Multimedia artist and co-founder of The Fates Collective, Beki Powell, revealed her newest interactive art installation at Love Burn 2022 in Historic Virginia Key Beach Park. “Spirit Animal Fortune Spinner” was displayed and available for attendees to enjoy and interact with at the legendary HEX Collective camp, an alluring, velvet-draped oasis of wonder and exploration situated at the park’s abandoned train station among majestic trees and tropical plants.
As visitors approached HEX’s enchanting, greenery-lined dancefloor, they were instantly greeted by a vibrant, colorful compass of elements and animals. Standing out proudly amidst lush palms and tropical foliage, this delightfully vibrant wheel captivated viewers from near and far, attracting a non-stop flow of participants each day. Golden sun rays pierced through a canopy of rustling leaves, reflecting an impromptu galaxy of moving shapes and warm specs of light that danced across the wheel.
“A journey for the feather-hearted, the heavy-headed, the whimsical wanderer, and the avid adventurer,” describes Beki, “this interactive piece invites visitors to seek the guidance of the animal kingdom. Simply set your intention, spin the spinner, and watch as your Spirit Animal destiny reveals itself."
With twelve animals categorized and ordered by their related element, these whimsically painted creatures offer invaluable wisdom, inspiring awe not only by their vibrant brushstrokes and eye-catching colors, but also their symbolic meaning. After the spinner’s animal is revealed by the custom-crafted multicolor feather pointer, participants are invited to go deeper and read their personalized message from the universe in the corresponding book, also authored by Beki Powell.
The concept was developed by The Fates — Beki Powell and Maury Pino — who found their own “fates” crossing at this very festival just a few short years ago. Beki explains, “My wife/business partner, Mau, really inspired the original idea behind the piece. We are both very connected with animals and drawn toward practices that facilitate reflection, connection, and growth. We saw this as an amazing opportunity not just to make art that’s interactive, but also engaging, personal, and empowering. Something that could possibly even redirect the course of a person’s life, or steer them toward the path that’s meant for them.”
On a spiritual level, this piece allows participants to understand more about themselves and those around them, to instill a sense of purpose and connection. The trajectory of the wheel moves in line with the individual’s energy who spins it, as the all-knowing feather of fate lands on whatever message that individual needs to hear from the universe.
Beki teamed up with master carpenter, engineer, and alchemist Andreas Biedermann who helped transform her vision into a fully functional, large-scale installation — an interactive wheel of fate & fortune strong enough to be handled by thousands of enthused participants ready to ‘spin it like they mean it’.
Although this journey began with The Fates, it wasn’t long before it caught the attention of the community. Friends, neighbors, campers, anyone whose paths intersected with the unique and unusual happenings of this project selflessly offered to lend a hand. They provided their homes as workshops, helped to nail, stretch, staple, assemble, and illuminate the wheel. One friend sacrificed his favorite longboard’s ball bearing, which became the essential focal point of the mechanism that allowed the wheel to spin. A kind neighbor offered to 3D-print the pointer, in any shape the artist wanted. Naturally, Beki chose a feather, which she later adorned in her signature dreamy paint strokes and multidimensional color palette. At a certain point, the piece started to take on a life of its own, as if this artist’s creation had its own plans already in store as it picked up on the love and energy of all the different souls and hands that touched it along the way.
Beki explains, “I tried to imagine all the things we as humans go through in our lives — what we struggle with, externally and internally. I did an enormous amount of research on the elements, animals, and their symbolisms across cultures, finally formulating a poetic message and centering thought for each one. I reflected on their meanings as I painted. At one point I started wondering, how will this even work? Will it work at all? How do I know people will resonate with their readings, and it won’t just be random? To be honest, I didn’t know. I didn’t truly understand…until I saw it in action.” Beki says she watched thousands of people, one after the next, who would spin the wheel, get their result, and be blown away by the uncanny accuracy of their reading — which often ended up being incredibly personal and significant.
“That’s when I realized,” continues Beki, “it’s that added power of the individual and the integrity of their intention — where the magic really happens. That mysterious, wonderful place where chance intersects with fate. Somewhere in the entangled inner workings of the universe — the blur between order, chaos, higher consciousness, and the unlimited possibilities that open up when we tune into the present and connect with our higher self — we are able to unlock our own powers and tap into the phenomenon of synchro-destiny.
For Beki, painting is an expression of higher consciousness that encourages you to think, feel, reflect, and heal. With this piece, she was able to spread the messages most important to her. To make people feel loved, supported, and connected, as they evolve in alignment with their purpose. The ability to influence people on this virtually invisible, yet infinitely profound level, creates a ripple effect that’s capable of greater change than we can even imagine.
“There’s something remarkably special about the Love Burn and especially Virginia Key,” says Beki as she refers to the historic Virginia Key Beach Park, home to this festival of creativity and connection for years. It turns out, there is actually some history there to consider. In the 1950s when the South was still segregated, Virginia Key Beach Park was the only public beach in Florida to welcome all people, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or social class. It was a historically treasured place of love, celebration, connection, and inclusivity, which makes it no surprise that such a love and acceptance-centered event as Love Burn would take place there year after year.
Beki goes on to say, “It’s as if our very presence and connectivity open some sort of vortex, one which renders us wide open to creativity, inspiration, collaboration, and profound personal and spiritual growth. With this piece, I hope to steward people in a positive, loving direction, so we can embrace our fate in the most constructive and miraculous way.”
To see more, visit Beki Powell’s website here.
