Thar' She Blooms!

Extreme weather with blizzard-like conditions and high wind warnings threatened to delay the installation of my public art sculpture yet again this week. On Friday, weather forecasters were predicting a nasty storm front to hit south central Alaska and leave as much as a half foot of snow in it’s wake but thankfully we were somewhat spared. The weather cleared, the crew was on time and prepared for the sculpture to be erected and installed this morning in just under 45 minutes! It felt a lot like preparing and eating our Thanksgiving dinner because a project that’s been in the works for over a year was up and permanently installed in less time than it took to warm up the truck!

On hand was Peter M. (pictured with me) from SteelFab Alaska, Mo J. and his associate Don, the lift operators, Jocelyn Y. from the Municipality, along with Daddy-O, Gus and I. Everyone was calm, professional and cold –clear skies meant the temps were dipping at the 10 degree mark. The recent storm left the Bloom covered in a bit of ice and snow but that should be melted off within the next few days as our weather takes a warming trend. Truthfully, I would have taken more photos or had

celebratory beverages under the sculpture but we were all so cold after the sculpture was up we couldn’t wait to hop back in our warm trucks! Special thanks to everyone including, Peter, Dan and crew at SteelFab Alaska, Mo J. & Company, Franklin & Assoc., and the M.O.A. Public Art Department whose expertise and professional services made this sculpture possible. As the morning sunshine reflected the Bloom in the tall windows of the CU1 building it was a wonderful site to see this baby finally planted and FINISHED!

Going With the Flow

After a crazy weather week it was best to just go with the flow. School was closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to an ice storm and the Thanksgiving break was Thursday through today, throwing any normal schedule out the window. With the roads nearly impassible last week in Anchorage, I scaled back all of my errands and cut my production schedule. When school canceled due to the wicked weather, the best part was having Daddy-O and Gus home and Kristen (that’s a picture of

her and I picking up our favorite beverages!) and her beau arrived Wednesday morning. I love the feeling when you get to have a "snow day!" What fun to play hooky without any real consequences. We spent much of the break in Girdwood where we saw over a foot of snow in 24 hours –just in time for last Wednesday’s opening day of skiing –the photo of the lift line is skiers waiting for the Mountain to open on Friday and Derek couldn’t resist carving it up.

Today, we were supposed to install “Bicycle Bloom,” my public art sculpture, but had to reschedule for next week due to a failed turbine on the lift. Thankfully, I was notified last night there may be a problem with this morning’s install and called everyone who wanted to be in attendance that we needed to cancel. With this piece of equipment still giving my contractor trouble we collectively decided to just wait until it’s able to be repaired and hopefully the sculpture can be installed next weekend. The sandblasting left the sculpture a silver/gray, raw steel finish and with our ice-rain storm while the sculpture

is waiting on the flatbed outdoors the work will have even more time to weather and develop the patina I want. Also on the bright side, the cancelled install meant I could spend the last day of the holiday week with the kids and happened to watch a beautiful sunset and clearing skies. Sometimes it’s just best to go with the flow!

Snow Bloom

My goal of getting “Bicycle Bloom” installed before the snow fell didn’t quite happen. But we’re close! Anchorage finally had it’s first measurable snow last week and Girdwood got dumped on –with over 20” at the base and over 30” at the top of the Mountain from one storm front. I needed to drive down to Gird last Tuesday to check on the house and shovel the deck which had snow halfway up to the deck rails and with warming temps it got heavier by the minute. Thankfully the roof had slid and the front end loader had cleared the driveway and I got a good workout in! So much for some downtime after Bad Girls, my arms were killing me.

With the snow storm I was feeling more than anxious about my public art sculpture’s final fabrication push and install. SteelFab has the sculpture base plate welded and it is now scheduled for sandblasting any day. I’ll be at SteelFab to weld on the bicycle gears and other final embellish details hopefully next week and then we’ll schedule the crane

company for a pick up and delivery to the site in Mt. View. Our plan is to install the sculpture on an early morning weekend when the traffic is less and the boom crane can maneuver the 20’ tall sculpture to it’s base in front of the Credit Union One building. A slight hiccup in our installation plans was the discovery of overhead telephone and power lines did not get buried with the road reconstruction…and are not scheduled to be buried for some time. I had the crane guys meet me at the site and they felt confident we had plenty of clearance and

should have no problems with our install. These guys know their stuff. After learning that they were the same crew who installed the Anchorage Museum’s “Habitat,” by Antony Gormley, a 20 foot tall flower shouldn’t be too tricky as long as the weather cooperates

for planting a flower –right? I’ll admit even having been surrounded by so many professionals who have assisted me with this sculpture I’ve been pretty stressed about it. I was thinking this week that I’m not sure I have the stomach and fire for the larger works anymore because of all the variables and things that are out of my control. We’ll see.

