Sculpting a creative life
Momma Nature blessed us with perfectly fun sledding conditions Sunday so we hosted a gathering for a few families to enjoy our 2-mile downhill sled run. SO much fun!!!! I guess I was too busy playing to take photos but we promise to set up a GoPro camera next time to capture the crazy fun run surrounded by beauty.
Winter Solstice is my favorite lunar holiday as I welcome longer light-filled days...
Tidings of joy and a big o'l froggy grin...!
Wrapped with a festive bow, the little palm-size bronzes make a wonderful holiday gift. Only 100 of each will ever be cast - which is actually a rather large number in the world of bronzes but since I rarely work small scale I want to be sure there is enough of the solid bronze little sculptures to go around. I have 2 "Wee Bunnies" one "Frog" and 2 "Little Birds" fresh from the foundry. Purchase on my website (I will deliver them myself if you life around here).
Last month between snowstorms we tagged a summit with my dear artist friend Stephanie Revennaugh. Stephanie and I like to celebrate her annual homecoming after a busy summer/autumn art-shows-on-the-road season by hiking a peak. Tala had a blast prancing and playing her way to the summit. She seemed to be the only one of us not sore from the outing. I was uncharacteristically sore but happy and full of gratitude.
Embarked on the new venture of selling original ink drawings from INKtober on eBay last month. Despite being too distracted by life to promote sales, 21 of the drawings found homes. I have 10 left and am simply taking offers. Just message me if you are interested in one. All of them are posted "sold" or "for sale" on the Facebook INKtober album:
My heart broke a little - in a good way. I am full of gratitude and wonder at the gift of a whole day with my mother who's childlike ease and rare lucidity was a slender ray of sunlight in the thick fog of Alzheimer's. She let me bath her (she actually wanted me to bath her without being coaxed). She specifically asked for rouge when I made up her face. The awkward moment and confusion caused when I somehow did not mimic the usual way we pull her bra over her head was forgotten in her glee of recognition that the pink roses on her socks matched the sparkly pink rose on the shirt we chose together for the holiday dinner. She declared with wonder how "everything looked totally different" on the drive over the mountain pass which I thought might trigger her typical anxiety of the "unfamiliar" as we passed old homesteads with old barns (new to her). When I asked her to pick her favorite from two photos I took of her in the backseat of my truck she thought they were both good "Because I am so beautiful" she said laughing. Later, sitting between Raymond and I at his folks lovely table surrounded by his family, my frail little fragile bird-of-a-mom wanted a serving of every single Thanksgiving dish. Mom eats only finger food since utensils confuse her, so I felt a bit of panic when I looked at her plate heaped full of yummy messy food like mashed potatoes with gravy and sweet potato casserole. The spoon I gave her she eventually replaced with a fork. A FORK...! She slowly ate everything on her plate; pure joy. What a mystery our minds are. Life served my mother and I a slice of sweetness - a precious delicate exquisite unforgettable clear day wrapped in grace surrounded by a family full of love and kindness. Mom shone.
Let me introduce this sweet little bugger:
The photos were taken while sitting behind the steering wheel of my truck. I had just picked the sculpture up, fresh from the foundry earlier this spring and couldn’t wait to text photos to Mary, the director of Eagle Mount. I was on my way to a bachelorette party but so excited about the baby eagle that I had to pull over while driving up Paradise Valley and be a bit late for the party.
The folks at Eagle Mount get to name him because the sculpture belongs to them. Perhaps you have followed my adventures over the years and already know about the special outdoor ski program I volunteer for with Eaglemount? One morning a week during the shortest days of the year I share Momma Nature and snow slopes in a program sponsored by Eaglemount, a non-profit dedicated to providing adventures to people with disabilities and life-changing camp experiences for veterans and families with children who have cancer. Eaglemount is more than ski classes - the program offers so much to many unique peeps; young and old. "Eagle Mount Bozeman is committed to provide quality therapeutic recreational opportunities for people with disabilities and young people with cancer, and to provide support for families of participants so that “they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)"
I missed out volunteering for Eaglemount’s ski program this past winter since my mother’s debilitating Alzheimer’s required my full attention but I came up with another way to contribute; the baby eaglet was born…! The limited edition of 100 solid bronze sculptures belongs to Eagle Mount - they receive 100% profits from sales. My collector peeps had first chance at the little buggers before Eagle Mount launched them in their eNewsletter a few weeks ago. Last weekend the sculpture was given as a gift to donors who gave $1000 or more to Eagle Mount. More than 1/2 the edition has already found homes; I am overwhelmed with gratitude to be able to create art that will outlive me and and provide funding for others less fortunate than myself.
Humbled. Honored. Excited.
(Click HERE if you want to purchase an eaglet and support Eagle Mount)
The INKtober commitment was good for me. I accomplished one drawing in ink each day of the month and posted it on social media for everyone to see - an act of courage. Perhaps you find it odd that a chainsaw-wielding, frozen-waterfall-climbing gal can find herself intimidated by a pen and paper? I cannot begin to describe the dark well of fear I fell into when Post Traumatic Stress Disorder entered my life following the horrific dog pack attack earlier this year. Life has challenged me plenty and I challenge myself on a regular bases pushing my boundaries with fear both inside and outside the studio but somehow those vicious dogs got more than pieces of my flesh, they crumpled me deep inside. INKtober was a commitment of baby steps through the fear. The drawings are finding homes with supportive peeps eager to have an original drawing. I am posting a batch on eBay each week. The following five drawing are available to bid (starting at $25.00) or you can "buy it now" on eBay
Our faces became the canvases for INKtober's "Grand Finale" as we celebrated the holiday evening in beautiful Boulder, CO.
