Posted in art and environment, creativity, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, recycled art, unusual collection, watershed, tagged collection, found objects, hand painted sign, hex, river art on May 22, 2009| 1 Comment »
Just posted another in a series of river collections I have made at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. This series can be seen in my Pages section. The image above is a detail from one of the found signs. What man created, nature altered. There is a very contemporary feel to these lucky finds.
Posted in Art, art and environment, creativity, Falls of the Ohio, Green, nature, public art, recycled art, sculpture, tagged Crestwood Kentucky, invitational exhibit, limestone, scarecrow, sculpture, Yew Dell Gardens on May 21, 2009| 2 Comments »
Delivered my piece today for Yew Dell Gardens 2nd Annual “Sculpture in the Dell” invitational. I was honored to be asked even though my work doesn’t fit the standard of what garden art generally looks like. I asked if there was a garden on the grounds that could use a scarecrow and as it happens…a new kitchen garden was being installed. I recycled an earlier spring project and turned it into this work the “Falls of the Ohio Scarecrow”. I changed the arms and added a few new elements. Should be fun to watch as this work grows with the garden over the next two months. The show’s dates are May 30 – August 2, 2009.
Yew Dell Gardens is in Crestwood, KY and originally was a private home, garden, and arboretum of the late nurseryman Theodore Klein. The 33-acre garden has been restored and is now a not for profit organization. There are many wonderful structures on the property and the best known is the Stone Castle, originally conceived as a pool house. It’s a marvel of fieldstone construction. You can learn more about Yew Dell by visiting their website: www.yewdellgarden.org
Here’s a nice work by my friend Don Lawler on Yew Dells’ property. This giant hand is carved from a block of limestone and commands the setting it is in. This sculpture was a part of last year’s show.
Here’s sculptor Matt Weir installing his work for the show. He is one of many friends participating in this outdoor exhibition. I will post more from Yew Dell Gardens during the run of the invitational.
Posted in art and environment, birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged beaver, duck eggs, La Belle Riviere, missionary, relational art on May 20, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Had a few hours to play around and so I constructed this small figure fairly quickly. It’s just a reminder that among the first Europeans to venture down the Ohio River were French missionaries who called these waters La Belle Riviere…..the Beautiful River. This piece is constructed from Styrofoam, sticks, acorns, plastic, and what appears to be a rubber-like material (neoprene?)…that’s the material that makes up the robe.
I was walking by a hollow log and a female mallard duck burst out and scared the “heck” out of me! I wondered what this duck was doing a few hunderd yards away from the water and when I poked my head inside I found her nest with eggs. I took this quick photo and retreated. I think we both gave each other a good fright!
Even with the incissors gone, I identified this as a beaver skull. It’s a fairly heavy and dense assemblage of bone. The rest of the skeleton is nearby, but it still has some decomposing to do. I photographed a beaver sitting on its tail during high waters last year. I think of this animal as being one of my collaboraters because I love to use beaver-chewed willow sticks in my art. As they nibble the bark off, their teeth leave marks in the wood that add a subtle pattern. The beaver are making enough of a comeback here that in places they are considered a nuisance.
Here’s the beaver photo from last year. He was drying his fur on the bank when he heard my camera and dashed for the water. Sitting on its tail, it seems almost contemplative. I like that the French word for river and reverie sound similar. Here’s one last image of “Black Robe”.
Posted in Art, art and environment, birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged Audubon, fowl, ornithology, warbler, wishing well on May 19, 2009| 2 Comments »
Ornithological history was made today as the first photographic images of the rare and elusive Falls Brush Fowl were made public. Seldom seen and rarely heard this bird was photographed by the park’s unofficial artist in residence. The Falls of the Ohio is the same area where the legendary John James Audubon began his drawings for his monumental undertaking, “The Birds of America”. Audubon, however, never recorded seeing this bird.
The specimen appears to be a male in full courtship display. This bird was not particularly wary as it strutted it’s stuff on several prominant logs and branches often in bright sunlight. The Falls Brush Fowl is known for the fan it creates from its tail feathers, much in the manner of grouse. Dancing gingerly it trills its song into the deep underbrush, while its head is framed by a ring of pink feathers. The exact numbers of this bird are unknown.
No response was noted from the male Falls Brush Fowl’s display. As reclusive as the males are…the females are even more difficult to approach. Nothing is known abouts its nest, eggs, clutch size, incubation period and chicks have never been seen. Speculation exists that the eggs may be deposited in a hole covered with rotting vegetation. The heat generated from the decay of leaf matter incubates the eggs, but this has never been proven. The bird is more myth than fact and the photos are welcomed by the scientific community and the general bird-loving public.
