Jennifer Raiser from the San Francisco Chronicle did a great story on my wife Kyrsten and me last Sunday called Parents of Invention. Please check out the story and look for clues to our next grand project!
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It’s no surprise people are talking about Oakland’s new mayor, Libby Schaaf, but there’s one detail that seems to surprise everyone: her mayoral ride, the Golden Mean. Apparently most political figures don’t travel to their inauguration in a giant snail with flaming eye sockets.
Schaaf and I first connected during the 2013 Oakland mayoral race around West Oakland business. I agreed with Schaaf’s vision for an Oakland that supports artists, makers, and industrial businesses like mine. When she requested the Golden Mean make a campaign event appearance, I was happy to oblige.
When Schaaf won the election, we took a celebratory ride in the Golden Mean. But the greatest honor came with the last request: a ride for Schaaf and her family to her mayoral inauguration. The event was quintessential Oakland: held at the Paramount Theater, the mayor and her family arriving in the Golden Mean, Schaaf’s acceptance speech including “hella”, and protesters reminding everyone of issues to be addressed.
When we first built the Golden Mean in 2008, little did we know it would someday make Oakland history. Working nights and weekends, the snail car my wife Kyrsten dreamed up was built by her, myself, and our Empire of Dirt crew of artist makers in my West Oakland Form & Reform shop. Since building Golden Mean we’ve made the Electrobite and Serpent Twins, but you’re less likely to see our mayor riding around in them, seeing as they’re not street legal.
As part of Schaaf’s inaugural week, the Golden Mean Snail Art Car will soon make another appearance at the public event celebrating the great town of Oakland and it’s makers this Sunday, January 11. We hope you’ll join us for the “Made in Oakland” Inaugural Festival at American Steel in West Oakland from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Inauguration
SFGate / SF Chronicle – Libby Schaaf sworn in as Oakland’s 50th mayor
San Francisco Magazine – That Fire-Shooting Snail Car That Mayor Libby Schaaf Keeps Driving Around Oakland Is the Best Thing Ever
Inside Bay Area – Libby Schaaf sworn in as Oakland mayor
Laughing Squid – Oakland, California’s New Mayor Libby Schaaf Rides Snail Art Car To Her Inauguration
Election Victory Celebration
KQED – Video: Libby Schaaf Rides a Giant Mechanical Snail
SF Gate/ SF Chronicle – Libby Schaaf celebrates Oakland mayoral victory: “an awesome city”
SJ Mercury News / Oakland Tribune – Libby Schaaf celebrates decisive victory and ‘Oakland’s awesomeness’
CBS – Quan Concedes Oakland Mayor’s Race; Schaaf Celebrates In Fire-Breathing Snail Car
Golden Mean Snail Art Car
Facebook Fan Page
Instructable / how it was made
Blog: Golden Mean
Recent Golden Mean in Oakland
Popular Mechanics Video – How Oakland Is Becoming Northern California’s Next Great Startup Hub
I’m pleased to share some professional shots of the custom lights I created as part of GitHub’s new – and newsworthy – headquarters in San Francisco, CA. Since most people won’t have the opportunity to see these lights in person, good pictures are gold.
Form & Reform’s contribution to this innovative tech workplace includes twelve Gioia style chandeliers for the dining room, an I-Beam Service Rail for the kitchen pass through, and a series of beam-mounted lights integrated into the architecture above the bar.
It was a pleasure working with Rebecca Brownlee McEfee and Kate Hanzo, principals for Studio Hatch. Their set of GitHub images included the two below featuring the over-bar lights (left), and the I-Beam Service Rail with Gioia style chandelier (right). Photo credit: Eva Kolenko.
Custom Spaces also worked on the project, and posted these images featuring some of the dining room’s Gioia style chandeliers with I-Beam Service Rail in background (left) and over-bar lights (right). Photo credit: Kim Lucian.
It’s been interesting to follow the press GitHub’s new HQ has received. Wired Magazine called the offices a Hacker Heaven, Mashable included them in their 13 Playful Work Environments roundup, SF Business Journal included an image of our over-bar lights in their article, and Bisnow held an event at GitHub called Future of Tech Spaces.
Linden Street Brewing Company picked up one of my custom ring lights for their new tasting room in Oakland. Can’t wait to enjoy it there once it is installed.
On weekends, our art car making (and maintenance) crew the Empire of Dirt has already been enjoying Linden Street beer after workdays on tap at our private Boiler Bar.
Pictured here: Adam Lamoreaux, head brewer / owner
Photo credit: Linden Street Flickr stream
Great to be back for our 3rd show with Insomniac at Beyond Wonderland! Lots of familiar faces and a warm welcome for the snail and crew! This year we brought our new remote fired flame ball and let the crowd light up the night sky to warm the rest of us. I always enjoy seeing people smile when they realize they just made that huge fireball. Met up with some great DJ’s and even got to hang out with Paris Hilton!
The Golden Mean Snail Art Car, Electrobite, Zeppelini, and Empire of Dirt Crew makes its rounds at the IDEO Holiday Party, with miniature Tesla coils and monkeys to add to the fray.
What a great show! I love shows where art and craft meet and these artists are gifted in both. Fantastic use of real materials and humor. Look for Kathy Aoki showing the “Tomb Room” and several other artifacts from the Gwen Stefani Archaeological Dig ( 2468-2478 A.D.).
We call ourselves Oilpunk so it’s only fitting that we visit the source,
the Mecca, the La Brea Tar pits (right next to the LACMA).
