Snow Wild: An Art Exhibit of Wilderness and Imagination

Snow Wild: An Art Exhibit of Wilderness and Imagination

5-9 PM on 12.6.13 @ TBD Advertising (1000 NW Wall St #201 - above Patagonia)

When Matt Ebbing, Art Director at TBD Advertising, pinged me via email to see if I had any mobiles that would play well in his upcoming First Friday Artwalk show here in Bend, my first thought was, "Uh, er, um, not really."

See, Matt conceived the show, Snow Wild, to "instigate a dialogue within our community about the intangible, inspiring ethos of raw wilderness as it collides with creativity and imagination."

Maybe it's just me, but painted metal mobiles don't scream "raw wilderness." And, I actually try my best to keep my mobiles from colliding with anything.

But, I was taken with the spirit behind the show (especially since my thesis in grad school explored the place of nature and the nature of place), so I told him I'd see what I could do. 

Having recently cut a few limbs from a dead tree in my yard, I decided to see if within its rings any promise was to be held. 

After producing (and inhaling) way too much sawdust (note to self: remember to close the windows of your car next time you turn your shop into a sawmill), and LOTS of trial and error, and maybe a little cursing here and there, I created four wood mobile spinners. 

 

I have to say it was very cool to have to approach something I take for granted - the way my typical mobile-making materials and construction techniques work - in a different way to end up with a workable solution.

 

If you're around, you can check out my "forest for the" and the works of seven other super cool local artists at First Friday on 12/6 (or any time throughout the month of December). 

Thanks to Matt for reaching out, being such a cool cat (yes, I did just say that), and for inspiring me to see the "natural" world around me in new and creative ways. Much obliged and appreciative.