Other birds noted in the area this day include: the Chestnut-sided Warbler seen in the above photo. Small groups of mixed species traveled and fed together among the willow and cottonwood trees. It was not unusual to find Yellow Warblers, Magnolia Warblers, Carolina Chickadees, and Indigo Buntings harvesting small caterpillars.
Lastly, yesterday’s figure entitled the “Time Keeper” was spotted in an a different location. A park visitor moved the piece inside a wood structure called the “Old Colonel’s Wishing Well”…a curiousity deposited by the last high water. I’m sure there is a story surrounding that object and if anyone out there knows it…I would love to hear it!
Posted in Art, art and environment, birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged father and son, Godzilla, sand, Styrofoam, time on May 18, 2009| 3 Comments »
Sunday was absolutely glorious and the river level had dropped as quickly as it had risen. My youngest son Adam came with me today and we shared an adventure in exploring and creating art. After the river goes down, it’s always fun to see how the landscape has been changed and what new stuff has washed up. Here’s an image of Adam and the “giant plug from the bottom of the river”. The air was full of cottonwood fluff and birds were everywhere. Saw two more new species for me, the Red-eyed Vireo and the Black-throated Green Warbler. Both are supposedly common species, but you would be surprised at how little they show themselves.
Adam is the artist in the family and has an amazing ability to focus on projects when he wants to. Lately, he has been on an extended Godzilla, King of the Monsters kick. He collects the action figures and watches the movies and makes all kinds of art based on the characters and story lines. Today he started things off with a sand drawing.
He has seen me make stuff from Styrofoam for years and naturally he has to try his hand at it too. We call these small sculptures “Foamies” and here is his Godzilla…now in three dimensions. It’s made from polystyrene, sticks, and nuts. I helped where the use of a knife was needed. Adam’s older brother, Michael used to come out with me when he was younger and we would have similar adventures making things. It’s important to bring your kids outdoors if you ever expect them to develop a love for it.
Adam wasn’t the only one enjoying himself! I gathered materials and made this figure I called the “Time Keeper” based on the plastic clock filled with water hanging around his neck. The riverbank is still muddy in places. If you are not careful you can walk right out of your stuck in the mud shoes. The first photos I took of this figure were by this barge rope. I’m not sure what the blue material its body is composed of, but it’s not true polystyrene foam. I was able to locate many of the larger pieces I had put away for safe keeping…the river did move them, but not far away.
This is where I left the “Time Keeper”. I wonder when I next return to the Falls if he will still be there? His body was water-logged and he needs to dry out a bit. He’s in the Willow Habitat by the fixed wier dam. The coming week promises a few good days and we shall see!
Posted in Art, creativity, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged Art, figure, hearing, memory, nature, recycled art, sound, spring, trains on May 14, 2009| 2 Comments »
A beautiful spring day and a perfect time to sit by the river. The greening trees are alive with the fresh colors of migratory birds. Somewhere off in the distance is a sound or more accurately a vibration that piques your interest. Since the hearing is going you need something to focus the sound.
Where would you be without your trusty ear trumpet? You have come to rely upon it like a conduit to your brain and an aid for your memory.
A smile comes across your face as the vibration becomes more audible. It’s enough of a hint for you to recall the sound of…
… diesel engines crossing over the bridge………. Alright, so it won’t win any literary prizes, but it was fun to do. The train picture is recent, but the figure is long gone…was it last year or the one before that? I think I need something to focus my memory too. This figure, as usual, is made from various found elements…polystyrene foam, driftwood, and plastic. The nose I remember was the handle of a broken paint brush. One of the eyes is a fishing bobber and the other…who knows? I thought the found bottle of sports drink added a nice color note. This piece was up for awhile, before it was carried away by a flood.
Posted in Art, art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, recycled art, unusual collection, watershed, tagged artificial, collecting, collection, junk, mania, material culture, obsessions, toys on May 13, 2009| 1 Comment »
I’ve started posting various collections I’ve formed of river junk found at the Falls of the Ohio. Here is but a “taste”. You will need to check my Pages for updates. It’s all 100% stuff that has traveled down the Ohio River. Above is my “Fake Food Collection” in the box. In my collections section you can see the contents spread out.
Posted in art and environment, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, Ohio River, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged debris, flood, logs, river valley, strong storms, Styrofoam, watershed on May 12, 2009| 2 Comments »
The river has pretty much crested and now it’s a matter of waiting for the water to recede. Of course, all bets are off if we receive any more sustained downpours. I know this is only anecdotal, but it seems everything is a weather event these days. What ever happened to the gentle, soaking rains free of high winds and hail? 
