In our second podcast, Katie Eldridge talks to Rob Fyfe about transforming Point San Pablo Harbor from a rundown junkyard into a beautiful destination that now attracts hundreds of visitors every week.
Rob talks about his first encounter with big art at Burning Man, how he came to appreciate the creativity and passion at the core of the Burner community, and how a chance encounter at the Artumnal Gathering led to hosting We Are From Dust’s inaugural exhibition.
Crowdfunding during the global lockdown is hard business. Here’s Yoms with an update on how to help us support artists whose art we are exhibiting at Point San Pablo Harbor.
“Art Matters” with Paige Tashner
WAFDust Podcast #01
Welcome to WAFDust the official We Are From Dust podcast. A few years ago, a team of us decided that interactive and participatory art was a pillar in our community, so we formed our non-profit to showcase the transformative power of participatory art in public places and spaces.
In this our first podcast Paige Tashner, creator of Purr Pods, talks about her life as an artist, how creating a mobile cupcake for Burning Man led to winning two Honoraria Awards, her love of cats, the skill exchange associated with creating art in the burner community, and her work with We Are From Dust.
With the world being slapped sideways by the coronavirus pandemic, We Are From Dust is focusing on helping the people in our community who need it most. In our case, that’s working artists who, like so many of the self-employed, don’t necessarily enjoy the privilege of having a robust safety net beneath them when the bottom drops out.
We started a crowdfund campaign right before this virus started its temporary reign of terror, originally with the intent of mounting more art exhibitions beyond our inaugural Point San Pablo Harbor sculpture park. And while we considered canceling the nascent campaign out of respect for the world’s greater concern in this moment, we decided instead to continue, and give everything we raise to these artists, compensating them for the amazing work they’ve already created, and which we all get to enjoy (and will again).
So in this critical time, we’ll do what we can to take care of those in immediate need, and when the world is once again ready to connect in person, we’ll be ready too. We’ll keep our next five exhibitions in our back pocket, and we’ll be prepared to install them as soon as is reasonable, because gathering around participatory art will be a powerful psychic salve when that time comes. So yes, even in the face of a global pandemic, we believe our mission is more important than ever. Any assistance you can offer is greatly appreciated.
Please consider a donation to our crowdfund campaign to support these artists. If you’re otherwise inclined, please consider a donation to support the most vulnerable in our community through other sustaining fundraising efforts. If you have some of those to suggest, please link them in the comments.
Be smart, be safe, and may you and yours be well. Thank you!
