Horses, Banjos, Chickens and a Barn

Back on board

2011-11-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

I think it might be a good thing for me to return. Return as a wife, a mother, and of course still an artist.

Believe It! The Studio Is Still Up

2010-04-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I will take a paid day off to go work in the studio! Yes, Third Street Studio beside the railroad tracks is still there. I have been slowly moving my stuff back into the space and trying to find time to begin some projects. Tricky to do now that I am a mom and my daughter is so much fun hanging out with. But off to day care she goes and I will hopefully begin making some works.

From 1993

2010-01-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

1995 In Honduras During PC Training

2010-01-27T17:12:00.001-08:00

Sketch Book Reflections

2010-01-26T14:04:00.000-08:00

I own about 55 sketch books. I am going to randomly pick one off the bookshelf, open up to a page, scan the page, and post it on my blog. This is the first one from a sketch book from 1993.

Back on The Blog

2010-01-25T11:56:00.000-08:00

This piece of art has been popular. I made four with slight variations and they have all sold.
I am currently trying to do a few small works on paper for a show at the good ol Mercury 20 Collective that I am a part of. I have less than a week to begin and complete the drawings.

Urban Ore Loading Truck

2009-06-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

The Studio is almost emptied out. East Bay Depot and Urban Ore came and collected items they could use. I had two garage sales and sold lots of great stuff. I have stored as much as I can into my 9 x 10 shed that we built in my back yard. It is still unclear of the exact date that the warehouse will be demolished but I hope to document it and post some pictures.

May 23rd Saturday 11 to 3 Last Chance

2009-05-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

One more day to try to empty out the studio of all its treasures. Please come by if you get a chance, the rest will go to Urban Ore and the jaws of the demolition tractors.

ARTIST'S STUDIO/GARAGE/WAREHOUSE SALE BLOW OUT

2009-04-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

DON'T MISS IT
ONE TIME ONLY
SUNDAY, MAY 3rd 11am - 3pm

My art studio, a large warehouse space is scheduled to be demolished. I create sculptures, installations, mixed media and performance art with a heavy use of found objects, old art supplies and materials. I am getting rid of and selling much of my treasure trove collected over many years. COME AND SEE!! There will be lots of unique and wonderful items that will inspire anyone to make great art. Prices will be cheap and some stuff free. I will also have some art-work for sale that I just cannot store, the price will be right for you and then you will be a proud owner of my work. Please check out my web page http://chelafielding to get an idea of the diverse range of work I do. This sale is one day only 11 to 3 on Sunday May 3rd. The location is in West Berkeley, between Addison and Bancroft on 3rd Street which is the railroad tracks. You must enter from Addison Street through a gate and drive all the way to the back parking lot and walk around the buildings to the Third Street Studio which is upstairs. I will have a few signs by the gate to direct you in.

DON'T MISS THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GROW YOUR OWN COLLECTION OF FOUND OBJECTS AND ARTIST SUPPLIES!!

Examples of things for sale:
my art 2d pieces and sculpture, all need homes instead of dumpster
3 large artist tables
chairs in various states of repair
oil paints
canvases, some stretched
lots of wood panels
stretcher bars
work bench stuff
some tools
light fixtures
lightweight bathtub
16mm projectors/Super 8 too...
standing closet
wooden rods, many sizes
plexiglass photos from Oakland Museum
bring crow bar and tools if you would like to dismantle stuff from the building like doors, windows, beams, etc....

Studio Sale MAY 3rd Sunday 11 to 3 pm

2009-04-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

I had to change the studio sale date, to May 3rd 11 to 3 pm. The stuff available is mostly scrap wood, a few stretcher bars, and wood surfaces for painting, some great work tables, beat up chairs and stools, and lots of random and unique chacha stuff for art making too difficult to list exactly what. Hope to see you all there.

Third Street Studio scheduled to be demolished!!

2009-03-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

Last Chance to see and buy art work from Third Street Studio.

