Touching The River

Five Year Anniversary Today !!

2011-10-11T12:36:00.004-05:00

Oct.11 2006 I searched Google on how to build a website and instantly became a part of the blogging world... of which I knew nothing. The poem I posted that day from my new job as a graphic designer.. which incidentally left me with hours of free time due to the company's pending sale to a Danish corporation... was a draft from the heart that poured out my life on the asphalt below my corporate window where my son's father had just dropped me off and squealed away burning rubber in a display of angry frustration leaving me to absorb the shame in the eyes of co-workers I had not yet even met.
The next 3 months were nothing short of a blessing from above. The work load was practically non existent and nearly all of my time at work was open for me to pursue my creative muse. The blog was exactly the freedom I needed. My home life was difficult and my partner was suffering terribly trying to sort out his life which held a lifetime of trauma neglect and abuse that had now translated into a self medicated adult being further medicated by a team of "Medical professionals" that 20 years down the road I must say didn't have a clue what they were doing... yet certainly sold a lot of pharmaceutical drugs that have turned out to be far more detrimental than anything you can get on the street. The great freedom of this online world for me was oddly enough it's anonymity. Journals having been my lifelong retreat became objects of warfare when my partner would read something in them while I was away at work... absolutely misinterpret and launch an attack.
For me the most wonderful and unexpected thing happened. I realized I had a gift for writing. Somehow the element of a supposed audience changed the dynamic of how words would flow from my subconscious onto the screen. It has also been a fantastic autobiographical tool.
The following 5 years marked a time of heavy transformation in my life. The last year and death of my brother who was the last remaining member of my childhood family aside from me. Walking away from my home with a sketchbook under my arm for good. Starting a new and unknown new life, Having my corporate job eliminated and parlaying the severance package into some of the most beautiful artwork I have done in my life, which in turn to date has won me a couple of grants and resulted in the beginning of the fine arts career I have dreamed of my entire life.
My son Myself and his father are all doing better as a result of my having had the courage to walk away risking everything... although the first couple of years you wouldn't have bet on it. And believe me... I had tried before. This time I was not turning around.
Today I am looking down the road in a couple of months at my 50th birthday. One thing that developed along with the intensity of my life experience was sort of a shedding of layers that opened me up to a psychic awareness and connection making the walls between this world and the next much thinner. I am not only hyper aware of the energy we have control over at our disposal, but I am able to utilize it more deliberately than I would have thought possible. A prayer is no longer a distant random shot in the dark for mercy... it is actually a conversation with spirit guides angels and god that I see the results of concretely. This is all very hard to explain... but it is an enlightenment in consciousness. Everything we do I believe fully is necessary as part of the development of our soul. I do not look at the adversities in my life as oh poor me look what I had to endure... but rather as experience I had the privilege of having and analyzing in order to better understand the breadth of life. At this point in my life I feel more changes on the horizon. I do not know exactly where my path is leading but I do feel that I am at the beginning of some very important work that involves inspiring and uplifting others toward achieving their highest goals as they listen and respond to the call of their heart.
Over the next year I am returning my focus back here to my anonymous blog world where I have so few readers I know of... we have never met, yet one or two have become what I would consider a friend/ally in this crazy world where we are living out our lives. The past couple of years my energy was sidetracked by the advent of Facebook... Which is fine. It is a nice polarity to my blog in that It offers more of a social connection... It is just that now I am feeling the need to write more and sort out the changing direction of the tides.

Come to Franconia Sculpture Park September 24th

2011-09-06T16:41:00.010-05:00

Come Early and Stay Late for my New Performance... "Dream"
At 9:30 PM the Dream will begin!!
"Dream" is Mary Jane Mansfield's Eclectic surrealist vision featuring Electric Water Sculptures, circus performer Chimgee Haltarhuu and a live soundtrack by Matt Cisler using strange toy instruments and de-tuned electric guitars processed through the computer. The performance will kick off with a Charlie Brown style Marching Band led by Bridget Beck and Carrissa Samaniego... bring a band instrument or make one and join in!!

Free and Open to the Public

Saturday · September 24th is the
15th Annual Franconia Art & Artists Celebration
10:00am to 10:00pm
Franconia Sculpture Park is located just 45min out of the Twin Cities near Taylor Falls.
29836 St. Croix Trail Franconia, MN

Mary Jane Mansfield is a fiscal year 2011 recipient of an Artist initiative grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Ship of Dreams

2011-09-06T16:21:00.009-05:00

Building the sail was the first project I jumped into once I got my new work space up and running. It came together more beautifully than I had imagined. Nearly 12' tall and 8' wide, it is designed to stand in a 100 gallon galvanized steel water trough like you would find on a farm. It gives the piece a feel of a toy boat in a child's bathtub... truly exaggerated... "Dream" Style!! There are triangle frames on the front of it to hold 6 1500 Watt Ball Park lights that will be controlled with dimmer switches. I am renting a generator to run this one!!
When I finished building it on the floor of my studio, it was so big and heavy I had to tie ropes to the rafters of the ceiling to lift it. Once I got the ropes secure I literally stood under the spine of the sail and lifted it onto a beam with my back... So... that takes up half my space now and I had to do some major rearranging to make room to build the house of Dreams...

A Dreamy House ?

2011-09-06T16:16:00.007-05:00

This Electric House with the roof blowing off has been a lot of fun designing. It has evolved nicely since the preliminary sketch you see here. It is 10' long almost 12 feet tall and has a small back deck with an electrified window and a runway on the front!! Instead of the roof blowing off in one piece it has literally blown to pieces!! I am really looking forward to setting it up at the park the week before the show and seeing it all together. In my studio I am building it in pieces the way they build pre-fab homes.

Studio Week: Show Update

2011-09-04T21:50:00.005-05:00

Mary Jane Mansfield's Electric Water performance Art... "Dream" is Coming soon to the Greatest Sculpture Park on Earth!!
I found a sweet little garage space to rent down by the Mississippi where I can work on building a sail for my boat. After a long Winter & Spring... Moving and changing jobs, I set up shop in a double garage in the Longfellow neighborhood. The move meant splitting up my live in work space into a new apartment and what has turned out to be my favorite studio space of all time. The space opens up to the back yards of a few buildings with nice neighbors where evidently I have become the resident artist of their neighborhood. The Birchwood Cafe is across the street. Local, sustainable, organic and fair trade ingredients whenever possible... Highly recommended. They also have a cute little restroom... Studio complete!! Tuesday Wednesday & Thursdays all summer have been studio time for me. Now with just a few weeks left before the show I am pulling together the finishing touches on two really fun sculptures. Be sure to save the date... September 24th for a trip just 45 min out of town to Franconia Sculpture Park!! See you there...

Re discovering an old link — Click HERE.

2011-06-05T13:55:00.004-05:00

I stumbled upon this old clip from my last feature length performance... May 1st 2009.
I always liked it, so I am posting it here merely to entertain myself.
By Debbie Donnovan.

Something to Write Home about

2011-03-17T03:21:00.004-05:00

Photo of Yanomamos — by James Lindbloom
Last Saturday there was a reunion show with a band I was in in 1988 called Yanomamos. The circumstances that brought us back together were Grant Harts (our drummer) house fire and loss of his mother. The 2 incidents were unrelated yet eerily close in proximity. (Oddly enough 1988 was the year my mother passed away which is what led to the band drifting apart... and now 22 years later to have the loss of his mother see us back together. Go figure world...) After what was already the hardest winter anyone around here can ever remember, this was a bit more icing on the cake than any of us really needs in life. It felt good to be back on stage together and may even open the door for more adventure!! Today Grant is on his way to celebrate his 50th birthday watching the sunrise at the Kokino observatory... the launch of his latest tour.
As for me... It marks the end of the same dreary winter and the opportunity to start work on my new project with a grant from the MN State Arts board. The focus of this one is a performance art piece – "Dream" that will be at Franconia Sculpture park early fall this year in conjunction with my installation Tornado Sky: Sunrise.
So without further explanation... I am off to get some studio time in before I have to leave for work. If I can stay focused enough for the next 2 months, It is going to make a huge impact on the rest of my summer... Here's to good studio habits, sunshine and green grass.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2011-02-15T20:16:00.003-06:00

This is the day I have been waiting for. The first day that felt like spring was within reach. The next few weeks will be focused on Grant-writing... Organizing... Starting new work and getting out from under the heaviness of winter.
The last item on that list can not be stressed enough. So to the sun shining brightly through my window today and the green grass emerging from a long winters nap... All I can say is thank you for returning... I have never missed you so much.

Is mystified apparently by conflicting mystical conflicts... Clearly the message is unclear.

