This is my first summer out here in the Kootenays and I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. I have been working very hard at my day job so I don’t get anywhere near as much time to create and be out doors. Whenever I can, I like to spend time in my yard and walking local trails. I’ve bought some books, umm, field guides I guess is more accurate to take with me. That way I can start to identify what that nice chirping or awful screeching sound is, or know if it’s safe to nibble on that wild berry or shroom.

Working on a hot summer day in the shade is fantastic. Since I work with power tools a fair bit, I’m thinking I might invest in those new fangled ear muffs that have headphones in them so I can pipe tunes into my brainspace while I’m working. I’m a student of the guitar and music is a huge influence on my work so I like to surround myself with it wherever I can.

Finishing up the back of a piece on a hot summer day.

As my girlfriend would say, “holy doodle!”. It’s been a interesting and blazing fast few months. I feel like I blinked and we’re almost in May. In that time I’ve moved house, started a great new web development business, took a trip to Washington DC, met some cool people and helped some along the way at Grassroots.org and Sustainable San Mateo County. On the art front, I have some panels almost ready to reveal and I’m looking forward to spending some time finishing them up as the sun starts coming out. Special thanks to Jeromy Darling for pointing out that my gallery was broken.

I love the view from the deck of our new little house. We’re now in the Kootenays about 20 minutes drive from Nelson. The area we live in is off the beaten path and an inspiration to me in so many ways.

View from my new back yard.

Photos of preparation, setup and site selection for a series of works created in the rains and snows of Fall 2006 and 2007 in Naramata, BC.

All I can say is, it was worth a shot. The result of my Calm and Chaos series are in and they are dismal. Of a total ten panels placed in various sites around Naramata (streams, orchards, vineyards, foothills) a grand total of two turned out art worthy.

Steel panel in Naramata apple orchard.

Here’s the final score. Out of ten panels:

• Six got wind swept. The fall and winter winds kept blowing any matter off the panels. And without those leaves and twigs etc. there is no subject to corrode into the steel.
• Three managed to collect enough matter. One turned out a total glob with no real compositional merit, the other two I like and will finish and present.
• One vanished.

Steel panel sited in Naramata vineyard.

Ah … excuse the delay folks. Life has had some interesting twists and turns lately on both the personal and professional fronts. For those of you keeping a track of my work, don’t worry. The lack of updates to this blog by no means reflects any slow down in the production of art. This time around my muse is Mother Nature and attempting to capture some of her seasonal transition as rust on metal. I’ve got my steel all prepared and ready to go.

Steel panels, prepped and ready to be sited.

It’s back to nature I alway seem to go when it’s time to wind down, relax and really ground myself. Even though I seek calm within nature, it’s humbling to observe her in a constant state of seemingly chaotic flux. A chaos born of systems that are in an never ending process of trying to attain balance with each other. It’s this theme of Calm & Chaos which serves as the inspiration for my Fall series.

Local creek in Naramata chosen as site for this panel.

I’m placing a series of ten steel panels in total. These will be placed in areas where there is a good chance of leaves and other organic matter collecting on them. So far I’ve chosen sites near the local creek, the foothills of North Naramata overlooking the lake and a couple of local vineyards and orchards. After selecting sites and placing the panels we’ll have to wait and see what chaos serves up.

This is me using my hover super power.

So summer is almost gone for another year. It always makes me a little low transitioning from summer to fall and saying that slow goodbye to warm winds and water. But there are some things I look forward to in fall. More rain for starters which is key in corroding the metal panels I have placed around the town and foothills and mountains this year.

Continue reading…

For an artist who uses weather as a co-creator I’ve been hoping for rain. I’m happy to say that my little town has been graced with frequent thunderstorms in the last few days. Although I like the sun as much as the next person, I love having the rain come and giving the landscape and my steel a refreshing drink.

“Dust & Denim” - Weathered and rusted steel - 25″ x 35″. By Danno, 2006.

View slideshow of this piece…

This piece is finally finished after corroding the spring rains of 2006. For awhile it was overcast and no rain was falling. Then mother nature came through and brought frequent showers which fell on Dust & Denim, my tribute to those of us with the tenacity to learn such a challenging instrument.

Continue reading…