Twan’s List

Cari Amici,

We’re writing with some WONDERFULLY good news!

First, the USA Fund Raising Tour was a resounding success! Not only did we exceed our goal of $20,000, but we added hundreds of members to Gli Amici dell’Art Monastery, and 5 brilliant experts to our fund raising and production teams! Thank you all so much for showing up at the events and helping us to make this dream a reality.

In May in Calvi, Christopher, the Alpha Team, and our first visiting artists participated in the medieval festival of San Pancrazio (patron saint of Calvi) with a Gregorian Chant Vespers for San Pancrazio in the church and “Tra Quercia e Ulivo” a Duncan dance and medieval music performance in the (rainy) piazza, much to the delight of the locals. Relations here have never been better.

On June 17, we moved from the Casa del Popolo to the Bio-Agriturismo Santa Brigida, a luxurious bed&breakfast on a working olive farm. It is a gorgeous place (in fact, it’s listed in the 2007 Michelin Guide) and we hope to take over the management in order to create another income stream for the Art Monastery. We plan to run workshops and seminars here–more info on that will come soon.

Meanwhile, you are all invited to come and visit us in our new digs!

Feeling spontaneous?…

We’re offering members of Gli Amici dell’Art Monastery 50% off market rate** from now until July 15! We will offer double rooms or two-double room suites that normally go for 90 or 125 euros per night (they’re the most luxurious rooms in Calvi) for 45 or 60 euros!

Don’t let high airline ticket prices be an excuse — United Airlines is having a European Summer Fare Sale starting at $385. It’s a great deal, but you have to book by this Friday, June 25. With gasoline at the price it is, heading to the next town is almost more expensive! Now is the time! Have an Italian vacation and support the Art Monastery at the same time!

See you soon…
A presto…

Betsy & The Alpha Team

**To book, please email mia@artmonastery.org

The ART MONASTERY Project

I’ve some sad news to share. Our multifaceted community recently lost one of our own. A very good one, at that. Many of you knew the lovely Kimmy Von Hagen. While in Nice, France, working the Cannes Film Festival, Kimmy met with misfortune and passed from this plane of existence. Her soul-mate, a dear friend and a mover and shaker in our stellar community DJ Tommy Hyjynx could use your love and support. If you’re the praying type, send one up for Kimmy. If not, spare a kind thought. Better yet, come to the memorial celebration.

Hyjynx has organized a memorial celebration for Kimmy to take place on Sunday June 22. Please come by to lend your love and support. Your kind selflessness will be greatly appreciated. Details below.

Memorial Celebration in Honor of
Kimmy von Hagen

Hello everyone,

The details/info for Kimmy’s celebration are:

Sunday June 22nd
4:30 pm [till very late]

4213 Van Nuys Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
[Adam Rosen's backyard, 2 blocks south of Ventura Blvd. and last house on right before the T intersection]

There is a family potluck style reception for after the ceremony, so if you’d like to bring some beverages or anything else it would be greatly appreciated.

Can you please help me get the word out to anyone/everyone you know that may not be on Twan’s List but knew Kimmy and might want to attend?

I hope to see you all on Sunday, thank you for being such a wonderful family to Kimmy & myself.

We will celebrate her amazing spirit in glorious fashion. She touched us all and will never be forgotten.

Blessings,

Tommy Hyjynx
818 749 3296

A Thank You from Forever for LiB

It’s been two weeks since LIB and we can still hardly believe what we got to see and experience and learn under those oak trees. We keep hearing the echoes of beats. We keep seeing flashes of so many radiant smiling faces. We keep feeling the ground shake with the magnificent force of daring minds and dancing feet. We are forever grateful.

It is YOU who helped to make LIB08 a truly life-changing experience, and for this we offer our gratitude not just with words, but with images! Check out the faces on the LIB08 Thank You page, and add your own. ~ Pass it on…

The Lightning in a Bottle
Producers and Crew

Much Lightning in a Bottle Photos and Video to See

Visit the LiB website for a non-stop treat of visual snacks… It’ll make you cry for joy… and eager for next year!

