Monday, December 27, 2010

BRAF thanks you for another spectacular year!

As the year comes to a close, the Black Rock Arts Foundation was pleased to be included with the Raygun Gothic Rocketship in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Datebook piece on "Positive Changes around San Francisco and it's Environs in 2010".

2010 saw many great achievements for BRAF that you can read about here in our blog and at The Black Rock Arts Foundation. Because of the support of folks like you, we were able to ensure that art and community building continue to serve as tools for civic engagement around the globe. We know that art can build community and bring people together, and we believe that all communities deserve art. More than ever, we are encouraged by our recent successes and invigorated to expand our programs and extend our reach into more communities worldwide.

2011 is already shaping up to be a banner BRAF year. We have been awarded our first-ever grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. An N.E.A. grant of $10,000 kicks off our newest endeavor, a Civic Arts project we’re calling The Bike Bridge. In January of 2011, BRAF begins a yearlong project in Oakland, CA, collaborating with young people, with qualified artists, and with local partner organizations to create a gateway sculpture made of reclaimed bike parts. As a work of art, The Bike Bridge will be the gateway to the City of Oakland’s new Uptown Merritt Art Park, to be located adjacent to the Fox Theater. This new art park was also recently awarded $200,000 by the National Endowment for the Arts, and will feature temporary exhibitions of large-scale works of art.

We are continually grateful for the extraordinary support and investment of our community. You and other supporters share BRAF’s vision of bringing people together and creating positive change through art. The Bike Bridge is testament to the evolution of our programs, and the broadening of our ventures. Because of your support, BRAF continues to pioneer new modalities of public art.

We hope that those of you who were able to participate in the activities of the three BRAF programs in 2010, or even in the festivities of our annual ARTumnal Gathering, will agree that BRAF has made great progress in bringing the Burning Man ethos of art, interaction, and community “to the rest of the world, the other 51 weeks of the year.” But, we need your help to continue to fund, support and enable community-building, civic-minded, interactive arts projects and expand our reach to new regions.

It is your donations that sustain us. Please consider showing your support once again by making an end-of-year contribution, so that we may bring even more innovative, interactive and community-building projects to cities worldwide in 2011.

Sincerely,

Tomas McCabe
Executive Director
Black Rock Arts Foundation

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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

the Artumnal


the Artumnal 2
Originally uploaded by john curley
John Curley's fabulous shot of the Artumnal! It was a fabulous evening and isn't this a fabulous photo!

Fly Me to the Moon


Fly Me to the Moon
Originally uploaded by Jill Clardy
Another great photo of the Raygun Gothic Rocketship on the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Visit Ecstasy On Patricia's Green


kinetik korrosion
Originally uploaded by japanesejack

You should stop by and see her in all her magnificence on Patricia's Green in San Francisco.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Artumnal Gathering 2010 v3





Ed Jay got some great shots of the Artumnal performers



Michael Olsen/Zork Magazine took a lot of fun photos. It looks like his friends were having a great time too.

Thanks to all the volunteers and performers and models and designers and photographers and DJs and the Artumnal team and the huge staff it takes to put this party on. Thank you. And special thanks to the Bentlys for their ongoing generosity.

Artumnal Gathering 2010 v2

Randal Smith aka furtoghrapher spent the evening taking fabulous portraits of many of us. As you can tell my crew from the Mansonian Institute loved having their photo taken together. I hope you had as much fun as we did!

Friday, November 26, 2010

Artumnal Gathering 2010 v1

Gateway of Wishes (built by Flux Foundation) welcomed visitors to the 4th Annual BRAF Artumnal.
Christopher and Amber-Marie Bently graciously donated the Bently Reserve for the evening's festivities, as well as a bunch of auction items. Nice work kids!

The party didn't end until after 3 a.m. I was there 8 hours and it felt like 3. Great time!
After the performances, people could play it themselves, somewhat clumsily and timidly.
One of the Temple fire places that was auctioned off.

