An Important Interruption in Tales of My Journeys

    The stone fly is a tiny but important bug. It serves as an indicator species for the health of an ecosystem.

    "Indicator Species" is the title of a giant interactive steel sculpture of a stone fly by Ela Lamblin (my son), 

Drawing of "Indicator Species," showing the scale

co-founder, with his wife, Leah Mann, of their performance troupe, Lelavision. The sculpture was commissioned by Burning Man 2020, but the event was canceled due to COVID. Now, two years later, the sculpture is slated to appear at Burning Man 2022.

    Before Burning Man, though, on August 12-14, the sculpture will be the central focus of a BIPOC festival, organized and coordinated by Leah, at Vashon Island's Mukai Farm and Garden. Including drum circles, yoga, meditation, dance performances, Taiko drummers, West African music, South American music, participatory arts activities, maker spaces, panel discussions, karaoke, and free organic food, it's a festival centered around the stone fly and "Indicator Species" and the environmental awareness they evoke.

    The economy of 2022, however, is not the same as the economy of 2020. If you haven't kept up with the soaring costs of steel, you certainly know the higher cost of, for instance, gas. The budget Ela submitted for his 2020 grant covered 2020 costs, but the grant is woefully inadequate for the design, engineering, fabrication, transportation, and installation of the same sculpture today.

    Thus Lelavision has started a Kickstarter campaign, hoping to make up the difference. Their goal is $10,000, a realistic assessment of the increased costs. The campaign ends in three days. You can help them meet their goal by contributing to it (go to Kickstarter.com and search for "Indicator Species by Lelavision") or by writing a check (tax-deductible) to their umbrella organization, Jack Straw (Jack Straw Cultural Center, 4261 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle WA 98105-6999), mentioning Lelavision in the memo line. 

    This is the second large sculpture and multi-day festival Lelavision has sponsored. The first, Created Commons, presented in a West Seattle park, was built around Ela's sculpture "Interspecies Communication," also seen at Burning Man 2017. For a glimpse of this spectacular event, similar to the planned event in August this year, go to lelavision.com and click on "View pictures from 'Created Commons Westcrest Park.'" 

    Kickstarter works by little donations from lots of people as well as generous donations from others. The campaign ends in three days. I hope you can help. As Ela and Leah say on their web site, this is a time when creative, restorative experiences, such as the festival on Vashon centered around "Indicator Species," are especially needed. Let's help make it happen!