Smoke filled skies challenged my lungs and tarnished my mood much of the last weeks. Not since 1988 has the smoke been this thick and persistent.  The impromptu San Francisco trip was more than a treat; packed with good company, scrumptious food, art, ocean and redwoods – the trip fueled my mind, cleared my lungs and soothed my heart.  A gift.

I thought I would hit-the-ground-running upon my return but was slung a curve ball when a mysterious infection and a not-so-mysterious infection gripped my innards. Two rounds of various antibiotics and the release of a few kidney stones solved the mystery but wore me out. I worked each day but not physically hard. I started designing the new logs sculptures, began a new small bronze and chipped away at the piles of post-it notes on my desk. Finally after 2 weeks I was well enough to get out on my mountain bike with a girlfriend Sunday. The smoke has lessened in the last two days. The autumn colors are in full vivid crisp glory. The sun is low, the shadows long, and my mood improved.

My energy has returned. Early to rise, late to bed and a nap to punctuate the afternoons; I love autumn in Montana.

impromptu weekend away

Driven by three weeks of intense forest fire smoke, the accompanying relentless headache and a stir crazy feeling of being cooped up under a thick wool blanket sky – I found myself miraculously on a direct flight to California one week ago today.   What a glorious gift of generosity from the Universe!  Many mini-miracles led to a grand weekend of art, scrumptious food, dear good friends, ocean energy and a mystical magic afternoon with giant Redwoods.

 

Amazing soulful, eyeful, lung clearing, heart pumping, brain teasing plunge into city, coast, forest and friends – what a weekend!

next!

Inspired, passion-driven and loving my NEW studio – can I just say that work has been simply JUICEY since beginning a NEW series of my own sculptural "Reliquaries."  Before I put the final touches on the 1stsculpture in the new series (see posts below) I went shopping for NEW logs.

I really wanted the forest fire burned Doug Fir log in the photo above but it was too wide for the sawmill. Most of my wood is from forest fires.  I use standing dead trees – for both moral and technical reasons.

Two beautiful trees were selected and plans to saw them made.  Then I took Matt Ridgeway (the sawmill owner) out for a BIG margarita before skipping off to support other artists at the monthly Livingston Art Walk.

holiday weekend highlights

Most of the holiday weekend was spent in my studio and office.  I don’t mind – at all.  Friday I played hooky to join a batch of girlfriends for a bit of mountain biking in the Tobacco Root Mountains.  Neva and Shannon (visiting from California) were leaving town the next day and we just HAD to get out and play!

The Jefferson River nearby offered a refreshing finale after we crossed the railroad tracks and crawled under a barbwire fence.   We disturbed several large crayfish while wading into the shallow river.  I laid down in the frigid slow current – tingly then numb.  Later that evening mom and I watched an eerie impressive moonrise after dinner and grocery shopping together.  The moon was HUGE – puffed up 4-5 times its normal size; perhaps an attempt to outdo the oppressive heavy forest fire smoke.

I met Felicia in the late afternoon Monday to climb Britney Spears Arete after putting in a productive eight hours of work.  We were efficient and motivated to get the climb in before sundown.  A loud gusher, the creek in the narrow steep Emigrant Gulch is animated even this late in the season.  Zaydee leapt ahead of us during the forty-minute approach up the steep scree slope to the base of the artete.  Covered with soft deep green moss and multi-colored lichen – the multi-pitch climb is rarely done despite the fine aesthetic qualities.  We went from the truck to the top and back in less than 2 hours.  Sweet.

The extra “spoonful of sugar” in our holiday outing was dinner and a soak at Chico Hot Springs on the way home; a cherry-topped ending to a labor-filled weekend.

momma nature unleashed

Even Momma Nature has serious housekeeping to do - forest fires are part of life in the mountains.  Purge.  Renew. Scary.  Impressive. Haunting.  Devastating.  Mesmerizing.

The fires around my neck of the woods have been especially daunting so far and the season is only half over.   Two of my favorite “haunts” (wilderness areas) were blasted by nature’s fury this past week.  The Millie Fire engulfed Hyalite Canyon near Bozeman; more than 30,000 acres scorched 3 days into the fire and still raging.  Wednesday afternoon a fire started in the wee community of Pine Creek; burnt five homes to the ground in the 1st few hours then leapt into the coveted wilderness quite close to home where I hike, mountain bike and ice climb.  Earlier this spring I made another return pilgrimage to Black Mountain and swam in Pine Creek Lake (see blog post).  The scenery up Pine Creek is so stunning it feels like you are in a Lord of the Rings movie.  Burned.