Third Street Studio is slated to be demolished May 11th, 2009. I will be having one last open studio and garage sale of all my collected old wood and supplies sometime in April. If you would like to view art work sooner or are interested in buying random materials and art, please feel free to contact me. Excellent prices, and everything must go!, please come and take a look. Thank You. Chela

No Commercial Value, a must see

2009-03-03T13:42:00.001-08:00

I just discovered this web page and am now inspired to view it. It is called No Commercial Value
and every week they introduce 6 new artist for you to view their work. There is a beautiful flow to the website and you are drawn in to the work, it is also incredibly diverse, interesting and inspiring. Check it out weekly, or go to archives and check out what has passed.

Images of the work I sold

2009-02-27T18:19:00.001-08:00

Vote For My Art

2009-02-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

Vote for my artwork, Nebraska, on Artslant, under Juried Show. Thank You....and spread the word.

I am in the East Bay Express

2009-02-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

I opened up the East Bay Express yeaterday and found a lovely photo and quick write up in the Critic's Choice section about my work and Cece's work, awesome, check it out on line.

I am a new member of Artslant

2009-02-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

I am now a member of Artslant, check out a few of my pieces. Just type my name in search. This place is a great resource to find out what shows to see here in the SF Bay Area.

Folks Looking at My work

2009-02-17T09:45:00.001-08:00

My February Art Show has been a great success. I sold a few works and received lots of great feedback. I recently updated my web page with all of the new work. Most of it you will find under Mixed-Media in the tabs of my web page. You will also see some new work in Drawing, and Painting. Please check it out. Great affordable prices and your chance to own some Chela art. I am open to commissioned work as well, if you see something you like and it has already sold and you want something similar, I can do it again in some shape or form.
http://chelafielding.com

New Show Coming Soon

2009-01-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

Chela Fielding
Collections from Within

Mercury 20 Gallery
25 Grand Ave. (at Broadway)
Oakland, CA 94612

Exhibition dates: February 6 – February 28, 2009

Opening Reception: Friday, February 6 from 6—9pm (part of First Friday/Art Murmur)
Afternoon After: Saturday, February 7 from 12—4pm (part of First Friday/Art Murmur)

Chela Fielding has always been a collector. For the past few months, she has been a pregnant collector. In her second show at Mercury 20 Gallery, Collections from Within, Fielding focuses on intuitive thoughts, feelings and inspirations encompassing mind and body as she goes through the nurturing and transformative process of growing a baby. Drawings, paintings and small mixed-media panels incorporate the artist's spontaneous, inventive, and humorous use of found materials. Ever wonder if pregnant women dumpster dive? Chela can now answer that question for you.

Chela Fielding graduated with a BFA in Painting, and a minor in Film, from Humboldt State University. After her undergraduate work she joined the Peace Corps for two years, working on Hillside Farming in an isolated village in the hills of Ocotopeque, Honduras. Returning to Oakland, she worked as an after-school art teacher for five years. She went on to receive her MFA in Sculpture from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Fielding currently works as a house manager for people with mental disabilities in San Rafael, CA.

Good Bye My G4 Mac Powerbook

2008-12-11T14:37:00.001-08:00

Someone has stolen my G4 Powerbook, it was only 4 years old, and full of work, photos, software, and writing, some was backed up on my hard drive, some was not. Yes it has been sad, and I am slowly coming to terms with this loss. I will go to Laney Flea market this Sunday to explore vendors who sell stolen goods. Meanwhile, I am preparing for my show coming up in February.
Currently there is a great group show going on at Mercury 20 in Oakland. One of my pieces, a special one, Memory Boxes, is on display. This show will be up the rest of December and all of January.

Jelly Swing

2008-10-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

I am working on a small series of drawings for my show coming up in February.
This is just the beginning of one.

Shaved head and toy horse

2008-10-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

This was drawn from a picture of me taken around 1993 up in Arcata, Ca. I had just shaved my head and was holding up a plastic horse. I collected many plastic horses growing up. I used color pastels, which are fun to use because you can draw quickly and cover a lot of paper.

