The Ovule

I want to acknowledge all of these co-creators, who live in my heart as members of The Introverts Collective.  Your support let me reach into pure potential and grab a dream...

My hubby Demian Solomon lived and breathed this project as much as I did. Taylor Hicks rallied in a tremendous way doing admin tasks that my brain couldn't focus on, mastered compound curve wallpaper, and brought beauty to the piece in countless ways. Mike Murphy continues to be the only one that goes to the top of the ladder in set up. Jeff Kraft made sure the curtains made by Kathleen McCoy were on every morning before that heat hit. Rolf Hut engineered the sensor that told us when we were in the greenhouse danger zones. Jarod M. Galvin spent hours on our initial drawings and tolerated a thousand questions from me as I struggled to grasp the math of an Ostrich egg. . Karine Mallet is still listed in my phone as 'Karine Miracle Worker 'for simply saying yes to an unknown project and consistently bringing beauty and possibility to our unfoldment. Mary Heeney and her hubby Lou jumped in as virgin burners and made sure we were powered and heated at night. Todd Dabney and Warren supported a lot of engineering brainstorms and Warren Breslau made made sure we had the steel structure we needed while being the kindest teacher I've had. Emmanuel Sordoillet filled in the gap when we lost a team member. and we had numerous folks show up to help where they could, Janis Fleming and Ella, Jenniefer Coffey, Clare Lorenzi and Roseanne, Christopher Elbers, Michael Clementi, Gail Hicks, and Cambria Hicks, Rachelle, Sarah Johnson, Anna, Philip King, Austen Hardy, and Abe. Joshua Tree and Ryan Wartena showed me the solar ropes and inspired a commitment, and the panels donated by Alan Honniball helped make Solar a reality. Dana Albany showed her Gift of spirit in answering a ton of questions and just simply being a true mentor. Katie Hazard Gifted me the Desert Arts Preview (a highlight) and was amazingly kind all the way through. Freddy Hahne picked me from that talk and has championed a continued journey for the piece. Lisa Dadd and Timothy Morse were my weekly cheering squad, and all of my other friends loved me, even though I could speak of little else. Over 60 people, many of them strangers, helped finance this. Every penny and every volunteer moment mattered.

All the contributing artists and writers are also responsible for making this project work. I am forever grateful for the offerings of these people; Taylor Hicks, Karine Mallet, Mark Brown, Greg Neal, Tina Frey, Natasha Sharpe, ISHYne, Peapod, Tatiana Selestina, Nicole Gelormino, Michael Sharkey, Ava Rose, Tinker Pan, Yodassa Williams, Tess Howell, Erin Hayden, Ben Bushill and Dan Kalvig. 

*UPDATE: November 2019*

The Ovule made it to Burning Man 2020! Thank you to all the support we received to get there. 

Next, The Ovule will be a part of the Exhibition "Petaluma to the Playa" at Petaluma Arts Center (PAC) from November 23 - January 18. Opening Reception will be November 23, 2019 6pm-9pm

We are still welcoming submissions for the Ovule Book through January 2020...

What does it mean to have your feminine values claimed by you, nurtured by you 

How would (or how has) empowering feminine values change your life and identity

How would it change your industry, your work, your relationships, etc 

We are asking for submissions by artists and writers in response to these ideas. 

Email submissions to: TheOvuleProject@gmail.com

*ORIGINAL POST*

The Ovule Installation is an exploration of the feminine self and the value found there. The Ovule is a large, warm egg anchored to the earth by glowing emerald roots. It will contain three primary elements, a self portrait, a tree that's bark is an amalgam of smaller sculptures representing the spectrum of shape, gender, and color of humanity, and a chandelier canopy of nature. A book of essays on feminine values will be chained to the egg. This book will be written by you.

"About a year ago I asked myself what kind of art would I bring to Burning Man, this is the image that immediately popped in my head. I've discovered that I'm building it for me, to find my voice as a woman, and I'm building it to be an invitation for others to join me in a love affair. The love affair I seek to inspire is with Mother Nature, with the spectrum of plants, animals, and humanity that exists on this gloriously magnificent gem of a planet we call home. I'm building it to create a container for other artists that want to help us express that love affair."

Please participate in co-creating this with myself, and The Introverts Collective. Here are the ways:

1. We need financial support for materials and transportation costs. It won't get there without you!  Crowdfund: https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/21Uo9a

2. If you have ever felt that your body shape, gender, or skin color has been under represented in art this is for you. We want submissions of small body sculptures made from clay. Email TheOvuleProject@gmail.com for directions.

3. We are asking for submissions from artists that create flora and fauna. Anything that might be suited to building a facsimile of a biosphere. Email TheOvuleProject@gmail.com with images and sizes of your work. We will curate, but will do our best to include many. 

4. Submit an essay, poem, or art for our book. We want to hear from all genders. You can email submissions to TheOvuleproject@gmail.com by August 10 or bring to playa and drop in our box when you visit The Ovule. We want 200-1,000 words. Prompt: What does it mean to have your feminine values claimed by you, nurtured by you. How would (or how has) empowering feminine values change your life and identity. How would it change your industry, your work, your relationships, etc. We want to learn from you.

More on the Concept

An Ovule is the part of the ovary of seed plants that contains the female germ cell and after fertilization becomes the seed. The intention of this piece is to ask where the feminine exists within, where and how can Gaia, the spirit of living earth, be honored, valued, nurtured and planted. It is possible our  personal  metamorphoses, from binary patriarchy and internalized misogyny, to a shared cultural celebration of our diversity and capacities, is the path for transformation and planetary paradigm change.