My experience years ago as a wild firefighter broadened my perspective and deepened my respect for fire.  The good, the bad, the ugly, and breathtaking beauty are found in Momma Natures inferno. A mix of emotions as intense as the blaze flares when the earth around me is torched.  I confess one of the persistent thoughts while I drove toward the fire Wednesday evening to help friends evacuate was simply an overwhelming attachment to the sculpture finished less than 24 hours before the fire started.  Three months in the making, the finished piece has not been seen by anyone and MUST be seen (by everyone!!!)   But I am thinking ahead of myself - while wildfire is always possible up here, my studio and home are not threatened by the fires currently burning.  Of course fire is on my mind and in my work.  Wilderness and wildfires influence the “Reliquaries”  (see my artist’s statement).

Awestruck and in shock - my heartstrings stretch, coil, reflect and grieve.

a bit more than we bargained for

Sunday morning broke cool and calm – definitely a whiff of autumn in the air after a chilly night.  The sun lazily slept-in behind a smoke filled sky.  I opted for a day away from the studio to catch up on chores at the cabin with plans to play in the afternoon.  Leslie called on her way up from Jackson to firm up our plans to paddleboard on the Yellowstone.  I was still wearing flannel - tempted by thoughts of a much-needed nap and wondering about the cool temps.  BUT – the urge to play before Momma Nature officially put summer in the closet got me motivated.  Besides, the weather app on my cell phone stated “0% chance of rain and highs in the mid-80’s.”

We optimistically smeared on sunscreen, pulled on long-sleeve shirts and launched.  The first raindrops landed within ten minutes of paddling…and paddling is something we never stopped doing since the wind kept trying to blow us right back upriver.  After drizzling on us a few times during the 1sthour of paddling, Momma Nature unleashed an impressive storm complete with thunder and lightning.  Teaspoon-size drops of rain pelted us.  I laughed out loud as we paddled to an island to take shelter beneath a batch of trees under the watchful eye of a BIG beautiful owl.  We continued to paddle (paddle and paddle) down river once the storm blew over.  The sun broke out beaming just as we loaded our boards in the truck at the take-out – Momma Nature grinned mischievously.  The joke was on us; our little 2.5-hour adventure happened during the only 2 hours of adverse weather during the last few weeks.

commission distraction

More than any other time in my career, promising possibilities are RIGHT there…dangling…nearly touching down with running shoes on ready to spring into action.  I can’t wait to blast out of the starting blocks and launch the NEW series out into the world! But, before the starting gun goes off there are countless distractions such as simply making a living.  So last week while the 1st sculpture in my new series stood nearly complete; I was busy cranking out a commissioned project in clay.

Clay makes me feel like I’m in grade school – not a bad feeling but it is certainly a much different feeling than the bold challenging adventure of the new sculpture series.  Clay is soft and mushy without the fresh cut wood scent of woodchips and sawdust.  Clay makes me want to eat malt balls.  Ok – many things can bring on a craving for malt balls but somehow the sound of malt balls rolling in a carton just seems to go with the idea of pushing clay around.

 

 

Here’s a peek at the commission:

Glad to report the commission is complete; delivered to the foundry.  Today not only will I add the final finish touches to the new sculpture but I will also be bringing 2 new logs into the studio.  Photos coming…!

a day away...

Last Sunday after a totally sleepless night I decided to get up in the dark, pack some decadent scrumptious goodies and drive to the Crazy Mountains with Zaydee to join a girlfriend who had gone backpacking there for the weekend.  Originally I was going to be with Bev for the whole adventure but I had too much to do in the studio.  Summit fever pushed me to finish the sculpture with the barbwire but I found myself at a stand still.  I swear every project goes from being engaging, exciting and just-how-I-imagined to the horrific deflated uninspired place of “oh no I totally wrecked it!!!”  I know now this is part of the process – much like any relationship when the honeymoon is over.  Luckily just like being in love, honeymoons can happen over and over in between the dull and/or scary stuff.  Often one needs simply to step back and step out for a new perspective. 

Sunlight Lake is nestled near two other picturesque lakes surrounded by a craggy ridgeline, scree slopes and patches of snow.  Each lake boasts vividly different colors; Sunlight is the bluest – a clear deep topaz blue.  We enjoyed a lakeside lunch of red wine with fancy salami, baked goods and chocolate.   We lounged.  We talked about men, relationships, and life.  I swam twice.  Later that afternoon, Zaydee’s eyes drooped into sleep mode back at the truck at the trailhead while Bev and I sipped a tiny bottle of Knob Hill Whiskey before setting out across the Shields Valley toward home.  The “Rebel Burger” at the Clyde Park Tavern was the perfect topper to a refreshing day away.  Sunday night I slept.  Monday brought just the keen sight and gumption I needed to mix and layer stain on the sculpture in an inspired rescue mission - from grimace to a satisfied nod – stay tuned for photos.

 

hooked on barbwire

Oh my goodness I’ve discovered a new (old) material that I’m super excited about!  The idea to use barbwire in the new reliquary series occurred to me many months ago.  The collection began with a few random strands plucked from somewhere and a ditched coil I stumbled upon at a truck stop.  They’ve been stashed outside the studio waiting... Alas – last week I began working with the stuff.  I fell in love with the rich rusted patina of a particular big-barbed strand - perfect for this sculpture.  The coil of wire wasn’t the same as the strand; a search began.