Home From Whiskeytown

2008-08-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

I am back from my Whiskeytown Artist Residency. The temperatures were rising to 110. I had my fill of swimming and nature and cabin lounging. I finished a piece of work to donate to the National Park Residency Program. I forgot to take a picture of it. Whoops! Its a great piece though, I was very happy with it when I finished it. I'll miss the trees and solititude, but gosh its great to be home. I had an excellent interview for the Diablo Valley College teaching position, I did not get the job, but I am now in their sub-teaching pool of applicants. Maybe someday they will call me. They said it was a hard decision. I wonder if I had been there in person for the interview it might have worked out and I wonder if this is something I really want to do? I won't know until I try. I did get excited thinking about it though.

Whiskeytown Lake Artist Residency

2008-08-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

Here I am at the public library in Redding. I had a little cabin fever and needed to get out. I can't complain though. The place is amazing. I walk across to Brandy Creek Beach, follow Brand Creek to its mouth and there is the lake. The water is warm and blue, blue with mountains all around it, you can swim long and far and see fish underneath. The creek is also very special, the water is see through to the bottom beautiful round soft boulders dispersed throughout its waters and water flows in it all year long. It is hot outside but there are so many variety of trees providing lovely shade. I am immersed in books and sketching. I have done some art work but mostly I am swimming and hiking. At night its absolutely quiet. You only hear acorns drop onto the cabin roof. I just found out they want to interview me for a Sculpture Teaching Positon at Diablo Valley College, the job starts Sept. 1. It will be a temporary part time position, filling in for a teacher who is going on leave. Its the perfect way for me to get this experience under my belt and see once and for all if this is something I really want to do!!!. I will probably spend my time now at Whiskeytown coming up with a curriculum for the semester. Pictures and more stories will be posted when I return.

Inside of You is Me

2008-07-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

I took my show down yesterday. If there is any interest to see the work of Misremembering You, you can always call me for a studio visit. My next show will be in February. Next week I will leave for Whiskey Town National Park Residency which will last two weeks.

Misremebering You

2008-07-11T06:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is such a good show!!, Soon it will come down.
Please come and check it out at Mercury 20.

Check Out This Interview

2008-06-26T15:43:00.000-07:00

Kathleen King another member of the Gallery, Mercury Twenty, interviewed me and Peter Honig took the photograph. Check it out.

I Want You Tom

2008-06-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, I had to do it, yes, those are penises. Someone said they look like little floating spirits.
This piece is currently up at the Mercury 20 Gallery. It is for sale, and may sell quickly. The price is right $525.00.

Misremembering You

2008-06-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

I am trying to get together a small body of work for my upcoming show in July. I am excited about what I am making. I am doing some paintings, and painting more on my sculptures. Should be a colorful show. The opening will be July 4th from 6 to 9 pm at Mercury 20 in Oakland....25 Grand Ave. (at Broadway). The gallery hours for the show are Fri. and Sat. 12-3 pm. The show comes down July 28th. Hope to see you there on July 4th.

Swimmer Sold

2008-05-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

I sold my first piece from 20 Mercury,
the new Collective Gallery that I am a part of
Yipee!!!

My Slides Are At Di Rosa Preserve

2008-05-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

FIRST FRIDAY ART PARTIES ARE BACK WITH SLIDESLAM
FIRST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH AT THE di ROSA PRESERVE
MAY 2, 2008 . 7 - 10 PM . GATEHOUSE GALLERY

First Friday is back with SLIDESLAM. Contemporary Bay Area artists show off images of their work as an exciting backdrop to Napa's hottest monthly art party. Explore contemporary artworks, groove to sweet beats by DJ Pascal, sip on springtime cocktails, and enjoy supreme people-watching from sunset to starlight.

On view in the Gatehouse Gallery is the much talked about exhibition, Bay Area Ceramic Sculpture: Collection in Context, or hop on to the jitney for a twilight teaser of the Main Gallery.

Free for members
$10 for general public, first drink included
707-226-5991 x47 for information
programs@dirosapreserve.org
www.dirosapreserve.org/calendar.html
www.myspace.com/dirosafirstfriday

Spring Cleaning Offers Treasures

2008-04-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

I realize that this is what I live for. Trash day!!
This is where I get the best of my resources and the most inspiration for my art work. It has been a long time that I have seen this much trash. Luckily it was my day off and I was able to fill my little truck in less than a half hour.

