INTRODUCTION
Hello! I'm Paige.
Long time Burner, first time art installation creator here!
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I’ve been blown away by the scale and professionalism of the incredible art out on the playa year after year but I have to admit,
it’s also intimidating.
I hesitate to call myself an artist but I did create my own
mutant vehicle (Devils Food Cupcake) in 2014. Yay me!
People’s reactions to it
- waving, hugging it, pretending to bite it, asking me how I built it -
is the most satisfying aspect of that project.
So satisfying, in fact, I wanted to make something bigger.
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I just couldn’t figure out what to create
and if I had the chops to make it happen.
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The creativity and inventiveness I’ve experienced at Burning Man motivated me to go completely out of my comfort zone to design and actually make this installation.
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This is the first time I’ve been able to visualize
my own large scale art out on the playa.
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CONCEPT
The original idea was inspired by the rotating and undulating movement of the vortex of Vaux's Swifts descending into the chimney at Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Oregon. It was so moving that I wanted to recreate that motion someway in an art installation.
On a hike the next day, the vision morphed into a more
celestial realm as I saw stars, planets and little UFOs
replacing the dots of birds in the vortex.
I felt that people could be just as moved looking up at
dots of “stardust” as I was witnessing the earthly creatures.
Every year at Burning Man, I ride out toward the trash fence to take a break from the lights and music. The Black Rock Desert sky is breathtaking - it's easy to forget when you're surrounded by so much stimuli!
Stardust is my gift oasis to those who find themselves overwhelmed.
My wish was that participants would discover my installation out in deep playa, relax on its flying saucer-shaped bench, look up to see twinkling dots of light slowly swaying above as an encouragement to witness the stars
(and stardust), breathe deeply and take in the beauty.
And they did!
CHALLENGE
Much of my ideas involved a lot of things I'd never done before.
I created an online group for some brain storming.
Friends from five states offered their help through suggestions, advice, and volunteering their time,
labor, equipment, and maker spaces, truly making this a collaborative effort.
NEXT
The newest sculpture(s) in the Laser Eyes of Love
multiverse are the Purr Pods.
They were awarded a 2019 Black Rock City Honoraria Grant
and I think they may have changed my life!
Read more about them on the Purr Pods website and blog.
Stardust was a hit in the dark room at the big
Maker Faire in San Mateo, CA!
May 17th-19th, 2019
Learn more about it on Stardust's blog, MISSION.
Stardust headed north to my hometown of
Portland, Oregon as a participating art installation for the
Portland Winter Light Festival
February 7th-9th, 2019
Quite the experience!
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Stardust is not returning to Burning Man in 2019.
But my next project is! Check out the Purr Pods!
Follow the journey - including Burning Man 2018! -
on Stardust's blog, MISSION.
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2017 - 2018
Stardust is a 2018 Black Rock City Honoraria recipient!!
With that generous grant, the project was approximately 75% funded.
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And with guidance from my project manager, Dillon Nicholson,
I ran a very successful campaign on Hatchfund,
and raised the remaining 25%.
Thanks to the folks who supported the campaign!
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