One strategic (or lucky) phone call to my buddy Vern led to some hundred-year-old barbwire that had been recently clipped for a project to allow fence friendly passageways for antelope.

I love the place and purpose behind this wire and could only hope that the color and texture would work for the sculpture.  Vern said it was nearly black from rust.  I'd have scooted to the old ranch pronto but had some "momma world" things to do thus it was late afternoon before I rolled up to the stone house along the Yellowstone River where the wire snarled and sprang maliciously above the dry grass.

Next time I go to gather barbwire I won’t likely be wearing a new short flowery summer dress.  I will pack Kleins.  Luckily I had a friend along.  We made due with my Leatherman and a screwdriver.  Jeffery was using my only pair of leather gloves so he got the job wrestling the wire into coils as I tweaked the old tacks and pulled the strands apart from the twisted wire supports.  We loaded several coils into my truck after an hour of barbwire wrangling then drove a few more miles to the Boiling River for a hot springs soak followed by buffalo burgers at sunset.

I wasn't convinced the wire would work at first since the barbs were much smaller than those on the strand I initially thought perfect for this sculpture.  The patina was darker without the warmth but I grew to like the cool deep dark rust.  Installation into the niche was a tedious project that took two of us several days to accomplish.   More than 160 feet of wire was cajoled into place; the niche transformed.

The meanings suggested by the barbwire is as layered and rich as the rust.  The possibilities of the new medium sprout like weeds in my mind– tenacious but tantalizing.  The o'l barbs have me hooked.

seven layers so far

Woodgrain is the thumbprint, veins, history, story, kin, life and vital meanderings of a tree.  My intent is very rarely to erase the grain but rather exalt, hint, honor and dance with its intrinsic beauty.

Thus – no matter the direction I aim to push color in a sculpture– the process requires PATIENCE; in other words – lotsa layers.  The photo shows seven layers of stain.  I may be almost half-finished with the background color.  However at this point in the project I lacked some "metallic magic."  None of the local stores carried what I needed so while I was in Jackson Hole to climb in the Tetons and crash the Wildlife Museum Gala (see post below) I also managed to place a few orders for supplies; including an assortment of small crushed and polished gemstones to inlay into the sculpture.  I was soooooo into seeing the sculpture finished that it was maddening to be stalled out by lack of materials.  Luckily the Tetons trip had been planned months earlier so I packed the weekend with adventure.  The following week I taught a two-day studio intensive.    The studio intensive was a first for me.  A mini-art camp in my studio for one special young lady who is determined to soak up all the art-learning she can before entering her final year of high school.  I believe we both gleaned from the experience.  I am in constant "gobble mode" myself - always learning.  The knowledge and encouragement I shared with Angelique made me realize just how much I have ingested during my life of "gobbling."

always a bit scary at first...

Put the 1st layer of stain on today.  SCARY.  But GOOD scary since the fear comes from being attached to the piece in its current beauty and because the 1st layers of stain are never even close to the vision in my head – thus they are usually pretty ugly.  The color is weak, not rich and it shows ALL blemishes previously hidden in the blonde wood.  The feeling is similar to the feeling I get the first ½ hour of any rigorous outdoor adventure when my body hasn’t warmed up to the idea of whatever I have just gotten it into.  The monkey’s start chattering in my head – telling me I’m not fit enough, experienced enough, fueled enough etc. to complete the adventure ahead.  The monkeys pipe in with screeching jittery doubts throughout the creative process in the studio too. Years of experience have taught me that the monkeys are always there.  If I ignore them then they just chatter more loudly.  So I banter with them much like a bartender would.  Thus this morning I cranked the tunes, chattered with the monkeys, took more than one deep breath and kept staining.

Tomorrow I can fix the blemishes and continue the layering process – building color upon color.

(The above blog entry was actually written a few weeks ago - I'm playing catch up)

peaks and parties

Crisp cool air drops heavy non-subtle hints of autumn - I feel compelled to tag summits, mountain bike my booty off, gather firewood for the studio woodstove and pull on a pair of socks. Tea sipping is more pleasurable when it is downright cold outside and I love the particular scrumptious joy of heavy covers on my bed. But weather is a total smorgasbord in the mountains of Montana and I haven’t a doubt there will be more scorching hot days ahead.

Meanwhile the whiff of autumn spins me into overdrive as I squeeze in as much adventure as possible both inside and outside the studio. One week ago a batch of lovely girlfriends and I met before sunup at the base of Teewinot in the Tetons for a peak-bagging day. I just LOVE the Tetons and all that Jackson Hole offers in the way of art, food, folks and adventure…! I drooled over original Chagall paintings and Matisse sculptures, ate Thai, scooted carefully past a moose while mountain biking, tagged a summit, danced at a museum gala, clawed my way up an exceptionally aesthetic multi-pitch buttress, wined, dined and shopped.