Welcome Home

2008-03-31T15:27:00.001-07:00

Now at Mercury 20 I have a new piece of work installed in the back part of the gallery.
Come and check it out during the Oakland Art Murmur this coming Friday 4/7/08. The piece is for sale. This is your opportunity to purchase a unique piece of Chela Art. See you at the opening, if you are not in the area and would like to purchase this piece you can always contact me. 510 414 1500. The piece is on a long piece of wood measuring 91 in H x 15 1/2 W, it leans nicely against any wall.

Good News

2008-03-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

Guess What? I have been offered a National Park Artist-in-Residence at Whiskeytown National Recreation. I will be there for a few weeks in August making some swimmingly art sculptures.

The other great news is that I have joined a cooperative Gallery in Oakland known as Mercury 20. I will have a new piece of art that I will show there once a month as well as have a show once a year with one other artist. I am looking forward to being a part of this wonderful dynamic group of artists! This Gallery is amongst the many other galleries that open their doors during the Oakland Art Murmur which is the first Friday of every month.
Yee haw.

21 Grand Show is Over

2008-02-18T08:38:00.000-08:00

I took the show down last night. I will unload all the pieces back into the studio,
except the one that sold. It was a great show!! Time to make more work!

Ecstatic Hairdue

2008-01-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

This is my first piece I made after I installed the show at 21 Grand, and I love it. It is a piece that reminds me to be present.

The work has been installed

2008-01-15T08:10:00.000-08:00

I had a good laugh last night to see all my weird sculptures and drawings together.
Kerri Lee Johnson will install her 19 foot drawing as well. I can't wait to see how our work looks together in one place. Hope to see you all at the reception Feb. 1, for a delight of art!!
Just click on the image to get a closer view of the post card and its details.

At Work In My Studio

2007-12-29T17:38:00.000-08:00

It is just a glimpse, over my shoulder, as I work.
A train goes by.

Long Figure

2007-12-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

I have been working hard in the studio. This long figure spontaneously came about in one hour. I vigourously cut out the shapes from old ply wood. I used a hand jigsaw. After I assembled it together it was taller than me. The long figure is a joy to work with. I love bending her arms, legs and feet as if she is dancing a jig. I was thinking I should make one of these for everybody as x-mas gifts.

You've Got To Have Balls

2007-11-21T18:19:00.000-08:00

Sketch Tuesday was interesting, I drew for two and a half hours, speaking occasionally to my other drawing neighbors. The music was rattling my bones as I tried to sketch away the night. I sold one piece. I taped a small antique photograph of a little boy to the piece of paper. I drew lots of small circles all over the piece of paper including on the photograph. I wrote the word balls, balls, balls , balls, balls, balls, all over the paper and I titled the piece, "You've Got To Have Balls", it sold for ten bucks to a young man. I packed up my drawings after the sale and headed home with a headache.

111 Minna Street Sketch Tuesdays

2007-11-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

This is a genuine flea market cowboy selling his goods on a Sunday morning.

I will be sketching tonight at 111 Minna Street from 6:30 pm until 9:30
pm the sketches I produce are for sale, ranging from $5.00 to $30.00.
This is your lucky chance to get some cool Chela sketches that roll out
of her imagination and onto paper. A dozen of other great artists will
be sketching there as well. See you there!! Check out the Fecal Face Calendar for details.

A Whole Month

2007-11-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe a whole month has gone by.
I have finally finished sewing all of the addresses in the rolodex that I found from an old printer who was going out of buisness in Oakland.
The piece is really long, so many different addresses from all over Oakland, like Grandmothers Cookies, The Naval Port, Boys Scouts of America and Granny Goose Pre Pared Potatoes.
Now the challenge will be how to display it.
I will be working really hard in the studio these next few months preparing for the show at 21 Grand. The work must be solid, with a circus and animal feel.

Time Stains

2007-10-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

Ten weeks, one day, time stains.
With grey outside, the pigeons peck at a pile of vomit,
two miles away.
A needle and thread come out of the drawer and settle into a rhythm in her soft hands, and
the green tea steeps, steam rising into her gentle lungs.

