Chasing sunsets

Originally published July 30, 2017

I've been studying up in order to catch tonight's sunset. I learned that tonight in Minneapolis, it will set at 8:41pm at 297 degrees Northwest. 

I know of this hidden little 'bench' off of the beaten path in one of the parks where I hike frequently. It's actually just a couple of logs put together on the side of a deer trail. But, it sits on a ridge that overlooks the northwest, so I'm going to go sit and watch the sun go down. Sounds relaxing, right? 

Post hike: Well, it turns out that this bench will make a great spot to catch a winter sunset, not a sunset in July. It faces too far south and is much more overgrown than it was earlier this spring the last time I visited. So, unfortunately, I missed the best part of tonight's sky. At least I caught a sweet look at the moon, though. 

I started a log to record the direction of potential viewing spots so that I'll know what times of the year will be ideal to watch the start or end of the day.

You never know what you'll get in April

Originally published April 11, 2017

One of the first specific memories I have of being aware of the nuances of weather was one Easter Sunday when I was maybe 5 years old or so. My mom and grandma and I went to the Como Conservatory, and I was all dressed up in my pink Easter dress with matching pink bow in my hair.

On this single day, I remember seeing almost every form of weather - it rained, it snowed, was windy, then sunny... maybe even a rainbow thrown in for good measure. When I think of April in Minnesota, this is what I think of. 

You never know what you'll get. And, you might even get it all in one day.

Untitled Weather - No. 7, 2017, acrylic on canvas, 24" x 24"

It was experiences like this day, along with our everyday interaction with weather that inspired the Free Time paintings. Weather is a powerful form of our planetary system that makes us realize that we are intrinsically connected with this world. Cycles of water and atmosphere that nourish us and the land can also damage us as well. 

I'm fascinated by weather and look forward to observing it intently, not just in April. 

Art and Weather

Originally published December 10, 2016

Happy to be spending this beautiful, snowy day in the studio prepping work for my show at Artistry that opens next month. This work has surprised me a bit, and it is all about weather. This show, FREE TIME, was initially about a desire to spend substantial chunks of my time outside of work and the studio out in nature. But I came to discover during these hikes that the way I relate to the land around me is inseparably tied to the weather - what the sky is doing, as well as the larger anxiety over our changing environment.