Fiesta of Sunset

"Fiesta of Sunset" Last week two sculptures left “the flock” for their new homes.  Several more are sold and waiting for delivery since the collectors were kind enough to allow me to show their sculptures in Jackson last month.  The “Neruda Series” of mini reliquaries – a total of 18 sculptures – were created during an especially challenging spell of severe insomnia.  Each week for several months I averaged between 20-22 hours of sleep; deprivation that taxed my body and soul til I felt like pummeled pieces except when I was creating.I left the business part of art behind and focused on the new creations and sought help from various professionals to find my way back to sleep.  All of the sculptures have titles inspired by Pablo Neruda's love poems.

"Fiesta of Sunset"

“Fiesta of Sunset” is a bright flaming-with-feathers sculpture and would be hard to give up so quickly except it went to the fabulous creative art-filled home belonging to one of my collectors.  Together we celebrated with drinks and chocolate after I arrived with the sculpture.  The opportunity to personally deliver and know the people who “adopt” my creations means much to me.  The Neruda Series fueled me with the inspiration I needed to survive an especially difficult chapter and spawned a zillion new ideas for future series.

I can't wait to get back to the mess-making soul-feeding creative part of my life!

Magical Mountaintop Mediation

red_tailed_hawk_2 I heard wings above my head - right after I closed my eyes - three breaths into a mediation on top of my mountain. Zaydee and I were on the edge of the canyon next to the "Sound of Music" meadow. A hawk. Large. Close. Gracefully soaring around and around Zaydee and I. Crazy beautiful close. Then another - two raptors chortled and swooped. Magic. Then another and another and another joined - like Sunday church service - dipping and calling, circling the canyon above and below me. Wing sounds in air. Swish. Sunlight through feathers stretched impressively long. The original hawk hovered close, its beak dipped each time the bird looked directly at Zaydee or me. I half expected it to dive-bomb Zaydee; so close it dropped each time it circled. The raptors seemed to want attention, revel in currents as Zaydee and I watched. I thought to meditate beneath their shadows but they left when I dropped my gaze and closed my eyes. Blessed.

Uninvited Guest (life in the woods)

Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.The sound of munching came from behind the fridge; obviously an uninvited guest. While the disturbing sound of a critter enjoying a picnic in my cabin is in itself not exactly unusual, the fact that it was mid-morning, thus broad daylight did add a level of ballsy-ness that warranted investigation. A chipmunk. Bold bugger. Cute. Maybe it relied on its cuteness to excuse its obvious lack of manners. Too small for the live trap. Too fast for me. Maya (the cat) was still digesting most of a mouse from dining out in her nightly forest foray. Oblivious. With duct tape and scissors I began to fashion a contraption to help me catch the chipmunk but after one prodding poke with my zebra-stripe broom handle I realized stupidly that the bugger possessed a Cirque du Soliel skill set that would make any attempts at catch-and-release impossible. I sent an intention to the Universe to spare the cutie-pie from my cat, opened two screenless windows and left the chipmunk alone. I hoped the chipmunk wouldn't make an appearance later that afternoon while entertaining a few visiting collectors, or worse - a bloody battle once Maya slept off her mouse hangover. A swift blur zipped past me now and then, fluffy tail fluttering and more-than-once I heard a knick knack crash to the wood floor but luckily the guest parted for greener pastures on its own leaving only a few little tiny turds behind.cute-chipmunk-636-2

Springtime in the Rockies

Cold mornings.  Cold nights.  Dramatic storms.   Fire in the studio stove each day. Rain patters or pours on the metal roof of either my studio or cabin.  The forest floor gushes green-ness and pushes wildflowers skyward.  The aroma doesn't just tickle your nose - it swooshes in and fills lungs, heart and soul with a hint of heaven all wrapped up in earth. I LOVE springtime in the Rockies!!!

Doug Loneman captured the beauty and temperament of the season last night

I encourage you to visit Doug Loneman's photography

Facing Fear

Fear is something I face inside and outside the studio every day.  Big fear.  Little fear.  Unfounded unreasonable fear.  Understandable perfectly sensible fear.   Loud obnoxious screaming fear and almost imperceptible but nudging fear. The best creative work takes me to places where I scare myself and face the fear of failure by pushing my comfort zone. Zaydee frightened by the storm

While Momma Nature was carrying on with storm after impressive storm this morning on the mountain, poor Zaydee suffered.  She shivered and quivered her way through thunder, hail and the dramatic racket of rain on my metal roof.  Zaydee crawled under my legs up and under my armpit and squeezed herself behind me on the couch.  Poor thing.

Last year about this time my nieces, Zaydee and I weathered similar storms while exposed on a ridge in the Crazy Mountains.  I had reason to be concerned in our situation.  We did what we could to minimize the potential for danger while we huddled and laughed our way through the storms before scooting back down the trail and sliding down snow slopes to better shelter.

Weathering hail, rain and electrical on a ridge in the Crazies with my nieces.

Zaydee was in the comfort and shelter of my cabin today while the storms raged outside, yet she shook as much as she did on the mountain top last summer.  Her reaction made me think of how much drama and energy I can lose at times in the studio when really the “danger” is in my own mind.