Reception Oct. 5th

2007-09-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

I have a real job, and the weeks are flying by, oh my!! Finally, this exercise sign, out in the Berkeley Marina, fell down. I was jogging by it the other day and I picked it up and ran home. In the past I actually walked out there to steal the sign with my hammer and drill, but did not succeed so it was a treat to see that the wind, rot and weather encouraged to knock it down.
Some great news, I have a sculpture, titled, Shadow Fishing, in an Emeryville Art Show. The reception will be held on Friday October 5th from 6 until 9 pm, the gallery hours there-after will be 11am to 6 pm daily. The address is 5885 Hollis Street Emerystation, East Emeryville. Hope to see you at the reception.

Hoop

2007-08-27T10:46:00.001-07:00

The hoop series continues. This is the yard of the house that I work at in San Rafael.

Shadow Fishing

2007-08-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

This piece was chosen to be viewed at the Emeryville Arts show sometime in October.
I have been away from my blog because I was putting together my new web page, which is now up and running and updated regularly.
http://chelafielding.com

It's Metal, It's Rusty, It's Big, and It's Flying

2007-07-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

I am just beginning, to explore this big hunk of an old metal kitchen sink cabinet. I know I want it to be above the viewer and at an angle. I know that I will paint and draw on it. Maybe, just maybe it will fly away. Making light of something heavy.

Soft and True Juggler

2007-07-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

This piece has gone through many changes. This is what it looked like in the beginning. Later I will show you the piece in its completion.

Active

2007-07-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

While biking to work one day I found rainbow socks on the corner of the street. I biked right by them, but the bright colors and their abandonment inspired me to turn around and pick them up. A little farther up the road in some bushes I saw this white tube. I decided that I also needed to pick up the tube and keep it. Later in my studio I put the two found objects together and drew a picture of where I found them.
I wrote on the tube activities you can do with the tube.

Bending Ladies

2007-06-30T07:33:00.001-07:00

I carried this photograph close to me for weeks, looking at it over and over
again, this is what I did with it. I bought the photograph at
a small flea market a year ago.

She Turned Into a Mountain

2007-06-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by a dream. I dreamt I saw a lion, a mountian lion. This is what I drew.

She Collects Super Balls

2007-05-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

This piece, is very special.
It is called,
She Collects Super Balls.
I think of it as a self portrait.
I have taken down my show in San Diego.
The time now feels very tender. I know I need to show my work more.
I need to make more work and learn how to sell it and as always I must find work that provides a steady income to
support my self. In these next few months I will come up with concrete plans that will make my art work more visible, as well as find a secure job.

Opening In San Diego

2007-04-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

What a show!! The opening was from 6 to 9 with a non-stop flow of visitors long after 9. People were very inspired and stayed, looking closely at my pieces and asking me questions. It was well worth the long drive and three day installation. I had the opportunity to speak at an art history class at the Design School of San Diego where my close friend Dina teaches. The students asked interesting and thoughtful questions. It was inspiring to share my stroy with them. And,... I sold one piece! to a local San Diego Art blogger, Yes!.

Buoy with propellers

2007-04-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

This buoy was used in another art piece that I made in Boston.

Striped Attire with Fears and Hope Inside

2007-03-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

Chela Fielding
Presents her work at the
ART Produce Gallery
April 14th to May 5th
3139 University Ave
San Diego, CA

Reception
Saturday April 14th 2007
6 to 9 pm

chelalu@mindspring.com
www.artproducegallery.com

Drawing of my sculpture

2007-03-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a drawing of one of my pieces. My show in San Diego is just around the corner. I can't wait. More information will be posted very soon!!!

Conversations With A Blue Buoy

2007-02-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

While walking Lucha out by the bay yesterday, I found a blue buoy washed up by the rocks. I had to bend down and reach deep into the cold salty water to retrieve it. I was thrilled with the find. I love buoys. I decided to do a series called conversations with a blue buoy. I feel that the buoy has had lots of adventures out at sea, and if it could talk.....and so begin the conversations.

Wind Catchers

2007-02-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

This was an old sail, a wind catcher. I cut it in two and sewed new seams. This is the second piece of a set of two piece windcatchers. The beginning of a series. I am fascinated by this material.