2011-01-06T20:17:00.004-06:00

I have been very restless as of late. Having recently entered into my 50th year at the age of 49 I am sensing a shift in my universal energy field. It is a bit difficult to navigate. I am reading more, clearer of mind, feeling a push to move in a new direction with work, trying to follow the leads and coming up short of a conclusive solution. Tonight I have been swept off the deck and placed back at home where I am planning on finishing the Patti Smith book... "Just Kids" I am also planning to fall asleep early and see what my dreams reveal to me in the morning. There is much work to be done. One thing I know for sure is that I will be here to do it. What ever the universe has in store for me.. After all... I believe I was the one who donned the blueprint for my steps to follow. It's the delicate signs we must pay attention to to keep us on track. Despite the possibility of financial collapse, I hold dear to my heart a Chinese astrological account I stumbled upon years ago illuminating my coarse in life to be guided by the universal law of abundance... There isn't a moment in my adult life and awareness that doesn't support it fully. I won't be losing any sleep to worry. I am confident that the changes that are taking place are meant to move me on to the next level of service in my journey here on earth. Patience and faith will take us a long way.

The Universe According to Miss Jane

2010-12-28T13:43:00.004-06:00

On Dec 28 I woke up from a dream with "The Universe According to Miss Jane" being the first words on my mind for the day. With no pen in sight, I tucked the thought away here for a future post so as not to forget it. Then a few moments later I found the pen and filled a page in my journal with a long list of dreams and expectations I have my heart set on for the year. No wonder I have needed so much sleep lately. I was worn out by the time I got to the end of the list!! But now 2011 is here and it is time to kick into gear and make it all happen. One thing on my list is volunteering for an after school program for girls from third to sixth grade... I have been invited to do a sculpture workshop... the theme is "Dream". I am really looking forward to spending time setting imaginations free and watching their dreams take shape.
As for me tonight... It is a studio night. Time away from the world for a few precious hours of daydreaming and junk drawers.

New Beginnings

2010-12-13T10:23:00.002-06:00

There is nothing more liberating in this life than the fact that we have endless opportunities to start over... Make something new...Try life a new way... At times our lives move quickly and work is swift. Other days you could swear the air is made of mud. Those are the days that require the most patience and faith. Setting up new studio space and starting new work for me has been one of those days for the past few months. In the Tesla film I have been watching Mr. Westinghouse says to Tesla as he offers him a million dollars for his patents explains that you must be rich so you can be free to create. Ahhhh... but most of us are not. We face long hours at exhausting jobs yet our creative spirits pester us... reminding us we have another very important job to do. The one that is our gift to the world. To share our creative spirits with others and inspire people to carry on against all odds.
As I look around at the clutter of a halfway renovated work space, I am determined to try and make a difference today. The recent 20" snowfall and a car that doesn't want to start had zapped away most of my energy. I went to sleep early praying for dreams of sunny riverbanks where someone would read uplifting poems to me as I was too tired to read myself. Instead what I woke up from were scary nightmares. Yet somehow I feel re-energized and I am ready to take on another day...

Tornado Sky: Sunrise @ Franconia's 14th Annual Fall Arts Festival

2010-10-07T22:36:00.003-05:00

Click on the title above to see a video clip from the Gala.

Tornado Sky: Sunrise

2010-09-29T09:54:00.014-05:00

Thank you to everyone who helped make this vision possible, and to all of you who cheered me on !! Most of these are pictures I took with my cell phone. I don't have any professional photos just yet. The Opening on September 25th was Amazing, Fun, Sunny and very muddy !! The days before were torrential rains at times and heavy wind. Outside of the fact that the ground was already soaked, the wind blew my waterfall right out of the pond and left a cute little swamp before it was discovered and turned off.
I am very excited about the future of this piece. The waterfall portion will be closed down for the winter soon, then next spring... New flowers in bloom & up and running for the entire season. If any of you plan on passing through MN, feel free to get in touch with me. It would be great to meet you at the park for a picnic :-)

Only a few Finishing Touches left

2010-09-20T20:50:00.007-05:00

Tornado Sky: Sunrise is up and running now!! Hope to see you all at the Fall arts Festival at Franconia Sculpture Park this Saturday Sept. 25th
For those of you who can't be here.... I will be posting photos and writing about the experience of putting it all together when I come back home and catch my breath :-)
I have so many of you that have helped bring this vision to life... to you I say... Woo Hoo... We did it!! Thanks for being a part of this amazing opportunity... & especially thank you to John Hock for the gift of Franconia Sculpture Park.

Work In Progress

2010-07-18T14:19:00.008-05:00

This week we picked up the utility pole. It was so much more beautiful than I had anticipated, so I am pretty happy about that. Cedar Red Wood and bigger around than most. All of the pieces are falling neatly into place. Just wanted to post a few new images now that it is all coming together. Hope to see you at the Fall Arts Festival Sept. 25th. It will surely be a day to remember.

Summertime

2010-07-12T08:56:00.004-05:00

Today I am dreaming of the simple leisure of a childhood summer day. The kind where you wake up without much of a plan and head out into the world for an uncharted adventure. My favorites included long bike rides to unknown places, butterfly nets and jars for catching small creatures, making a swimming pool out of my dads wheel barrel and climbing the tallest tree in the neighborhood all the way to the top until I could see the Foshay Tower in downtown Minneapolis.
I don't remember being the kind of child who sat around complaining about being bored. I was always stirring up some sort of adventure.
The new work I am doing this summer at Franconia Sculpture Park has brought me one step closer to a step back in time for a new childhood summer adventure.
The adventure I stirred up this time took a lot more contemplation and research than building a fort in my closet on a rainy day, but the basic concepts are the same.
Imagination and dream building at their finest.
As an artist it is so exciting to carry on this sense of adventure and discovery in life and share the work that comes out of it with others.
The open studio grant I received this year has given me the time and space to breath a little deeper, lay back in the grass at night and look at the stars, watch fireflies dance in the night and appreciate the flow of energy in life through childlike eyes.
The resulting project that comes out of this time I feel will pass the magic along a little further as people take the time to sit and enjoy for a moment the project I am creating.

The First 5 Weeks at Franconia

2010-07-05T11:10:00.006-05:00

This last week I started the process of installing Tornado Sky: Sunrise.
Before that I started with building the deck, then an open steel house frame, built the frame structure for the Tesla coil canvases and finally found a telephone pole, which I ordered and will pick up next week.
The flower rack I started last spring took a dive one day after a heavy rain followed by strong wind... So I shoveled the remains into a heap... unearthed a dozen or so and re-planted them... so my work space has a little color. I am going to use bags of wild flower seed around my installation now without the Martha Stewart touch of landscaping in extra flowers.
Life at Franconia has been rich... Slide nights & dance party's... Bonfires & lots of hard work... 10 to 12 hour days in the hot sun welding, building with wood and digging dirt... until your sun burn has sun burn... I am loving every minute of it. There is always a cold beer and a chair on the porch waiting at the end of the day... the kitchen smells amazing around dinner time... and when the dinner bell rings there is a family style dinner for 20 outside at a picnic table.
I still have more than 2 months left before the Sept 15th deadline. Feels like I am doing pretty well with getting it together. It will be nice to have some time to make sure it gets up and running smoothly.

I'm Sailing Away...

2010-05-04T21:48:00.004-05:00

I borrowed this image from Franconia's Blog... Where I have been daydreaming of what the summer ahead will be like... In attempting to have some semblance of control over what is about to happen in my life, I can only stand back in awe and be humbled by the fact that the universal law of abundance is at work and I am simply one tiny little spark in the fire that is the whole of what is about to happen.
As much as I dote over the fog for control... Time and time again, the pieces come together in spite of me. At this point I am resigning some of my control seeking nature to the universal flow and trying to wait out the next couple of weeks as gracefully as possible. On top of it... I have the pleasure and honor of some of my Icelandic relatives coming to stay with me the same weekend I leave for Franconia...
There is no way all of the world spinning around in my head is ever going to settle down... I just have to do the best I can between now and then to remember to pack my toothbrush!!

Adopt • A • Flower

2010-04-08T07:47:00.007-05:00

The seeds are planted !! You can be a part of Tornado Sky: Sunrise !! Soon you will be able to adopt a flower and dedicate it to your wildest dreams.

My work is primarily concerned with the flow of energy in life. For about the past 5 years the sculptures that I have been creating deal with processing grief. Channeling the flow of energy in life through the events of loss into rejuvenation.... despair into hope & acceptance. Opening up to an understanding of the cycle of life and believing in a bright future against all odds.

Your flower can be planted in the butterfly garden of Tornado Sky: Sunrise... or you can bring it home and plant it yourself. Either way you will be participating in the creation of this Electric Water Garden installation... A beautiful retreat from your day to day life where you can sit for a while and contemplate the pieces of your life falling into the universal flow of life that surrounds us and takes us along for the ride!!

