Texture

Feel it beckon?

You may touch.Here. With your eyes.

There. With your heart

The desire to touch is in our nature.

Mother Nature touches back.

Always and in all ways…

Inspiration outside the studio

Endlessly sculptural. Zen garden soul stirring landscape entwined with Dr Seuss-like whimsical formations. Tantalizing. Grounding. Empowering. Humbling.

Parts of my creative process can be described with the same adjectives

Cliff and Tala

I wonder if Tala feels Cliff’s spirit as strongly as I do? I know she would be ecstatic if he walked across our deck, or if she heard him laugh. Grief from the loss of my dearest closest friend seems even heavier, harder and more persistent these past few months than other times in more recent years. Is that possible? Perhaps some of the deep layers of grief are finding their way through me; released with tears amongst the trees in the woods on the mountain he is such a part of. Thankful for his ever-present spirit. Gratitude for the mountain of memories, the storms we weathered and the endless river of love.

Cliff Denham: Oct 21,1947- May 1, 2016.

I had just started ice climbing during the period the first series of reliquary tree sculptures were created. I lived in the same cabin I do now, at the end of the road near the top of a mountain. The cabin was bare bones. I slept on a (constantly deflating) inflated mattress on the floor of my cabin which hadn’t the luxury of plumbing for seven years. Luckily fellow climbers gifted me their old gear and allowed me to rope in with them to explore frozen waterfalls. The iridescent shard of glass seemed an extravagant purchase but it reminded me of the magic and allure of ice. Life is full of unexpected bits of light in the darkest places; often experienced most fully when we open ourselves to the unknown.

“I Have Heard the Dead Singing” (detail photo)

Happy Easter!

Bunny tracks in the snow - Easter blessings abound…

Reflections on grief

Softness and light greeted my heart this morning. Grief is a many-layered thing. Sharp as an icicle, soft as the persistent drip drip drip drops…

TED Talk'n

Selected in 2019 for the TED stage, Raymond’s talk was delayed. Twice. (COVID). He worked HARD putting together an eye-opening and moving eight minute talk that I can hardly wait to share (once TED posts it online).

Raymond stretched minds and hearts when he took the stage Saturday. Humility, courage, insight, power, vulnerability and presence; he enraptured the audience. I’m in awe and PROUD!!!

Years ago, I shared the TED stage with one of my sculptures. Someday - I hope to take to the TED stage again as I’ve much room for improvement to more deeply share and connect with words - the creative spirit and the spirit within all things.

Years ago on the TED stage with one of my sculptures…

Little Brushes, Tiny touches

Raymond took these photos during the patina process at the Adonis Foundry in Salt Lake City. Two of the three local bronze foundries I’ve worked with for more than twenty years did not survive the multiple challenges brought on by COVID, thus I’ve been prompted to look beyond the local foundry scene. Bronze casting has been around since the third millennium B.C. The industry (along with so many industries) has been hit hard with major increases in the cost of materials, shipping and hard-to-find skilled labor. Bronze art can be passed through generations and enjoyed for thousands of years - a enduring medium in a world of increasingly disposable things.

Raymond and Yellowstone National Park Birthday Celebration

We celebrated both Raymond’s birthday and Yellowstone National Park’s 150th birthday with an ice climbing adventure in the Park yesterday. Perfect pairing of a magical place and the gracious bright light Raymond beams. Greeted by bison on the road, painterly skies, stellar frozen falls, beauty, wonder, nature and love followed by this moment tucked into comfy covers at a cozy little cabin in Cooke City - a wee little town perched on the edge of the Park. No cell service here. My handsome husband sleeps, my heart leaps. Blessed.

Morning Musings...

Criss-cross frost bejewels the window above the fancy delicate o’l treasure of a writing desk my mother loved. Bunny tracks at the door. Candle lit. Hot frothy morning brew in the fat rabbit mug. Multi-colored pens. Journal. Gratitude.

Reliquary Tree Sculptures

When you speak from your heart, the Tree Beings will hear you. Their spirit speaks even when no longer rooted to earth; after the forest fire - after they’ve been split open and stand in my studio - scars and stories revealed. Whispers. Shouts. Sadness and gladness - the dance begins between my tools and their texture. We listen to each other.

Full Moon Slow Dance

Home-sweet-home after a stellar 4 day adventure with my love. We hiked to lyrical waterfalls no longer frozen enough to climb, stayed in a historical brothel-turned-boutique-hotel (yes I packed tiny lacy things) Climbed stellar frozen Cataract Falls in the steep mountains near Augusta, attended 3 nights of Circuit Finals Rodeo to support and hang with friends and their families. I didn’t realize how hungry I was for ART until we took in the contemporary art installations at Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art which prompted us to pilgrimage to Lincoln to visit Blackfoot Pathways Sculpture in the Wild. Slid into the historical healing pools at Broadwater hot springs for our final interlude. Full moon magic welcomed us home-sweet-home.

Heart - Soul- Mind - Body - Cowboy boots - Ice Axes - Lace - Frozen Falls - Art - Hot springs

Newest Palm-size Bronze...delayed debut.

Patience and persistence have never been strangers to me but they certainly unpacked their suitcases and plopped themselves into many of our lives. Ten months have passed since this little bugger went to the foundry. The pandemic pounded bronze foundries across the country. Two out of the three local foundries I’ve worked with for decades had to close. Finally I can offer this little bugger to the public for adoption as I’ve a few fresh from the foundry. Just a few. For now…

New Year's Day Beautitude...

Momma Nature all blinged out with magical crystal beauty that only happens in sub zero temps. New Year’s morning, Raymond and I uncurled from our cuddle, rolled off the air mattress in the dining room of the lovely Big Sky condo, suited up, tip-toed past sleeping friends, got the sliding glass door unstuck and slid into the hot tub where we soaked up the sunrise.

Thirteen degrees below zero.

I scampered barefoot and made a snow angel in my bikini as a post-it note greeting to the sky (and for the kiddos to discover when they woke from slumber).

Hiking in sub zero temps is other-worldly and LOUD. Cold snow crunch crunch crunch. Partnering up to climb on frozen falls was a sweet little retreat and memorable way to begin the New Year.

Snow Goddess

I want to share this bright-eyed joyful beauty with you. She was created near the studio by a family of friends (with five delightful young boys) who enjoyed Momma Nature’s sledding playground while we were away with family. The snowball goddess has hair and eyes repurposed from the studio wildflower garden created by a group of dear friends as a wedding present to us five years ago. Gifts abound and rebound!!!

Bronze edition closing...

ONE left. The very last “Little Bird” in the edition of 100 sculptures. Who will the lucky adoptee be?

Christmas Kisses...

Blowing each one of you warm kisses wrapped in fresh crisp mountain air… MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tree Muse...

She embraced me morning and night. Vibrant vivacious daughter of the Mother. Smooth arms poised like a temple goddess. Her canopy sparkled with stars each night as I smudged with cedar and sage, accompanied by owl song. The tall red Dr Seuss bloom blew kisses while I meditated early mornings at this very spot just outside the door to our bedroom. Gratitude.

Sculptures loaded...

Loaded to leave the mountain before more snow arrives…

Tree sculptures on the move....

The reliquary tree sculptures from the “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” series are headed to Santa Barbara soon…