Old Tire Tubes

2007-02-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

I am working with old tire tubes once again. Layers and layers.

1944 Folsom Prison

2007-02-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

What is this?

2007-01-25T09:09:00.000-08:00

Wow,
Where did this thing come from? Alien?. I am trying to decide if I should add glossy red. Yikes, this might be one of those pieces that is just plain ugly. It use to be a wooden kitchen cabinet. I like the challenge, and there is something provocative. We shall see what happens in the next few days.

In my studio

2007-01-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

I am doing it. I am still constantly surprised and grateful to be actually working in my studio. I have a show scheduled for April, at the Art Produce Gallery in San Diego. My opening will be on Satuday April 14th. I will keep you informed. Currently, I am working on small sculptures made from scrap wood and drawings.

Andrew and Bruce

2007-01-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

That is Andrew. We installed these photographs of Bruce Nauman. Apparently these pictures have never been shown. There will be a big show of all his past works at the Berkeley Art Museum, opening January 17th.

knocking out sheet rock

2006-12-29T13:35:00.000-08:00

I knocked out some small wall sections in my studio, removed a storage loft, and a ceiling. The studio is now more open allowing more light to come in from the windows. It feels really different.

Stripe and Pink Giraffe

2006-12-28T22:42:00.000-08:00

I have about 64 of these bread boards. Lots to experiment with. Thinking about themes, series, and groupings.

Wool French Coat, Bread Boards, Suitcase, and Sewing Needles

2006-12-21T09:39:00.000-08:00

I am enjoying the bread boards immensely. Their surface, with scratches and remnants of flour are so beautiful to me. Each one very different. It is difficult to change the surface. Instead I am enjoying them as they are and using them in different installations. This one in particular reminds me so much of Joseph Beuys, and Christian Boltanski. It reminds me of lost identity and emptiness.

Found Bread Boards

2006-12-21T09:31:00.000-08:00

While out walking, I sometimes pass by Acme bread. I noticed beside their dumpster a beautiful pile of bread boards.
Yes!, I got my pick up truck and loaded the boards into my car. I talked to the bread baker and he said that the boards were splintering and they have changed the surface to metal. He was happy I was taking them.

Joan Brown with her horse

2006-12-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

I have been working at the Berkeley Museum.
I love this piece that Joan Brown did.
It's a rag cloth and string horse.
This photograph and this horse
strike an emotion in me.
They feel so familiar to me.
Today I took Monday off to work in my studio.
I had the choice to work and make money at the museum or paint for my friend. Instead I decided that I need to work in the studio. It is a constant challenge for me to understand that my art is my career, and I need to work very hard at it.

Sailing

2006-12-08T08:50:00.000-08:00

I am sailing a classic old wooden El Toro sail boat in the SF Bay just off the Berkeley Marina. I was so scared when I pushed off the dock but as soon as the wind caught my sail I sat back and relaxed. Last night, I begin working on my first art piece since my return from Nebraska, what a relief.

Basketball Series Continues

2006-12-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

I am reunited with my lovely dog Lucha. The basketball series continues. I will keep finding hoops and shooting balls.
This hoop is right outside my third street studio. I found the hoop on the street about 4 years ago. Goetz Constuction worker, Rico, drilled holes in the cement wall and helped install it.

Home

2006-11-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

I am home now. Its time to reflect on my experience and keep making work as I settle into this fascinating bay area landscape and city buzz.

Aimee, Shawn and I

2006-11-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

I am in Nevasda now, I will arrive in the Bay Area today. Wow. Transitions take place quickly. This was our very first residency, it couldn't have been a better match. Aimee is on her way to Vermont to another residency, and Shawn back to Seattle. I miss them dearly.

Good Bye Nebraska

2006-11-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

Today I leave. I am at a loss for words. The feelings I hold right now are deep, layered, sweet, exciting, and sad. I feel full. Transitions are fascinating. I am ready, and I love moving my energy. The hours on the open road ahead will be a great time to reflect upon this experience as I drive out of Nebraska along the Platte River, into Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and finally California, which is my home. I will miss the picture perfect barns, the prairie, the sunrise,the enormouse sky and starlite nights and all of the Nebraska smells, but I realize, they have found a place in my heart and it's deep, maybe as deep as the hole that I sat in. 3 feet and 3 inches in the earth of Nebraska.