It is the universal experience we have collectively as people that I am interested in finding in my work. Opening up the opportunity for you to share in and be a part of bringing it to life is a very exciting dynamic of the work for me.
Watch for updates in May...

The Wildflower Butterfly Garden

2010-03-31T11:22:00.004-05:00

The next 48 hours around here I will be hosting my own studio marathon. Organizing, Creating promo materials and planting flower seeds in Dixie cups. Just as the caterpillar undergoes a major transformation on his journey to flight... so am I.
The flowers in Dixie cups are part of my fund raising plan. The rest of April pretty much will be spent getting prepared for May fund raising events.
My dream time has been pretty vivid and intense lately. I even got to spend some time last night with my dog who recently passed away... That was really nice. All in all I feel pretty energized and ready to get to work. I think I am past the fear factor now.
After all... Tornado Sky: Sunrise is a pretty Cool Gift for all of us... I just happen to be one of the people here to bring it to life!!
I am really looking forward to giving others the opportunity to be a part of it's creation.

The Real Work Begins !!

2010-03-26T10:46:00.003-05:00

When your work is actually chosen for funding... a funny thing happens... All of a sudden you have a lot of work to do :-) Which is all wonderful and fine... accept for the fact that at least in my case now... it means taking on new roles that I have very little experience with. Like what you say ??? OK... Like... FUND RAISING !!!
The past couple of weeks for me have included a lot of incubation time for my creative problem solving thought process combined with a heavy dose of good old fashioned get the bills paid work.
There are a few great concepts brewing in my mind as to how to move ahead and actually make this summer as financially stress free as possible.
#1 — I need a truck !!
#2 — I need to get busy !!!
Every thing else will fall into place. I am a firm believer in the universal law of abundance. I do my part, and the rest will fall into place.
Today the project is to put together a promo package so that I will be able to talk to people effectively about what it is I am trying to accomplish.
When this step is complete I have a list of places to contact in order to get the additional support needed to fully realize this Most Excellent opportunity!!
I am looking forward to sharing the journey with you here !!
To infinity and beyond... Let's Go !!!

Tornado Sky: Sunrise

2010-03-15T10:41:00.009-05:00

My Sculpture Installation proposal has been chosen for a Franconia Sculpture Park NEA Open Studio Fellowship for 2010 to be in residence to create and exhibit work at FSP. The art review committee, staff, and board of directors are excited to have my work included in their 2010/2011 exhibition!!

Tornado Sky: Sunrise is an Electric Water Garden combining a bench, water falling from a street lamp that is protected by a lightning rod, a pond with a butterfly garden and a “glass house” containing life size images of electricity shooting out from Tesla coils toward a centered grounding post. The overall feel of the piece is somewhat of a modern Salvador Dali version of an Alice in Wonderland style mad
scientists laboratory.
Every aspect of this installation holds symbolic reference to the flow of energy in life. From the street lamp lighting our way with its lightning rod offering protection and its continually cycling flow of water falling and rising simultaneously. We are offered a seat to sit back and consider just where it is we are in life, while we look out over a pond surrounded by wildflowers and butterflies. Off in the distance we see a “glass” house filled with images of fierce electrical energy and a grounding post to diffuse its power back into the ground where it will recharge the earth once again.

With the concept development, research & grant writing phases behind me... It is with great excitement that I dedicate today as the beginning of a great adventure in bringing this project to life!! The deadline just 6 months away.

Bucket Studies

2010-02-22T11:22:00.011-06:00

The Electric Water House

2010-02-19T13:05:00.004-06:00

During my most recent grant writing project I came across one of the first sketches I made for house of calm. My vision at the time included a house frame with 30 water buckets filled with light bulbs under water.
The financial reality of the work at the time was pretty far out of reach for me. Since I am a fan of doing what I can instead of talking about what I can't... I created a scaled down version in my back yard. This was the first in a series of electric water houses I am still working with today.

Spring Time in January

2010-01-18T12:36:00.002-06:00

Opening the windows to let the sun shine in... Between the normal energy it takes to get through the holidays and Starting over again after the company I worked for dissolved I am clearing away the cobwebs and trying to remember what it is I am supposed to be doing to get my grant proposal together. Oh... and did I mention I am facing putting my dog of 10 years to sleep any day now??? That is going to be hard.
But today... I need a studio day. I did tons of research for Tornado Sky: Sunrise. This is a project proposal for Franconia Sculpture Park. I have had to make some revisions for safety reasons, but I have come up with a wonderful solution that is basically what I like to call a Disneyland version of the original, while still leaving the door open for a special event that will show the work in it's raw electrical form.
This afternoon I will be updating the research page. When it is done, I will post a link here so you can see what my mad science mind has been doing for the past 2 months since I last updated my journals.
Then tonight, I am invited to visit the glass blowing studio that I will be collaborating with to make this concept come to life.
With less than 4 weeks left to pull it all together, I am ready to take on the challenge. The rest of the world will have to take second place for a while...
Of coarse except for my sweet angel... the most beautiful creature I have ever known... at 160 pounds in his prime, this Alaskan Malamute Rottweiler mix has been turning heads every time he took me out for a walk over the last decade.

The Eighth Wonder of the World

2009-11-16T10:13:00.004-06:00

The Seven Wonders of the World actually pale in comparison to Nikola Tesla. A Creative Genius who revolutionized the modern world. This was an experimental Studio he had in Colorado Springs. His influence far and wide has entered my world a bit more closely in recent days. The proposal I am currently involved in putting together for Tornado Sky: Sunrise includes 2 Tesla coils in a glass house. Researching the possibility of creating my own has taken me into a world of language I barely understand... This makes me all the more curious. I have discovered a group of Tesla coilers in the process that I am getting to know online. The next year is looking pretty exciting. Working with Electricity in art lately has gotten me thinking about what it must have been like to be a painter when you had to go out and figure out how to make the paint before you could paint the picture. I am in the process of creating Electric Lightning Blue...

Tornado Sky:

2009-11-11T12:30:00.004-06:00

Metaphorically Rich... Weight on your shoulders, Impending doom, sense of Fear, Your world being torn apart, all of the the pieces of your life you need to feel secure and grounded seem out of reach, Up against more than you can manage, You know the feeling...

Sunrise.

2009-11-11T10:47:00.004-06:00

: The Moment in Time Each day where the Harrowing Darkness of Night, carrying with it whatever our burdens may be, fades away giving us the light of a new day full of Hope and possibilities for a better life... and to all of us who have had the warm comfort of a cushy bed and loved ones surrounding us... The strength to reach out and help someone in whatever way possible... sometimes all it takes is the simple kindness of a smile or a kind word... at the very least, it is a great place to begin.

Electric Energy: Connecting

2009-11-11T09:32:00.006-06:00

The Flow of Energy in Life is my primary interest. Understanding the physics of it through Light, Color, Wind, Fire, Electrical Storms, Rainy and Sunny Days & Ocean Waves I find endlessly fascinating.
Time for me creating works of art opens up a dimension where I find myself contemplating the parallels of energy that animates our universe with the interactions between each of us and the people most closely interacting with my world.

Part of what I am doing now is taking notes... The subject matter is all over the place so I am just doing my best to capture thoughts as they present themselves. It reminds me of of Duchamp and his Green Box... A collection of thoughts on scraps of paper relating to The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even. The process is the same. We all do it when we think about our work... a sketch here, a note there, thoughts drifting through our minds at any time of the day or night relating to it. In time I will sort out what to do with them. For now it feels like I am out in a field trying to catch Butterflies and Grasshoppers to put in a jar... for my amusement, until I decide their fates.

Water: Falling

2009-11-09T10:04:00.005-06:00

Tornado Sky: Sunrise... Although this sculpture installation is complete in my mind and on the page... I am still catching the pieces floating through my head on intellectual as well as practical levels. Naturally my own life experience resonates through the combination of iconic references. The danger of explaining my connection to the work is in the diminished magic you are left with to pour yourself into it with.
So sit back and relax as the pieces unfold... One day they will all come together here for you, as they did eventually for me over the coarse of several months...
As for the practical business of bringing it to life... I am riding on tornado winds catching the pieces and sorting them out...

Tornado Trail

2009-11-08T09:29:00.003-06:00

Just as the sky before a lightning strike forms a plasma leader to prepare a path for the energy to flow through.... My Tornado changed the flow of energy around here dramatically for weeks afterward. People moved slower, time seemed almost to stop. It was a world of it's own apart from the rest of the city. After the electric company cut the power to downed lines I was able to go out and retrieve electrical remnants from the debris. One piece I wanted to have was a street lamp I found on the side of the road. Still connected to a broken pole I was going to need some tools to get it... So I went home to get them... less than an hour later when I returned it was gone. I had even decided I would just put it over my shoulder and drag it home if I had to... The opportunity was gone. I kept the image in my mind throughout the rest of the summer and carried on collecting the pieces of what has recently become Tornado Sky: Sunrise.... It is really about the flow of energy in life... Very complex yet pure and simple all at once. Today I am researching... How to bring all of the pieces out of the tornado winds one by one and help them fall neatly into place.

