myers Toast & Jams is meant to be a fun activity to bring people together to bond over food and music. This will be a multi-session occurrence, each taking place for approximately 1 hour of toast making/eating and music appreciation. A small portable boombox will be used for playing music and will be quiet enough to encourage conversation. Lanterns and battery powered lights will be used for any night time toasts. This will not be a visually remarkable art project, but rather is meant to be interactive. Careful thought will go into the selection of food and music selective to encourage and provoke conversations. Budget: $270 | Granted: $150

FULLY FUNDED ART GRANTS

BROKEN DOLL MINUET by Highwire Broken Doll Minuet brings one burner’s joy and energy of hook suspensions to the burner community. Hook suspension helped the artist in some trying times, eventually turning her into the strong individual she is now and helped in her discovering the burner community & friends. She would love to share a hook suspension with the community at Mosaic Experiment and would love for this to be an experience that not only she enjoys. She wants to share the energy she feels is understood by others. Budget: $150 | Granted: $150

PACK PACK by Kat Pope BEWARE!!! A werewolf is on the loose at Mosaic! One ‘bite’ and you’ll find yourself transformed into a werewolf yourself. This lone wolf is looking for participants to become part of her pack at Mosaic Experiment.

Moon Moon the lone wolf will be making at least 6 wolf heads and tails to ‘turn’ ordinary participants into moon howling werewolves that roam the streets of Mosaic (and beyond). It’s her way of expressing Immediacy, self-expression, and participation. Moon Moon wants to share her love of being a wolf and to embrace your inner wolfness, run around, and howl at the moon.

Ultimately, Moon Moon is hoping that her wolves will want to make other wolves and that someday she’ll go to a burn and meet a werewolf she doesn’t know. That would be epic. The process used to make these wolves has become fairly streamlined, and uses easily ­replicated patterns. Moon Moon is working on making an instructional video so that anyone can do this themselves, but for now she’s the only werewolf­ making person around. Budget: $125 | Granted: $125

UV PHOTO BOOTH by Josh Kaplon UV Photo Booth is an interactive shadow booth. It is an 8’x8’ screen covered in a UV reactive material. A custom built 100W UV light to charge the screen allowing participants to pose in front of the screen and take temporary silhouette photos. Props like hats and other things that can make interesting outlines will be provided. There will also be various UV flashlights and laser pointers available to draw on the outlines and add detail to the photos. Budget: $100 | Granted: $100

YOUTH AR T GRANT

PICTURE PLANET by Miles Asselin Picture Planet is a round ball like you can crawl inside and draw things inside. But the outside is painted like a planet. And there are lights inside, with batteries for night that make it glow and you can do the art at night. You can draw things that fly on go in the air on the top and things that are on the ground in the bottom. One grown up or 2 kids can fit inside and use the markers to draw. My family will help me bring it there and make it work.

Parent’s note: We are planning on creating a sphere using multiple size rings of thin pvc pipe, then covering the structure with tarps that will be prepainted on the outside. Budget: $50 | Granted: $50 (FULLY FUNDED)

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OMG! Immediacy Grant: Anti-Gravity Elixirs by Helen Arth Anti-­gravity elixirs aim to challenge the force of attraction by which our bodies fall toward the center of the Earth. The consumption of anti­-gravity elixirs are the gates of which to enter an alternate world of possible impossibilities. By creating possible impossibilities, we enable ourselves to lose touch with the physical laws of attraction that bind us to reality, and unhinge fantasies of weightless existence of which evoke transformative change. Budget:  $230 | Granted:  $150

MOTHERSHIP LOVE: The Story of our Effigy

"Mothership Love" is Mosaic Experiment's official effigy for 2015, selected by our Art Grants Committee because its design so perfectly fits this year's theme "Defying Gravity."

This week we've been fortunate to get a few moments with Osito (Thaddeus Micelli), project manager/coordinator of the effigy team, to discuss the inspiration and efforts involved in making this artistic dream become reality. The effigy team is hard at work designing and prototyping what will soon be the final centerpiece we set fire to Saturday evening during Mosaic.

Where you living these days, Osito? Osito: Ypsilanti, Michigan

When was the first burn you ever attended? My first burn was Lakes of Fire 2013: Superstition. My wife Kyrie and I found out about the burner community from a friend who had gone the previous year to Lakes of Fire.

Tell us a little bit about your effigy project, Mothership Love: Mothership Love is a kinetic art piece that gives a peek into the wonder of space and the universe, and offers to teleport you away. We want to truly defy gravity and show the rotation of the planets. For years, we at Mothership Love have sent out a signal into the night sky, across all frequencies, and through all known languages, and we have finally heard back. For the first time, we bring visitors from another world to our planet’s humble surface.

What inspired you to build it? For me this piece comes from a yearning to continue creating art within this culture. It is very much a culmination of the past three years of my life and this adventure being a 'burner'.  After the Tree of Life, my wife and I started small with our first theme camp (Treasure Island), evolved into our first art grant/project (Snatch-n-Balls) and escalated to creating the effigy for Mosaic. This community continues to show what is truly possible when the right energy is put into this reality. I only wish to continue this tradition and inspire the next person to shoot for the stars.

How much time have you put into creating the effigy so far? It's really hard to put an exact amount of time. It all sort of starts to blend together. A number of hours have been spent just in group conversation discussing schematics, issues, organizing events, etc. Every weekend since we were granted the effigy has been spent at one of our build sites and will continue throughout the month of September.

Fundraising, although easy enough to set up online, takes a lot of time and energy to properly hype/advertise online. Big kudos to the Mosaic leads and volunteers that spend countless hours making sure we all know what's going on!

So we know you're not doing this all by yourself.  Who are you collaborating with and what are their roles? None of this would be possible without the help from my core team:

Aiyami (Spidermonkey): Skilled chemist by trade and Fire Lead for our effigy. Excellent knowledge of creating and burning stuff. Methodical burn designs will ensure this is one effigy you will not want to miss. One half of our mad creation team!

David Yates (Total Neglect): Design lead and engineering specialist. Brings years of experience with woodworking and fires. I'm 100% sure that this man could make anything work with enough time and tools. The other half of our mad creation team.

Kyrie Micelli (BrattyCakes): The yin to my yang. Community event organizer and overall human networker. A lot of our presence online and our fundraising event at Necto is due to Kyrie's help along with helping keep me organized and on track. Cannot thank her enough.

Although our core team is small we have been lucky to have others come to our assistance. Necto nightclub in Ann Arbor has been generous enough to offer their downstairs area (the Red Room) for our local fundraiser along with some excellent local talent. Mixtape, one of our DJs for the fundraiser, has also greatly contributed to Mosaic with his image designs and other media that will be released related to the event.

Also, our friend Jon: Our build site would not be possible if not for his generosity (and overall curiosity) of the Mothership Love effigy. The tools and space available have greatly helped in the completion/burning of the scale project and translating that to the main burn. I also have enjoyed an amazing meal or two at their place and I'm humbled by their generosity.

What kind of roadblocks and challenges have you run into so far? One of our biggest challenges is making sure that our burn effects work as we have initially planned. So far, we have successfully recreated this in the scale model and look forward to hammering out the rest. If you're coming to our Mothership Love-raiser, you'll get to see what we mean!

Other challenges have been organizing people/time to make the builds happen, sourcing parts for the build at a reasonable price, keeping the community engaged and participating and making connects with people who can assist us with some of our harder components. We have been lucky enough to make all of these happen with a little luck and a good amount of hard work. Again, none of this would be possible without the help from the community.

Any words of advice for artists wanting to make their own project for a future Mosaic Experiment? I would definitely not take on such a large project unless you've worked on some other small ones first. The experience our crew gained on our first group project (Tree of Life, Lakes of Fire 2013) and our own personal projects since then have given us the building blocks to base our build and timeline on. It doesn't hurt to know how to use a power tool either.

Be ready to make changes. Things come up. Stuff doesn't fit or pan out. You're going to make a few revisions to your design before it gets burned. The board game Monopoly was revised over forty times before it was up to snuff. It's not a bad thing. It's just evolution. Roll with it.

Have fun! There's a lot of hard work involved in making your dreams a reality but above all make sure you and your team are enjoying what they're doing.

Got a link to your project you want us to send people to? Maybe the fundraiser page? Yup! Mothership Love Indiegogo Page

THAT'S IT, FOLKS! Osito had to go back to work!