Sitting in the hole

2006-11-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

The corn against my body felt cool, slippery, and tight. Any movement I made, the corn would tighten up against my body, filling every available gap. When I looked up at folks while they poured corn onto me, I was very thankful for their involvement. I was curious about how each person decided to pour corn; fast, slow, gently, lots or just a little quickly. Sometimes there was conversation, and sometimes there was just the audio in the background. I was comfortable, most of the time. The hardest moments were, when the weight of the corn around my chest got heavier as it rose closer to my neck, and each breath became more difficult.

There was not always a constant flow of people, I spent time alone too. I felt helpless, because I could not move, but relaxed. I enjoyed listening to all the interviews and sounds that I recorded. The wind blew and leafs would fall into the corn crib coming close to my head. The smell and coolness of the earth was pleasant. I closed my eyes. Other times I would rotate my head in all directions looking at how the sun light burst through the slats of wood.

Corn Crib Performance

2006-11-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

I dug hole in the center of the corn crib. I sat down in it. Audio speakers were installed on both sides of the crib with the recorded sound of farmers talking about farming, coyotes, corn cribs, technology, bins and silos. There was also recordings of corn being poured through the elevators out onto piles, the sound of huge combine machines in the fields, cows, poetry about farming the Nebraskan land, as well as a few of my own words about holes and corn. I sat in the hole for 45 minutes two times a day during the opening. While in the hole I would holler out to folks to grab a small bucket of corn on the outside, come in and help fill me up with corn to my neck while listening to the audio. Some folks were hestitant at first but everyone participated and eventually my hole was filled with corn to my neck.

Lying Down In Corn

2006-10-31T09:36:00.000-08:00

I will be getting ready to leave Nebraska this week, please notice the address change in my profile, and I would still love to hear from you via snail mail anytime.

Mark and Hannah First Ones In Silo Collar

2006-10-31T09:22:00.000-08:00

During the Art Farm Harvest Weekend, I had folks climb into the Silo that I painted bright colors. I took their portraits, and their e-mail addresses and will be sending them their picture. It was a lot of fun to see their heads pop up and out of the collar.

Raven, Ed, and I

2006-10-31T06:28:00.000-08:00

Ed and I sit outside my studio at the end of the Art Harvest weekend. It was a very busy, succesful and fun weekend. We think at least three hundred people showed up. A lot of folks came for the first time and learned about the Art Farm Harvest event through the local Grand Island Paper. A full page report appeared in the Sunday paper with pictures of Aimee, Shawn and me.

Colorful Collar

2006-10-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

She is finishing the last blue stripes on the silo top. During the opening, this weekend, she would like people to climb in, find the hole, poke their head out, and she will take their portraits.

Corn

2006-10-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

The bins are full in Marquette. When they are full they just put the corn out on the ground. Oh, she tried so hard not to climb to the top and dig holes and roll around in it. Instead she just kneeled down, touched it and put a few kernels in her pocket before walking away.

Mel Russel's Court

2006-10-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is where she met Mel Russel and his sweet dog, Lucky. She saw the basketball rim and could not resist just driving onto the private property and shooting a few. He came out of the house laughing at her, wondering why a woman would come to shoot hoop at his basket and photograph herself. They had such a wonderful conversation. He told her he has spent his whole life here in Marquette farming. She loved asking him questions about the corn, coyotes and tornadoes but in the end it was basketball and dogs that they liked talking about best.

Hoop in Marquette, Nebraska

2006-10-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Hoop Beside The Railroad Yard, Aurora

2006-10-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

This is a special spot. While you shoot hoop you can watch the long trains filled with coal go by.

Soybeans

2006-10-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

She stopped on her way back from swimming at the YMCA to climb up and speak with this man in charge of the lever that opens and closes the hatch for the flow of soybeans that fall into the trucks parked beneath. The soybeans in this bin were just sold to another distributer down the road. The harvest of soybeans and corn is like a cash. It is transferred between different bins. The bigger bins buy from the little bins, and when the economy is good and there is a high demand, the grain is sold locally for ethanol and feed for cows or shipped out of the country as feed for people. The bins allow you to have control of the market. The bigger the bin the more powerful you are.