Setting the Sun on Fire

2009-10-20T09:09:00.008-05:00

Darin Back

Debbie Donovan

The past few weeks have been spent in the studio editing documentation and creating this interactive sculpture for Grant Harts record release show for his new Record/CD... HOT WAX. The perimeter of the sun was shot out with a super soaker for the intro to his show... the afterglow of the sun remained on throughout. It was a great evening and a fine kick off to an extensive season of touring ahead... Congratulations to Grant and thank you to Darin and Debbie for the beautiful photos...
As well as a link to images by Jay Smiley...

Dreams and Visions

2009-10-03T19:52:00.004-05:00

Fall is looking good. Whatever was going on that insisted I sleep and dream every other minute over the summer has faded away and replaced itself with active and productive and awake 18 to 20 hours a day... I have a lot of work on my table ranging from documentation to building new pieces, grant writing and allowing visions of future work to form in my mind and on the page... next is the research to make it happen... The most interesting piece of all is destined for an amazing sculpture park here in Minnesota... I think some of the dream time this summer definitely contributed to the work I have in mind... none the less... you will see the sketches soon as I move into the next phase of bringing it to life...
It is all a part of Tornado Sky: Manifesting our dreams and visions...

Like having a Shiny New Car...

2009-09-18T09:41:00.004-05:00

...It's the freedom of chasing your dreams, and the TIME... good health, clarity of mind and financial stability to catch them... from there the problem of documentation... of which my performance art partner from the early 80's and I identified at an early age, subsequently taking the issue into the performance art arena... Evidently to bring attention to it and not to solve it. After all... living in the moment doesn't come with a cinematographer and journalist. So 25 years later... I am facing off the dragon... and I intend to win!! Yesterday began the first round of sifting through old tapes and transferring to DVD. Of coarse there is very little left that is still intact, however there are a few glimmers of the past and the rest will need to be re created for a documentary I am beginning to put together of my Electric Water work. I am working with a fabulous assistant with a great deal of experience with film and editing... and most important... great enthusiasm... which makes it so much more fun. After all... It really needs to be enjoyable...
Like having a Shiny New Car!!

Studio Day... Finally

2009-09-12T13:32:00.003-05:00

Hitting the ground running... Slowly at first... and then??? I am undertaking the work of Grant writing and Documentation. My first impulse is to panic about the upcoming deadlines. I have spent the last several hours reviewing and selecting points of interest of which to focus my attention. As usual in my creative world... the documentation is not where I would like it to be. So if I don't get anything else done in the near future this would be an excellent area to address. Also today I am enjoying the privilege of a quiet day alone to think for myself, organize my thoughts and sift through written material from my archives... then start updating for this round of applications I have set sail in the wind before me. All in all this is the place I have been trying to get to for months.
My new job has me half way to utopia... 3 days on... 3 days off...
or more precisely...
3 days to generate revenue for survival and creativity and...
3 days in the studio.
Not a bad option for a life dedicated to the creativity of my spirit.

Tornado Mile

2009-08-21T23:22:00.004-05:00

My vacation time this year is amounting to 3 days off at home... The first of which feels like a blur. The really interesting thing however is that having started work on my new series Tornado Sky about a month ago... It appears I have attracted some serious attention... From Mother Nature. I now am surrounded by the wreckage of a tornado that passed through my own back yard a couple of days ago. I took a walk through the neighborhood to see some of it's effects this morning, collected a couple of remnants and tomorrow when I wake up I am heading out with my journal to do some thinking about it all. Otherwise I have been busy studying the physics of lightning... and forming images for the new series... some of which is destined to be created outdoors... perhaps even with a little collaboration from the earth, wind, and Gods fire...

Dream a little Dream...

2009-08-03T06:36:00.003-05:00

Stars Shining Bright Above You... When the glimmer and sparkle of your spirit become dimmed by the shadow of oppression... Whatever form it may take... There is only one answer... Dream a little Dream... For yourself, and nobody else. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again... isn't that what Frankie said?
Lately, I have required an unusually high amount of dream time... both in my sleep and otherwise. Actually to the point of wondering if I am suffering some God Forsaken illness or depression. Neither of which seem particularly likely... The best answer I can come up with is that I have spread myself too thin... not having allowed myself the Jane space and Jane time it takes to be who I am... in the process even the treasured gift of lighthearted friendships and laughter have gotten a bit stepped on... a sure sign it is High Time I step back and allow myself the space and time to shine as brightly as the stars above.

New Work

2009-07-09T19:59:00.003-05:00

My two favorite words today are Harrowing and Stellar... The New Work that is coming from my mind now promises to be both. The process of transitioning from one body of work to the next included a fair amount of healthy isolation in allowing space for ideas to present themselves to me and the time needed to process and shape their voice and direction. I spent a lot of time outdoors with the open sky, near rivers and lakes... time at the Walker Art Center... time on my roof... and curled up in the seat of my car along the side of the road napping and playing in dreamland. I have set up new work space and along with tying up loose ends with documentation I am embracing the life of the new work that is making itself at home in my universe...
The one where I have dedicated my life to my creative spirit, so as not to waste one moment of this opportunity to explore and share this truly unique gift that I have been entrusted with.

Condensed:

2009-06-26T10:21:00.005-05:00

Between Air ans Water...
Moving on... Following the Minds Eye into the Future
Tonight I am tired... but July holds the future truth... I know it...
and you reminded me... What else can I say....

One Month Later...

2009-06-05T09:49:00.003-05:00

Between Air and Water — Straight to the Heart... "The Bomb"
Photo: Steve Neuharth

The show is down... mostly... there a a few pieces carrying over to an invitational at the end of June... a review by Sheila Dickinson coming up in the next issue of ARP and a lot of work for me in the coming months with documentation and grant writing. This is the first day in a long time I have had a chance to sit down at the computer and reflect on what has happened... all the same I have a million items on the to do list... so the deeper look at my work will have to unfold over time. The show, performance and poetry night were amazing... A very heart felt thank you to all who participated, attended, cheered from afar and sent your love long distance...
xoxox

One Week Later...

2009-05-09T17:38:00.004-05:00

Long Afternoon Naps... And a Long Walk in the Park with the Dog...

Artist Salon & Poetry Night

2009-05-06T10:23:00.001-05:00

Gallery13
May 21st 2009

Opening Night Performance

2009-05-03T19:27:00.003-05:00

Thank you to the Amazing Group of Artists that made this Event Possible
Performers:
Chimgee & assistant Eron Woods
http://www.circusmanduhai.com/
Grant Hart
http://granthart.com/
Paul Metzger
http://www.myspace.com/paulmetzger

Film Art:
Heidi Freier:
Producer, Agent of
Angular Features
Motion Pictures: short films, documentaries and music videos.
http://www.myspace.com/angularfeatures
Hammond Arts Alliance
http://www.myspace.com/hammondartsalliance
& M.Montana Picard
Film and Editing

Entertainment:
The Nick Haas Trio
http://www.nickhaastrio.com/home.html

Photography:
Daniel Corrigan
http://www.danielcorrigan.com/default.php

...And the Dream Team... You Know Who You Are....
I Love That.

Steam Engine Locomotive

2009-04-27T10:52:00.003-05:00

Today I am moving like a steam engine locomotive rising up out of the sea...
This is the original floor plan layout I put together for the proposal for this show...
The episode of Gilligan's Island where Mrs Howl spends the entire day having Gilligan and the professor move palm trees around the Island because she just can't decide where they look best is going through my mind... I think I am going to be just like her...

The Irony of Reality

2009-04-26T11:19:00.002-05:00

It's moving day and this is a picture of what is going on... Yep... that is me propping the door open to let the dog out to take a piss in the rain... and take a cheesy cell phone picture of the Dollie I am not using... For moving day I must admit I am having a hard time getting myself moving much less anything else. The past 2 nights I have worked promo events at the gallery.... last night I got home around 3:30 am... which for a mom of 18 years who got used to going to bed early and NOT staying out all night... I just want to curl up and go back to sleep. So I guess for the next 10 min that is exactly what I will do... Then the inevitable... Oh and did I mention as soon as we arrive with the first Van load we have to clean up after last nights party???? Yep the one sponsored by UV Vodka, Summit Beer, and 8 amazing restaurants for about 300 people from the film festival... The highlight of my day is looking forward to Patches and Gretchen on the Current this afternoon... from 4 to 6.... I am going to carry my radio under my arm like a little kid with a teddy bear and a blanket.

