Burning Man Fire Pendant

Burning Man Fire Pendant, 2022 by Joel (Sargent Pepper) Briggs.
The Gold he uses for plating comes from his gold mine claim.

Joel writes, “The Burning Man Fire Pendant was inspired by witnessing how important fire is to Burning Man. By definition, fire is light, heat, and especially the flame produced by burning. Fuel that is burning in a controlled or uncontrolled setting. The destructive burning of something. It has many meanings, but all include the term “burning.” But Burning Man adds two additional terms; art and a clan by principles.

Rumi was a great 13th-century Persian Muslim poet. His works included poems and writings about the soul and the spiritual being. In 2016, I witnessed the Man burn for the 11^th time. But this time, it was different. For once, I felt I was home with family. I remember looking around, and I was in awe. Here, +70,000 people came, and, many learned new lessons about life, found self-discoveries and were changed forever. Yes, this was my family, and any one of them I can call a Burner. There was no sister, brother, father, mother, or friend. Just a clan of people who came and witnessed the Man burn. Rumi best sums it up best, “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.”  Here, around the light of the flames, we came to seek, and in the end, our lives were on fire.  The pendant was designed with all of this in mind. This included my feelings about being a Burner and those principles we know as Burners.

The pendant is round or circled to represent infinity. No beginning and no end. There is no beginning, for fire has always been and will always be. Once a Burner, always a Burner.

The antique silver color represents wealth and prosperity. Both symbolize that wealth is not composed of material things but comes from family, friends, and loved ones. With this, you are the wealthiest person! The blackish tint reminds you that life is hard, but in the end, you will shine.

Around the circle, our ten raises. Each represents the 10 principles of Burning Man. The lanyard hole, sexual consent.

The appendages of the Man reach into the circle. This represents a never-ending quest to learn by sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing. Always learn! Master the 10 principles. Pass what you learn on to others.

The flames surrounding the Man ensure that you always keep your life on fire. To seek those who can fan your flames. Never forget that Burning Man is fire, and this fire represents a clan we call Burners.   The three points on the flame remind you to always LOVE, LIVE, and DANCE.   The gold color of the fire represents illumination; to find what you seek.

The background texture is the unknowns. So never be afraid and seek and find what is in the unknowns. In the end, you will make friends and make warm memories.

The quote, “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames,” best describes a burner and inspired me to design this pendant.

And lastly, the four voids in the flame are our Minds, Emotions, Desires, and Will. They make up your spirit. And here in the fire, your spirit shall illuminate to enlightenment.

The back of the pendant represents my feelings about BM 2022, “Open your Eyes, for this World is only a Dream.” What happens after we depart this world, I can only hope it is something like Burning Man. Let the dream live on forever…”

Joel (Sargent Pepper) Briggs is one of the Playas most prolific and artistic makers. Each year he pushes the his concepts past the boundaries in both in material and production methods. Joel also uses precious metals that at comes from his own mining claim. He blasts out the ore which is then crushed and refined to pure gold.! He produces some of the most unique pieces which are highly treasures by collectors. A pendant of Joel’s appears in Karen Christians book, Jewelry of Burning Man. p75.