For those wanting to help gift this project in either physical or financial ways, we highly recommend you attend the Mothership Love-Raiser this weekend:

MOTHERSHIP LOVE-RAISER Saturday, August 29, 2015 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Necto Nightclub (Red Room) Ann Arbor, Michigan

$10 gets you in the door, and you can meet the Osito and his project team in the flesh, discuss the project, offer to pitch in however you'd like, or just hang out, dance, and have a good time with burner friends supporting a project of burnerly love! Of course, if you can't make it to that, you can always donate your cover (or more!) to to the Mothership Love Indiegogo Page. 

Mosaic Experiment: A burn for all ages

I'm often asked why we fought so hard to make Mosaic an all-ages event, and it only takes remembering my mother to realize how important children are to the sustainability and health of our community. 

Despite it being Mother’s Day, not a day goes by without reflecting all the valuable lessons my mom taught me right up until her passing just over two years ago. I’m forever grateful because she not only allowed me to become who I am right now, but actively encouraged it. She taught me that if I felt strongly enough about something, to stand by it with all my conviction as she did with her own beliefs. Whenever I’m in great need for strength and inspiration, I need to look no further than the beautiful woman who gave me life and raised me.

At Burning Man, the greeters mantra is “Welcome Home!” When I first heard those words, I took it to mean “Welcome Home, misfit!” It was an island of misfits in the middle of the nowhere. My people were there. My weirdos! 

At Burning Man, everything you can imagine is there, and if it isn’t, it will show up years later. I ran into people in their 70’s and 80’s making art, gifting food, offering water, talking deep philosophy. I also found a village called Kidsville right next to the Alternative Energy Zone. After years of exposure to Burning Man, these children will grow up to be the future artists, greeters, rangers, First Aid workers, city builders, event planners, and event producers.

We’ve heard every argument why underage children shouldn’t attend burns, and addressed them all.

It typically comes down to Radical Inclusion vs. Civic Responsibility, instead of Civically Responsible Radical Inclusion. You can’t cherry pick one principle over another, they’re all supposed to be played in harmony.

Radical inclusion doesn't mean "everyone can go. "It means "non-discriminatory access for everyone, regardless of your skin color, sexual orientation, regional affiliation, religion, race, or age." 

Civic Responsibly simply means basic infrastructure is put into place (portable toilets, event insurance, parking plans, emergency response protocols, etc.) Civic Responsibility does not mean “we are protecting everyone from danger!”

There is danger everywhere. It is the right of the parent to choose what they expose their children to, and the parent's responsibility to protect their children if they perceive danger.

Burning Man is a cultural movement, not an event. You can't change culture without breaking the traditionally accepted norms of what you expose your children to. You don't have to bring your children, but we shouldn't exclude parents who wish to.

Children will not be the future greeters, rangers, medics, gate people, and event holders if they are not included.

After last year’s Mosaic event, I saw some online discussion about the gifts we received at the event which “melted our souls.” It got me thinking of the most touching moment I had while attending Mosaic 2014. It was during the Saturday night burn, but wasn't the burn itself....it was this woman standing in front of me holding her baby. 

The woman was facing forward, fascinated by the huge burning effigy, but her baby was held over her shoulder, facing me...fascinated by the little glowing lights I had around my neck. I grabbed my lights and jiggled them which got the baby's attention. The baby looked up at me and smiled. I hit one of my light controller buttons making them blink, and the baby started laughing. Everyone was watching this gigantic beautiful art piece burn to the ground, but to this baby, there was nothing more fascinating than these little glowing lights.

If that mother couldn't bring her baby, neither would have come, and I never would have had that beautiful simple sensation of entertaining the mind of a child with my little glowy $5 light string, making us both laugh, which made the mother laugh, joining everyone's laughter over the collective joyous experience.

These endlessly curious little versions of ourselves will soon replace us. Curiousness, fascination by everything, wonderment about how so many strange things are possible, how are they done, how can we make more, do more, build more, and BE more? I was moved to tears because I saw myself, asking "what is THAT??"

I mean, really, I want to know, what IS that?

That is a mother, with her child, and they're standing with you at a burn, that's what it is. The burn incinerated the childish, and nourished the childlike. Our community fought hard for that gift. Mosaic Experiment will continue to protect it.

Open Lead Callouts are now live!

Want to burn all year? VOLUNTEER! Mosaic Experiment, the event, is the result of a lot of year-round work by Mosaic Organizers (also referred to as MORG.)

Some of the MORG work exclusively on site, but others work offsite for most of the year because, like so many of you, they don't want the burn to stop!

The MORG is not just an organization planning Mosaic. The MORG burns all year, resulting in Mosaic.

Burning year-round isn't just desired to create Mosaic, it's required! Mosaic cannot sustain its continued growth without the participants who dedicate their passionate enthusiasm to creating an even more awesome event.

Do you want to burn all year? Are you a wizard wishing to make Mosaic more magical?

We have many opportunties for you!

How will you participate?

Mosaic Experiment's Official 2015 Open Callouts Page

Mosaic Experiment 2014 Afterburn Report

It is with much gratitude and excitement Mosaic is now ready to share with our annual year-end report, providing our participants with an up-to-date overview of the 2014 Mosaic event, our organization, our objectives, and the obstacles we encountered trying to achieve them.

Our hope is that this report with help provide a context for understanding the organization and people behind the event. “Mosaic Experiment” is the name we use to define the scope, scale and dynamic nature of what we all do together. Whether or not you attended the event, we ask that you take a moment to review our year long struggles, achievements, and lessons learned. Each team lead volunteered to take time out of their busy schedules to document their experience for future leaders of our organization. Perhaps one of them will be you?

Mosaic Experiment 2014 Afterburn Report [Google Doc] [PDF]

Joel Lam's "Hive-Mined = Memories"

Name/Burner Name: Joel Lam (Boss)

Current city: Cincinnati, OH

Theme camp/burner group name and description: Camp One (because I camped alone since my friends missed getting tickets before Mosaic sold out)

Art piece name and description:

• Piece #1: "Hive-Mined = Memories" A hive is nothing but a collection of cells. A mind is nothing but a collection of memories. This piece consists of 104 custom-made cells. Each cell contains an experience or feeling. You’re challenged to remember the last time (or first time) you experienced or felt it. Where were you? What was going on at that time? 

  

  

• Piece #2: "Hive-Mined = Teamwork" The treasure inside is great, but the real treasure is the journey to unlock it. This chest is locked with a number combo. Work with others to solve the clues and gather information from Theme Camps in order to unlock the treasure. This piece is meant to encourage socializing and give you an excuse to speak to strangers. 

  

• Piece #3 (not installed due to weather): "Hive-Mined = Teambuilding" One bee can’t build a hive. Two bees can’t build a hive. Only a team of bees can build a hive. This is a monument to teambuilding. The sphere on top represents a hive, the ultimate goal for any team. Each model represents an aspect of a good team (e.g. Trust, Cooperation). Hidden teammates under the platform represent the necessary hard work that goes unseen. Together, the team builds the tower that reaches their goal.

Inspiration for art:

• "Hive-Mined = Memories" --> Circles with Candles: Friends and I were at a bar and I complained about lacking inspiration. Then magically a clip of John Travolta at the Academy Awards (mispronouncing Idina Menzel’s name) came on the TVs. I noticed the background behind Travolta and it was beautiful. I knew exactly what I wanted after that.
• "Hive-Mined = Teamwork"--> Treasure Chest: My friend saw an amazing art installation on the playa this year. He told me all about a cabinet that required simple riddles/puzzles to unlock it. He was really floored by it. I never found that installation but liked the idea and tried to add a socializing aspect. Thanks to the theme camps who contributed fun facts.
• "Hive-Mined = Teambuilding" --> Tower: I worried no one would visit the other pieces so designed something tall to attract attention. It’d be a beacon for my little art area. The Burn decided it wasn’t needed, but I enjoyed building it nonetheless.

Time spent on making art: Circles with Candles = 25 hours. Treasure Chest = 5 hours. Mosaic Muses inside Treasure Chest = 2 hours. Tower = 5 hours.

Helpers/assistant builders: Kenneth Areas helped me with dry-runs at home to assemble and disassemble. Kat Pope and Colin Smith helped me assemble Piece #1 at Mosaic.

Challenges during the build: Challenge #1 = Being ok with displaying my art / overcoming my fear that everyone would ignore, dislike, or not understand it. Challenge #2 = Weather. Building something that can withstand the wind, morning dew, and rain. And hail! Challenge #3 = Logistics to transport and safely disassemble/reassemble at Mosaic.

What skills did you learn that will help you with your next art piece: How to cut PVC pipe, how to use zip ties instead of rope or wire, and how to walk away from my art / not hover so I’m there to explain it.