Angel Wings and a Halo

2009-04-25T12:01:00.004-05:00

Today is Historic in my life... My son turned 18 years old today. He is the angel in my life that has challenged me in so many ways to be stronger and wiser in every thing I do.
The most trouble he ever gave me was trying to get him to get his homework done. He has earned his Angel Wings and a Halo... This is also the last day I have to work on my show before we start moving it in tomorrow. The stars are in alignment... I have seen it over and over again in the process of putting it all together with unexpected gifts that appear out of nowhere... like gold dust in the air. I had to make some very difficult life changes to get here... My friends really became my family in the process and to all of you who have been the sparkling glimmer of light in my life... This show is dedicated to you...

Picture Perfect

2009-04-24T11:04:00.005-05:00

Today I am working on putting together chicken wire frames for souvenir show pictures.
I also picked up some tags to put on the work that is for sale... some of the sculptures I am breaking up and selling each individual item that makes up the whole piece separately... The tags will be numbered and signed in the order they are sold.
The souvenir items will be priced to sell... Anything that has light bulbs under water will come with a service contract.... I guess that makes me kind of like the Maytag repair man of Art. There will also be T-Shirts for sale at the opening and online.
Just some creative brainstorming to finance an unconventional show in terms of marketability. Items will range in price from $19.99 to Priceless... I may even sell the tags... with or with out a purchase of art!!

Voluntary Slave Labor

2009-04-23T18:00:00.005-05:00

What on Gods Green Earth possesses us to persevere against all odds... I mean really... It has never been more evident to me than the past several months I have been on facebook how extensive this really creatively driven group of friends I have is... and there is no stopping it... how many of us really would trade a week in the Bahamas for the chance to be who we are... even when it means making great sacrifices of the Martha Stuart style creature comforts... Gifted talented creative entities raising the bar on humanity... For bird seed and a beer... It's 85 degrees and beautiful out... and here I sit in the clutter of a home/studio turned sweat shop... 3 weeks behind on the rent.... a month late on the cable bill.... no food in the fridge... too absorbed in my work to comprehend shopping... chasing my imagination into the future... I wouldn't have it any other way...

Cowboy Coffee...

2009-04-22T09:17:00.005-05:00

Another fine day... Hot coffee and power tools. The sun is shining, the windows are open, it's payday and I managed to survive a week with my son having the flu... and not get sick!! Somewhere along the way I broke my beautiful vintage glass coffee pot in the midst of this construction zone. I was really sad, I loved that thing... then I looked around the room... one of my art things was this old cowboy coffee pot. I took the lid and the basket from the broken pot and tried to brew a pot of coffee with the Cowboy Coffee pot... It worked perfect... The only thing I am missing is the campfire... So with a hot cup of Cowboy Coffee in hand... Today I am building the Shooting Gallery... This is one I am pretty excited about. It is a carnival booth with 3 large 1500 watt baseball park light bulbs hanging in the window for targets... the guns are Super Soakers!!
I have waited a very long time for this day... It's going to be a good one!!

Whats Cookin in the Kitchen Today...

2009-04-21T11:26:00.003-05:00

This morning I finished the light boxes that will hang in the inferno for the performance... suspended by ropes each with a 100 watt bulb... when they are turned on and get hot, water will be poured down over the top... now I am about to pull the miter saw out and start on the frame... just another uneventful day in the kitchen... one day closer to the show... That is pretty exciting!!

Construction Marathon

2009-04-20T19:13:00.005-05:00

Move it or lose it...
Yesterday I made my own damn life ring out of cardboard... after months of wondering if I should buy one or...make one it occurred to me that I already had it sitting right under my nose... Just to the left of my imagination was a box and some leftover paint.
Today marks the beginning of my last work week at home. Not too bad for a cold rainy Monday. Full of energy... Hit the ground running... Everything is getting moved around again now to make way for the final construction phase. First I drew up plans for 2 of the pieces for the performance stage... set the wood up to cut and spent the rest of the day wrestling with chicken wire. My son has been home for the last week with the flu... which also means I have temporarily lost my studio assistant. I have been washing my hands and everything I touch trying to escape a terrible fate... But since this is no time to get sick... I just won't.

Waiting for the Grass to Grow

2009-04-19T13:59:00.008-05:00

Mothers at Sunrise is one of the concepts that has evolved from it's original incarnation in House of Chaos to an installation that will be featured as one of the pieces for the Gallery front window. It includes a piece that is made from my own mothers ironing board... She passed away when I was in my early 20's and it is one of the few things I have kept all of these years knowing one day I would use it for art. The only time I ever Ironed on it was as a kid when I would help my mom. The piece has also taken a new direction since my concept sketch... incorporating ground level electricity. This baking pan is filled with dirt and wheat grass seed that will grow up around the light bulb throughout the run of the show. It is one of two pans that will sit on top of the ironing board. The Aunt Jemima's and the little boy figurine will be suspended above buckets of water below.

Gallery Work Day

2009-04-18T11:30:00.004-05:00

Saturday before set up... This afternoon and evening will be spent at the gallery... assessing the electrical hook-up and signing on the dotted line...
Seems a bit late in the game for the contract... but I have built a great working relationship with the owners of the Gallery. They have been ultra supportive in seeing that nothing stands in the way of my being able to have a great show... At this point most of the unknown territory has been charted and I think we are going to have a great show. Many thanks to many friends and supporters along with the really amazing faith the Sugarman's (owners of Gallery13) put into allowing me the audacity to believe I could put a show of this magnitude together on a wish and a prayer.

Test Run

2009-04-17T12:21:00.011-05:00

Raining Roof

Today I have a lot of things to hook up for a test run... the one I am most excited about at the moment is the raining roof. I need to drill the holes in the buckets, fill them with ice and find out how long it takes before they melt allowing water to drip out of the buckets... into a larger bucket below, onto a string of light bulbs that will eventually end up... under water.

Cleaning Organizing & Getting Ready to Build...

2009-04-16T15:33:00.009-05:00

With inventory behind me and the storage closet cleaned out... Packing and moving show pieces out of my living/work space is really helping to clear out my mind.
Just a few more things to build for opening night and I am good to go... of coarse there are still lots of loose ends to tie up... but it feels manageable.
8 more magic days before set up... My number one priority is to stay focused, rest, eat well... and stay well... around me, many of the people closest to my life are in crisis... doing what I can to help is important... while remaining the calm center of the tornado that surrounds me.

Artist/Mad Scientist...

2009-04-15T10:00:00.004-05:00

Behind the scenes images for the creation of...
"Blue Moon" ...a surrealist dream landscape with a mad scientist twist where water and electricity flow freely. Blue moon features Circus Manduhai performer Chimgee with water music composed and performed by
Grant Hart & Paul Metzger.
Gallery13
May 1st
7 to 10pm
Blue Moon @ 8:30
811 LaSalle
Minneapolis, MN
You be the judge... The Experimental Phase has begun!!
The fun part about inventory is that I get to take my toys out and play :-)
Not every light I pour water over needs to blow up... as a matter of fact I am creating a fountain for the set of the opening night performance that will allow water to rain over the top of it just for the pure beauty of it... I am experimenting by testing it out in the shower!!
Do not try this at home... It is my gift, and like a Magician there are things I know that allow me to carry out my work safely...
without ruining the illusion for you.
and what is the illusion... Well, for today let's just say owning your own fears and allowing the true beauty of life to be present in each moment.

My Sunken Ship

2009-04-14T09:14:00.003-05:00

This is part of the first the water scene that will be in a 100 gallon Galvanized Metal Water Trough. An anchor with a chain for a rope laced in beautiful multicolor lights will illuminate the ocean floor. Oceans, sailing ships, sunken ships the deep Dark Sea... all re-occurring themes in my poetry and drawings...
This is a poem I posted a couple of years ago... I think the second or third day after I created this online journal...

Trouble Over The Ocean
Falling to the bottom of the deep dark sea
Not a breath left
Lying motionless
At what point do you think the spirit disconnects
To observe
Do you suppose spirits walk the ocean floors
Ghosts of the dead sea
Waiting for their motionless bodies
To breathe a breath once more
To rise victoriously and swim
Swiftly to the surface
Waving frantically to passing sailors
Save me!! Please!! Save me!!
When in reality only they can save themselves
Following the portal of light
Shining from the cabin of a sunken ship
Take a seat next to the pirate bones
Break a bottle of champaign on the bow of your sunken treasure
As you transport through a portal of light to a higher dimension

Trouble Under the Ocean probably would have been a bit more accurate for a title... This is just one of the hundreds of of references I find in my work contemplating our connection to the vast influence and power of water in our lives.