Venice Beach Carnevale
Saturday, June 7, 2008

The 6th Carnevale! Venice Beach will be held on Saturday, June 7th at Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Boulevard from noon until 9 PM. Admission is free and costumes are encouraged in the tradition of the famed Carnevale in Venice, Italy which is the inspiration of this colorful neighborhood festival.

6th Annual Carevale Venice Beach!

The Venice Carnevale, produced by the Venice Artists Forum in Association with the Venice Chamber of Commerce and sponsored in party by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, will feature an all-day lineup of live entertainment from the local area and will conclude with its traditional fiery finale.

We are very excited to be moving our festival to the Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center, located in the old City Hall, right next to the fire station on Venice Boulevard just east of Abbot Kinney, and there could not be a more appropriate historical location. It will be an added treat that the old jail next door which houses SPARC (Social & Public Art Resource Center) also be open for the festival that day.

Esquire Jauchem
Event Producer

“We have some of our usual, fantastic performers” said Miriam More, Co-Producer, “and some fabulous new talent.Featured groups will include the Venice Drum Circle, Street Smarts, Kathy Leonardo, Wadada, Hillel “Mr. Balloonman”, and a variety of other performances ranging from Baraka bellydancing to Italian opera, ending with a pyrotechic bang furnished by DMT and the Phoenix Projeckt fire dancers!“.

Brady Walker, the other Co-Producer, who has been handling relations with the City, had high praise for Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s office, “His staff has been extremely helpful in working out the details for use of this city facility. We could not have staged the Carnevale without their help.”

The festival will include a variety of performances on the Main Stage, Arts and Crafts vendors, food service, and the Masquerade Bar and Lounge with DJ Fatfinger from Project Alma and guest DJ’s all day. Parking is available in public lots east of the event behind the Pacific Resident Theater.

Further information is available at www.carnevale.us or via e-mail at celebrate@carnevale.us

Tiki Freaky - Burning Man Camp Fundraiser

Playa Surfers were on the Esplanade near 5:30 last year. In addition to a fun lounge and wicked tuneage, we provided wheeled surfboards (bike-towed versions and self-powered ones) for the masses in BRC to surf the playa with. Totally fun if we say so ourselves! This year we’re expanding our lounge, adding a lifeguard tower, and putting mo’ and betta’ powered surfboards on the playa for all to enjoy!

Please help us in pursuit of bringing our brand of happiness to you by participating in our fundraising party. Our last party was truly off the hook, so we’re at it again!

Tiki Freaky

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Themed costumes highly encouraged

Cash Tiki Bar : DJs : Visuals : Shadow Box : Art : Spanking Booth
Didgeridoo Chamber + More

• 1040 Princeton Dr.
• Venice, CA 90292
• 9pm - 2am

Lightning in a Bottle is On!
Fabulously Fun Festival in the Forest

Friday thru Monday
May 23, 24, 25, 26, 2008

As of today, as in NOW, Lightning in a Bottle has opened her sexy gates. If you know what’s good for you, this is where you’ll be. Visit the Lightning in a Bottle website for all the details.

Lightning in a Bottle Gate Schedule:

• Friday May 23 - Gate opens at 7am and closes at 2am
• Saturday May 24 - Gate opens at 7am and closes at 2am
• Sunday May 25 - Gate opens at 7am and closes at 8pm
• Monday May 26 - No Entry.

SHUTTLES

There will be shuttles running to help take you and your camping equipment from the parking lot to the campgrounds. See LiB website for shuttle schedule

Music and Live Entertainment

The stages will be live and in effect starting on Friday from 3pm till midnight, and from around 10am to midnight on Saturday and Sunday. Three whole days! After midnight expect special surprises, acoustic jam sessions and other fun stuff to carry the festival through the night. And there’s no need to dash out on Monday. The gates close Tuesday at noon, so you’re free to stick around ’til then and enjoy the forest!

LiB Camping Info

Camping for the entire event is included in the weekend pass ticket price. There will be plenty of space in the grass and under the trees for setting up your campsite. There is no camping for day passes.

