An Artist’s Reflections
Hiking the Pajelanta Trail, Sweden: Day 4
Day 4, August 7, 15 km I take off early and walk by the Låddejåhkå huts before the trail goes uphill passing a reindeer enclosure and a number of storage buildings. At the pass it starts raining and I pull out my rain gear and talk to a fellow hiker brewing coffee...
Padjelanta Trail, Sweden: Day 3
Day 3, August 6, 20 km I wake up to sunshine and a clear sky. The morning is easy. I follow the river I camped by last night surrounded by mountains, pick Cloudberries on the wetlands, and take a two-hour lunch break on an island. I continue uphill for the next 8...
Padjelanta Trail, Sweden: Day 2
Day 2, August 5, 15 km The next day is cloudy and I have breakfast, break camp and set off around 8:30. A couple of hours later I run into Markus and Hans from Switzerland. They are making coffee enjoying the view of the vast valley below and I join them for a break....
Hiking the Padjelanta Trail, Sweden: Day 1
Hiking; I put one foot in front of the other, embraced by nature, hour after hour, day after day. I step in to the present moment, living with the trinity of my physical body, the landscape and the weather. It is solace for my soul. In August of 2023 I took the night...
Big Mama
The sculpture Big Mama is inspired by Pachamama, the South American indigenous deity and earth mother. Big Mama is connected to earth by root-like hair falling down her back. She is a stable, sturdy, mature woman and her lap is big enough for an adult to sit in. Big...
The making of Appleachia
In mid-January 2021, my hiking-friend Annette, asked me to make a sculpture out of a branch she had saved. It came from a beloved, fallen Apple tree, on her property. I hesitated, unfamiliar with Apple-wood, and out of practice in wood-carving. Curious and always...
My Studio
I have worked in many studios over the years; our kitchen, a neighbor's garden shed, my mom’s wood shed, our Airbnb apartment, the City’s local Art center, my friend’s foundry, and currently in a greenhouse attached to our home. The greenhouse, a narrow, rectangular...
The River
I live in a brick house built in the mid 1800’s in Virginia. It is a lovely property situated on the Rivanna River. In the winter the first thing I see when I get up is the waterway winding its way downstream. The view is different every day. This morning the water...
Winter Solstice
The light has returned in a quiet midwinter way. A week ago, December 21, the winter Solstice came and went without fanfare. The sun quietly crossed the celestial equator and entered the Northern Hemisphere, bringing longer days. The Solstice is worth celebrating....
Wegmans
I decided to go grocery shopping this morning. I completed my shopping list and drove to Wegmans, my new favorite shopping experience. I entered, worried about getting lost, my friends had issued warnings like:”overwhelmed” and “loosing track”. Entering Wegmans is...