Inventory Madness

2009-04-13T19:28:00.004-05:00

Sitting in the middle of a pile of wires and light bulbs.... all of the months of burying myself in through construction of the show is now unraveling. 12 days... Ground Control to Major Tom... This is actually my favorite time of the entire process. I love sifting through junk drawers and boxes... uncovering forgetten treasures and dreaming up new ideas... which is exactly what I get to do now... as I put together the final elements for the set of the opening night performance. Time to be playful and childish and forget about all the rules... Just me and my imagination... Under a sunshine sky chasing Butterflies and Grasshoppers... maybe even a frog or two... which is what I used to keep in buckets and jars before I went and grew up... Sort of anyway.

Home Sweet Home

2009-04-08T20:24:00.003-05:00

This is my Kitchen today... There is actually a refrigerator, microwave , hotplate, and sink in here somewhere.... can you find them???? Me either!!!
Every day the space changes completely depending on where I am on my journey...
To the Moon :-)

To The Moon !!!

2009-04-05T11:43:00.004-05:00

It is a bit hard to comprehend being in marathon mode when my mind has been wrapped around this show pretty much all of the time... Officially since November 2008... but more officially... over the past 30 years... and I mean even at night when I sleep... I am soooo busy working out the details. But that is where I am at today. With about 20 working days before I begin moving everything to the gallery for installation, I am sticking close to home to keep my head focused. Tearing down and packing things up to move while simultaneously using the space I open up to build pieces for the opening night performance. There is something magical about living in a 600 sq ft studio with a 17 year old and a 160 pound dog where you are building a show for a 4600 sq ft space.
Looking at it, you wouldn't have the slightest clue what the heck I am thinking... But when it is all said and done... you will see the magic of my dreams.

Checking My List and Checking it Twice

2009-03-22T07:53:00.004-05:00

Down to about 5 working weeks before installation...
Estimated working time... 350 to 400 hours...
That's just the physical labor... The Mental energy is running non-stop.
If it's not done by then... It's going in the next show :-)
The Mere fact that I had the audacity to say I would do a solo show in a 4600 sq ft gallery at a time in my life that I had just lost my job, with absolutely no work ready to show... And my son to take care of was a pretty big leap of faith. I am endlessly entertained by the angelic days where things I need for the show simply appear in my life in ways I could never predict. It is the same spirit that carried me through nearly 25 extremely difficult years knowing one day I would be doing this work again. Most of those years there was never the slightest shred of evidence to support it. It is our inner voice that guides us... In ways no one else could begin to imagine for us where our lives might lead.

The Electric Water Extravaganza... is about to begin...

2009-03-10T15:32:00.006-05:00

Sketches from Electric Water Garden and The Shooting Gallery... Both from The opening night performance stage set for "Blue Moon".
...in just over 6 weeks I will be starting the job of moving everything into the galley and setting it all up. This week I am transitioning from major construction to what I love to do most, which if you haven't guessed by now... is playing with water and electricity!! I get to start experimenting with hooking lights up and seeing how they look underwater... as well as playing with the transformers and fluorescent pieces... Look forward to a few images from the laboratory via cell phone camera over the next few weeks... Until then... it's back to the carpenter's table for me.

Blue Moon

2009-02-27T23:49:00.004-06:00

In my chrysalis I became a ship on a stormy sea, fully immersed in transforming chaos and isolation into tranquility and understanding. In the depths of that deep dark sea I made friends with loneliness swimming silently away from sharks into the sun. I have become a tantric voyeur of electrical energy sailing through life gracefully on tornado winds. Arms stretched out holding up the sun as raindrops fall over my blue moon. Sifting through the sands of time in an attempt to find understanding and meaning, the lines between physics and psychics have become transparent. Today I am connecting the energy between space and time with the breath between heartbeats.... And if they say the moon is blue... We must believe that it is true.

Gallery 13

2009-02-13T09:32:00.008-06:00

811 LaSalle
Minneapolis, MN
May 1st - 24th

Between Air and Water
There are moments of
pure inexplicable beauty
too fleeting to hold.
So powerful and alive
we stand humbled in awe
forgetting to breathe as we
marvel at the infinity
of which we are a part.
It is here in this fleeting
moment of breathlessness
we sense our universal
connectedness to the
electrical forces of nature
as we contemplate what fuels
the life force within...
Between Air and Water.

Featuring Performance Art on Opening Night
Running simultaneously with
Alexandros Lindsay: FU-Utility
See more about Alex: Sculpture, Film & Installation

When I was a Child... One Night I Flew Out My Bedroom Window

2009-02-12T12:22:00.007-06:00

Dream Window #9
The piece that had originally started out as the kitchen window as part of the Electric Water house series is somehow now leading me in a new direction... Back to the freedom of daydreaming... and memories of magical childhood dreams...
The rest of this week I will be finishing construction of Dream Window #9... Which incidentally has evolved through several renditions and titles... Windows and Dreams alike have always been of particular interest and curiosity in my world.
I am really looking forward to seeing all of the new work lighting the gallery... Another kind of dream, yet somehow one doesn't seem to exist without the other.
I find it amazing how much work I get done in my sleep. The lines between this world and another for me get thinner all the time.

Re-Calculating Irony

2009-02-04T07:45:00.007-06:00

Photo: Grant Hart 1988
85 Days till showtime... 8 and 5... My 2 Magic Numbers...
As the countdown of weeks preceding the show began... I found a correlation between where I was last year at this time... Feb 4 2008 I put up a post titled 8 magic weeks... which were the weeks preceding the possibility of an interview for a grant I was working on.... Reality set in and some much heavier issues took the stage in place of that... Ironically, I discovered that 8 weeks from Feb 4 2009 marked the date my new show was to be ready and open to the public... Of coarse in keeping with the universal flow of change... even that changed before I could write this episode of Jane on Ice... skating fearlessly... most of the time... into the future. The show opening has now changed to May first... on account of Alex who will be running a show across the hall simultaneously... has in fact fallen on the ice while visiting the art shanty projects on Medicine lake and fractured his shoulder blade... Ouch!!
So today I am doing what I do every day... Moving things I made to make room for more stuff I need to make. In the department of worry... I had a great dream the other night where a dear friend of mine smiled and touched my hand saying lets take a look at where you are at... leaving me with a feeling of more fun and excitement than I can remember since I was a kid... All of the heaviness of life just disappeared for a moment... inspiring me to keep on with what I am doing and trust it is exactly where I should be today. As far as I can see... 8 magic weeks has become a lifetime of magic moments.

Floating on Water

2009-01-28T09:09:00.002-06:00

8 weeks from now I will be in the Gallery setting up the long awaited Electric Water Extravaganza... Drum Roll PLEASE!! Between Air and Water. Today is reality checklist and hopefully to start the framework for 16 candles. Gallery meeting at 3:00... So off to work...

Never let Fear or Common Sense get in your way...

2009-01-21T09:27:00.003-06:00

Today it's a New World

2009-01-20T17:34:00.003-06:00

In the midst of our day to day lives today... there isn't a one of us connected to society that didn't feel it.... It certainly does feel good. I for one couldn't be happier to see the end of the devastation... For God's sake... to not look at that dumb ass open his mouth again is cause enough to be jubilant... Of coarse there are so many practical things to be ecstatic for... So here goes.... Wooo Hooo!!!!!!

Between Air and Water _ FU-Utility

2009-01-13T10:11:00.009-06:00

Mary Jane Mansfield

Alexandros Lindsay

The film clip is currently under re-construction...

Filming Electric Water Experiment Day

2009-01-12T16:44:00.003-06:00

You're looking at the aftermath of hot light bulbs floating on water after cold water was poured over them... I haven't seen any of the film yet, and I am not in charge of the editing, but the Gallery is putting together a promo clip for youtube for my show and the artist currently known as Alexandros Lindsay.... who will be showing his work under the title FU-Utility in the space across the hall from me in April...
Gallery 13_2 artists - 2 shows... 1 event.
In fact Alex was kind enough to drive an hour into town in our mini blizzard today to do the filming. Should be fun to see what he comes up with. Last weeks studio visit to his farmland mega huge outbuilding revealed an equally crazy take on the way electrical inventions are meant to be used... With Alex the toy of choice is motors. Should be a pretty rockin' event...
Both shows will feature opening night Performance Art.
Special guest appearances in both poetry and music will be scheduled throughout the coarse of the show.

If I had a hammer...

2009-01-10T21:28:00.009-06:00

...I'd hammer in the morning
I am accepting the pace of my life for what it is. Trusting my intuition and believing I am doing just fine... that maybe the gift of time to doddle around for a change and do a bit of this and that is part of what I really need to be doing too. That factory work belongs in factories... and really I'm busy working 24 hours a day.... my mind is always wrapped around the creative process... my imagination is the engine of my life... I am beyond impossible... the gift of universal abundance will work... if I just relax and let it happen... That's pretty much what I am doing... and along the way I am learning to build the things I imagine with power tools...