Inspired Artist Adonna Khare

Artist Adonna Khare with her Art Prize winning workBlown away by the psychological depth, sensuous surface, drawing mastery and creative vision of artist Adonna Khare – I was especially tickled to meet her a few months ago at the opening of the exceptional exhibit “Face to Face; Wall to Wall” at the Yellowstone Art Museum.  Adonna was hunkered down on a bench in front of her work – sick.  She had spent the night before in ER with pneumonia.  Poor gal.  I was suffering from acute bronchitis – we were a sorry pair on antibiotics but our challenged health didn’t dent the spark and instant good energy we shared.  Turns out she had seen my installation "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" during her untimely hospital visit the night before.  I insisted Adonna come back to visit so I could share more of Montana with her - luckily she was already scheduled to return to work on the special installation of her awesome Art Prize winning piece in the spring. Adonna's daughter Kinsey and I enjoy a ride on the zip line...

Super tickled to have Adonna and her family stay in my humble home earlier this week.  Her sweet husband grilled steaks on my deck, s'mores were roasted, the zip line enjoyed, we hiked with her mom.  Adonna and I sat out on my deck under a thick slice of moon long after everyone turned in for the night to talk art, art world and studio lives.

I highly encourage you to check out her work: Adonna Khare

Season's First Ride

Hyalite LakeTwo weeks ago on a splendid sunny afternoon, the talented artist Stephanie Revennaugh and I left our studios,pulled on padded shorts and peddled up Hyalite Canyon to the reservoir. Felt good to move. Felt glorious to feel the heat of the sun. Felt refreshing to leave a snow angel behind... [embed]https://youtu.be/TlJ3BNF4bkk[/embed]

Kaden Creates at the Studio

Ten year old Kaden spent an afternoon with me two weeks ago as part of a year-end project for his 4th grade class.  He created an artwork obviously influenced by my current series but I welcomed and encouraged his ideas.  I was impressed with his intent and appreciated the reasons he offered for the various choices he made.

“My parents would NEVER let me use sharp tools like these!” Kaden said over and over (his mom told me later she counted his fingers).  I have learned when confidence is projected people (and children) most often embrace it and surprise themselves.  Being calm helps.  Mistakes?  All of art making (and life) includes mistakes.  A cabinet maker friend told me years ago that it is not the mistake so much as how you fix the mistake.”

Moments shared with young people in my studio are one of the many gifts of my profession – a treasure and a treat!

The Calm Before the Storm

mini reliquaries Immediately after I finished carving the new mini-reliquaries I cleaned the studio.  The photo was taken before I left for Texas to visit TD Kelsey last month.  Cleaning and clearing is an important step between stages in a project.  The last weeks have been a fury of creativity – too focused to share.  Starting a whole new series is as engaging as the intimate journey with a new lover.  Precious.  Scary.  Exciting.

Intensely engaging.

I have been sequestered daily with the new work (for many weeks now) and am just beginning to be at a place where I can begin to share…

"Sojourn" is going to the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport...!

The Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport Board of Directors unanimously selected my bison bench titled “Sojourn” to be placed permanently in the airport.  The life-size bench was originally carved in black walnut before being cast in a limited edition of 5 bronzes.  Two of the sculptures, plus the original woodcarving are in private collections outside the state and one sculpture was purchased for a museum in Arizona.  The bison bench is a wonderful public sculpture – made extra popular since it is a bench - offering an invitation to react with the sculpture.  People sit, touch and pose for photos – creating a truly memorable experience and an inviting first impression of Bozeman and Montana for first-time travelers. Sojourn and Tony

As the first female artist selected to place art permanently at the airport, I feel honored.  When I entered Mrs. Orr's kindergarten class at Longfellow School in Bozeman more-then-many-moons-ago, I had plans to be an artist.  What an opportunity to have a sculpture inspired by an experience in Yellowstone National Park and created locally actually be placed here - since all of my major pieces have gone to collections outside Montana.  The sculpture was particularly labor-intensive to cast but they have captured every chisel mark and even the beauty of the wood grain.  The sculpture is ready to install.  The Danforth in Livingston is the Fiscal Sponsor for the Bison Bench project.  The benefit is two-fold since support for my project at the airport will also help support Park County Friends of the Arts in Livingston, a 501 (c)(3) organization.  PCFA (Danforth)  will receive a percentage of the funds processed through the organization to help their mission.  PCFA's mission is "to nurture the creation and awareness of art by providing opportunities for contemporary artists and by offering innovative outreach programs, so that our community—especially our youth—can realize the importance of art in their lives."   The Gallatin Yellowstone International Airport is the most popular airport in Montana.  A bronze plaque will be placed near the piece with the opportunity to script whatever the donors/patrons wish.  Only a few donor slots remain (contact me if you would like to know more).

artist visit: td kelsey

I woke this morning to a few inches of fresh snow - a startling difference from the dry scratchy Texas landscape I left behind one week ago today.  I was too busy just being in the moment at TD Kelsey's ranch to update my blog.  I hit the ground running with the mini reliquary project in my studio upon my return.  Inspired with the new work; a whole week passed by in a blink. The visit with prolific adventurous sweet-souled artist TD Kelsey was a treat.  Fueled by a cup of tea and vivid memories I sat down for a bit this morning to write about the trip.  But the writing - well - it isn't "blog worthy" yet (such a story to tell).  But here are a few photos: