Burning Man Art Grant

As I mentioned yesterday, I am a proud recipient of an Art Honorarium grant from Burning Man! The $ will definitely help and will certainly takes the edge off of worrying about being able to afford this insanity. But more important is the cred and validation that comes with it. Validation that someone else thinks this is worthwhile, and the credibility that comes with the bragging rights. Maybe in a perfect world artists would create whatever they want without worrying about costs and whether their art has merit, but I'm not there yet, so this is a huge affirmation for me.


Some stats: this year B-man got 317 grant applications and funded about 40. I think their art budget is $500,000. I read somewhere that B-man's art budget is one of the largest in the Bay Area.


Of course, getting the grant now means I have to be sure I can build this thing and get it there and get it all set up by the Sunday before the event! But that's part of the fun too - they say you know you're doing Burning Man right when you feel you're a bit over the top - will this thing stand up to the wind? Will I be able to bend the tubing smoothly or even at all? Will I be able to get it all in the trailer? etc... so I guess I'm on the right path...


Thanks to all who have been supportive. Some people have been asking whether they can participate in the construction. It's looking like I'll have a painting and assembly party probably in May. Stay tuned for details. btw, B-man will only pay for about half of the total costs - they expect the artist to match the grant funds out of pocket so donations to the cause are always welcome ( ! ) 

WOOHOO!

 Got a Burning Man art grant! Details later since it's past my bedtime, but I just had to shout it out now! 

WELDING SHOP

Good news! I have finished welding the top spire! In my living room...! That new MIG welder sure is nice - not much smoke or flying slag, but some day I gotta build a real shop before I burn down my house. Well, the spire is twelve feet high so the living room is the only place I have that can handle that height.

Anyway... the frame is done. Next up: cut and glue on the Plexiglas panels and add the rope lights.