Lockers

Keep your stuff safe! For your convenience and for the safety of your valuables, there will be lockers available to rent at LIB.

Vehicle Camping at LiB

There is a very limited amount of vehicle camping space available on the festival grounds. If you want to camp with your vehicle, you will need to have purchased a car camping pass, which are now sold out. For those not camping with their vehicle, there will be bio-diesel shuttles to drive you and your camping gear into the site.

RV Camping

A limited amount of RV camping is available for $75 per RV. All RV’s must purchase passes in advance through our online ticketing page starting April 2nd. RV passes are now sold out! If you haven’t already purchased an RV camping pass, please leave your RV at home. We will have limited space in the parking lots and RV camping will not be available in these or any other areas without an RV camping pass.

Parking at Lightning in a Bottle

We will have secure parking near the festival entrance for your vehicles and you will be able to access them throughout the duration of the event. Parking in the general lot is free.

Lightning in a Bottle 2008 Workshop Info

Workshops are FREE throughout the weekend!

Vending

Our vending village is located at the center of the festival grounds and offers a wide variety of community made goods including clothing, jewelry, hula hoops and more. It’s much better than your daily trip to the mall, so take advantage of the opportunity and get some of the best goods of the year. Some old food vending favorites and a handful of new ones will be preparing meals for us at LIB this year. You can expect a wide variety of organic vegetarian food choices to enjoy throughout the festival. 3 meals a day, consider it covered!

• This is an all ages event, anyone under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

• Underage drinking and illegal drug use is NOT permitted! Non-compliance with this could jeopardize the future of LIB.

• Amplified sound is not permitted in camping areas! Please leave your sound systems at home.

• Dogs and other pets are NOT allowed. If you show up with a dog, you will not be admitted into the event. Elephants and giraffes are ok.

• LIB is STRONGLY encouraging pre-cycled trash and pack-it-in/pack-it-out practices for the weekend. Less trash really does equal more fun!

• Since there are no lifeguards on duty and there is also a no-drowning rule at LIB, absolutely NO ONE is allowed in the river! Individuals caught in the river may be fined by the rangers on site and could jeopardize LIB’s ability to use the location in the future.

• LIB guests with allergies (and those without) should be aware that there are bees, wasps, poison oak, and the occasional rattlesnake at the location.

Have fun! See you at Lightning in a Bottle!

Delicious Sights & Sounds at Electric Apricot

Click the image above to visit the Electric Apricot website. Very nicely done. Citizens of Burning Man at Black Rock City will find a special place in their hearts for Electric Apricot.

When the site loads, let is sit for a while. Make sure your speakers on. Some very cool tunes start playing. Enjoy!

Many thanx to the always fascinating, magickal, fun-loving Gypsy, Courtney Clark for turning me on to this. Thank you for doing what you can to keep life colorful.

ArtMonastery.org Fundraiser

In Support of
International Art

Come out on Sunday, April 6th to lend your support for an amazing project championing international art in its many varied manifestations.

The Art Monastery Project, based just outside of Rome, Italy, is a project worthy of your time, money and passion.

The Art Monastery was founded by local artists, musicians, and performers living overseas the past few years.

Exciting details at the Art Monastery website.

When:
Sunday April 6th

Time:
between 3:00pm and 5:00pm

Where:
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 North Sepulveda Blvd.

Donation Suggestions:
$20 Suggested donation
$40 Patron’s donation

Silent Auction of
Art and Culture

Great music that will captivate, mesmerise, and move your soul! Brought to your happy eardrums by beautiful divas with angelic voices.

Classical Concert

Classical Concert featuring Beautiful and Inspiring Divas:

• Moira Smiley
• Kristen Toedtman
• Kerry Walsh

The Burning Man Opera Connection

Christopher Fulling, one of the founding directors of the Art Monastery, and Twan have a history in that they were both involved with the Burning Man Opera, which was a major event at the Burning Man Festival from 1997 through 2002. Christopher served under master artist and sage Pepe Ozan as director, co-writer and co-producer, and Twan as co-producer. Visit the Burning Man Opera website for the history of this amazing (and sorely missed) experiment of cooperative art, community participation, and multi-composer musical scores… and a cast of thousands!