Words and Photos: Josh Keppel

Our forth annual Artumnal Gathering was fabulous! We had a great time, we loved seeing all of you there and we appreciate your support of the The Black Rock Arts Foundation

Monday, November 15, 2010

The Artumnal Gathering this Weekend!

This is going to be a truly AMAZING Artumnal Gathering and do NOT miss event. Seriously! New art by the 2010 Temple crew, incredible performances starting right at opening time and going all night. These range from a globally acclaimed whirling dervish to brassy dance beats and electro-swing to laser harpist and ragtime band to seriously rockin' theme camp dance DJs to living statues, custom decor, and wearable art--including a first time unveiling of metal sculpture headpiece masks by artist Orion Fredericks--to THE most surprisingly classy and stunningly beautiful free-swinging pole duet you have ever seen by Cirque Noir. Many surprises you will be thrilled to be there for and sorry if you miss. Get your tickets and help spread the word to make this all-important BRAF annual fundraiser a tremendous and fun success. My tip is get there right away, dress to express and enjoy it all.

The Blackrock Arts Foundation Presents…

The 2010 ARTUMNAL GATHERING

Saturday, November 20, 2010

$45 second level and at door for Main Event from 9:30pm – Late

$250 and up: Dinner Banquet from 6-9pm + rest of night!

At The Bently Reserve

Enter at 400 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94111

21 and over

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW

Last year’s event sold out and this year is even better! Don’t wait.

You are invited to the magnificent Bently Reserve for BRAF’s fourth annual Artumnal Gathering, an exquisite evening of tempting libations, bountiful fare, engaging art, and lavish attire. You’ll enjoy three elegant rooms, each overflowing with art and offering a stunning array of featured live performances including soaring aerial artistry, live performances, and music and DJ’s to dance the night away.

Come revel in the abundance of our community’s creative spirit, celebrate Black Rock Arts Foundation’s artists and projects, and support the proliferation of even more community art projects around the world in 2011!

PERFORMANCES by:

Absurge (The Fringe/Janky Barge:) http://www.soundcloud.com/absurge
Bad Unkl Sista – butoh living installations: http://www.badunklsista.com/
Bones of Circus Mecca – aerial artistry: http://www.CircusMecca.org/
Cirque Noir – dance and aerial artistry: http://www.bowandsparrow.org/Site/Cirque_Noir.html
Cyril Noir and Ella Mental of the Black Kat Kabaret – electro-swing: http://www.cyrilnoir.com/
Dan Cantrell: http://www.bellowhead.com/
Dex Stakker (Opel/Opulent Temple): http://www.dexstakker.com/
EO – electronic compositions and horn: http://www.soundsliketree.com/
FireFingers - Flamenco guitar: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=235775

Fou Fou HA! – technicolored buffoonery and dance: http://www.foufouha.com/
Gamelan X – marching gamelan: http://www.gamelanx.com/
Gregangelo of Velocity Circus – whirling dervish: http://www.gregangelo.com/
Hamilton Strings: http://bayentertainers.com/HamiltonStrings.htm

Henry Chang of Soul in the Machine – laser harp: http://www.soulinthemachine.com/
DJ Huggie (Disorient): http://soundcloud.com/alex01

DJ Jive (Heart Deco): http://www.fixsf.com/dj-jive/
Matthew Schoening – electric cello: http://www.soloelectriccello.com/
Miss Rosie – hoop moves: http://www.MovementPlay.com/

Mochipet: http://www.mochipet.com/
Parlor Tricks – industrial ragtime quartet: http://www.blogger.com/www.parlortricksmusic.com
saQi featuring Russ Liquid: http://www.saqimusic.com/

Sasha "Butterfly" Rose – electronic music and live vocals: http://www.myspace.com/sashabutterflyrose
Tamo and ViaJay (Space Cowboys/Angels of bAss): http://djtamo.com/ http://djtamo.com/%20http://www.viajay.com/
Many more!!!

ORIGINAL ART by:
Flux Factory & The Burning Man 2010 Temple Crew www.temple2010.org have created a brand new piece, “The Gateway of Wishes”, for this event (this magnificent sculpture and a fire pit from the Burning Man Temple project is also for sale this evening to benefit BRAF.); Rob Buchholz, Michael Every, Calliope Gazetas, Tamo Designs, Miranda Caroligne, Anastazia Louise, Kristen Berg, Dicky Davies, Suzanne Forbes, Spy Emerson, Lauren Mendez, Caley Johnson, Leslie Frierman Grunditz, Philippe Glade, John Curley, Phoenix Firestarter, Deborah Yoon, Elizabeth Geddes, $teven Ra$pa + work by other artists installed in the gallery and throughout the venue.

WEARABLE ART, FASHIONS, MAKEUP & HAIR by:
Miranda Caroligne: http://www.mirandacaroligne.com/
Miss Caley Johnson of Miss G Designs: http://www.missgdesigns.com/
Orion Fredericks: http://www.orionfredericks.net/

Joe Escobedo: http://www.theglambox.com/

PHOTO PORTRAITURE by:
Julian Cash - http://www.juliancash.com/
Randal Alan Smith - http://www.randalalansmith.com/

LIGHTING & VISUALS BY:
ARTisan Production Group: http://www.blogger.com/www.artisanpg.com
CaroLuna: http://www.caroluna.com/
Celestine Star: http://www.goldenstarproductions.com/
David Colin
Lasers and Lights: http://www.lasersandlights.com/
Rainbow Puddle – http://www.rainbowpuddle.com/
Rayce O’Brien
Sierra Ron Halbert
And more!

DÉCOR by Julz of Hookahdome, Marcia Crosby, $teven Ra$pa, Boy Blondie, and More

Tarot readings by the mysterious and marvelous Madame A!

DINNER AUCTIONEER: Elias Arjan - http://eliasarjan.com/

Join us for our pre-event dinner featuring delightful fare, cocktails, and both live and silent auctions. Last year's event sold out!

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW

Artumnal Ticket Packages:

The Artumnal Celebration
$35 online presale 1st tier (sold out): $45 thereafter and at the door
9:30 pm - Late
Includes an evening of featured and roaming performances, DJs, dancing, raffle, silent auction, photography sale and surprises.

Feast of Imagination
$250 advance purchase only
6:00 pm - Late
Includes an individual seat for a sumptuous dinner, auction, performances, signature drinks, wine, dessert and entry to the Artumnal Celebration.

Table of Plenty: A Table for 8 at Feast of Imagination
$3000 advance purchase only
6:00 pm - Late
Includes a reserved table for eight guests for the Feast of Imagination dinner.

Table of Abundance: A Table for 8 at Feast of Imagination, with premium placement
$5000 advance purchase only
6:00 pm - Late
Includes a reserved table for eight guests for the Feast of Imagination, with premium seating placement in the banquet hall, premium wine selection with personal sommelier, champagne toast and other treats.

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW

Sponsor an Artist to attend the Artumnal Gathering! Can't attend this year's event? Make this a truly inclusive event, and honor an artist by sponsoring their attendance. Purchase a 'Sponsor an Artist Ticket' and we will donate it to an artist in need of a ticket!

Thanks to our generous supporters and sponsors:
Bently Reserve
inTicketing
JK Sound
San Francisco Bay Guardian

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Meet the Grantmakers

We are excited to tell you that our very own Josie Schimke, Program and Development Assistant at the Black Rock Arts Foundation was a panelist last Monday at Meet the Grantmakers: Funding Opportunities for Individual Artists at the Foundation Center.

photo: http://theblight.net/

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Leo Villareal at the San Jose Museum of Art


The Black Rock Arts Foundation Advisory Board Member and Burning Man artist Leo Villareal has a show at the San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, California until January 9, 2011.

If you like lights and art, and who doesn't, the show is really a treat.

SF Gate Review of this Exhibition

You may have seen his amazing light sculpture at the National Gallery, Multiverse.

Multiverse, the largest and most complex light sculpture created by American artist Leo Villareal, may be seen and experienced by visitors as they pass through the Concourse walkway between the East and West Buildings of the National Gallery of Art.

Video: geekgestalt
Photo: Jack Tse
Photo: David Imlay

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Duel Nature by Kate Raudenbush

Just wanted to share this fabulous photo of Duel Nature in Reno on the Riverwalk. Stop by and check it out!

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Composting Contraption at SF Decompression Sunday





The Composting Contraption will be at San Francisco Decompression this Sunday, we hope you will stop by and see how it works, we promise you will have fun!

The Black Rock Arts Foundation in partnership with San Francisco Department of the Environment have developed the Composting Contraption. This human-powered, interactive, kinetic artwork is designed to travel to local festivals, street fairs, farmers markets and schools to inspire, motivate and educate San Francisco residents to increase their practice of composting, and it has really been in the streets in the last few weeks.

The Contraption has been out and about. It was at Power to the Peaceful (where these wonderful photos were taken, can't you just tell that the kids loved that they got to make it work), then it stopped by the new Mission Community Market and then San Francisco Sunday Streets. Just this week the Contraption spent some time at the Castro Farmers Market.

As you can see from the photos, these visits are a chance for the adults and children alike to interact with the Composting Contraption and talk about how composting works from a scientific, practical and environmental point of view, and it is fun to ride the bike and make the Contraption make our food scraps and compostable materials move a little closer to being mulch for our gardens.

The Composting Contraption will be at the Black Rock Arts Foundation booth at Decompression this Sunday, we hope you will stop by and check us out and take a ride on the Composting Contraption.

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Our Presence on the Playa!

This is when we knew we were ready for your visit!
Y'all made signs representing where you were from.

One of our continent inspired tables, representing all of the places you are, right now.

That is one of our Board Members, Dicky Davies, painting the bar.

Getting ready for your arrival!

We hope you had a chance to stop by and visit us at District Everywhere at Burning Man this year. We had a great time meeting you or seeing you again if you dropped by, but we have been missing you and missing the Playa so we thought we would share a few of our favorite photos just to remind us what a fabulous time we had this year.

We hope you are having a great time out there during the other 51 weeks of the year and just know that we are out there with you supporting and promoting community, interactive art and civic participation.

photos: James Addison aka Extramatic

Sunday, September 26, 2010

The Artumnal Gathering is Coming!

Saturday, November 20, 2010
The Bently Reserve
400 Sansome St.San Francisco, CA 94111

The Black Rock Arts Foundation's annual celebration of the vital spirit and extraordinary artists that enrich us all.

Feast of Imagination Dinner 6:00 pm
Artumnal Celebration 9:30 pm

You are invited to the magnificent Bently Reserve for BRAF’s fourth annual Artumnal Gathering, an exquisite evening of tempting libations, bountiful fare, engaging art, and lavish attire. You'll enjoy three elegant rooms, each overflowing with art and offering a stunning array of featured live performances including soaring aerial artistry, and music and DJ's to dance the night away.

Come revel in the abundance of our community’s creative spirit, celebrate Black Rock Arts Foundation’s artists and projects, and support the proliferation of even more community art projects around the world in 2011!

A limited number of $35 online first tier tickets go on sale September 24th. Second tier tickets are $45 dollars. Join us for our pre-event dinner featuring delightful fare, cocktails, and both live and silent auctions. Last year's event sold out! Get your tickets today!

Artumnal Ticket Packages:

The Artumnal Celebration
$35 online presale 1st tier;
$45 thereafter and at the door
9:30 pm - Late

Includes an evening of featured and roaming performances, DJs, dancing, raffle, silent auction, photography sale and surprises.

Feast of Imagination
$250 advance purchase only
6:00 pm - Late
Includes an individual seat for a sumptuous dinner, auction, performances, signature drinks, wine, dessert and entry to the Artumnal Celebration.

Table of Plenty: A Table for 8 at Feast of Imagination

$3000 advance purchase only
6:00 pm - Late
Includes a reserved table for eight guests for the Feast of Imagination dinner.

Table of Abundance: A Table for 8 at Feast of Imagination, with premium placement
$5000 advance purchase only
6:00 pm - Late
Includes a reserved table for eight guests for the Feast of Imagination, with premium seating placement in the banquet hall, premium wine selection with personal sommelier, champagne toast and treats.

