History
Flow Arts communities and the Inspiration behind the Fund:
Flow Arts communities are simultaneously local and global. All over the world, local spinjams and workshops bring together flow artists to play, practice and share tricks and concepts. The global Flow Arts community grows as people travel to international retreats and festivals, sharing their skills. In addition, with the wide availability of online networks and interest groups, Flow communities from all over the world are connecting remotely to teach and learn from each other through online media such as YouTube and Facebook.
There exists – online and offline – a collaborative, active and burgeoning worldwide community of flow practitioners connected through their love of this emerging movement. While it is currently a hobby for most, several flow artists have left their day jobs behind to commit to a career of teaching, performing and sharing the artform.
Watermelon Dan
One such flow artist was Burning Dan, a dynamic Los-Angeles based performer and teacher. He actively fostered community around the Flow Arts both locally through his weekly FlowTemple parties in LA, and globally through his travels, teaching and inspiring people all over the world. Burning Dan was also known as “Watermelon Dan†for his love of the pink and green watermelon color scheme and the positive effect it has on people.
In May 2010, his friends at Flowtoys launched a special limited run of watermelon-themed flowlights (a LED lightstick produced by the company) in honor of Dan’s boundless efforts towards fostering his local flow community, and recognizing his contributions to the Flow endeavor. Dan had also been hinting and urging Flowtoys to release this color scheme for awhile 🙂
The watermelon flowlights were very popular and the run sold out before the end of the summer. Later that fall, Dan passed away and the flow community worldwide mourned the loss of a champion. Dan was a radiant and generous soul, who left an indelible mark in the flow community, touching the lives of everyone he met. Dan had many dreams for the flow arts. Following his passing many wondered how they could contribute to continuing Dan’s and the collective flow community’s vision.
His friends at Flowtoys came up with an idea to start a fund for the flow arts, and to seed the Fund with the profits from a commemorative run of watermelon-themed flowlights. The Fund would be a non-profit and serve the mission of advancing the flow arts, and fostering flow communities. Its first two projects are Flowarts.net and the Flow Show.
The Fund’s watermelon logo
The watermelon-themed logo symbolizes the freshness of the emerging Flow artform and its ability to quench the human thirst for challenge, creativity, meditation, movement and community.
Designed by Xavi Panneton, one of the community’s most favored visionary artists and graphic designer, the logo recognizes Watermelon Dan for the inspiration, efforts and generous spirit that he gave to building flow arts communities.
