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

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.