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW

Artwork by R. Black

Friday, September 24, 2010

BRAF is Honored

Tomas McCabe, our Executive Director, accepting the Certificate of Honor from the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco

The Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco presented the Black Rock Arts Foundation with a Certificate of Honor in appreciation and public recognition of distinction and merit for outstanding service to a significant portion of the people of the city and county of San Francisco.

The Black Rock Arts Foundation received this award for the promotion of interactive public art in open spaces, for the creative inspiration that our works bring in our communities and neighborhoods, and our education of young people of the expressive capacities and meaningfulness of public art, and our advocacy of sustainable and responsible living through art.

This is what Commissioner Chiu had to say to the Black Rock Arts Foundation while presenting a Certificate of Honor to our Executive Director, Tomas McCabe; President of the Board, Freddy Hahne; Secretary of the Board, Alix Rosenthal; Vice President of the Board, Rae Richman; and one of the artists of the wonderful installation the Raygun Gothic Rocketship at Pier 14 on the Embarcadero.

The Black Rock Arts Foundation was the organization behind bringing this great project to our spaces. They have been pioneering a very exciting new model for public art in which they partner with neighborhoods and communities and city governments to temporarily place city art projects. This has facilitated collaboration. Since the first installation that they assisted with several years ago, we have now had several major installations in various major public spaces throughout the city, which have been extremely well received from every neighborhood that they have been in.

From my perspective and I think many of my colleagues share this perspective, we need to do everything we can to help our city really grow the artistic community and our city's artistic economy. We need to promote best core values of activity, community, and activism. I want to thank those of you with the Foundation and the community for all you have been doing both for San Francisco, for the world and for our wonderful public spaces in our city. Thank you.

Tomas McCabe, as the Executive Director for The Black Rock Arts Foundation then thanks the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco for this Certificate of Honor.

It is a real privilege to be able to serve the community with the Black Rock Arts Foundation' s work. This is where our roots are, and this is where a lot of our activity happens. Although we are expanding worldwide, the Burning Man organization is world renowned, and a lot of people do not understand or realize that the Black Rock Arts Foundation supports artists all year round, and we have a big presence in San Francisco. Have you all see the rocket ship down at Pier 14?  I highly recommend you go check it out. It is this beautiful retro futuristic looking rocket ship from the 1920' s or 1930’s, and Flash Gordon comes to mind.


Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Raygun Gothic Rocketship


Raygun Gothic Rocketship
Originally uploaded by sftrajan
Just to keep you up to date on the photos of the Raygun Gothic Rocketship out there here is my current favorite!

Thanks sfrajan for the great photo!

Friday, September 03, 2010

Party on the Playa!

It was quite a party, and if you were not there we missed you!
Tomas, our Executive Director said a few words to welcome us!
Audrey and Not That Dave of FIGMENT, one of BRAF's grantees
Josie, BRAF could not do it without you, Program and Development Assistant

Oliva and Mike, BRAF Web Team
The ExplOratorium visits BRAF!! Thanks for stopping by!
Maria and Crimson make Reno Happen!

Loren, Will, Mark and Rachel, BRAF Advisory Board and Board Members
Michael and Olaf, two Germans who donated to BRAF when they bought their Burning Man ticket and stopped by to see what it was all about. WOW! Thanks for coming so far!
Freddy and Alix, more representation from the BRAF Board
Jessica and Tucker of the PDX Bridge Festival, BRAF grantees
Jeremy, Leslie and Steve of the Crucible Board stopped by!
Yep, that is me, Affinity, your BRAF blogger
Lloyd of Bliss Dance and the Celtic Forest Crew with Maria
James a newbie and Melissa of the BRAF Advisory Board are having fun
David, one of the creators of the Raygun Gothic Rocketship, our most recent Civic Arts Project
Nick and Dr. Deb of the BRAF Board and Advisory Board
David Best, BRAF Board Member and Melissa, BRAF Advisory Board Member
Chris Bently, BRAF Board

photos: affinity