Playing with Fire.

Fire centers the human mind. Always has. Before we had language, we had flame. Before there were stories, there was a circle of people watching something burn.

For me, fire isn’t just part of the work. It’s part of how I stay human.

I grew up with fire in my life. Controlled burns, campfires, flare stacks on the edge of the horizon. Fire meant warmth and warning. It meant something was happening. Now, as an artist, I keep returning to it. Not for shock or spectacle, but for the way it demands presence. The way it clears out the noise.

Working with fire means building something knowing it will not last. It means trusting the process, accepting loss, and being completely in the moment. That’s not just a creative philosophy. It’s how I stay grounded.

Burning Man brings that into focus. It’s one of the few places I’ve been where the relationship between fire and community still feels intact. Out there, in that desert, fire is used with care, with purpose, with ritual. Things are built to burn, and people gather not to consume them, but to witness them.

That kind of attention changes you.

I’ve burned my own work. I’ve built things knowing they would become ash. And in those moments, I’ve felt more like myself than anywhere else. Not because I was making a statement. Because I wasn’t trying to hold on. Just letting the moment be enough.

Fire doesn’t lie. It doesn’t flatter you. It tells you when your idea was half-formed or overbuilt. It rewards the honest gesture. The clean join. The real risk. I’ve learned more from a pile of embers than I have from any critique.

So yes. This is a part of my life I care deeply about.
And if you ever share a fire with me, you’ll see it too.

Group of people sitting and standing around a campfire outdoors during sunset, with one person tending the fire wearing a colorful hat, while others watch and sit on a bench.
People gathered around a large bonfire at night outdoors, with leafless trees and a dark sky in the background.
Group of people witnessing a burning effigy during a traditional outdoor ceremony with clear blue sky and leafless trees in the background.
People gathered around a burning totem pole during a nighttime outdoor event, with some taking photos and others observing.
A large wooden sculpture of an eagle is on fire outdoors in a green field, with flames and smoke rising from its body. Shadowy figures are cast on the ground, and a small yellow cart is visible on the right.
A group of people gathered at night around a burning sculpture of a humanoid figure with flames on its head, outdoors in a rural area.
Fire on a large pile of materials with dark smoke billowing into the sky, as a crowd of people and bicycles watch nearby, during dusk.
Three people sitting around a fire pit in a backyard at night, decorated with colorful string lights overhead.
Four people sitting around a fire pit at night, facing a colorful decorative arch, with a workshop or garage in the background.
People gathered around a campfire at night, roasting marshmallows and enjoying outdoor activity.
Two men standing near a large fire in an outdoor area at night, with a fence and some chairs in the background.
A metal outdoor chiminea with a flame inside on a wooden deck at night.
A wooden dragon sculpture on fire outdoors with smoke and flames, with a blue sky in the background.
A man and a woman sitting on a wooden bench outdoors during sunset, with a large fire in the foreground. The man has a beard, glasses, a hat with a feather, and is wearing a jacket. The woman has long red hair, glasses, and is wearing a leather jacke
A large art installation resembling a dragon with glowing lights and fire-breathing effects, set in an open outdoor area during dusk, with a few people and bicycles nearby.