Happy to say that there’s been a good 4 feet of snow this winter. I hope it keeps on coming because it’s been at least a couple weeks since we had a decent fall. For those of you who already know me, you’ll know that snowflakes are part of my creation process during the winter months and without them, my art comes to a standstill.
Gold Dew by Roland E. Derksen
Sometimes you come across the just the person you need to. Let me back track a little. Like most of us, I can take a reasonable photograph. I can get even luckier by rattling off hundreds of photos to increase my odds of getting a real gem. The challenging part for me though is taking proper, square, studio photos of my work. For starters, the reflective nature of metal s makes it highly challenging to light and photograph. Secondly, there is a certain quality about the rust that makes it either very flat or burn like fire depending on the lighting conditions. Enter Roland.
This Spring has been exciting for me. For one, I’ve been exploring many new techniques which continue to result in works unlike anything I’ve ever created. For a couple years I have been exploring corroding steel in many different ways and along the way have encountered some expected, and some unexpected challenges.
From a technical point of view, this Spring has been exceptional. I’ve made some breakthroughs and you can see some of these pieces in the May and June sections of my gallery .
Escaping the snow for a day down in the valley.
Man, it’s almost May and It’s still freakin’ snowing. I love the stuff but honestly, I’m done for the year. Many a long-time local assures me this is an exceptionally long winter and it’ll all be over soon.
Today I decide to rug up and head lower in the valley where it’s a little warmer and the snow doesn’t get a chance to stick. One of my favorite spots to walk is along the train tracks. I notice that the wooden beams used to lay the track on are treated with what seems to be some kind of stinky oil. I guess it protects the wood from the relentless beating the trains and Nature gives it.
Snow melting on steel panels in the Winter of 2008.
The snow is slowly melting away for another year. As much as I love to see the snow arrive, it’s exciting to see it go as well. Over two feet ended up accumulating on these panels, and as it melts I get an insight into the kinds of images which been transferred and left behind. There is a layer of organic matter compressed between the snow and the steel. This organic matter ends up corroding an abstract imprint of itself onto the steel as rust.
This Winter I’m stoked. There is lots of snow in my life. It’s my first winter out here in the Kootenays and there’s about four feet of the white stuff in our yard so far. I can’t totally pin it, but there’s something about having your neighborhood covered in a layer of white powder that is still a mildly surreal experience for me.
I love working with the snow. Boarding on is the best fun you can have with your clothes on and I actually enjoy shoveling the stuff. For real, it’s a good work out.
And of course, Karen and I love ruggin’ up and walking around in the stuff.
Getting ready for a good winter stroll.
Some artists use paints and brushes on canvas. Others use chisels on stone. What turns my crank is weather and in particular snow and rain. Now, my understanding of snow is quite basic. I’ve been taught and told:
I’m not certain about the first two but I’m almost a hundred percent on that last one. Arg, hold up, I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let me back up a bit.
It all started a couple of weeks ago. Karen and I were riding the chairlift at a local ski hill. It was an overcast day and little snow was falling. As we were chatting I looked over at her and on the lens of her goggles, a snowflake had landed perfectly flat and intact. What I saw was simply beautiful. The detail and shape of this thing had me marveling until we got home that night.
So with snowflake fever I do what most people do these days when they want to learn more about something. I boogie over to Google and see what I can turn up.
What I discovered along the way was a website by Kenneth G. Libbrecht, dedicated to the humble snow flake which featured some killer photography. The images are featured in three different photo galleries and the site contains along with tons of other neat information. From the highly geeky “how to make your own” to snow activities with kids. Awesome site and I highly recommend checkin’ it out.
Snowflake photos from the very cool SnowCrystals.com.
- Henry David Thoreau, 1856
Another winter on the way and my first in the Kootenays. I’m told it’s quite mild as far as Canadian winters go and I’m quite excited because the area I’m in apparently gets a lot of snow. So far, I’ve already experienced winters of minus forty degrees (which is about where Celsius and Fahrenheit meet) during my three years in Canmore, Alberta so this should be cake in comparison.
Still, I needed to stock up on some fuel for our wood stove in order to keep warm in the coming months. My most excellent neighbors were more than happy to help. They showed me the ways of my new Stihl chainsaw, how to pick the right “standing dead wood” tree and to how to fall and buck the wood into appropriate lengths.
Most importantly (because getting firewood is heavy work) to make sure to select a tree uphill from the road in order to throw or roll the wood down to the awaiting truck … opposed to carrying it all up to the truck.
All priceless knowledge for a firewood noob like me.
I had a blast getting out there and learning all this stuff. So guys, thanks for your wisdom and help, I’ll be thinking of you when the snow comes and I’m keeping nice and cozy inside.
A truck full of warmth … loaded up and ready to go home.
Head full of safety gear.
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.
Danno is a British Columbia based artist primarily working with rust on steel. His works are created with snow, rain, metal and anything else he can get his hands on. He describes himself as chronically curious about everything. He loves guitars and sucks at playing them.