How many years have you been burning? When did you first start burning? 5 months. I started May 2014.

Where was your first burn and what was it like? Who told you about it? Scorched Nuts 2014 was my first burn. I found it online and went to meet people / get advice before going to Burning Man. It was amazing.

How did you find out about mosaic? What did you think of it? Kat Pope and Britt Marie B told me about Mosaic. I thought it was great. Everything came together really well. The effigy burn was fantastic.

What art projects are you currently working on? Repurposing the tower into a cat tree, building a throne that hopefully fits the theme for Scorched Nuts 2015, and incorporating a waterfall into my next art pieces.

What projects do you hope to do in the future? I hope to someday organize a lamplighter ceremony at a regional burn, build the Temple at a regional burn, and maybe even create an art car / mutant vehicle.

Do you have a link to where people can learn more about your art? No, but maybe I’ll create a link someday.

Closing Remarks: Thank you to the entire Mosaic team. Your hard work was a great success and it’s very much appreciated. Thanks to the burner community for welcoming an enthusiastic newbie. I encourage everyone to volunteer at their next burn. It makes the experience even better!

Grumpy Face's Hippie Heater

Name/burner name:  Matt Kreuzwieser (Grumpy Face) Hometown:  Ann Arbor Michigan

When did you first start burning? How did you get into this whole regional scene?: I had a long time interest in BM going back to first hearing about it early 90's in the Utne Reader, then life happened and I just didn't get there. Met a guy who camps with Syncytium, met the gang, went to LoF and then BM my first year. Haven't looked back.

What was your Mosaic 2014 theme camp / burner group name and description:  Syncytium: A biological term that means single cell with multiple nuclei. Open theme camp of 50-85 regulars based in the Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Chicago areas that focuses on creativity and chaos. Mashup of engineers, bartenders, DJs, sculptors, fire performers, and good folks that come together to create a carnival of creativity.

Mosaic 2014's art piece name and description: Hippie Heater, a low pressure flame effect designed to keep burners warm on those cool October Ohio nights. 10’ long metal pipe bent into a curve pattern with horizontal slits cut into the top. Pipe was capped at one end and propane fittings attached to the other. Propane fills the tube and escapes through the slits in the top where it is lit on fire.

Inspiration for art: Ohio law restricts high pressure flame effects so he wanted to make a low pressure effect to show that low pressure propane can still be exciting, artistic, and functional.

Time spent on making it:  About 3 hours

Helpers/assistant builders: None were needed

Challenges during the build: Minimal challenges, has a good background with flame effects and a community of fire artists that he has learned from.

What skills did you learn that will help you with your next art piece: Used a pipe roller for the first time to create a bend in the 10’ long metal pipe. Might use this technique to create a more intricate low pressure flame effect.

Closing Remarks: If you want to learn how to build a flame effect he recommends the DaveX workshops and to lean hard on the other members of the burning man community to help understand the dangers and demystify propane flame effects.

What is a Sparkle Pony?

Ever heard the term? It's a fairly popular meme in burner culture. Urban Dictionary defines it as "A high maintenance person at the Burning Man Festival who is unprepared for the harsh camping environment and becomes a burden to their campmates." That might be fine for a Black Rock City definition, but can that also apply to Mosaic Experiment? If so, how do we acculturate such a person into being better prepared and more participatory? How does a person become a "Sparkle Pony" to begin with? We asked our Facebook Community what a Mosaic Sparkle Pony would be, asked for suggestions to minimize their presence, or best practices to teach those who are already on site. Here are some of our favorite responses:

"To me it means anyone who believes in "the burn will provide" and/or is not radically self-reliant. I will always help when I can no matter if the person is sparkling like Edward Cullen in the sun or not. Everyone needs help some days... and next year, it might be you that left all your water at home."

"Sparkle Ponies are people that take all the radical self-reliance they're not doing and put it into radical self-expression. Because looking good is more important than not getting dehydrated."

"I've never heard of it in the context of burns. In previous experiences it meant someone high on their horse out of place. In the context of this, I take it to mean someone unprepared for camping/living for 4 days. I would render them aid as best I can without causing myself/my camp to also need aid."

"I had not heard the term, but as to unprepared people I'd help them to the best of my abilities without harming my own camp/family..."

