Just before Christmas last year I was told the story of a mouse who had become a teacher’s pet. The mouse would come out from behind the old radiator and beg for crumbs (which the teacher provided) thus the school adopted a mouse as its mascot. When the school turned into a community art center decades later, I was asked to create a mouse as a fundraiser for them. Inspired by the mouse mascot story, “Mouse” is the most recent edition to the palm-size bronze series.
Just in time for Easter....
“Fat Fanny” is a collaboration with the sweet peeps at La Châtelaine Chocolat Co.
Inspired by my “Wee Bunny” bronze, we created this solid delicious gourmet chocolate (dark, milk, white and marbled) and named her “Fat Fanny.” Chocolate bunnies are available online at La Châtelaine Chocolat and in their Bozeman shops just in time for Easter...!
La Châtelaine Chocolat was named “Best Chocolatiers and Confectioners in the USA in 2013.”
https://chatelainechocolate.com/products/buy
Kinda surreal - speaking on stage at the Wilma Theater for The Moth
I was one of five storytellers who took the stage at the Wilma Theater last week for The Moth Mainstage.
Stretched myself….in front of a packed theater full of 1400 peeps last week. Phew….! Honestly, I had no idea what I had gotten myself into and the work that goes into crafting a story within a time frame for an audience. Was I scared? Hell yes. Did I do it anyway? Yup.
Sharing story seems to be part of my calling. I listen - to those parts of me that are actually bigger than me which pull, push or nudge me to go deeper. What a deep dive into a bubbly (sometimes effervescent sometime thick gooey) brew of “new.” Thank goodness for executive producer Sarah Austin Jenness for her story coaching, encouragement and tough love. I’m full of gratitude for the opportunity and gumption to continue to grow in the creative realm of storytelling.
The Moth Mainstage
(real stories told live)
Selected for the Moth Mainstage...!
Neil Gaiman speaking on The Moth
I been an avid listener of The Moth for years. Today I am honored to be cast in The Moth Mainstage show at the Wilma Theater in Missoula next week! So I have been busy workshopping and story-crafting with the Moth’s executive producer Sarah Austin Jenness - who’s enthusiasm, patience and faith are priceless. Stretching and growing, digging deep…
Carving for the King
Full of gratitude for the gracious audience who packed the Green Door Gallery last night. Your rapt attention and candid emotional engagement is proof that my story is your story...
Newest series
Our beautiful Bhutanese prayer flags unfurled prayers with both vigor and quietude until tattered and torn, we harvested them to add to my studio pallet of inspiration.
Stay tuned…
Meet "Suki"
Suki makes me happy. She makes Raymond happy.
We just love having her in our home.
Loaded with personality and charm, only nineteen bunnies will be cast because Suki deserves to be precious even though it will break my heart a little when the limited edition sells out.
A plunge into the artsy side of Vegas
Beautiful blooms and fountains in the Bellagio in celebration of the Year of the Pig. The place held sweet memories of my mother as the last time I was in Vegas I took her on a promised trip. She would have LOVED the elaborate Year of the Pig exhibit with over 32,000 flowers.
I’d planned to meet girlfriends for a little climbing adventure this week at Red Rocks just outside of Vegas but unseasonal weather deterred me (the eleven-year snow storm happened twice in the same week…!) So when Raymond’s mother gifted us tickets to see Cirque du Soleil for both our birthdays we enjoyed a plunge into color and creativity (plus sunshine and 70 degree weather just days after the abandoned climbing trip). I’m not into gambling but I LOVE the layered magic and beauty of Cirque shows…
Blissful Birthday
Rocky and I took turns painting the same canvas together…
My birthday morning I awoke early to potent Full Moon + Super Moon energy in 32-below-zero crystallized beauty winter-wonder-landscape beneath the Tobacco Root Mountains at the magical Ghost Wolf Ranch where we spent a few art-fully inspirational and love-filled days and nights hosted by our dear friends Rocky and Kat. Raymond and Kat cooked delicious food and decadent desserts, we discussed art, watched art documentaries, shared art and played in art when Rocky and I collaborated on a BIG painting in his hallowed studio. Bliss. Blessed. Juiced. (check out Rocky Hawkins art)
Pine Creek Writer's Night
Many well-known published and aspiring writers live in Livingston. The cozy local destination spot Pine Creek Lodge hosts one evening each month in the Winter Writer Series for a local writer to read and share. I’m honored. I have also invited a special secret guest to read from his writings (hint: I’m married to him).
Details at PINE CREEK LODGE
Potent launch into 2019
New York
One month without the pressure of a post; the hiatus from social media afforded me clear space to regroup and make some lifestyle changes.
I gained extra time in the studio, climbed more ice, started and finished several books. January included an impromptu trip to New York, triple the norm yoga classes, a bright life-changing four day intense retreat at Elevation Barn and two art world fundraiser events. I nursed my niece through surgery, enjoyed lotsa love making, thoughtfully plotted life n work, wrote, hiked n xskied with Tala regularly, cleared my desk, and made more time to chat and hang with friends. A rewarding launch into 2019. Fueled and freshened..
