Public Artists Andrea Myklebust and Stanton Sears invited Phil and Diane to Stockholm to hold the event on a stunningly beautiful site the banks of the Mississippi in Wisconsin, to share skills with the aim of starting their own annual US fire event. After several months of planning and fund raising by the Americans, and our design work, we arrived in the USA. Phil built a 12m long wooden Viking Long Boat Fire Sculpture using recycled and clean waste materials with the aid of Stanton and his students. Diane and Andrea created an installation of large paper lanterns inspired by the native fish of the Mississippi River, in community workshops.

Local people were also involved in fund raising, visiting the exhibition of our fire sculptures images, and attending slideshows. Over 1,500 people took part in the celebratory burn after daylong festivities, which included live music by Combo Flambé, the lantern displays, a procession of fire-shapes and fire dancing by Illumination Fire Troupe along the shore. Andrea and Staton went on to create fire sculptures in following years which can be viewed here on their website.

http://www.myklebustsears.com/gallery-work.html

Art+Fire Project Artists:

Phil Bews and Diane Gorvin

Andrea Myklebust and Stanton Sears

Jennifer Macklem and Kip Jones

Architect John Myklebust created the amazing lighting design for the Viking Boat.