"Sparkle ponies also leave ungodly amounts of inconceivably wrong and destructive moop, and have no concept of the amount of work that goes into cleaning up, let alone the build, prep, and maintenance of these crazy things we call home."

"Sparkle pony has become the hipster of Burning. Often times used beyond the intended context to express derision towards an 'other'."

"There's always more to go around than what any one person could need, so it seems to even out in my experiences. Sparkle Ponies seem to come away from it better off and better learned. I find it's more often out of ignorance or just poor planning skills (planning is tough, I'm serious), so I don't hate."

"Although the word dates back to at least 2008, it was popularized by the Sparkle Pony Corral, a theme camp present in Black Rock City from 2009-2010. Frustrated participants could drop off their camp’s sparkle ponies at the corral where they would be fed, watered, and have their egos stroked by “certifiable experts.” Sparkle ponies received much-needed attention while campmates received a much-needed break. See also: Tourist."

"You can call them tourists or accuse them of not beholden the spirit of burner culture, however sparkle pony seems to just be a burner name for a way to approach life that is cross-cultural...see user or leech. Sometimes it is ignorance and sometimes it is a sincerely planned thing. Regardless of how you love or don't love sparkle ponies, they are here in this radically inclusive society because no matter how hard you try utopia, it is still made of humans with all their glory and faults. Sparkle pony corral idea cracks me up, by the way."

"If I see someone struggling, I'll help them to the best of my ability without harming myself or others."

"There is a difference in the 'oh crap I forgot something' and the I 'I just didn't pack anything'. For the first type I help if we can spare, for the second, I will share the things we brought specifically for sharing but wont risk running out of things for me and my mates."

"If people want to dip into my supplies, I'm more than happy having them help me with our numerous construction projects...."

"I appreciate definitions that differentiate between ignorance and willful entitlement."

"I did as much research as I could before my first burn this Spring, but there were still things that I missed and probably could not anticipate before actually going to one. Self-reliance is wonderful, but everyone has to start somewhere and I don't think punishing ignorance is a good solution. The people who were most helpful to me in learning self-reliance, who I will try to emulate in the future, were the ones who demonstrated it positively in their own actions, and kindly reached out and shared that knowledge with others." 

"Maybe Sparkle Ponies could be people lacking in self-reliance, who never have any intention of growing out of it. Sparkle Foals can be people who haven't quite learned it yet, but will some day grow into Sparkle Steeds, awesome examples for everyone."

"I personally believe there is a difference between a Sparkle Pony and someone who needs help because they were mildly unprepared."

"Being mildly unprepared is one thing. That's happened to everyone at some point. Hell, my bedding was left behind when we went to Burning Man. Luckily, I was able to procure extra blankets and pillows. That's not being a Sparkle Pony. Mishaps and failed planning happen."

"A Sparkle Pony is someone who take Radical Self-Reliance and tosses it out the window. Who expects to be able to use the community as a crutch, and there be nothing wrong with that (when there most definitely is). As for how to deal with them, I'm honestly torn. The snarky burner in me says 'fuck 'em', but letting them starve isn't particularly nice either." 

"My experience is that Sparkle Ponies think that the burn is a big party. Everybody gives them something for nothing. They have no ideas about the principles or just don't care about them. I have seen them show up at burns and give things out expecting something in return. I have seen them show up with no food because 'I heard people were cooking for everybody'. I have helped explain moop-y activities to some of them, especially the confetti with glitter throwing, cig butt throwing, etc. I try to help them learn and if they really need something and I have enough I share."

"I agree that Sparkle Ponies can be described as those who disregard the principles, namely radical self-reliance. I think it's important to be aware of what that phrase represents and to remember to not use it loosely or in a manner that makes someone feel attacked. I know there's obvious playful attacks but I'm cautioning against using it like a derogatory insult. Sometimes a newb doesn't even realize they're offending or falling short of a standard. I like the help them within reason fix, as long as it's accompanied with an explanation (principle lesson) that isn't beating them up. I would hold off on frustration or letting the blood pressure rise until they show themselves to be a serial sparkler. Then give them shit. I'd also like to caution using that phrase for someone if you are certain it fits. One of my friends who came to an event felt very alienated because she overheard people calling her a Sparkle Pony (not sure if they knew she could hear) and it felt like exactly the opposite of what I love about and brag about at a burn or from burners. It felt like judgement and like she wasn't welcomed. Not everyone fully gets the culture yet and not everyone nails it on the first couple tries. Please stay considerate before pointing fingers. We're all growing in our storylines. Thanks again everybody!!! You mo fo's are tits awesome."