October flew by without missing a daily drawing in ink for the INKtober Challenge. I am full of gratitude for the support of Facebook and Instagram peeps. Thank-you. The commitment and discipline was another helpful step as I blunder my way through the Post Traumatic Stress and find my creative juice after an exceptionally challenging summer.
The largest part of my energy and time has been devoted to caring for my mother this year as her Alzheimer’s worsens. I haven’t shared much of this journey, partly because it is so intimate but mostly because the journey alone leaves me with little time to share.
I gave my mom a bath yesterday. Grace wove a tender tiny thread through the awkwardness to stitch together a patchwork quilt of emotions that I tucked around my trembling heart.
I know I feel frisky just after triumphantly navigating treacherous terrain (both inside and outside the studio) [embed]https://youtu.be/IQ6GDntTs1o[/embed]
I just LOVE autumn weather. Low light, bright colors, cool temperatures, dramatic or lazy storms and sweet soul-lapping sunshine tempt me into adventure and play. Just knowing the ‘tween season can fall upon us any minute pushes a panic button to squeeze in as much outdoors as possible (especially after a summer of being too disabled to play). Luckily we were able to get out last weekend for a pleasant afternoon hike to Knox Lake just outside Yellowstone Park. Tala is pure joy and constant entertainment on the trail. Watch this video to see what her curiosity and adventurous spirit got her into: [embed]https://youtu.be/A65f60053v0[/embed]
I have never been detached from the actual mess-making part of studio life for such a long period of time. But then, I have never experienced such a wickedly difficult crumble-down as the past months have brought about since being attacked by the pack of dogs. A few weeks ago I grasped onto the Inktober challenge in a disciplined attempt to commit and carry-on, bit-by-bit pulling myself back toward the courageous self it takes to be creative. I haven't missed a day. Here are a few more drawings: (follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see the drawings daily)
INKtober is an online challenge to create one ink drawing each day for the month of October. I don't usually draw in ink. But when I couldn't sleep Thursday night I got out of bed, grabbed two pens and doodled a drawing. An owl happened on day two. Drawings are posted each day on Facebook and Instagram.
Spent a memorable day doing one of my favorite things with one of my favorite young peeps last week. Sami and I tagged a summit in the Crazies. We rallied to catch up under the big autumn sky, celebrate her recent graduation from high school and spin some good energy for the ten-month adventure in South America she will soon embark upon. 
The first real summit for me after a summer spent healing shared with a remarkable gal whom I love dearly – what a treasured treat…!
I recently spent four days in an intensive retreat with 150 peeps from around the world hand-selected to be together “to HATCH a better world.” I am honored. Exhausted. Inspired. HATCH is one of the best things that happened to me this year (and it feels like it will keep spinning and growing). I want to ramble on and on and on but here is a description from the HATCH booklet to help explain:
What is HATCH?
HATCH is a community, movement, and a series of experiences designed to activate creativity to HATCH a better world. Founded in 2004 HATCH was designed to stimulate new thinking, lifelong collaborations, and support innovative thinking with 360 mentorship. HATCH has grown into a global network of innovators, and is expanding into a year round collection of experiences that will take a variety of shapes and forms.
Sunday morning after a restless night I wiped dried up blood off of my road bike, loaded it into my truck along with wine and appetizers and picked up Merry (who had been my companion on the fateful ride earlier this spring). “Vino Paradisio” is an informally organized annual ride put together by a “foodie” road-biking couple. The idea is to ride Paradise Valley with frequent stops at scenic vistas to enjoy yummy appetizers and fine wine with good peeps in paradise. Merry and I deemed it the perfect chance to get back on our bikes on the same road (different stretch, different direction). Emotions were mixed, scenery was stellar, the food and wine a delicious fine twist to fuel pedaling upwind. The soothing post-ride soak at Chico Hot Springs after the ride calmed the burning sensation in my injured calf and left me smiling inside and out. I am blessed to have compassionate supportive friends, a kind understanding partner and this amazing place in paradise which beckons me toward adventure with a promise of new memories.
Psychological demons left me crumbled without creative inspiration the past few months after I was attacked by a pack of vicious pitbulls in the spring. I forced myself to draw the darkness at times in an effort to fight my way toward the light. Francis Bacon understood when he said, "In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present."
The wound in Tala’s neck healed quickly but she is a bit of a mess around male dogs since her attack this spring. Tala is a hermit-by-default living with me up here at the end of the road near the top of this mountain so we are making efforts to expose her to other dogs. We spent a lovely morning on a popular trail in the Bridger Mountains where she met many dogs but she was more focused on exploring than socializing – proving herself super game for trail adventures.
My wounded leg did pretty well although a far cry from its healthy summit-seeking self. Damaged muscle tissue deep inside the calf inside created pain but it was manageable and totally worth it to embark on a short trail together. We didn't make it to the peak we set out to tag but we made it to the ridge and topped out on a rocky no-name peak which will now be forever known to us as "Tala's Peak."
Much is revealing itself during this humbling journey sparked by intense PTSD. I am thankful for the insight and encouragement of my trauma therapist who actually wrote me a prescription that includes Momma Nature (of course I was already leaning on Momma Nature but "doctors order's has allowed me to feel less guilty about this unexpected "sabbatical" from studio time while I heal).
[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.