WEB OF RECIPROCITY

In the book  GATHERING MOSS,  author Robin Wall Kimmerer questions, "In the web of reciprocity, what is our special gift, our responsibility that we offer..."?

creating bundles from the apple root stock and other natural objects from the farm

ETC.

LALENA DOLBY

CLIMATE/CULTURE/CROSSROAD, visit to the Dolby farm/ nursery

copenhaven farms

 Christopher Dolby at work loading apple root stock onto his truck for shipment. this is the harvest period. I was guest to the Dolby family to observe, document and learn from them in my quest to understand how the human connection to the land is central to the restoration of the health of the earth. it was rich and humbling to see what one family can do working as a team.

the last of the Pink Ladies for the season

the root stock is sized and bundled. i find it extremely beautiful. the scent is earth and apple mixed

One of the long time employees of the farm, she is sorting by size and type

During my residency i wanted to observe those who plant, grow & harvest and who understand the language of reciprocity between humans and the natural world.

The Dolby's have managed to maintain & cultivate a deeply rooted sense of the land and it's seasons

The farm is located in Oregon's fertile Tualatin Valley

I brought  some of the root stock from the burn pile back to Sitka to my studio. I plan to bundle, paint, glue, stitch etc. it and insert it in niches in my paintings and to draw with.

I believe that small, local, family operated farms are part of the solution to our broken world.

As a visual artist I hope to communicate the stories of the farm in a way that can not be touched by the written word.

The raw beauty, color & texture of the landscape, mixed with the farming practice

combined with my desire to honor the courage of this family

and their persistent dedication to their vision of working this land

that drives my interest in this subject of reciprocity between humans and the earth

apple root stock in a bed of sawdust, what color & texture. art that is alive and breathing

I love the undulations created by the rows, beautiful in a different way in each season

I believe that we are at the crossroads as a species.  It is my hope to cast some light into a very dark place that our overuse of the earth has caused.  the title of my residence proposal was: CLIMATE/CULTURE/ CROSSROAD

In preparing for this residency I read the book, Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram, which emphasizes the necessity for humans to regain their connection to the natural world for survival.

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Marilyn Dolby is a warm heart. I suspect she  holds it all together. She is smart and strong. I had the delight to have her as a student in one of my painting classes. here she is with her painting which has inspired me to work with the root stock.

I had the fun to stay in the cabin with my close friend of many years, Lalena Dolby, this is some of her art work in her room at the cabin. she and her sister continue to work the farm with Marilyn & Christopher

Christopher is tough and tenacious and humorous. THANK YOU TO THE DOLBY FAMILY

yesterday's hike/kayak

When i returned yesterday from my kayak across the estuary, look who was in the front yard to greet me. aren't they magnificent I love especially the heart shaped rump! they paid  no attention once they looked over their shoulders at me so i just passed

CATCHING UP

while in Portland Rebecca Welti & I visited Tom at Egg Press which recently moved to this cool building

This is the entrance, I want that door!

Tom showing Rebecca how this old press works

I found this panoramic view option on my camera. the Salmon River estuary and spit, yesterday, full sun, i was barefoot!

another panoramic, the estuary, to the left is 3 rocks and the mouth of the river, turbulent, seals forage here.
Cascade Head juts straight up

I am working in the Boyden studio on some River Teeth pieces. the "tooth" is bundled, painted, waxed and inserted in a recessed niche. there are two on the wall behind me in various stages of finish. on the left is the piece already on the blog, RIVERAIN SPIRITS, 30" x 30" x 3", to the right is RIVER TOOTH ONE, 36" x 36" x 3". the great news is that Ted and Judith Schlichting of ROWBOAT Gallery have invited me to exhibit with Tom and Fred as a family this June 2012, featuring my work from the residency. we are talking about Sitka co-sponsoring the event. (tentative at this point) this is very exciting.

THANKSGIVING weekend

a borrowed studio cat, cozy by the fire

we set the table in the Boyden studio for the day

We spent friday in the Lincoln City tidal pools, one of Tom's favorite activities

The we went to the clam flats but the tide was still too high

Tom & Daw dug anyway but had to come back later after dark with head lamps.. afer the tide went out

They gathered plenty for our dinner of clams, garlic & pasta

on the beach we read palms

full sun, cold, we shop

I brought some of my work up to the house to hang. it sure looks good on the white walls

TRILLIUM is our preferred whole food store in Lincoln, Susan D'Amato & Diane Cook confer over herbs

this is NOT us. i wish!... i want to ride a horse on the beach

My winged friends

the small paintings on a white wall, zingo with Thanksgiving flowers