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Unveiling the Cosmic Craftsmanship of Wire2Stone at Wonderplace Alpha

Step into the world of Wonderplace Alpha, where the boundaries of time and space blur into a tapestry of genres and cultures, and you’ll find yourself drawn to the magnetic allure of Wire2Stone. This isn’t just another vendor booth; it’s a portal to a universe where art transcends the ordinary, blending the ancient with the futuristic in a dance of metal and stone.

The Artisans Behind the Magic

Wire2Stone is the brainchild of William Brett Schrader, an artist whose passion for wire wrapping has transformed into a saga of intricate, otherworldly jewelry. Each piece is not just crafted; it’s conjured from materials that feel as if they’ve been plucked from the stars themselves. William’s journey into the art began with a simple fascination with the tactile nature of wire, leading him to explore how these thin strands could bind with the raw, natural beauty of stones, creating pieces that are as durable as they are delicate.

His background is as diverse as the pieces he creates. Influenced by a love for science fiction, tribal art, and the natural world, William’s work at Wire2Stone embodies a fusion of these elements. The result? Jewelry that not only adorns but tells a story, each piece a narrative of exploration and connection to the universe.

The Artistry of Wire2Stone

At Wonderplace Alpha, Wire2Stone will stand out with its display of statement pieces like “Poppa Octa,” where wire isn’t merely a medium but a character in the story of each necklace, bracelet, or pendant. Imagine walking through the event, feeling the weight of a pendant that seems to hum with the energy of a distant planet, or the cool touch of a ring that could have been forged in the heart of a cybernetic tribe.

The craftsmanship here is not about mere beauty; it’s about creating an experience. Each item is handcrafted, ensuring that no two pieces are exactly alike, much like no two stars in the sky share the same light. The wirework is impressively detailed, wrapping around stones in patterns that evoke both the organic flow of nature and the precise geometry of futuristic technology.

Why You’ll Love Wire2Stone

• Unique Aesthetic: In a place where every attendee is a traveler from a different era or galaxy, Wire2Stone offers jewelry that complements any costume or persona, from steampunk adventurers to cybernetic shamans.
• Quality and Durability: These aren’t trinkets; they’re heirlooms for the modern age. The wire is strong, the stones are chosen for their vibrancy and energy, making each piece not just wearable art but also a lasting companion.
• Interactive Art: William often engages with his audience, sharing stories behind each piece or even customizing designs on the spot. It’s an interactive experience where you’re not just buying jewelry; you’re becoming part of its story.

“The wind outside nested in each tree, prowled the sidewalks in invisible treads like unseen cats. Tom Skelton shivered. Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows’ Eve. Everything seemed cut from soft black velvet or gold or orange velvet. Smoke panted up out of a thousand chimneys like the plumes of funeral parades. From kitchen windows drifted two pumpkin smells: gourds being cut, pies being baked.”

-Ray Bradbury

Our Halloween evening unfolds like this:

First, we activate our Time Distortion Device so that it becomes October 31st. Admittedly, the device is from 1972 and runs on two D-volt batteries. So it has an effective range of, oh, say about seven acres.

Now, it’s not requisite that you wear costumes, demand sweets, or visit a haunted house and marry a ghost.

But you certainly can if you want to.

And there’s more…

Costumes: The night is a costume extravaganza where attendees are encouraged to don costumes from any era or genre, reflecting the venue’s theme of timeless and timelessness. Whether you’re a cyberpunk knight, a Victorian time traveler, or a Renaissance Faire jester, there’s a place for you here. The atmosphere is filled with characters from various worlds, making it a visual feast of creativity and imagination. (Please do keep the feast ‘visual’ and do not eat anyone’s costume, even if it’s Chiquita Banana.)

Trick or Treating: Wonderplace Alpha transforms into a labyrinthine wonderland of trick-or-treating! Mostly because we really love candy. The event features a special Halloween In May Goblin/Vendor/Oddities Market where vendors offer not just regular treats but also magical trinkets and oddities. (They really are ‘trinkets’ – please do not be upset if they are not solid gold, even if you are a leprechaun.) These vendors, along with roaming characters, distribute candy and other surprises, making every corner of the venue a potential spot for treats or tricks.

Magic: Magic is in the air, quite literally. Magic shows, street performers, and even the environment itself contribute to the magical aura. You might encounter a fire player casting spells with flames, magicians performing close-up magic, or even participate in carnival games that have an element of enchantment. The whole setting is designed to blur the lines between reality and fantasy, where every turn could lead to a magical performance or an unexpected surprise.

Fun: The fun at Wonderplace Alpha’s Darkling Halloween is multifaceted. There are interactive games, live performances, and a chance to engage in empire-building or combat scenarios if you’re in the mood for some role-playing. The event includes a mix of solo adventures or group escapades, where you can engage in quiet contemplation or join in the lively interactions. There are also areas for relaxation, allowing you to enjoy the spectacle or even participate in Cyberpunk explorations or Steampunk adventures.

