Bliss Dance Has Emerged

Sometimes people ask me why I still volunteer for [BM] and the [BRAF] after more than 10 years, and I tell them, “Burning Man and the Black Rock Arts Foundation have changed my life”. They have brought breadth and depth to my life in ways I never imagined. I have come to love the gift of art, big art as it turns out. Who makes it, why they make it, where they make it and best of all, how they make it? Thus, one of the gifts in my life is that sometimes I get to meet art in its formation. I love the process. In late 2009 I ran into my friend Lloyd Taylor, (Our Lloyd died a few months ago, we love you Lloyd, Be Cool) and he said he was the production manager on a 40 foot statue with Marco Cochrane and the Bliss Dance Crew, and it was for Burning Man 2010. I was intrigued. And he invited us out for a visit. We met the artist and his crew and we met Bliss Dance.

So a few weeks later when I got a note from Lloyd that said “With the arms and left leg mostly complete, we start the left upper torso this week. Soon we will be attaching some mesh skin and testing lighting. So come visit us at Bliss Dance on Treasure Island, help if you can or just chill in the great space with killer views.” I was thrilled and had to see Bliss Dance as she changed and grew. So off we went. And guess what, I fell in love. She was amazing, even the prototype for the piece was stunning and she captured my imagination.

Then a few week later we stopped by again and I could not help but blog that we could see Bliss Dance Emerging. Throughout the spring we would stop by, maybe take some cookies or burritos and see the progress. Spring turned into summer and it was Burning Man season. You know how that works at your house. You start connecting more with your campmates, getting excited to see what the art is going to look like and de-dust everything so you can take it to the Playa and get it dusty again.

I blogged from Burning Man 2010 and could not help but include Bliss Dance.

My huband, MonkeyBoy goes to Burning Man in very early August to help build Black Rock City, so I hang our with my friends and since we are art geeks, we packed our lunch, took food for the Crew and went to watch the Assembling of Bliss Dance .

It was an amazing afternoon, to see the pieces, some of them 15 to 20 feet high, be attached to those gorgeous sturdy legs, and to see her come into the sun for the first time as see it glittering off of her. It was a glorious afternoon. And then she went to the Playa where she once again had to be assembled.

I blogged directly from Burning Man 2010 and I am sure you are not surprised to hear that I included a photo of Bliss Dance that you can see here…Bliss Dance at Burning Man 2010

That is my personal story of Bliss Dance so you can only imagine how thrilled I am that the [BRAF] has collaborated with artist Marco Cochrane in the installation of Bliss Dance on Treasure Island. The artwork is on display now and will remain until at least October of this year, possibly longer, funds permitting.

Please join us for the Bliss Dance Opening Reception,
Thursday, May 26th at 6:00pm – 10:00 on Treasure Island
The Great Lawn, at 8th Avenue and Avenue of the Palms

Come celebrate this artistic achievement with the Black Rock Arts Foundation!