For Sale: Big chicken (not me, the big guy holding up the picture, although I do have my moments...dentists, squid, tall women with husky voices...etc)
Anyway, it's 30" by 42", $350 unframed, plus tax, packing and shipping if applicable. Custom framing by request. You can get a better view in the "fauna" section of the site.
I got some good news of sorts today__my Jellyfish Table and my hand framed photograph, Mead Lake Dawn were accepted to a juried art show sponsored by the Savage Arts Council. The show will run from June 11 - July 17 and will be displayed at several sites around Savage. I'll attach a link for more information. I look forward to seeing you.
Had lunch today with the most talented guy I've ever known. He walks down the sidewalk with the speed and determination of mother and the eyes and vision of an artist. I sometimes think of it as a professor's walk...
We sat outside on a cool, June day, papers spread out with his images of long lost bastions of the French Revolution or the Roman Empire. Images so real you could smell the smoke rise from old men's pipes at small cafes or the flower covered walls along the Seine. Images of pinion groves and adobe huts with sunset views and chapel pews...and of course, the lovely orchid for the loved ones muse...but a few of hundreds, or maybe thousands. Each time I want to see more, to hear more, to share more. It always reminds me of a poem by Richard Kirkwood where he thinks of his writing as leaves blowing in the wind to be shared, with the hope that someone will pick it up and read it "line by line, vein by vein."
No wine today, for the chill gods deemed that unwise, but those acid rains were put aside for another day.
Merriment was in the air. We spoke of twirling youth and Myron's kiss, train rides into the abyss of red rock canyon walls and hidden cabins all in a row. Of family, kids and Africa.
Time flew by as it always does, papers were gathered, bills were paid, always regrets that we should have stayed. But off we went, me to my meeting, he to his task, an enduring bond that was meant to last, forever. Love you bro...
The old couple sat across the way from me at D'amico's. I can only surmise that they've had a long life together. Smiles, animated conversation, the music in their eyes danced to the beat of the speakers above. It would be good to hear their story...
I'm sitting at the Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (I had to at least check it out...). I'm out here checking and measuring space for a couple of friends and clients of mine. It's a long way from Minnesota, but I try not to shy away from adventure and opportunity when the occasion arises, not to mention the photographic elements of Jackson Hole..
Gray skies and snow squalls have been the measure of my days, causing me to take shelter in the various by-waya around town...
Had a lovely dinner last night sittingat the bar of the Snake River Grill. Good food, good wine, good company, mostly in the form of the "bottom of the totem pole" bartender, Brandy (forgive spelling, if appropriate) and a couple of good Catholics trying to figure out why they gave up bread and cheese for Lent.
Got a nifty hand drawn map from Brandy highlighting potential bison hotspots and sunset views. Missed on the bison, recouped a bit with 3 moose sightings, and picked a winner with Dornan's sunset deck.
All in all a good day in the life of Ivan Denisovich...
I finally finished the table. Almost became another five year project. A couple of years ago I picked up a couple of cross cut logs from Herman Borntregger, an Amish lumber guy in Augusta, Wisconsin. I looked at them for awhile_thought they'd make an interesting side table. A friend of mine, Tom, wanted to help in the shop for a couple of days so I had him cleam off the bark. Looked at it for awhile longer and decided that it would look like a jellyfish with the proper legs.
Went into mom's woods and cut some tentacles (birch saplings), cleaned them off, twice, and clear finished the whole thing. thought it needed a little something else, added some blue dye to the last coat which gave it a nice, soft, sea color_you can almost smell the saltwater...
Mother loved flowers and poetry, nature and horizons. I love flowers and poetry, nature and horizons. Coincidence?...I think not_
She also loved the mysteries of life, walking the land, tilling the land (see later reference), harvesting what she sowed. She liked to travel when it presented itself, traveled in her mind when it didn't. Simple rides in the surrounding countryside were always a favorite as were apple orchards and the occasional winery.
Always helping, always caring, always "don't worry about me, I'm fine".
Mother left us in December at the age of 94. A good run by any measure...too soon in some respects, too late in others. Suffered a bit the last couple of months but rarely showed it. A tough lady...she left in her wake a legacy of artists and poets, carpenters and farmers.
In the end she gave us the time to take inventory of the things she loved and create our own special moment and gift to her, a final resting place. My sister Mary and I were able to gather lumber from the home place barn, she the artist drew up a couple of memory flowers and scenes, I the carpenter put them together.
She the seamstress added the poem by Robert Frost
