Sculpting a creative life
Cliff Denham, October 21, 1947 - May 1, 2016
Awe. Cliff.
I hear you.
Your rather Eeyore-like way of saying ”Ohhhh Honey...!”
Soothes me. Still.
Your spirit fills my heart in a gentle grip of pure love. Unending gratitude. I miss you. I adore you. I am so ever grateful for you.
Happy Birthday dearest friend.
She arrived near midnight after a 14 hour ride from Minnesota. I tucked Kiera into her bed at the studio nap room as she excitedly gaped at the stars. Just after dawn Kiera zipped over in JD (the ATV) to drink tea while I geared her up for the promised summit adventure. She’s been itching to tag a peak since early spring when she visited with her sister (and we almost summited a local peak but were turned around by snow conditions near the top).
Snow, once again, played a part in our summit day (we were on snow the whole approach). But nothing was going to stop us. What a fine day we shared...!
Photo by Bay Stephens
October began intensely with our involvement in HATCH. The only other time Raymond and I had 8 days off together we spent on our belated honeymoon in Bhutan where I worked for the Prime Minister to create a special carved artwork for the Bhutanese king. The first 10 days of this month, Raymond and I worked together with the HATCH team to help facilitate the annual summit - what an honor to be part of this valuable cause/mission.
To learn more about HATCH, view this recent article.
Tala trails behind Raymond and David on our hike Sunday…
Tala looks either concerned, contemplative or protective on Ramshorn Peak
Chased by demons after a sleep-deprived night, I lurched into yesterday with my list of “to-dos.” The darkness demon persisted, my mood and gumption spiraled as I fell into an inner loop of anxiety which I opted to quell by tagging an impromptu summit. Mid-afternoon I parked at a trailhead surrounded by aspen already turned golden. I saw beauty everywhere. Tala exuded joy. Yet eight satisfyingly quick trail miles did not slay the demon, neither did the burger and Moosetracks milkshake. But after a night of vivid post-summit, dream-filled sleep I can happily report we needn’t call an exorcist today. Phew...!
The yoga pose-of-the-month during my 6am class is “Tree Pose.” The pose involves balance on one leg. I’m not sure why a one legged pose would be “tree-ish” but I’ve always thought perhaps the the idea is to root through the standing foot while allowing movement in your “branches.” Balance with my right leg is more challenging for me since the dog pack attack. Certainly frustration isn’t suppose to be a factor (it is yoga after all) so I try to morph frustration into curiosity, love, and humor as I tip and teeter on my right leg.
But it’s been 3 years..!
Today I thought of my tree reliquary sculptures and how much strength comes from the hinges. The trees are split open - exposed and vulnerable yet much less likely to fall once opened and hinged. The trees I use have been killed in forest fires. Not a single tree is without cracks and scars from the life it led before its death. Each one of us has cracks and scars. What kind of helpful hinges do you use in life?
My contribution to the Teslow Birdhouse fundraiser. The iconic grain elevator was saved by destruction thanks to the efforts of a few passionate locals. Basic birdhouses constructed by reclaimed Teslow wood were embellished by a dozen or so local artists. Hand carved walnut wood trout with metallic copper patina, gold leaf and 100 year old barbwire went into my creation to be auctioned off this Friday.
Photo taken by Audrey Hall
Movie scene? Photo shoot? Naw. Snapshot taken at a party last week. It’s how we roll - when the hosts are sweet and splendid Kat Hawkins and powerhouse Rocky Hawkins and the party is at their fabulous inspirational GHOST WOLF RANCH. My chaps made by Heidi Martincic of Paris Montana
At last...! Creating this little one was pure joy. The clay sculpture was delivered to the foundry last week. Why a fox? I'll share the story soon...
Sunrise at the studio...
(your friends and family too...)
We are hosting a summer celebration at the studio, and we want you to join us! We will be showing photos of my artwork for the King of Bhutan. There will be a SNEAK PREVIEW - of the NEW palm size bronze and the official public debut of the NEW "Queen of the Night" series. We are so excited to share my studio with all you. We will have hors d'oeuvres, live music and (of course) the zip line.
Drop by anytime during the evening of Thursday July 19, 5 PM - 9 PM
To RSVP, email amber@amberjean.com
If you can't join us, that's ok! I will be blogging about what is sure to be a fun-filled evening.
Tala loves spring, and wildflowers, and mountain trails and mountain biking and....
Tala and I have ventured out mountain biking together this spring. Three years ago this month we were both attacked, separately by dogs (she was 5 months old when the giant mastiff attacked her just 3 days before the pack of pit bulls attacked me). We fueled each other’s new fears. Our desire to protect each other made even friendly dog encounters stressful as Tala leapt into previously unknown aggressive behavior. We are healing. Improving. I purposefully pick less-peopled places to ride. She LOVES going. I have biked since the attack but never with Tala. Sometimes I biked and cried. Sometimes I froze in fear while meeting dogs. A few times fear sickened me 'til I puked. But I have kept riding - bits and pieces. Yesterday during Tala’s 3rd time mountain biking we ran into a bear. She listened to me as we waited (and waited) for the bear to move off the trail and on it’s merry way. Later when we passed someone and his dog near the trailhead Tala was full of friendly greetings. I’m proud of us.
Tala LOVES mountain biking (and wildflowers, and fresh spring creeks and…)
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One hundred adopted "Wee Bunny" sculptures. Officially this is my first SOLD OUT bronze edition. Honestly I've mixed emotions. During the last few weeks I've had to tell several people who wanted this little bugger that they couldn't have one. Obviously that happens instantly with original art once a piece finds a home. I guess I'd better get busy and make more (and more) art...!