"If I know that someone is new I usually try to help and explain more. I have seen the same group of people show up more than once with nothing, wearing feathers and glitter, throwing butts everywhere and begging for food or something warm or something cold or somewhere to sleep. Those are definite Sparkleys!"

"As someone who's been around burners forever, but is not a burner yet, I'm in love with it. All of it."

"No where else in the world can I go and KNOW that I won't be responsible for everyone else. Everyone knows I'm always prepared and you can come to me if you've forgotten something, just about anything. It's become a problem, I'm suddenly feeding/watering/clothing more then myself and my kids are grown."

"For me, when i hang out with my burner friends, it's like getting to be with a group of respectful, fun, grown ups, who have all taken the time to plan (in advance even!) for the event." 

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I've raised my kids, and they were taught to plan ahead. Taking on the responsibility of another person, maybe even a stranger, is no fun. And can be extremely frustrating and a total inconvenience." 

"My point is this, respect for yourself and others is taught. Most kids and/or adults don't show respect because they've never seen it. It's shameful." 

"If you respect your peers, or in this case, fellow burner community, you wouldn't be a sparkle pony. You'd respect yourself enough to take care of you, and then respect the rest of us enough to not be a burden. As an adult you are responsible for yourself, we may understand that, but I've dealt with many that haven't learned that lesson." 

"Radical entitlement."

"Sleeping in a cold wet sleeping bag and other "environmental" problems were hardships. I have dealt with such before and I know it's just a matter of enduring them. They have little effect on my world. "Sparkle Ponyism" is what broke me. I tried to contribute to the burn... because I believe that is much of what a burn is about. Not because of fear of some label. After I arrived it seemed like there was a continual mantra chanting around me: "Don't be a Sparkle Pony.' It was clear to me that it wasn't enough not to be a Sparkle Pony. I could not APPEAR to be a Sparkle Pony to anyone. I specifically came because the tenant of radical inclusion. I quickly found I wouldn't be excluded due to my mental illness, but every time I tried to be on the receiving end of gifting... I faced people who might view my need for food, etc. as 'wanting more than I was giving'. I believe there are a lot of first time burners who've never known a burner. Whether you admit it or not, you have built a society with built-in pressures to conform. Most people don't see that because they know from other burners the difference between 'right & rude'. I had no one to teach me by example. I tried every method I could think of to convey 'Yes, you have wonderful food... but I don't want to just talk about it and look at it... I need to eat some.' It was probably just bad luck that my first attempts were viewed as 'Waiter? serve me some food.' It took a lot of passive observation just to learn that I needed to bring my own vessel and utensils. This problem of knowing how to be a burner went far beyond your traditions surrounding communal eating. I could have lived with eating my cookies and chips for 4 days. It was that I felt excluded from most burner activities (and therefore burner society as a whole) because I couldn't figure out how to not step on people's toes. I don't care if I piss off someone, but I came for acceptance from burners in general. What I found was that if I could wait for people to come to me and step into my environment; then there was no problem. When I tried to step out into your society... I couldn't tell the difference between not being liked and not being accepted. Instead of drumming in what behaviors are not okay. How about a simple course in how to fit in and what IS acceptable? My burn ended with me overjoyed. It wasn't just the outpouring of love. It's because I believe I now know the basics in how to be part of the 'all inclusive' burner society. I've learned enough of your subtle language that I can just relax and enjoy the next burn."

"To me, a sparkle pony is one who willfully disregards self-reliance, assuming others will take of the boring things. It's not someone who tries hard even while making mistakes. If once you know better, you do better: not a sparkle pony. Just a new burner getting your bearings."

"I experienced massive culture shock at my first burn as I quickly realized that I had an enormous amount of behavior to study and emulate if I wanted to be accepted. Each principle has it's own meaning for every individual but they still project a basic picture of the whole. I'm sorry you were made to feel like you stepped on toes or weren't welcome... thankfully that's something I didn't experience. No one person ever made me to feel unwelcome, but I quickly learned which behaviors or actions didn't really fly with those around. As an example, I didn't know about radical self-expression for my first burn. I just thought it was a simple camping trip so I brought the most grungy and raggedy clothes. No one ever said or did ANYTHING negative to me about it, but I quickly felt out of place. Now I'm all bright and shiny, lol."

