Yup. We go so insulated in living our lives, we get stuck in a rut. Burning Man is one way to get out of that rut without adverse consequences to your stable life. Get out, try some shit out, be someone different, do whatever. Then come back to your life and improve it with what you learned out there in your desert experiment. a time and place to be reminded of the infinite possibilities available to us at any moment
In what ways have you been inspired? What have you created created after a Burn?
Oh wow... what a great question! And a hard one... I've been involved in Burning Man since 1988. So... really... my entire life is informed by those experiences. The very first year Burning Man was in the desert, my friend Michael drew a line in the desert and said, "Beyond this line, everything is different", and established the space in the spirit of a "Temporary Autonomous Zone". A place outside of law and social expectation and societal norms. A safe place where you could do whatever you want, without fear of judgment. I try to keep that idea alive in my life. Creating spaces in which people can explore and express parts of themselves or their personality, that they otherwise wouldn't feel safe with. Participation, is another key element I bring into everything I do. Every project I am involved with is something that invites participation and interaction. There are no spectators. Everyone is welcome to touch the art, literally and figuratively. For years I dedicated myself to the business operations of a circus, as a volunteer. I have served on multiple Boards of Directors for arts organizations, in the interest of helping create spaces in which artists can thrive and produce. I have run my own theme camps. I have been a Burning Man staff member, and designed new processes and systems for the organization I worked for (Arctica), that improved our efficiency, safety, and lowered our negative impact on the event and the environment. I have worked with friends to create public art and events for the benefit of the communities in which the events take place. (And did it again on Saturday.) I've also been deeply involved in innumerable Newbie Picnics, which help first-time Burners get ready for the unique conditions on the playa, and also created Radical Orientation, which is targeted at helping people get involved in the local (Pacific Northwest) Burner community. (We started this the first year Burning Man tickets sold out, because we wanted to help all the new people get acclimated and in tune with the Burner vibe before they went to the event.) So yeah. That's just a small sampling of the things I have done outside of the Gerlach event, that are inspired by my experiences at Burning Man...