Crack That Whip

I've been working in pairs this week, first it was for a Guild order. Even though the catalog states "each is unique and will vary slightly" keeping to the original design is very important. To take the pressure off making a perfect sculpture that is representative of the photo the customer sees from the original, I make two and my stomach isn't in knots! Making two at one time lets me choose the one I want to ship and leaves me another for a future order. There is always so much pressure I place on myself when I have a special order or commission and I've found working in a series or pairs helps ease the self imposed stress. I've also been working in pairs so I have enough pieces for both Katie's Gallery and the Bad Girls of the North show coming up, one for her, one for Bad Girls. I've been super inspired lately and in the photo below there is a very cool Octopus that I just had to make that's also going down to Katie's Gallery today. An art girl has to have some fun, right?!

I've also been back and forth to SteelFab this week and "Bicycle Bloom," my public art sculpture, is coming together! All of the bikes are cut out of 1/4" steel plate and have been placed on the flower center. We added the misc. sprockets for placement and I will have plenty of embellishment parts. We'll weld those on in the final stage. After the bikes are welded in place the whole flower head will be wheel abraded and the 6" curved steel tube will be welded to the flower cap center. The stem tube had to be shipped up here and will make the sculpture about 20' tall. It was important that we placed all of the bikes in just the right place so each bike had 4 points of welded contact. I'm meeting with the crane operator at the site to confirm the install plan and talk about how we will negotiate some overhead power lines that did not get buried this year...

With a good couple of days plasma cutting last week I've had plenty of parts that needed welding. I was able to weld up a couple of "History Fish" or "Gilperfish" as I sometimes call them. One is for Katie's Gallery and one is for the Bad Girls of the North. Bad Girls is just around the corner and opens Friday, November 5 from 4-9 and Saturday 10-5. This year I'm a bit sad because Will who normally is so much fun to set up with and is such a good sport (not to mention a STRONG back) is turning 21 that weekend and he and his girlfriend are flying to Las Vegas to celebrate. Yay for him and boo for me, not only am I getting older but I'll miss his help. Hard to believe it's Bad Girls time already I better get busier!

Giddy-UP!

Dan, SteelFab Estimator and I are troubleshooting a set of prototypes for my 1% for Art sculpture "Bicycle Bloom."

Now that the cold and flu virus has left my body, I hopped back on my production pony. There was a lot of work to catch up on and plasma cutting to do this week. The best part was being able to get my 1% for Art Public Sculpture, “Bicycle Bloom” back in the production queue! It’s been a very long process taking a tremendous amount of patience on my part because it was a year ago this month that I was notified of my sculpture proposal being selected for the site. The sidewalk was finally poured, the base structure has been completed for the sculpture and I was able to initiate yet another new quote from SteelFab. Unfortunately, the delays caused my original two quotes to expire and become obsolete. I built in a contingency dollar amount and it’s a good thing because due to the delay and rising costs all around, my new estimate

will cost me at least another $1,000+ dollars. I didn’t want to have one more quote and production schedule in place until the sidewalk was complete and all the parties involved gave me the final go-ahead. It’s been a real team effort on this project –quite a bit different from how I’m used to working. Normally, I think of a design, lay it out, trouble shoot issues myself, solve any design problems and fabricate it all by myself. Due to the size of this public outdoor sculpture the majority of the fabrication needs to be professionally fabricated by SteelFab. Early on, the sculpture also needed to have a set of structural engineering plans by Franklin & Associates designed, submitted and approved for strength and desired visual appeal. Things like the elevation plans, footing details, welded collar design, percentage of curve, base plate mounts measurements and design, structural integrity, weld placements

etc. are items I had no idea of how to draft up nor could I have even attempted those printed plans. I have appreciated the knowledge base that has helped me to produce this sculpture so far. I was even able to score some bicycle component parts for the sculpture's embellishments. Thanks Bicycle Shop! The butterflies are still there in my stomach but at least I feel confident that I have assembled a qualified team who wants a safe, successful, and creatively unique sculpture to come in on time and on budget.

My friend Katie and her Gallery were featured in a segment on KTUU Channel 2 News last night! “Day Trippin” (on www.gotoak.com) featured the popular tourist area of downtown Anchorage on 4^th Avenue. Here is a link to the video that gives you an idea of why we love living here. Way to go Katie!!

