Founders

Royce Carlson is a steel sculptor living with his wife, Juanita in Prescott, Arizona. Royce runs Cosmic Steel, where he makes artistic architectural details like gates and railings. He is known for his kinetic sculptures that are wind driven.

Juanita Hull-Carlson is also a sculptor only she works with concrete and mosaic. She does lots of public art, working with schools all over the state of Arizona. She is also working on a childrens' book whose main character is Infinity Frog from the planet Amphibia. The Amphibia project was inspired by her book (not yet published).

Royce and Juanita have been coming to Burning Man since 1999. From the beginning their camp, The Temple of Virtual Wisdom, has been a welcoming place to those passing by. Over the years they have expanded their crew to include a growing synergistic community of pro-active, good energy people. They estimate that Amphibia will have between 40 and 50 camp members this year.

Royce and Juanita's personal interaction with the Burning Man community includes: being a greeter for most years; building the center camp café main portal in 2001; building “COSMOS,” a large wind sculpture in 2004; In 2006 Royce designed and oversaw the fabrication and construction of Alex Grey’s Chapel of Sacred Mirrors dome. Royce also designed “The Toaster,” a fire sculpture that was built by the Arizona Burning Man community for use at its events. Both Juanita and Royce have art cars, three of which have been to the playa in past years. Most people who know them within the Burning Man community know them as Mr. and Mrs. God. They are actively involved in the Arizona regional Burning Man activities.

Royce and Juanita extend their heartfelt thanks to all the Amphibia camp members who have done so much to make this project successful. Without their help, there is no way such an ambitious project could happen.

The planet named Amphibia
is wet and deeply green.

It’s quite a bit like Earth was once,
when dinosaurs were seen.

And on this planet far away
a special frog was born one day…

Infinity!—a hero’s name,
this frog was destined for Earth fame.

They told her the assignment—to save the frogs on Earth.

“Our cousins are endangered there,
 the humans rule without a care.

They’re stuck on greed and foolish pride, they do not see that deep inside,

They’re part of nature, not above it,
they need to learn to truly love it.

Act with LOVE and off you go—
be sure to give them all a show!"

And off she flew through deepest space
toward a new and different place.

She flew too fast for us to see,
She earned her name—Infinity!

At last she came to planet Earth,
a precious thing of unknown worth.

Where to start? She made her plan
to visit first the Burning Man.

***

The Amphibia story is excerpted and altered from an upcoming children's book by Juanita Hull-Carlson