Tala's Birthday
How can our little fluffy bundle of spunk and smarts be four years old…?!!!!!
The last sunset of 2018
New Year...goodness...!
View from home-sweet-home
The number 2019 is appealing to me for some reason. Perhaps because“19” is a favorite number of mine. “19” looks and feels like an even number - a friendly number - without the angles of "3, 5, 7” or the simplicity of “1.” Plus “19” is my birthday number although I swear my attraction to the number isn’t because I was born on the 19th. The newest bronze will be offered in an edition of only 19 - just wait til you see it!!!
All is calm, all is bright...
The "Cliffy" owl is almost gone...
I hadn’t planned on creating an owl but during the first full moon of 2016, a Great Horned Owl visited me. The majestic creature sat like a sentinel on top of my beloved tree outside our cabin. I stood at our bedroom window, captivated. When Tala was a little puppy, Cliff used to call me on nights when I worked at the studio past dark to warn me if an owl was outside. The owl could easily snatch our little round glow-in-the-dark furball pup if I didn’t protect her on the walk home. The point is, owls are not rare up here but that owl, that night, was so vivid and powerful that I felt compelled to sculpt a palm-size owl for 2016.
Cliff was exceptionally excited about the sculpture, partly because it was an owl and partly because I was finally sculpting after the long PTSD caused hiatus from studio life. But then Cliff died unexpectedly and I could not finish the sculpture. During 2016, I lost Cliff, my mother, my aunt and my cat. I got married, totaled my truck and left for Bhutan to carve for the king. I did not complete the yearly palm-size bronze. Again and again I picked up the little lump of “owlish” clay but simply could not create. On a cold winter night in 2017 I gave a stranded motorist a ride to his home up Paradise Valley, a giant Great Horned Owl flew past my truck window and looked directly at me. Those of you who know Cliff know he was legendary for the assistance he gave friends, family and strangers alike. I knew it was time to finish the little owlet. Emotional but healing, the little sculpture began to find itself while a fire crackled in my studio.
I felt so much of Cliff while working on his owl that of course “Cliffness” emanates from the owlet. He was one-of-a-kind, gentle, strong and damn loyal.
Sharing the magic (ice climbing with my niece)
She could melt ice with her grin but pretty much scampered up it with guts and gumption.
Chloe spent Thanksgiving with Raymond and I. We enjoyed the special time with my little (ok - not so little anymore) niece. Thanksgiving Day began with a soak in the Boiling River and ended with a magical full moon hike up here on the mountain. She made art while sporting my Carhartt overalls and a HUGE grin (in between lip-biting bouts of concentration). I’m curious what she would consider the holiday highlight…but damn she was STOKED on ice…!
Coppenhagen Can Reliquaries
I created a series of “mobile reliquaries” for The Trophy Room exhibit at Stapleton Gallery. The new pieces were Inspired by a discussion held with the curators when they visited my studio earlier this year. We talked about the idea of hunting camps, earlier settlers and nomadic indigenous people. I mentioned my fascination with the sentimental and trophy objects people chose to carry (horseback, on wagons, by foot). Trophy’s would have to be mobile. A series of five new sculptures were created for the exhibit, four of which were contained within and included a simple Copenhagen can. The piece pictured here is titled, “Saffronia.”
The Trophy Show
The Stapleton Gallery encourages it’s carefully curated stable of artists to venture out of their “norm” by spinning themes and creating shows that are experiences (out of the “norm”). I delved into the creation of five new works for the Trophy Show. Raymond and I are looking forward to the evening/event/surprises that await for us at The Trophy Show.
Montana has long been a mecca for hunters—not only of animals but also art. With more working artists per capita than any state, we offer an experience of discovery and delight in our nationally recognized gallery space—transforming it once again in surprising ways.
It’s hunting season and we invite you to join us on the evening of November 8th for our latest, one-night experiential show in conjunction with our friends from Mountain Living Magazine. Over a dozen Gallery artists and distinguished guest artists will share their perspective on the notion of the “trophy”—digging deep into their respective craft and artistry. Is it the art of the hunt or the hunt for art?
We are all hunters, but what do we seek? Travel here and ponder your definition of a trophy. Are they earned, won, found, and at what expense? The transformation of our space makes this possible—and the challenge for our artists to create has yielded amazing results. This is a contemplative space as well as a physical one—an offering of painting, sculpture, photography, furniture, found objects, indigenous artifacts, and installations. As a contemporary Western gallery, we present the work of diverse, regional artists in exciting ways. Happy hunting!
All Hallows Eve
The prerequisite bathroom mirror photo before Trick o’ Treat’n
A few years ago Raymond and I were going to Boulder for a special conference which fell on Halloween weekend. I invested in a pallet of professional make-up paint because it was easy to pack on a plane and because I don’t need much of an excuse to purchase art supplies…ever. Plus I figure I can get lotsa costumes using just the paints and our regular wardrobe.
Voila….!
Leftover wedding stuff went into making my headpiece. FUN!!!