Below is the finished sidewalk and mount for my sculpture...waiting for a beautiful steel Bloom! I read this quote in one of my art books and thought it was appropriate for me this week:

“The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” –Norman Vincent Peale

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"

Our summer is all but over. I know because we registered Gus for school (junior high!) this week and we even knocked out the school supply list AND buying his new school clothes. Most of you know that I do the “Happy Mommy Dance” on the first day of school when I get the house and studio back to myself for a few hours a day… I love that Staples commercial where the parent is flying through the store on the handles of the shopping cart buying school supplies! That was me this week singing “it’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Daddy-O turns into a pumpkin next Thursday when ASD teachers return to their classrooms to prepare for the students first day of school on August 18. Right now Derek is about as far north as you can get from his regular classroom, near the Beaufort Sea coast in Nuiqsut. He was selected to participate in the Alaska Humanities Forum Rose Urban Rural Exchange for teachers where they participate in teacher cross-cultural immersion and should return home next week, providing he doesn’t get weathered in…

Weather has been on every Alaskans mind –or at least the lack of sunny weather in Anchorage! This has been one of the rainiest summers on record and we even set a rain day record in July! All of the rain has definitely affected the Farmers Markets –when it’s sunny the vendors ROCK the sales, when it’s rainy I’m lucky I sell OUTDOOR art. I’ll probably be having my last Market day the last Saturday in August and the veggie vendors will sell through September. I’ve slowed down on the production of

garden art and outdoor sculptures, adjusting my production schedule with the changing color of the leaves. The large "Zen Chime" pictured above is one of the last big chimes I'm making for this year. I’m thinking of having a big sale the last day I’m at the Spenard Farmers Market of any remaining garden art. A break in the rain (for at least a few hours) enabled the concrete company to get the new sidewalk forms in at the Credit Union One building on the corner of Mt.View and Bragaw, where my 1% for Art sculpture “Bicycle Bloom” sculpture is scheduled to be installed. When I saw the footer for the sculpture I thought to myself “ahhh, the beginning of a flower bloom” and it finally seemed more like Spring than a cloudy, gray, wet and rainy summer.

This Thing Called Art

The above photo was taken by photographer, Heather Thamm while I was working on some pieces for my upcoming show at Half Moon Creek Gallery. Cool huh?!

Who says I don’t understand the “art of compromise?!” There have been some ongoing issues with the final location of my proposed 1% Public Art Sculpture “Bicycle Bloom.” My proposed sculpture was one of 5 new Public Artworks scheduled to be installed this Spring as part of the Mt. View renewal and beautification project along Mt. View Drive and the new Bragaw overpass. There have been several new businesses and capital improvements taking part in the revitalization –including a new Jr. High School and Credit Union One building. On Wednesday, a site meeting was called for all the core-interested parties to discuss and hopefully resolve the current “issues” with regard to the final placement of my sculpture (there are no site issues with the other 4 sculptures). Though there have already been several meetings and plans drawn up with the landscape engineers and architects, the public art engineer as well as approvals from the Mt. View Road Improvement Public Art Selection Committee, there is still not a final go-ahead for my sculpture –which I need before ANY fabrication can begin. I didn’t select the site for “Bicycle Bloom,” the 6 member Public Art committee decided the appropriate locations for each work. A short

story long is that the architects for the newly constructed “financial institution” feel the already committee approved public art sculpture “Bicycle Bloom” will impede the view of not only the front of their new building but also obstruct window views from within the lobby –though the sculpture is over 20’ tall…

Our site meeting took place during a freak, Springtime snow storm in which Anchorage saw at least 8” of sloppy, wet snowfall! At the meeting on the very busy corner of Mt. View Drive and Bragaw was the Mt. View Drive Road Improvement Coordinator, the “financial institution” representative, a representative from the architectural firm, the Curator of Public Art and myself –the artist. With her arms crossed and not once making eye contact with me, the financial representative who was clearly against placing the sculpture anywhere near their new building bluntly asked “so how tall is THIS THING anyway?!” Just about that time a HUGE semi sped by trying to make the intersection light and completely doused all of us in dirty, slushy ice water -I am not kidding!! With my stomach already in a nervous knot, now soaked, armed with my engineer renderings, site drawings and architectural plans I shared my creative vision as was proposed to the committee last Fall. After a bit of posturing and everyone trying to “best guess” under all of the snow, where the planter and walkways would be placed I listened to their concerns. I offered to have my sculpture arch to the right instead of the left and asked what if it could be taken out of the large Public Works planter and “scooched” (technical engineering term) a bit to the right of their storefront windows down the walkway a bit. It

seemed to work and everyone shook off the slush, nodded their heads in silent agreement and thought that would work just fine. There was some final “have your people call and e-mail my people” as we all retreated to the warmth of our cars. As soon as the confrontation had begun it was over with and appears at least for now, a clear resolution to issues that have been going on for weeks.

During the meeting the only vision I had was when Gus’ adversaries meet, at least they show up with MMA body guards, thick-necked guys in suits and swords drawn! That would have been much more dramatic at the corner of Mt. View and Bragaw –don’t you think?!

