Fire Blooms on Ocean Beach (2006-2009)

Fire Blooms on Ocean Beach, a project jointly supported by Black Rock Arts Foundation, Burners Without Borders, and the National Park Service, was part of a larger initiative to install public fireplaces on Ocean Beach in San Francisco. From 2006 to 2009, a varied and enthusiastic volunteer crew learned to pattern, cut, shape and weld heavy-gauge recycled steel pipe into 4-foot diameter, 3-foot high flower shapes, based on a local native species of Oenothera (Beach Primrose). The Fire Blooms were designed and directed in collaboration with Yasmin Mawaz-Kahn. The project delivered four Fire Blooms to Ocean Beach for public use and enjoyment.

Fire Blooms logo by Rebecca Anders

Fire Bloom 1, for public use on Ocean Beach, San Francisco CA, 2006. photo: Yasmin Mawaz-Khan
Tank cut for Fire Bloom 1, 2006
Austin on the torch, Fire Bloom 1, 2006
Fire Bloom 1 in assembly, 2006
Fire Bloom 1 near completion, 2006
Yasi and Rbca in Fire Bloom 1, 2006
Yasi and Jawad setting the first Bloom fire, 2006
First Fire Bloom installation, 2006
Fire Bloom 1 on Ocean Beach in SF CA, 2006
Sketch for Fire Bloom 2 (R. Anders 2007)
Robin and Abby working on Fire Bloom 2, 2007
Hida in Fire Bloom 2, 2007
Fire Bloom 2 installation on Ocean Beach, San Francisco CA, 2007
Fire Bloom 2 on Ocean Beach. photo: Yasmin Mawaz-Khan 2007
Design sketch for Fire Bloom 3 (R. Anders, 2008)
Fire Bloom 3 start, 2008
Rbca cutting stamens in Fire Bloom 3, 2008
Fire Bloom 3 near completion, 2008
Sketches for Fire Bloom 4 (R. Anders, 2008)
Robin putting Fire Bloom 4 together, 2008
Fire Bloom 4 and crew, 2008
Fire Bloom 4 crew names, welded to petal underside, 2009
Fire Bloom 4 arrives on Ocean Beach, February 2009