Continuum

river

My original plan for Destiny, the book arts show that opens tomorrow night at Arts on Atlantic here in Calgary, was to enter horizon (photos).

But like most well-laid plans, this one went slightly awry: The Universe Beyond came along, for which I needed two exhibition-quality books, and horizon joined spirit river in that show. So what to create for Destiny?

A recent Sunday walk down to the Bow River provided the inspiration (and the back cover), and another photograph, taken on a spring fishing trip, became the front cover for river. Because it's a movable structure, it doesn't "read" like a regular book: have a look at the video to see how it works!

And with this opening, I will have three shows running concurrently: life has gone from being a gentle float in a rubber dinghy to Grade 4 water in a skirted kayak. And that's not a bad thing.



On another note, it's October here: a time when weather can go from summer's heat to winter's cold at the drop of a jetstream. Last weekend was dull, cold, and mostly lifeless, with the exception of these wonderful paper-like lantern plants injecting a welcome splash of orange in a monotone landscape.



I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's opening and, especially, heading to Vancouver next week for the Alcuin Society's Wayzgoose. It's a chance to see what others are doing, chat a bit, and see some green grass. Lots of pictures from the new camera, I'm sure, when we return.

Stylin' and profilin'

I was able to get fall fashion installed in Fish Creek Provincial Park last Friday, another warm, perfect fall day here in Calgary.

Although I wasn't able to get into the Lake Sikome area (the gate was locked) to install it on the tree for which it was originally constructed, it is -- and I am -- flexible enough to find other spots to show it off to best advantage.

In the top picture, we're in the parking lot near Bow Valley Ranche, where I found the right combination of tree size and shape, angle to the sun, suitable background, and, perhaps most important, accessibility.

That being said, my assistant-for-the-day, Jamie Gray (organizer of Art in the Park), needed to pull her car up onto a nearby curb and climb onto her bumper to make sure it was installed straight (thanks again, Jamie!).



One thing about knitting with 15 mm needles is that the work goes quickly: I spent as much time on the actual knitting as I did in the spinning and dyeing of the alpaca/Cotswold combined. The texture of the different yarns (two fine strands of two-ply mill-spun llama were added to the handspun) added some minor textural and colour interest, especially against the tree bark and lichen.

My interview on CJSW's Artslink show on Tuesday, where I talked about this project, the solo show down at EPCOR Centre, and my current adventures (the next book and experimental short film) went well: I'm still more comfortable as the interviewer versus interviewee, but put a set of headphones on me and stick me in front of a microphone, and I'm back in my element.

Enough of being "the artist" for today, however: I've got some deadlines ahead (proposals and the next book), a surprise visit from one of my favourite cousins, and a photographic adventure to prepare for.

Back to the bench!