Wearing A Lot of Hats

I was really mixing it up this week, wearing a lot of hats as a self-employed artist. With the deadline approaching for the Rasmuson Artist Project Grant and the All Alaska Juried Art Exhibit, I needed to complete the paperwork necessary for both of these projects. Professional photographer Chris Arend shot 3 of my wall sculptures so I could include some of my latest work in both of those applications. I picked up the digital images today and thought they turned out great. I’m working with a copy writer friend to help me proof and edit my proposal and my artist statement. She also helped me update my

Resume so it is more contemporary and applicable to the artist/grant process rather than reading like I’m applying for a job. The Rasmuson Foundation does an excellent job of outlining exactly what needs to be included and even provides a detailed checklist before submitting your proposal. Though I admit, I’m not very good at tooting my own horn and felt uncomfortable listing my professional artistic achievements as well as writing my artist statement. I wanted to sound more worldly, innovative and ground breaking as an artist. I wanted my artist statement to be eloquent, or even expressing how each of my creative endeavors allows me to explore the deeper meanings of existence or how my creative expressions ask those bigger life questions. The reality is much more simple, the majority of my art making helps me pay my bills and I’m

happiest when my art makes others happy.

It was also necessary this week for me to meet with the engineer, project coordinator and my contact at SteelFab to get the fabrication process rolling for my 1% for Art sculpture “Bicycle Bloom.” While down at SteelFab I had the opportunity to see the Anchorage Museum’s new, large, stainless steel outdoor sculpture “Habitat” getting finish welded (in the photo it was lying on it’s back). The mock-up of the sculpture was carved in blue foam also shown in one of the pictures. This has been a bit of a controversial work as expected with any large public sculpture, created by internation

ally known, British sculptor, Antony Gormley. The sculpture will be over 20’ tall and weather permitting, will be installed using large cranes on the Museum front Commons this April.

Along with all of the errands, paper work, copy writing and meetings, I managed to make some new pods and “Sedna” masks. I’m going to fire

them all at ^6 and add some sculptural steel to the clay pieces. One of the pods is over 18” long and another half dozen are a bit larger than palm size. Everything is quietly on the drying rack until at least next week. Being able to make a bit of art and wear my clay apron helped make the week feel more complete because of all the other hats I had to wear this week.

Friend Friday and The Winners Are...

Thanks to those who left a comment for the sticker giveaway. There were pretty good odds for the winners, Michael Kline for the AK sticker and the Grrrd sticker going to Cowgirl Goods! E-mail me your address and I’ll pop them in the mail Monday.  Another big winner on Friday was ME!  The 1% For Art proposal "Bicycle Bloom" I submitted was selected as one of the five new outdoor sculptures that will be part of the Mt. View Drive Art Pole Project. With some minor design revisions to the original proposal I hope to start the production this winter with an expected installation date of Spring 2010. The location of “Bicycle Bloom” is currently slated for the corner of Mt. View Drive and Bragaw intersection. Pending the approval of the new

Credit Union One building project engineers, because as I understand the sculpture would be part of their easement. Great location and even better visibility! 

Other Friday night winners were all of the Casting For Recovery Art Bras! The opening celebration welcomed a packed house and bids on all of the bid sheets. It was fun to finally be able to visit the new 2 Friends Gallery. I had one of the “2 Friends” owners, also my friend, Georgia Blue pose at the start of the evening’s festivities. There was plenty of food and beverages and the CFR volunteers glowed wearing their bright pink fly fishing shirts. Thanks 2 Friends for hosting such a wonderful kick-off! The bras will be on display throughout the month of October (Breast Cancer Awareness month) and all bid sheets and bras will gather for a special closing exhibition and final sale on Friday, November 6th at Half Moon Creek Gallery

in Anchorage. Here is an Anchorage Daily News link Fran Durner has put together (and a link to her Garden Blog). To see some of the Art Bras, scroll down to "Uplifting Art" and you'll see a selection of the clever, humorous, thoughtful, reflective and all original creations.

I had an apprentice visit my shop on Friday. My friend Steve Gordon and I welded up some armatures for his life drawing class he is teaching at Alaska Pacific University. Steve was a quick study but I admit it was a bit satisfying to show off my skills that I sometimes take for granted. Don’t worry my ego is completely in check –I’ve taken classes from Steve and have been put squarely in place more than once! Steve is an extremely talented painter, sculptor and 

craftsman, choosing to build all of his own canvases and works with only the finest of materials. It was fun having someone to work with Friday, I forget how lonely it can be working on your own the majority of the time and I realized just how loud I  keep the music, I had to keep turning it down so we could hear one another talk!