with each fall of the bamboo dear chaser filled with water the granite basin will gently flow over the sides taking the natural beauty of the periwinkles down back into earth to recycle….death brings birth and the same is true in reverse. every breath we take a cell dies to a birth of a new one. nothing lasts forever…only the moment we are fully present with.
Aquarius traditionally “rules” electricity, computers, flight, democracy, freedom, humanitarianism, idealists, modernization, rebels and rebellion, mental diseases, nervous disorders, and astrology. Other keywords and ideas believed associated with Aquarius are nonconformity, philanthropy, veracity, perseverance, mankind and irresolution.
being born into this life, in the late month of january, i fall into this category as an “aquarian”. as a practicing Buddhist i look at this information and try not to read to much into what “i” rule or ideas i am believed to be associated with. though if truth be told….veracity is one i definately would own. mankind, freedom, democracy and humanitarianism are also ideas or words i do truly fight for in nature.
turning a half century this year (2010) seemed appropriate to name my Fall show “the age of aquarius”! if ALL phenomena does not inherently exist than i myself am just an imputation of mind. all these trappings of what “i” am are mere human graspings to label a person to identify and relate to. i get it. but as a human on this planet we need to be able to relate to each other and share our stories in life to learn by, to guide, to enrich, to love and to have compassion for one another. my arrival as an aquarian speaks thru my new works…
“flowers in my yard”
2009 recycled metals, copper, film, cactus headdress 3′ X 9′ X 3′
indoor sculpture or outdoor? as an outdoor piece i had a friend tell me how wonderful it would be to plant…in the ground..piled high inside with dirt and then sprinkled with wild flower seeds and let nature take its course and watch this aquarian woman grow into the earth and the flowers and vines grow in and through her. what a beautiful visual i had not thought of but one which i now cannot let go of! to create a work that lives in its inviron. and takes on its own life over months and years to reveal an illusion of what and where it once came from.
2009 serenity floor lamp, stainless steel drop sheets, rice paper, walnut, 3-way energy light bulb
“Please give me the light of your wisdom
To dispel the darkness of my mind…”
close-up of rice paper
center
“American aloe plant,” 1797, from L. Agave, from Gk. Agaue,proper name in mythology (mother of Pentheus), from agauos“noble,” perhaps from agasthai “wonder at,” from gaiein “to rejoice, exult,” with intensive prefix a-. The name seems to have been taken generically by botanists, the plant perhaps so called for its “stately” flower stem.
“noble, wonder, to rejoice” this agave sits out front of my gallery/warehouse. i pass it daily and only yesterday realized its “center” revealed beautiful markings from its growth. it does evoke a noble feel in color sage, silky smooth touch, elegance and strength, a wonder to look at which brings one to rejoice in their good fortune for having witnessed it. something so ordinary living here in the desert one see’s this plant everywhere and everyday, it ought to be our mantra for living here! “take the time to see the agave and find your center”.
josei translates from japanese to english as she.
above was my grandmother’s “hanko”. she was an artist, poet and renaissance woman. she wore pantsuits in japan to my mothers teacher-parent conferences back in the day when women not only wore kimono’s on a daily basis but pants were purely western and discriminated upon when a woman wore them. i miss my grandmother(obachon), even though we could not verbally communicate we still understood her. once when i pulled a living flower by its stem from the ground she gracefully sat next to me placed my hand in hers and proceeded to pinch the top of my hand so hard i yelped! she then quietly said in my ear…”itai, itai, itai” (pronounceed ee-tie) which translates to “ouch, ouch, ouch” in flower/japanese! i remembered once when she raked leaves in our front yard and then as a child seated herself smack dab in the middle and laughed like a giddy kid! she always made me smile….even her cooking was enriching!
when she passed years ago i regretted not having taken the time to learn the language of my mother’s tongue. as i grew older and became aware of my creative side i knew i wanted her spirit to live on thru my work. so after much family discussion they conceded her trademark or stamp (hanko) to me with the understanding and commitment that i would sign with my name and utilize her hanko as a visual reminder.
laurel, Obachon and mariko celebrating her 78th birthday!
circle’s of life 2003 commission for entry to a private residence which sits on a hill. lichen covered stones, steel with “peace” symbol cut-out. at night the spot light shines thru the cut-out and casts a shadow onto the ribbon inside. the thought to this piece came quicker than most, i knew they did not want anything massive that would obstruct their views of the mountains and sunrise.
i learned a great deal on this project!! the lichen covered stones CANNOT survive in the full desert sun during summer months! i even installed a drip system with sprinklers so they’d survive…to my dismay! the constant moisture from in the ground made the steel rust and bubble the patina, so after the lichen died i plugged the drip system sanded off the stain and acrylic sealer on the metals and let it rust naturally. thankfully and grateful that my patrons love the piece and commissioned more works! such is the great circle of life…
noun: a settlement of differences by mutual concessions;
compromise was one of my first works, back in 1999. i was working out of my carport, raising my two teen daughters solo, welding and fabricating functional gates, doors, arbors….to make ends meet and wondering how long i would have to “compromise” myself in this life i’d chosen. there were other challenges as well going on in my personal life and i had to come to terms and make a choice balanced by truth, heart and mind. this piece is a result of how i felt inside being pulled apart, hanging on to my life knowing that the consequence of my choice(s) would effect my daughters.
in the end the earth kept me upright, truths were revealed and the heart always knew. i traded this piece with another artist for a large oil painting of “geisha” lips! it resides in my youngest daughters nest in chicago.
living in the desert has always provided a unique view of natural beauty. i have lived most of my life in this desert. growing up here there were no roads that came up to where this picture was taken let alone a house with neighbors! east meets west is situated on the western edge of a property where it drops down to a small valley below, in the monsoon season water rushes through like a mini river to cleanse and satiate the needs of living creatures. the bamboo’s are made of iron, stainless and galvanized steel. some will rust quickly, others will turn over age but the galvanized and stainless will remain unmarred by time.
living in the desert requires more thought as to what a resident can plant in their yards due to water issues and conservation. today as i type this the morning newspaper read that in the week we will hit record highs to reach 105, AND this is the end of september where most other states are enjoying the fall season and the magic of mother natures colorful palette. someday i hope to live near water and experience the other side…until then i do what i can, fabricate “bamboo’s” to coexist in the environ. a perfect fit here in the desert! they do not need watering, they add an element of mystery (confusion to the wildlife …and some humans) and sculpturally add a new dimension to the existence of the natural saguaro’s and their skeletons.
black bamboo 2008
my eastern influence or karma has me fascinated with bamboo’s. i love their natural beauty, tall, graceful, elegant in form yet strength unmatched by most tree’s. i have been a huge fan of bamboo farming way before it became the new “organic” building material used today. my only way to honor this magnificent species is to try in my humblest attempts upon nature to fabricate them with love and educate westerners.
