The Project Continues

Someone came past and commented they liked my style of management.

Stephen and Nelson getting ready to put the Masonite on the plywood base. The Masonite was donated by DEC Panels. Nelson worked with a great contact Tim Boerst.

Putting on the Masonite.

The airport provided concrete blocks and sandbags to weigh down the Masonite. This dries for a few hours while we go into Jackson and look at some of the great art galleries and for Michael, a few slices of Great Harvest Bread.

We're There

Our son's Stephen and Michael came to Jackson to help with the install. Boy was I grateful they were there. Nelson considered just having the two of us, that would have been a BIG mistake! Even with all the test runs and trials we still had a few surprises in store for us as the installation progressed. Stephen owns his own company www.millcreekremodels.com in Salt Lake City and scheduled time off work to come and help. He is a master with his tools and is an incredible problem solver. Michael produces documentaries but he loves hard physical labor and being with the family. Truly we could not have done it without them. Here's Stephen walking into the airport.

Nelson and Michael unloading the truck. What took hours and hours to prepare to load and load only took a few minutes to unload. Isn't that so typical?

Ahh... slave labor.

Protection for the floor in front of where the mural will be hung. We built the frame right there on the floor of the airport. Everyone was very accommodating and I loved people stopping to visit and view the work.
Building the framework that will hold first, a layer of plywood then non-acidic Masonite.

A Trip to Jackson Hole

The truck getting ready to leave for installing the mural in the new Jackson Hole Airport. The new airport is a jewel, a great marriage of rustic and high tech. The architect Brent Mather did a fabulous job designing inside and out.
It took Nelson hours to prepare each piece of the of the framing system. Everything had to be wrapped in waterproof material and a system needed to be developed to load each piece on the back of a truck bed that wasn't long enough.

Several of the frame pieces came through the small back window of the truck and through to the front seat.

Everything was wrapped in tarps after the truck was loaded and bungee cords were used to make sure everything was tied down and wouldn't shift. The weather was great and the trip down was uneventful if you don't consider the incredible beauty of Montana and the Big Sky Country. We love driving, and seeing the beauty of the country that we feel so grateful to live in. It is truly art that inspires.

Something Fun Comes to Light

So the Star Wars people wanted to put together a book of one hundred artist depicting Star Wars in their own genre'. Nelson was ask to participate. The book was released last week. This is the cover of the book. I really like this painting by Masey. It is a wonderful piece.

Here is a friend modeling for "Maverick Bounty Hunter". It's was dull dreary weather with no chance for any outside shooting so we set up the lighting in the studio and put him up on Nelson's painting table (a good angle for photographing.). It was pretty precarious for him because he really is lunging foward with quite a bit of speed.

Here is the finished product. I wish you could see the detail. The metal shin guards are my favorite. George Lucas was first attracted to the shining light saber in Maverick's right hand. So how does a bounty hunter get hold of a light saber was the question Nelson ask George Lucas. The answer, "He's killed a Jedi."

test

Can't seem to load anything so we are testing

He's been busy but I haven't blogged

This is a mock-up of the fish arch . Nelson has decided to add a few more of the silver fish to the pattern, they read better. He is also grinding stipes and design into the fish with color. It is really going to be a great project. The footings aren't in yet so it looks like the project won't go up until Spring, we were hoping it would be in before Christmas. The night back lighting will be really nice and would have been fun through the cold winter months here in the north country.

Nelson is also working on some nice commission work with his watercolors. We are doing some photo shoots this week with the nice weather in preparation for those.

FISH

The first cut fish for the Sandpoint Arch were done today. Nelson picked up the first 30 of over 90 this morning. I had him lay down to give you some idea of scale.

Here is one close up.

The red stop sign fish have great color.

Nelson has put some proposals together for other fun public art projects. I'll keep you posted if he is chosen for the commissions.

Summer

Last week Nelson was able to take a trip with his brother Hugo, brother-in-law Joe and a couple of Joe's children. This is one way Nelson cleans his soul and also is able to get more material for his paintings.

God is the real artist.

Nelson and his brother Hugo.

Nelson is working on the arch project and loves having the grandchildren in his studio. He is putting together a mock-up and the children are helping him color the fish. Basically he is deciding what species of trout, size,color and position on the arch. I am always amazed at how much work he is able to accomplish with grandchildren swarming about.

The Arch

The arch completion date has been moved forward to this fall so it will be a busy summer in the studio. The highway department is donating road signs that have been damaged and the fish will be cut from those. The colors on the signs add a great dimension to the fish. The footings will be poured in the next few weeks and the fabricator will start cutting out the fish as soon as the specifiactions are completed. It really is a great project. The span has also been lengthed from 32' to 41'.

In spite of a really full work schedule between the painting demand and the arch, Nelson left this afternoon for a a photography/fishing trip to the Wind Rivers of Wyoming. He will bring home some great stories and hopefully some good subject for painting this winter. Unfortunately children grow up and have lives of their own so this is the first year that none of our sons is going with their dad, but the company is still good with Nelson's brother Hugo and brother-in-law Joe who just came back from a two year stint in Guam.

Art lessons start in the studio next week with the grandchildren, that adds a whole new dimension to work.

New project

A few months ago the town of Sandpoint ask for artist to submit sketches for an arch that would span one of the streets leading down to the Sand Creek. We have lived in Sandpoint for almost twenty years and have loved this community. It has been a really wonderful place to raise our family. Not only did the project sound like a nice challenge that uses both Nelson's artist and architectural knowledge; but its always nice to think that you might leave a little piece of yourself in your community . Last night Nelson got a call telling him that he had been given the commission. We are both really excited, so are our children.

The project will go in next spring. The whole thing is being put together with recycled donations. All the contracted work will be local. Thanks Sandpoint!