Tea, bunny and me...
During a cold dark January five years ago, I began each day at my dining room table with a large cup of tea and a small lump of clay. My beautiful dream studio was an inspirational walk through the woods. Why wasn’t I creating there?
Odd.
But my studio had HUGE piles of sawdust and my studio office had HUGE piles of desk work. I decided to begin the year by catching up and clearing the desk, maybe even taking a short break from the sawdust yet I couldn’t not create so this little critter happened beneath the antique chandelier on the carved-by-me deep purple stained dining room table in my tiny little cabin as the moon hung in a fuzzy cold crystalized sky and the sun slept in.
“Wee Bunny” was offered as a gift from me to those of you who, like me, haven’t room for giant tree sculptures in your homes. Motivated by the thought of your hands warming the bronze, my desire was to create a palm-size sculpture which elicited an almost instinctive desire to be picked up. Held. Warmed. Loved.
My other thought was to create an especially affordable sculpture in an edition size large enough that many of you could have one.
One hundred sculptures in the edition - the largest edition I’d ever launched. Yet small enough to be a valuable edition. Only one hundred.
The process of bronze casting is labor intensive, a new mold has to be made for each bunny cast. But I kept the price wholesale which meant I had to turn down the galleries that wanted to sell the little bugger.
“Wee Bunnies” hopped into homes all over this country and beyond.
Only seven bunnies are left…!
Certainly the last bunnies will quickly find homes once the announcement is made via social media. If you planned to get a bunny and haven’t, or know someone who should - then act quickly before the edition is sold out.
"Wee Bunny" can be purchased on my site HERE
Local peeps - don’t pay shipping charges. For LOCAL DELIVERY enter CODE: postfree at checkout. Shipping charges will be removed. We will be in touch with you for delivery or pick up.
I wonder who will get #100…?
Last spring we had the privilege of being "guinea pigs" by playing a card game during an early development stage. Our dear treasured friend David invents games (just one of his zillion talents). He'd sketched out the cards we played with. Fast forward to this spring when we broke into the newly launched "Long Cow" game complete with cards beautifully illustrated by our friend Steve - did Tala influence the illustration for the "Cattle Dog" card?!
Two years ago I "doodled up" this skateboard by painting it and adding golden carved leaves. A furious bidding war took place and the piece raised a good sum of $$ to build McNair Skate Park. Last year Raymond stepped in and decorated two wonderful skate boards since the project for the king of Bhutan left little time for me. I've just two weeks to figure out what to create with a new blank board for what has become an annual fundraiser.
Palm-size bronze super-sized, the recently finished sculpture gets his patina at the foundry...
One morning several years ago I found myself wondering just what I'd gotten myself into?!!
Image after image of baby eagles were spread across my largest workbench and they were......ugly...! Lordy I had no idea that baby eagles were not only homely and gawky but they had "angry bird" eyes (just think of the heavy eyebrows on adult eagles). My intention was to create a totally irresistible sculpture to speak to the attitude I witnessed in youth and people at Eaglemount. Near and dear to my heart the non-profit Eagle Mount 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. I'd been a volunteer in their ski program for several winters until caring for my mother in her battle with her Alzheimer's took priority in my life. I leveraged "artistic license" to create a palm size sculpture for Eagle Mount who reaped the benefit of 100% profits from the edition. Inspired, they even began selling chocolate sculptures molded from the original baby eagle which they named "Soren - the little eagle that could."
Last week the former director of Eagle Mount joined me in the foundry spray booth to oversee the patina of a new BIG little eaglet. The bugger will be installed at the Eagle Mount playground. I love knowing the brand new shiny patina is destined to be worn off with hugs and love from the children who will enjoy the “Little Eagle who Could.”
"An intentional life is not stumbled upon or the result of happenstance," writes the publisher Lope Jones at the beginning of the current issue of Park and Life focused on INSPIRATION in which they decided to feature me in a story written by Jennifer Sheets with photographs by Justine Jane.
The once-in-fifiteen-year snowstorm happened while I was in Paris....twice...!
Traveling is damn good for....everything...! The opportunity to go to Paris was totally unexpected and lucky-for-me travel expenses were in a large part paid for as I was asked to speak to youth at a business school (one of my favorite experiences from the trip). My first day in Paris at Muse d'Orsay and my final day in Montmarte were my two favorite days with plenty of goodness (and LOTS of art) in between. I was struck down by food poisoning one night. The attack was intense enough that I passed out and hit my face on the way down (in my hotel bathroom) but once again luck was on my side as the black eye from the fall waited until I was on my way home to "bloom." Although the attack was violent and I was alone, it was rather quick-lived and I was able to recover and resume Paris goodness. Plus a good friend from home arrived in Paris with her friend at about the same time as the attack so Raymond knew that if I had to be taken care of then she would step up and mother me. While in the bathroom (for the second time) of the Museum in Monet's house (I was still recovering) I remember thinking happily how I was sooooo inspired all I wanted to do was draw and draw and draw (and then I remembered that is all I wanted to do before I left for Paris). I laughed out loud. Happy as hell.
My two happy feet left for Paris after sharing a blissful afternoon with Heidi and Kobi together in this sweet little spa followed by tasty lunch topped off with a walking tour of public art and fresh chocolate factory samples all in their ‘hood. #blessedwithfriends #happyfeet #gratitude