The entire evening is designed as a perpetual Halloween celebration, where the night never truly ends, and the magic of Halloween is felt at every moment. It’s a place where the rules of physics are more like suggestions, and the joy of Halloween is not just in the scares but in the boundless creativity and communal experience of everyone involved.

Also…

SO MUCH CANDY!!!!!!

Panel Objective:

To delve into whether the ethos, aesthetics, and imagined technologies of Steampunk could offer insights or solutions for today’s challenges, sparking innovation through a mix of nostalgia and speculation.

Proposed Panelists:

• Someone with expertise in Victorian technology or history – Could provide context but also raise questions about applicability.
• An inventor or engineer – Perhaps with an interest in sustainable or DIY tech, to explore if Steampunk’s principles might guide modern innovations.
• An environmental scientist – To consider if the Steampunk fascination with alternate energy sources could inspire real-world environmental strategies.
• A futurist or speculative designer – To discuss how Steampunk’s alternate realities might influence contemporary design and policy.
• An artist or cosplayer from the Steampunk community – To showcase how art and fashion might educate or inspire sustainable practices.
• A philosopher or social theorist – To ponder if Steampunk’s social critique could offer new ways of thinking about technology and society.

Potential Discussion Points:

• Sustainability and Resource Use:
  • Could Steampunk encourage us to rethink resource consumption?
  • How might materials like brass and leather from Steampunk influence modern design?
• Innovation through DIY Culture:
  • Is there value in the DIY ethos of Steampunk for today’s tech development?
  • Can grassroots innovation lead to practical solutions?
• Energy Alternatives:
  • What if we explored Steampunk’s energy ideas like steam or aether in a modern context?
  • Could this inspire new approaches to renewable energy?
• Aesthetic and Functional Design:
  • Does the Steampunk aesthetic promote a philosophy of beauty with function?
  • How can aesthetics change our engagement with technology?
• Cultural and Educational Impact:
  • Might Steampunk narratives be used to teach science or history in an engaging way?
  • Could this genre shift our cultural narrative around technology?
• Social Commentary and Critique:
  • What can we learn from Steampunk’s critique of Victorian society for our own time?
  • How might this critique inspire equitable tech development?

Format Suggestions:

• Opening: A brief on what Steampunk might represent for modern problem-solving, but keep it open-ended.
• Roundtable: Each panelist offers thoughts, leaving room for questions and uncertainties.
• Q&A: Encourage audience interaction to add fresh perspectives.
• Interactive Segment: Perhaps a suggestion for some form of live activity or discussion where panelists and attendees can brainstorm or prototype.

“Divination is the art of seeing what is not apparent to the naked eye.”

– Paracelsus

Visit Cardinal Connections With Jess at Wonderplace Alpha for an experience in understanding. Jess, with her background in intuitive arts and spiritual exploration, offers a sanctuary for those seeking to deepen their connection with themselves and the cosmos. Through her workshops, one-on-one intuitive readings, and sacred storytelling, Jess helps navigate the cardinal directions of your life’s journey, blending creativity with spirituality. Her sessions are not just about self-discovery but about weaving your personal narrative into the larger tapestry of the universe. Whether you’re an artist looking to infuse your work with deeper meaning or someone on a quest for personal growth, Jess’s offerings at Wonderplace Alpha are your gateway to aligning your soul’s compass with the wonders of the world around you.

“Almost all institutions own a lot more art than they can ever show, much of it revealing for its timeliness, genius, or sheer weirdness.”
– Jerry Saltz

Marvelously peculiar! Our famed free Halloween Festival attracts too many creators and curators of oddities for us not to invite them to come spend a lovely Faire-weekend with us! See and enjoy fascinating things! Bring your own as we recapitulate our famed Oddities Show & Tell!

What is an ‘oddity’?

An object oddity refers to an item or an artifact that is peculiar, unusual, or stands out due to its uniqueness, rarity, or the bizarre nature of its design, function, or origin. These could include:

• Antiques or collectibles with strange or inexplicable features, like a clock that uses an unconventional mechanism or a piece of furniture with an odd shape or purpose.
• Curios from different cultures or historical periods, which might not make sense to modern observers, like ancient tools or decorative items intended for rituals or practices no longer common.
• Modern art pieces that challenge conventional aesthetics or functionality, such as sculptures made from unconventional materials or items that serve no practical purpose beyond sparking curiosity or conversation.
• Natural specimens that are anomalies, like oddly shaped fossils, minerals with unusual colorations, or preserved specimens of bizarre creatures.

