Psyche-Eros Chapter Rose+Croix:
Salon Samekh

Art as Magick / Magick as Art

To create wonderful gorgeous hideous terrible funny revealing amazing things of Beauty. To Create. To share. To improve technical skills together. To encourage cross-pollination of ideas and techniques between artists. To encourage someone who doesn't consider him or herself an artist to give it a try. To make magical tools and/or temple furniture. To try out something you've just made in front of other people. To immerse the self in the process. To seduce God. To be God.

Artists and musicians, poets, dancers and movement artists, storytellers and those who would like to be. Open to all OTO members and guests.

Any place large enough to allow for musicians to play and for a large table for 2-d and 3-d projects to be worked on upon, for example, a Lodge or Oasis space or someone's house. The location of Salon Samekh will likely change monthly. All rules and regulations, local as well as those of the OTO, will be strictly enforced.

One three to four hour block of time, once a month. In the afternoon or evening of a Friday or weekend day, probably 6 to 10pm-ish / 5 to 9pm-ish or a little earlier. At the convenience of the hosting local body/space, of course.

The hosting space may ask for a set donation, or may put out a collection jar. If the hosting space requires a set donation, notification in advance will be sent by e-mail to all local OTO lists, so that everyone planning on coming can be sure to bring a few bucks to help cover the fee. If the hosting body wishes to put out a collection jar, it will be clearly labeled with the name and logo of the hosting body and placed in a central area. Salon Samekh itself will not charge any fees for participation.

Each artist should bring their own supplies appropriate to what they want to work on. These should be easily transportable and reasonable for the time and space available (no 30-foot mud sculptures indoors please!).

There will be a box for donations of art supplies, so that even someone who cannot afford to go out and buy supplies can participate. There will also be a "Big Book of Ideas" inside to help anyone caught wondering what to do.

Musicians are responsible for their instruments. Acoustic instruments are preferred, though some amplified equipment is acceptable as long as sound levels remain reasonable. Supervising artists will determine what is "reasonable."

A three to four hour block of time on or near a weekend. Within the working time, there may be further designated blocks of time for things like figure drawing, poetry reading, a short workshop, or other group activities. Musicians should abide by general "jam" or open-mic rules and not monopolize the playing time.

One to three floating supervising artists who will be responsible for coordinating, opening up, notifying attendees when it's time to clean up and closing down the space (they are the ones wearing the big shiny buttons). They answer questions and handle problems, are responsible for leaving the space as they found it, and deal with any other things that may come up. These supervisors must be OTO members of at least I°, acting under the direction of at least one senior-initiate (V°) supervisor or his/her duly appointed substitute.

• Everybody needs to work on making something. Individually or collaborating, whatever - but no passive observation. Want to just hang out & listen to the musicians? Great! - but make a sculpture of, poem about, or drawing of the music while you do.
• Everyone must clean up after themselves. The space must be left as it was found. Participants who do not clean up after themselves will not be allowed continued participation.
• If you take something from the supplies box and do not use it all up, return it. If you do use it all up, try to donate something useful to the supplies box as soon as you are able. If you have extra art supplies that you are not using (haven't touched it in a year or more?), please donate it to the box.
• Floating supervising artists are in charge. Have a question? Ask one of them. Have a problem? Ask one of them.
• Critique only when asked to do so. Unsolicited critiques strongly discouraged. Save it for our (future) show.
• Take your finished pieces home with you (see #2 above).
• Want to teach something? Do a short workshop? Cool! Talk to the supervising V°. Individuals running workshops are entirely responsible for making the public announcements and providing information about it, organizing a sign-up, collection of materials fees, and presentation. Workshops should not exceed two hours. Exceptions made on a case by case basis.
• Children may attend with an adult as long as they are having a good time working on stuff, aren't distracting someone trying to work (that goes for the adults too) and clean up just like everyone else should. Parents bringing children under 18 years of age to Salon must sign a copy of the "Salon Samekh Parental Consent Form", one copy of which will stay in the Salon records file.

Making art together fosters harmony through focusing attention on the exploration of the creative process, leading to the creation of Beauty for the pleasure and enlightenment of all brethren. To this end, Salon Samekh is sponsored by the Psyche-Eros Chapter of the Rose+Croix.

Email Soror ARGM at amritarosa@yahoo.com