The river may be muddy, but I do love the clarity of the air after a big storm moves through the valley. It’s air as it should be, which is more than we can say about the water. All manner of artificial debris is floating around with the bark rolled off the logs. I bet I’ve seen ten plastic barrels go by the last three days. Lots of people have been curious about the river and for the most part the fishing has been good too. I’m getting that feeling that the spring migration is coming to a close and I can concentrate on making art again.
The above image is the largest of three caches of polystyrene foam I have hidden in the woods prior to this flood. It doesn’t matter now because I’m sure that most of this is gone. This site was swamped by water and I might come across some of this stuff later. I was hoping to make a few more larger figures, but I will have to wait. I will wager that since I started this project I have lost over a dozen such collections to the river. As much of this stuff as I have removed from the park…there will always be more after the next inundation.
For now, I will explore what else the park has to offer and see if a few stray migratory birds have lingered in the interior. I’m still hoping to see that pelican again. The water will recede and the land will dry out. The landscape will be rearranged and the drama of change is part of the fun…that and checking out the latest oddities to be washed up in the park. As for the Styrofoam, what was lost is too easily replaced.
Posted in Art, art and environment, birds and birding, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Green, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, public art, recycled art, Styrofoam, watershed, tagged flooding, heron, high water, plastic bottle, recycled art, riverine, sculpture on May 9, 2009| 2 Comments »
My latest figure made from river junk comes at a time when the river is getting higher. We have had a lot of rain today and so for the next few days the river should continue to rise. When you live on the Ohio River, this is important information. For example, the morning talk was of a small fishing boat going over the Falls that needed rescuing…that and a large white pelican was sighted again. Might be the same bird from two years ago. Didn’t hear anything else about the fisherman…hope they are ok.
Two views looking east…the top shows the interpretive center and the steps leading to the river. The next shot is from the foot of the steps themselves. It should be interesting to see how high up the steps the rising river level will creep. During the Great Flood of 1997 the river completely climbed the steps. This event shouldn’t be that bad. Fishing has been great with lots of anglers catching striper hybrids, catfish, skipjacks, and an occassional sauger. Did see many large carp trying to leap over the fixed wier dam as in classic salmon pictures.
I moved the Bottleman to another location to get a better sense of his context. A couple days ago, you could walk by the trees that are now submerged. Most of the fossil rock formations are underwater. The Bottleman is on some sort of mission just one step ahead of the river.
Took a little time to do some birding and had some success. Saw my first Black-headed Blue Warbler, male and female traveling together. They were here and gone before I could get a snapshot. I did, however, find this Great Blue Heron fishing from floating logs as an abandoned refrigerator went by. Years ago, when I first started this project, I found a refrigerator lodged in the top of a tree and I couldn’t believe the river could get that high. Other notable birds…lots of Magnolia Warblers, various thrushes, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Indigo Buntings, and a few Scarlet Tanagers were still around. Double-crested Cormorants were fishing all along the river and close to shore.
This is where I left the Bottleman by a log with a large hole in the side. Perfect for stashing away plastic bottles in case of an emergency. The figure is made from pink insulation foam, regular polystyrene, hickory nuts for eyes, part of a walnut husk for a mouth, wood, plastic bottlecap nose, and a fork for emphasis. He’s near the water and probably gone by now. The logs rolling over one another in the water made the strangest creaking and squeaking noise and reminded me of my father grinding his teeth in his sleep. We will see how high the river gets and if that pelican hangs around.
Posted in art and environment, creativity, ecosytem, Falls of the Ohio, fresh water, Louisville, Kentucky, nature, nature photography, Ohio River, watershed, tagged cottonwood, flood, riverine, tree roots, trees, willow on May 8, 2009| 2 Comments »
It’s been raining upriver from us and so what happens in the northeast eventually flows down. More rain is expected and so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the water completely cover the fixed wier dam that forms the park’s eastern boundry. Massive piles of driftwood and debris are getting ready to flood the area under the Conrail Railroad Bridge. Every time the river rises the landscape of the park gets rearranged and creates new novelties. I was looking over recent images and found I had taken several shots of tree roots that speak not only of the power of water, but the tenacity of trees as well.
These are the roots from a black willow tree. This is an amazingly tough tree that grows in the poorest soil (essentially clay mud and sand) and frequently gets completely submerged during a flood.
The writhing roots from a cottonwood tree. At the moment, fluff from these trees is drifting like dry snow through the air.
I believe this is a cottonwood tree as well. I marvel at how the river will undermine a tree along the bank. In places, canopies are created and you can sit underneath the roots of a tree which comes in handy when it rains or on very hot days.
All these exposed roots are good catch-alls for whatever the river sends their way. This tree has snagged a bit of frayed barge rope or cable. Originally, these ropes are about as thick around as a man’s forearm. The river has no problem dealing with them. We will see how high the river gets. I’m looking forward to making new works in this rearranged environment.
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 