Kickstarter

UPDATE 7/31/12 New Reward: Ritual Coffee Roasters has generously donated two premium coffee subscription packages:

#1 Roaster's Reserve Monthly: if you donate to our $200 reward level or higher, in addition to our schwag, you will receive a one pound bag of coffee every month for 6 months (value $195) - 5 out of 10 left

#2 Roaster's Reserve Fortnightly: if you donate to our $500 reward level or higher, in addition to our schwag, you will receive a one pound bag of coffee ever two weeks for 6 months, total = 13 (value $415) - 6 out of 10 left

UPDATE:  In keeping with the overall theme of Fertility 2.0, we have designed an exquisitely shaped two-sided octagon medallion in antiqued silver finish showcasing our collectible “Burning Bee” emblem crafted with rich, colorful enamel.  We are now offering gift packages in quantities of 3 and 10 so you can be prepared to gift your loved ones and friends this limited edition “playa gold” – they will remember you, as well as this year’s burn, every time they wear this coveted treasure.

We are all encouraged to find our “inner bee” this year so our bee symbol will be relevant and honored throughout the playa.

BACKGROUND:  The Otic Oasis received an enthusiastic reception in 2011 and is honored to have been awarded a Burning Man honorarium grant this year. 

For those of you who didn’t have the opportunity to visit the Otic Oasis last year, it was a  35-foot geometric honeycomb-like cluster structure that provided shade, shelter, comfort and individualized spaces for quiet contemplation of our natural surroundings.  We built it in a preserved tranquil corner of Black Rock City, a zone free of motorized vehicles and loud amplified music, lights, and energy, named Walk-In camping. The Otic Oasis was reached only by foot or bike, enhancing the desert calm – it was a journey to get there, but the indigenous stillness and magical aesthetics of the Black Rock Desert made it well worth the journey.  In keeping with the walk-in regulations of this area, all 20,000 pounds of wood and other materials were hand-carted into the build site, and it was erected without use of any motorized vehicles.  The Otic Oasis was crafted completely of interlocking wood, with no nails, glue or metal fasteners. The struts were fastened together with patented "connector" nodes that fit together in an ingenious manner, and provided a great deal of strength and support as well as artistry.

http://www.oticoasis.org/

In keeping with the overall theme of Fertility 2.0 – the seed we planted last year has sprouted and evolved – begetting three entirely separate yet connected projects – the Otic Oasis 2.0, the Man Base Pistil and our destination base camp. Like bees returning to their hive, we gravitate back to the indigenous quiet of the magnificent wilderness backdrop of the Black Rock Desert to replenish our being at the Otic Oasis 2.0. There will be additions to our main structure as well as seven new satellites scattered deeper into Walk-In Camping – providing even more diversity and balance as well as sought-after private spaces for play, relaxation and refuge. At 2:30 and the outermost city street, the jumping off point to Walk-In camping, our art support camp, Beeometry, will offer examples of how sacred geometry is the honey of our hive. Additionally, the desert winds transported our seeds into the heart of Black Rock City where some landed, literally, at the feet of the Man. Gregg Fleishman, the artist, designer and architect of the Otic Oasis was selected to build a special climbing sculpture, The Man Base Pistil, symbolizing a pistil – the reproductive organ of a flower – inside the Man Base Pavilion, providing a pollination point for the Burning Hive we will manifest this year. Read all about the “Bee Here Now” phenomenon in “The Burning Blog." 

While we are thrilled to receive an art grant for the Otic Oasis 2.0, it does not fully cover our costs. We can’t possibly make our dream a reality without all of your continued support.  So please consider a donation in this campaign, to build new additions and expand on the 2011 Oasis, and join us in further sowing the seeds of the Otic Oasis.

To learn more about artist Gregg Fleishman and how to take Pythagoras into Three Dimensions visit:   http://www.greggfleishman.com/

To those of you who wish to have their donation be tax-deductible, please click on the following link to donate at our non-profit page, as we are pleased to be fiscally sponsored by The Immediate Life, Reverend Billy's and Savitri's nonprofit:    www.razoo.com/story/otic-oasis-2-0

Thank you to Roy Two Thousand for crafting our amazing short video of the Otic Oasis from all his 2011 time-lapse photography. To learn more about Roy 2000 and view The Fertile Desert, one of the rare films to capture the essence of Burning Man, visit:  http://vimeo.com/37149784

So you can see how our other project is developing, here's a rendering of the Man Base Pistil:

Below are photos of some of the rewards: