[embed]https://youtu.be/5kXK9r01J6U[/embed] Near-and-dear-to-my-heart - "Festive Lady" has gone viral once again with more than 149,000 "shares" from the FB page "Horse Talk" who posted it recently. Pleases me to have the creation seen by so many people!!! Alas - somehow it was originally posted by someone on Facebook without giving me credit as the artist/creator. Hard to know where they got the image from, could have been one of the many publications who have featured the bed. But in honor of the energy spinning around the creation as it whirls around the world of Facebook, I encourage you to watch the short sweet video showing the creation of this signature piece.
Tala - special video gift from Nestbox Creative
Tala was only about six weeks old when the film crew from Nestbox Collective came to the studio to collect footage for their "Big Sky Sketches" series (see "Trees, Skulls and Creativity") The crew created this short video of Tala as a gift for me. Cinematography: Roshan Patel Song: Harry Nilsson, Puppy Song
Tala from Nestbox Collective on Vimeo.
TEDx - "The Spirit Within"
Invited to speak at TEDx Bozeman featuring “Dreamers that Do” I share my creative process from an epiphany in the wilderness to the creation of contemporary reliquaries that spawn a magical mood of recollection and remembrance. Plenty of sawdust is revealed in photo glimpses of my studio process while I share stories of the playful, loving, light-filled moments alongside the dark murky places.
“Swan Lake”
Restless. A blue funk had hold of me so I took a few days ago to visit my dear pal Yogi up at Swan Lake (near Big Fork). His house is tucked into the forest in a narrow tree-filled valley between the majestic Mission Mountains and frozen lakes. No cell service.
Sweet.
The last stretch of road to Yogi’s bends and winds for an hour through thick forest. Deer must be watched for. Glimpses of lakes were a respite from trees. Ice fishermen sat like salt and pepper shakers on white linen – the remnants of a grand white-table clothed feast stained here and there with abandoned fishing holes.
We had a few shots at Yogi’s before attending the “Fireman’s Ball.” Slipping in cowboy boots, I navigated across the obstacle course of slush and ice toward the community center where pink and red paper Valentine decorations hung from the paneled ceiling and cornmeal dusted the dance floor. Yogi scored some Rose Tequila, Jack Daniels and a giant propane torch in the silent auction. Other items included a delivery of propane, a load of gravel, a basket brimming with hand knit washcloths and a crocheted quilt.
I met a bubbly animated writer – a pretty little gal married to a big handsome clam grower. They wintered in the Swan Valley while their clams hibernated in Vermont. The cheerful big-boned ladies in the kitchen joked with me as we unwrapped tinfoil and plastic wrap from potluck food items. The tiny community has less than 200 residents and it seemed like most of them were at the ball.
I’m guessing many of the Fireman’s Ball attendees were nursing hangovers the next day but we were out skiing with the dogs. Yogi adopted two abandoned puppies…fluffy little bouncing fur balls.
From my Cabin to You…
Logs on their way…
Josh from Mesquite Burl shipped the logs yesterday. The project for the Devil Woman Saloon is back on track!
The video above shows the beautiful logs which arrived from Mexico only to be sent back when I discovered they were not what I ordered for this commissioned project. I actually found Mesquite Burl before I ordered the other logs and would you believe the folks at Mesquite Burl knew who I was before I called them? I forgot how Josh came across my work but I am sure glad I discovered Mesquite Burl. They didn’t have HUGE mesquite when I first inquired, thus the beginning of the fiasco with the logs from Mexico. 
Josh has been great to work with!! He found a rather rare load of BIG mesquite logs and sent pictures. I had a tough time deciding which beauties to buy. Josh also sawed the logs in half for me and kiln dried them to kill the bugs. Poor logs will have a bit of a shock weather-wise don’t you think? Can’t wait to see the logs and get my paws on ‘em to let the sculpture creating begin!
Read moreAmber Jean – LIVE (in video clips)
Just in case the written word doesn’t cover enough from my life, art, and adventures…I’ve added my very own YouTube Channel to upload short videos from…well…my life…art…and adventures! Wahoo! (and Yikes!)
Actually it is fun to shoot video footage and share. I’ve a zillion ideas and am open to your suggestions. I hadn’t realized that I could automatically link YouTube to my blog until the darling dog lover Roxanne Hawn gave me the hint/suggestion today. She’s a freelance writer with a fun informative blog www.championofmyheart.com which she describes as “a dog blog about hope and hard work.”
Thanks to Roxanne’s suggestion, I have set things up so that future videos will automatically post right on my blog. But you may have missed the first few videos so visit: www.youtube.com/montanamber
If you have a moment – grab a cup of tea or a shot of whiskey and check out the channel. The videos are short. While you are there feel free to rate the videos, subscribe, write feedback and sign up as my friend in the “friends box.” Did you catch that? (a not-so-subtle hint) :) I want your feedback! If you visit and leave a mark somewhere on the montanamber channel you can help get rid of that “no scratch polished” look that comes from being brand new. Right now the site looks too new…too shiny…too “friendless.”
Stay tuned!
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