Object oddities often find homes in curiosity cabinets, museums, or private collections where the fascination lies in their deviation from the norm, their story, or the questions they provoke about human ingenuity, nature’s diversity, or historical context.

What is an Oddity Show and Tell?

In the Oddity Show and Tell, our attendees, merchants, and friends are cordially invited to bring their favorite oddities and show off the delightful peculiarities they’ve collected, found, haggled over, inherited, made, or otherwise acquired.

All are most cordially invited to bring their peculiarities and enjoy their offbeat strangeness with us!

The true origin of Mr. Fang and the Fangtones is, like the darkling undead horror planet whence they come, is shrouded in darkness and mystery. We can’t tell you precisely, for none but they know, and they tell no-one.

Except for those who listen to their lyrics, of course.

But to our understanding, The Undead Planet was once alive, and once very much like this Earth. None know the cataclysm which slew its inhabitants, but it must have been murder, for its inhabitants have not gone to their rest; no, all things on that planet, every bird, every tree, and surely every human, isunalive, animated through the malign force of Mr. Fang’s dark Citadel.

None who live know the rest of the tale, but at Wonderplace Alpha, you might acquire just a little of the Lore…

If you’re wondering why this is being written out-of-character, don’t. None of this site is out of character because all of this is real, of course, and I’m simply the creative director for an event company essentially run by drunken mystical creatures.

How does this show work, in simple, straight-up practical terms? Here:

The majority of our target audience tend to enjoy Renaissance Faires; the rest, otherwise, enjoy things like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, or close-knit scifi conventions, or sometimes gatherings of alternative music, non-mainstream spirituality*, or other places where people are free to, and generally prefer to, dress and act differently from in the rest of the world.

We use Renaissance Faires as our model because the people who create Wonderplace Alpha are the ones who see a Faire and see the excuse to dress as King Arthur’s Pirate Daughter not as silly, but as a more worthwhile and interesting way to spend a weekend than most things people would consider far more normal.

And at heart, what we are building is a lovely Marketplace of wondrous things, surrounded by a weekend of entering Otherspace with the rest of us.

We’re in our first year. We don’t have, and aren’t going to promise, special effects. And we’ve seen big events which make an epic saga their primary goal. It’s amazing. They’re terribly clever. We mostly know how to throw huge rumbistifications with amazing entertainment and wonderful parties; that’s our epic Saturday night.

Feel free to pop around this site for advice on what you might enjoy creating or doing for your garb, your preparations, your plans, your character or lore if you want them, your merchant booth or sponsorship participation if you want them.

We will try to attract, select, and offer you the most hypnotic actors, the most diverting merchants, the most enthralling dancers, the most bombastic rock and roll!

And most of all, we offer you a weekend to get, not away from it all, but TO it all.

The other “it” – the Universe right there underneath the boring everyday world, waiting for us to put on our raiment, make our plans, peel it back and dive in.

Let’s go! Let’s go!

LET’S GO!

* Have you hugged a Druid lately?

“In the province of the mind, what is believed to be true is true or becomes true, within limits to be found experientially and experimentally. These limits are further beliefs to be transcended. In the province of the mind, there are no limits . . .”
― Robert Anton Wilson

(Visit Meredith’s primary vendor page here.)

Meredith’s aspect of the Creative Fire, like all aspects of that Fire, can’t be codified precisely in words. (And if you try to capture an artist that way, you’ll find the art squeezing away between your fingers.

Considering Visiting Or Patronizing Meredith? You Ought. Here Are A Few Of The Traits Found Among Some People Who Enjoy Her Work.

Curious. Curious George was a curious little monkey. Was he ever able to go off and sign his own book deals? Who knows? If you want to find out, you’re probably curious.

Unusual. Sure, we’re all unusual. But it does depend. You shan’t need quite as much love for the unusual enjoying those gourmet custom pizzas (which are, admittedly, not exactly ordinary themselves) as you will appreciating some of Meredith’s marvelously oogie-boogie crafts.

Slightly Woo. There is a bit of mystical element here; not as much sorcery as some, not as little bit of cantrippery as you might exect.

Excited. As with some other traits, we hope this one finds you often; but really, you have quite a lot of selection to examine. You’ll want to bring your energy!

Eclectic. Some people like everything to be exactly the same in exactly the same way. These people are not ecclectic.

Some of her Lore includes:

Bone.

Lore of bone, lore of stone,
Always inside, and not alone.

Meredith’s Bonework is ethical, careful, and has a resonance you can feel. Also, it’s reaaaaaaaally pretty.

Revifification.

Necromantic practice, strange and trackless,
Not always evil; darkling access.

Chaos Magick

“One cannot shape the world without being reshaped in the process. Each gain of power requires its own sacrifice.”
― Phil Hine

Baking Advice

If you bake it, they will come.