3 feet 3 inches

2006-10-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

She decided to dig a hole in the center, inside the corn cob building. She wants to stand inside the hole so that just her head will be sticking out. She is 5'11. She has over 2 feet of dirt left to dig out of the hole.

2006 Art Harvest

2006-10-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Corn Crib Cleared Out

2006-10-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

Thats Ed, the director of ArtFarm on the tractor. The tractor fits perfectly. The building was built around 1905, and is a corn crib, used to store and dry corn. Corn Cribs were first used by Native Americans. The space in the middle is built with the exact dimensions for the tractor to fit in and to promote airflow. The space is now ready for her to work in.

Installation Space

2006-10-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

She was wandering around the farm, and this building reached out to her, giving inspiration. The smell, the light shining through the holes in the roof, and especially, the length, height and width of the space seemed to resonate in her heart and with her own height and body. It is one of the original buildings on the property. Corn was stored up in the rafters on both sides of the building over sixty years ago. She chose the middle of the building to clean out and use as an installation space.

Drawing

2006-10-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

It was twenty degrees last night. She had to stop drawing because her hands were suddenly numb. She was thinking about coyotes, they were close by last night, with high pitch howls, maybe three of them together, crying out into the night. Objects are starting to come out of her drawing. Most of her pieces evolve in this way.

Railroad Wk #1

2006-10-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Harvest

2006-10-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

All of the fields around Art Farm are being harvested. There seems now to be even more sky, and a feeling of being exposed around Art Farm. I am sitting in a soybean field recently harvested.

Hitchhikin

2006-10-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

Look at us!!! After eating at Wendys, the only thing open in Central City, it was time to go back to Art Farm. The temperature dropped dramatically, it was cold, and we were ready for a nice ride home. We hitched for a few minutes before a cop drove up and said it was illegal to hitchhike in the state of Nebraska. We walked back to the corner gas station, stood around, asked a few folks filling up if they were heading south. No luck, decided to try again out on the road, and sure enough, a white Cadillac pulls up and it's Ken, a man I had met in the post office in Marquette, just the other day. He drove us directly back to Art Farm. Yee haw.

Central City

2006-10-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

Five hours later we walk into Central City. We are tired and hungry. And proceed to look for a place to eat in the small town.

No Tracks

2006-10-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

The tracks are not there. Beautiful piles of rusty metal scrap appear every few miles. All of the rails have been pulled out, leaving us an easy path to walk on. Aimee throws rocks at the metal, creating different acoustic sounds. The sounds were so unique and made me laugh.

Walk To Central City

2006-10-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Aimee, Shawn and I set out on a walk to Central City via rail road tracks. It takes 12 miles to get there.

Road Work #4

2006-10-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

Horse Ramp

2006-10-07T08:43:00.000-07:00

I have not shown you much of what I have been making, but this little tailless horse appeared the other day to walk on the 15 foot ramp I built with old barn lath.

Studio

2006-10-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

I have two studios. One, I use to sand, cut, and assemble my wood and messy projects. It feels cool, emiting the colors of blues and greys, with the neon lights and cement floor. In the other one, I draw, read, write, and paint in. It feels warm, glowing with the color yellow with its wooden floors and regular lights. Amazing how you can really feel the difference betwen cement and wood spaces.

Marquette, Nebraska

2006-10-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

This small town is the closest town to me. It is walking distance from Artfarm, a long walk. There is a post office, and a fire department, residential buildings, railroad tracks, basketball hoops, abandoned lots, lots for sale and a grain factory. I'll tell you more as I will attempt some walking field trips there in the next few days, with of course, my baskteball. My sense of the place when driving through it, lonely.

Marquette Water Tower

2006-10-02T19:27:00.000-07:00

Farm Chores

2006-10-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

Racooned proofed, and sheet rocked attic section. From doing this project I got a lot of ideas for using lath in my art projects. In order to put this up I had to climb behind it, to install, and only leave a small opening for me to escape, I did not panic.