"It's a problem with culture in general. It's a living breathing entity. Visiting a burn is like going to a country where everyone speaks the same-ish language but all the customs and practices are completely different. There can be a harsh learning curve at times, but most burners are more than willing to help educate you in a positive way... or at least a tongue in cheek-snarky one! This place really is removed from the default world."

"Stewardship! Stepping up and picking up trash because it's there (LNT), helping a child find his camp (Civic Responsibility), welcoming people home for 2 hours (Volunteering), making naked bacon pancakes for people (Immediacy, Decommodification), telling a fart joke or being a shoulder to cry on (Gifting), n etc... When you become responsible, when you think beyond yourself, you cant help but incorporate the 10 Principles. If you forget, or you are new: pick up after yourself and others, don't put it in the porto if it did not come outta your body, engage people, try new things, don't be a dick!  Oh, don't be a shirt cocker. Dudes walk around with just a shirt n their junk hanging out. That's just dumb. Unless, you are in Camp Shirt Cocker and then it would be kinda cool..."

"My first burn I was 'involved' with the effigy team but didn't do much to actually help. Why this happened is a long story for another day. I came and absorbed anything and everything people offered. I enjoyed meals in camps and they expected nothing in return. Nobody ever asked me not to do this, nor gave me a hard time because I was hungry or thirsty, or needed something. They were just stoked that it was my first time and I was trying. Maybe a little bit of 'fuck yer burn' flavor, but nothing that wasn't taken jokingly."

"By Friday night I was hooked and I got it. Walking high fives, giving of myself, reaching out to people." 

"All of us, whether we put time into the build, have been here a week earlier setting up, or even helped maintain camp and cook meals - we are all a part of this, big or small. We all play a role."

"I feel like this thread may of scared some people into asking for help when they genuinely need it. Every noob is a Sparkle Pony in their own way (including myself). We all need to remember our first time and how much you may of had planned or prepared already for you. The community helped tame my wild oats and turned me into a being that just sparkles now."

"I'm glad that others reached out to help you when they did and that overall everything was a positive. Even in this environment it can be scary to ask questions or even interact. We only bite if you consent first though. <3"

"I find burn culture so interesting because there is no one definitive authority, and yet it still functions well. There is no one right answer to any of our questions about the principles, no static definition - only a collective idea and individual experiences and thoughts that define each one. The Hive Mind in action. The more we try to get it right, the clearer the buzzing becomes, I think."

"I have learned something new from each burn I have went to. We thought we were pretty prepared but some things got left unpacked and then we figured out our structure, while seeming pretty stable, didn't hold up against high winds and hail lol. But we walked away from this weekend not upset about our tent raft, but inspired to try a yurt next year and proud to have learned even more about tarping and packing."

We love our Mosaic Community and all the insightful comments into this very engaging thread!

From an organizer's perspective, we like to remind everyone to read and share the Survival Guide, and if you know someone you suspect will be a so-called "Sparkle Pony" please send them the link and ensure they also read it. Quiz them! :-)

Volunteer Appreciation!

We can't stop gushing about all the participants who are building and running this event!  Volunteers are so freaking important to this being an incredible experience for everyone.  Thank you so much to all the folks who are getting down with volunteerism! First off, volunteers are getting on of these sweet patches that our DPW dept head, AbieNormal, designed!  Secondly, the MOrg is going to have a volunteer appreciation lunch on event Friday afternoon (check your What, Where, When on-site)! And there will be a volunteer hub inside the Atomic Chocolate Bar on-site for all your volunteers desires.  If you are volunteering at Mosaic, make sure to stop in the hub (our growing center camp) and put food in your face-hole at Mama Micki's Bistro on Friday.  Already signed up to volunteer?  You will (or already have) receive an email from your department lead giving you the game plan. THANK YOU FOR DOING!

Looking to volunteer for Mosaic?

Parking team still has some openings! Easy job to learn, perfect for virgin burners looking to help. Those cars won't park themselves!

Rangers and first-aid have some shifts to be filled, as well as DPW on-call shifts available.  Check it sign-ups here!

See all you BEE-AUTIFUL folks soon ;)