To All My Friends in 2008!

Just a quick message to wish you an extraordinary New Year! Hoping that all your dreams and desires become reality. I like to believe that when we work together (as we often do in this intensely creative-fun-loving-always-expanding-evolving community), we increase the odds of achieving success in our endeavors. Prove me right. It’ll do us a bit of good!

Twan’s List Update for 2008

You may have noticed that both this blog *and* the email list have been quiet as of late… There are a number of factors that have contributed to this. The last two months of 2007 proved to be quite difficult for me. Some unexpected turn of events for me personally. Fortunately, I’m always up for a good challenge! Looking life right in the eye and saying “FYA” <middle finger defiantly extended skyward>. Rather than get into all of the details here, suffice it to say that a few changes are coming. I’m not quite sure what that looks like at this moment… But some sort of vision is taking shape. Scary, huh?

Mainly, I just wanted to let you know that I’m still here, still alive and thinking of you on the first day of a new year. More info to follow. Thank you for being here!

Attention all Los Angeles based Fire Artists
Town Hall Meeting

Where: Smash Labs, 1714 Albion St, Los Angeles , CA 90031

When: Wednesday, December 12, 2007. Doors open at 7pm, Meeting begins at 8pm

Who: All members of the Los Angeles Based Fire Arts Community

Why: During recent interactions with Los Angeles County and State Fire Marshals, we have learned that they are in the process of designing a set of safety standards and guidelines in an effort to standardize safety requirements within our industry. These safety guidelines are to be implemented in the first quarter of 2008.

We have the great fortune that our local county Fire Marshals have offered to allow us participate in the design of these standards. Organizations such as SAFFE and members of the Pyrotechnics community have offered to provide guidance or advice in the different methods of organizing our-selves and interfacing with regulatory and enforcement entities such as the Fire Department.

This Wednesday night, a Town Hall Meeting has been called to inform the community and discuss the formation an organization comprised of members representing the interests of the Los Angeles fire community. It is time for us all to come together, as a community, to openly create our own guidelines that address issues, such as safety, performance standards, etc. It is of the utmost importance that we collectively decide this before it is decidedfor us! In Addition, there is a new e-mail discussion list for fire artists and people who are interested in fire performance in the Los Angeles area.

This list can be joined by following this link: L.A. Fire Community Mailing List

Please join! This list is an opportunity for us to stay in touch as a community, and discuss a number of pressing issues that are affecting the Los Angeles fire community such as the upcoming implementation of safety regulations, standards,and restrictions governing our industry. The LA Fire mailing list will be a great place to: discuss issues affecting the fire community, share fire related tips and techniques, and communicate about fire events in the LA area.

Please spread the word by continuing to forward this to fire performers who are in Los Angeles, or who visit Los Angeles and perform with fire. If we fail in this initiative, then viewpoints such as “Poi is the most dangerous tool in your arsenal” or the potential banning of poi spinning in the direction of the audience may become a reality.

Troupes & Tool Manufacturers that have involvement in this initiative include: CuriousJosh, Fire by Trick Concepts, Fire Drums, Fire Groove, LAFX, Machina Candeo, Mutaytor, Phoenix Projekt, Pyrophernalia, Sirena Serpentina, Volcano Flux, and Twan’s List.

Directions:
SmashLabs1714 Albion Street (entrance is here - big red door with cut metal numbers, push down on the lever to enter). The “back” door is a big roll door in the last parking lot on the North side of Main just before the train tracks - look for the La Mano Press sign. If it’s full, there is an empty lot directly across the street on the South side of Main Street , or feel free to park on Main or Albion and come in the front. The main thing to remember is if you’ve gone over the tracks, you’ve passed Albion which is a TINY street and easy to miss.

Phone: 323-22S-MASH (323-227-6274) is the office phone if you get lost.

www.fire.trickconcepts.com
(310) 686-4820