New Year: New Life: New Work:

2009-01-03T09:58:00.005-06:00

In a sense, I am picking up with the new show... Between Air and Water, where I left off with Electric Water World... Which was my chrysalis. In 2008... My Year of Transformation, I took on some pretty heavy issues that were standing in the way of just what it is I came to this planet for in the first place... The same thing any of us are here for... to fully be who we are. Just let our light shine... So if I were to predict the direction of my New Year, It would really be about my New Life... 2009 to infinity... Shining Bright.

Meanwhile... back in the studio.

2008-12-17T11:12:00.006-06:00

The beginning of another week in the studio... I'm feeling pretty centered and productive. These photos kind of show you what my studio/home are looking like today. Since thanksgiving I have finished the fence for the performance stage... hauled a lot of wood hanging out my car window and wrestled with chicken wire and a staple gun... that scares my dog to death. The goal is to have all of the building done by Ben Franklin's birthday.... also along the way I am putting together the pieces for the new sculpture and composing elements of the performance for opening night... It's looking dreamy.

Abstract Juggling

2008-12-16T18:54:00.003-06:00

The plan more or less was to hit the ground running after my birthday weekend... which I suppose did happen in a way... however, the unexpected comes... well... when it is unexpected. For me it was the gift of reuniting with all of my beautiful and talented punk rock friends I have barely seen over the past 20 years... on facebook of all places.... so between the obvious distraction of having my computer under my nose as I am working in my studio mixed with starting an aggressive work schedule for my show and taking care of my son and the family dog.... I have resorted to my time journal again.... to descatter my brain cells.... after almost one week.... It is helping me stay focused and allowing me to see that even small amounts of time on a consistent basis add up..... Now for the drum roll please.... as I get back to work. :-)

All in all it certainly wasn't a total loss... The first week tracking with the time journal added up to 39.25 hours.
almost a full time week... Although honestly I am expecting a lot more out of myself.... So on to week 2

Life: As good as it Gets...

2008-12-08T11:56:00.007-06:00

Jane pouring cold water over a hot lightbulb: 1988
photo: by Grant Hart

After much thought and consideration... I have decided to condense my 2008 Manifesto for life to a few brief thoughts that essentially sum up the most important elements for sailing through life on the cool breeze of a warm summer night in the dead of winter....
Empty your stomach and fill your Mind
Fully immerse yourself in your talent
laugh a lot
smile even more
when making choices remember...
the easy ones are guaranteed to be the least rewarding.
Examples are the only thing that really count, and...
The answer is Yes...
If the question is right :-)

And now for the intro to the epic poem that poured itself from my hand to the page last summer whether I wanted it to or not... as I was relocating my life to a studio with big beautiful windows where I have moved my son and the family dog...
to live with me while I spend my days building crazy Electric Water sculpture in the kitchen :-)...

A letter to the nights that won't let me sleep:
I am a womanizer from a past life back to pay for my sins
I cut my wings with jagged razors whispering in the dark
where God stands motionless refusing to answer
Open eyes blind running under the sun
I have placed a lid on the jar with a grasshopper inside
and sealed it up for my amusement
The moth and flame crawl under my skin
Under the covers
Under the ground...
as though I am already dead
I smell your breath like the acrid holiness of pine trees
while eagles storm my brain patching the holes with mud and twigs
Sinking like a bottle of gin filled confessions
to the furthest depths of despair
Calling your name out to a wall of angel hearts
made of mortar and brick
I won't pretend to understand it
Soulful erections spitting in the breeze
I on the other hand barely exist
I am part of a universal infinity of loneliness and poetic reason
There is not a can of gasoline on earth
that could burn the flesh off my bones
My heart transcends reality
Like Corso my legs fly up in the air at the thought of dumb luck
pouring fearless penance down the drain
It is the reason I can smile in the face of catastrophic loss....

Nearing the end...

2008-12-05T10:09:00.007-06:00

2008... My year of transformation is nearly complete. With my birthday weekend at hand I am in my most introspective/reflective time of year... which today has so far amounted to the fact that in reviewing the year it has come to my attention that I have misplaced the journal containing a cut and paste compilation of my best writing of the year... presented in a reading last summer with the Riot Act series...
So instead of burning up the rest of my day searching... I will just leave you with this to read while I spend the rest of my day shopping at Fleet Farm and Home Depot collecting treasures for my upcoming show in March.
Moments of clarity shine through the clouds on a rainy day lifting my spirits to a hilltop view of sunlight shining down from above the cloud line. In my most powerful moments of glory I am sure that what I am doing today lifts me up onto higher ground where I boldly hand my credentials down to my attitude where they will be prepared to roll off my tongue at will...

Undressing Black

2008-11-24T19:51:00.004-06:00

Life for me these days is full of bright colors. Electrically charged light color. Each one full of it's own transformative power. Yellow Orange Purple and Green seem to be the most important in my day to day life now... The first three are pretty much all I am wearing. As I work these colors into my life... they are spilling like blood onto everything I touch, which this week is painting the picket fence I carried in from the alley to create the performance stage for my upcoming show in March...
Being that I am part of one of the original DIY generations... that is to say... before the term was coined... Jammin Econo is in my blood... so... losing my job and living on toothpicks while taking on a show of this magnitude is more than a leap of faith... It is the point of infinity where the universal law of abundance and a creative steam engine locomotive collide... That is where you will find me today.

Dream Window

2008-11-15T21:33:00.003-06:00

Six weeks into unemployment... and equally as far into the planning phases of my show in March.
The next 2 weeks will involve setting up a workshop and emptying out the storage closet as well as finalizing the proposal, creating tool and supply lists & estimating time and financial resources necessary to carry out the plan. Minneapolis is rich in resources for the arts.
All in all at this point there are 8 sculptures, one installation and a performance stage.
The main focus and title of the show as well as inspiration for many of the pieces came... true to form for me... from a dream.
God bless the crumbling economy for allowing me to lose my job :-) ... The gift of time is oh so much more precious to an artist like me... It has been 20 years since I have been unemployed... I am not wasting one moment... I especially love the moments I am lying awake in bed in the middle of the night daydreaming :-)
Life is good.

Everything is falling in to place...

2008-10-27T12:16:00.003-05:00

Over the next 4 months... Electric Water World is going live. You are invited behind the scenes of my upcoming show... Between Air and Water.
My dreams are literally materializing. You will be able to follow the end of my year of transformation from Electric Water Houses to New and exciting Electric Water adventures... Step by step as the show comes to life.
As my sketches and concepts of putting the space together have begun their evolution... I find that everywhere I go, pieces are falling together from items I think of appearing discarded in nearby alleys to online research triggering a new and spectacular image in my mind to add to the show.
Part of me wants to throw this back in the Time Journal category... as I am dedicating a minimum of 15 hours a day 6 days a week to the evolution of this new endeavor... That is just my waking hours.... A lot of the work I do takes place at night while on earth my body lies asleep while my mind is set free... to dream :-)
However... seeing as I will be obviously obsessed with the new work.... I am going to give it it's own new category... By the same name as the show....

The first Electric Water House Dream...

2008-10-21T15:14:00.007-05:00

...was on March 11 2006... It was one of those dreams where the sunlight was brighter than it shines here... and full of warmth... a very perfectly balanced beauty... there was a fountain surrounded by butterflies... in the gallery where my latest art exhibit was about to open. This marks the time I see as the rebirth of Electric Water Sculpture in my life... Today... 21 days into unemployment, I am doing a lot of dreaming... asleep and awake. Last week my dearest friend called waking me up from an afternoon nap just at the perfect time to remember images from another gallery installation with about 12 18" square chicken wire birdcages in a perfect row from the front to the back 3 feet from the ceiling suspended in mid air. I remember hearing in the dream there will be Water in the bottom of the cages... and asking myself the question... what is between Water and Air.
After telling my friend the dream... he took a call on the other line and it was then I knew... it was Electricity.
The next 24 hours every time I fell asleep I woke up every hour or 2 with a new idea for a sculpture connected to this theme. At first I would sit up and sketch it out. Then when I was so tired I wanted to roll over and sleep... I would just think of more until I had to get up and draw the ideas just so I could sleep. Unemployment is good for me... I am working on a show for Spring to finish out the Electric Water House series and evidently now... whatever old and new ideas I can possibly put together before then.
I am taking my 6 week severance package as an Artist Grant... the gift of time... precious. Then I will deal with unemployment.

Outer Space Electric Zone

2008-09-08T10:30:00.004-05:00

In case you haven't seen me in a while... which is almost everyone... I just thought I would draw this little picture of myself for your amusement!! My spring and summer were filled with tons of writing, figuring, walking, reading, daydreaming, remembering, moving and adjusting...
#1 Being where I belong.
With fall begining and my job ending Sept. 30th.... I should probably be worried a little...
Yet I am so excited :-)
It is the begining of a great adventure!!
I am in the process of writing my own Creative Manifesto...
Giving away all of my old clothes and replacing them with nothing but purple and yellow :-)
Blasting into the universe I belong to where I will spend the rest of my earthbound days doing one thing and one thing ONLY...
Being the creative spirit I am...
Stay tuned as I navigate my way through the writing of my personal Manifesto and re-create the very world I am living in :-)
Dec 8th is my birthday... Always a great time for new beginings... I believe this is the day I will publish my
New World Manifesto....
Why not.... If we are not fully who we are meant to be... we are cheating more than just ourselves...
And who said it was going to be easy???
I really doubt any of us really came just for the Joy ride :-)
So... with a light hearted grin... the whimsical spirit of childhood and these famous words from Buzz Lightyear...
" To infinity and beyond..." ....See you there :-)

Sunshine under the Rain

2008-08-18T16:01:00.005-05:00

This is where I have been living... In my dreams... What better place to remember just who it is you are and why you are here in the first place... With a smile on my face... I will be who I am :-)

Sunday Morning Coming Down...

2008-08-05T12:15:00.006-05:00

My endings and beginings are so intertwined and overlapped at the moment I feel like I am 2 people split into 3 or 4... I had no idea how long this process of starting over was going to drag out... and I guess I still really don't have that answer. For Today however I am begining to see the light for the re-creation and continuation of My Electric Water World project. This weekend the Electric Water House came down... When I finish moving... hopefully next weekend I will be spending the rest of the summer setting up the new studio partly as a home for my son to finish school and partly for me to entertain my creative madness :-) While I have been seperated from the creative work I had in progress over the past 5 months, my creativity had to find a place to go... which quite naturally has come out in the form of writing, mostly poetry and letters.
August 17th I will be reading at the Turf Club in St. Paul for the Riot Act reading series. I believe aroung 7pm, however come to think of it I 'm not sure just yet when it starts... Maybe a good question to ask!!

Lazy Days

2008-07-24T13:43:00.006-05:00

The past couple of days have come with unexpected additions on my doorstep.
My 160 pound dog.
The family car.
Both dropped off fairly well unanounced.
My dog is 8 years old...
From the time he was a tiny puppy we walked together around this beautiful park that is practically hidden away in the middle of a busy city. The fact that it happens to exist in the middle of a troubled part of town hasn't made it a bad place to be. Instead it is very well kept up and trouble free.
Seeing as Buddy was pretty nervous about his new surroundings with me... and the fact that he hadn't known where I disapeared to 5 months ago... I decided to take the day off work and hang out at our favorite park. I am still in walking distance so I figured it would be a good way to get him used to new surroundings...
The car and the dog were both a little rough around the edges... just a little TLC and.. Voila!!
The third piece of magic comes along with the fact that I can also get back into my old home and tie up some of the loose ends I had to leave up in the air for better or worse...
Someone has made a huge leap into what will definately be an extreemly difficult detox and recovery. My heart goes out to you... As for me... The journey is far from smooth sailing and there is a lot at stake for everyone involved. With much work ahead to even get close to Re-building Electric Water World... It was nice to take a lazy summer day off with a dear friend.

New Beginings

2008-07-15T13:05:00.006-05:00

The Drum roll PLEASE!!
I have spent countless hours staring out my beautiful new windows, (8 of them in the front room and 3 in the back room) from the best seat in the house... Which is my beautiful new overstuffed amazing couch.. practically new that came my way magically a couple of days before I moved in. It is the only furniture I have aside from this makeshift desk I put together with 2 trunks and a board. So far I have been able to retrieve 90% of what is irreplaceable from my former home... which means artwork and journals. As far as Art supplies and work in progress which pretty much means everything that has to do with my Electric Water Work... Well I got a court order and an escort to go back and get the rest this week. I just have to make the arrangements. So, in the meantime I have been writing sleeping and looking out these beautiful windows. Writing has been my way of naturally processing grief, and walking has been my #1 choice for dealing with stress. 3 to 8 miles a day for the past few months. I am in pretty good shape... I really need it too. I still have a long way to go in starting this new life I am undertaking. This summer is the first time in about 25 years I have been alone in a quiet space for extended periods of time and I am loving it. If you haven't gotten an invitation to come over yet, it isn't because I don't love you... even my son has only been over once. He is spending the summer with a friend. He will be living here with me for the next schoolyear however to finish his Senior year of High school. I now have a refridgerator and a microwave... The stove is coming soon...

Untitled

2008-06-04T15:55:00.006-05:00

Evidently I have slipped into the alternate universe where poetry takes over every waking moment I live forcing itself from me into the world I once lived....

Portrait of a new Studio....

2008-05-19T17:02:00.003-05:00

Coming Soon....
O.K.... Not From Hawaii
But Every bit as Spectacular!!
Guaranteed or your Money Back:)

Just One Word...

2008-05-01T14:26:00.014-05:00

Nevermind :-)

Electric Water World...

2008-04-24T08:44:00.008-05:00

Moving June First.
My Amazing year of Transformation just keeps getting better... In order to create the House of Transformation, which is one of my current Electric Water House sculptures, I actually had to make some kinda major changes in my life... June 1st I get to start moving in to my new studio... It truly is the begining of a great adventure.

Violet

2008-04-18T15:32:00.007-05:00

This color that has been literally pouring itself into my life lately... If you have known me for any length of time you would understand why I would have to see whats up with that. So I did my homework... O.K. ... (Google Search). Considering where I am at in my Year of Transformation, the results make perfect sense. The Drum Roll Please... As I reveal the word association results for Violet: Enlightenment, Openness, Awareness, Purpose, Divinity, Gratitude and Spirit. Associated with the Crown Chakra: represents pure cosmic energy. It embraces a sense of gratitude for one's life and humility for goodness both experienced and received. It is your connection to the greater world beyond and brings universal identity. When the seventh Chakra is activated, (which mine evidently is...) it brings spiritual awareness, which deepens your life, giving it meaning and a sense of higher purpose... So with that I'm heading home for another awesome weekend of reading, writing, drawing... and friendships... more amazing than I had ever imagined.

Spring Revisited...

2008-04-11T12:39:00.004-05:00

Back in the dead of winter... I have an amazing few days to sit indoors and remember... With a cup of hot chocholate... Just where it is I have been during the best 5 days of the year. This picture was taken in a digital photo booth about 30 miles into my spring Fresh Air Walk... Inspiration of Freedom... Remember How Beautiful the World is Art Tour of 2008. The tour included a thrift shopping excursion along the way... Which is where the flowers that fooled a Museum guard... Who A. just wanted to say something to me, or B. really believes I could have picked flowers so lovely just 2 days after our last 8 inches of snow melted... And of coarse the kind of poetry book you get for a dollar... which certainly would have made for the story line of a decent childrens book... But not great poetry. I am looking forward to a quiet weekend of reading, writing, drawing... and remembering all things beautiful that are filling my world each day.

Reconnecting to the Rhythm Within

2008-04-03T08:52:00.011-05:00

On becoming a Titan in Battle: The #1 lesson we can learn in life is letting other people deal with their own shit.
When it comes your way... Simply step aside, Turn the other way, Disapear, Delete the message, Carry on from the calm center of your own tornado sky, Be the Bad Ass B*#*# you really are... (With style and Grace of coarse...) Then really make a conscious attempt to avoid ever laying your shit on anyone else... This is exactly the shit... Nobody needs... Really.

Show & Tell

2008-03-26T13:19:00.015-05:00

My 5th Grade Rock Painting project from Meadow Lake elementary school...
This is one example of just how long I will hold on to something... Considering how many times I have moved in my life, this is something of a miracle... or is it? At the time this piece was created I was already forming future visions of the work I was sure one day I would create. Which is kind of funny because it never dawned on me that I was an artist until I was about 16... Or that being an artist was actually a state of mind and if you were you were... evidently this is the case for me.
At the time I imagined I would own a house that is pretty similar to the one I own now... Only the entire house would be turned into art,,, which is pretty much what I have going on with the Electric Water House Series in my backyard.
For the moment however, I am jumping ships... Which is fine, because it is my Ocean and I can do that! So, while I am busy moving (3 times already in the last 20 days) I have already begun work on a new Electric Water House project called Violet. (Which I can do because I have friends who love me and are willing to accomadate the mad scientist in my spirit!!)
And the journal I wanted for my birthday... last December... I finally got it last week. I am writing and drawing every spare moment I have. Of coarse there are things that I have held on to for far too long now.. to which all I can say about now is... Let Go.... ...(which incidentally is an awesome song by a very talented artist you can read about and listen to with this link.) As for me... I am no longer a ship on a stormy sea, fully imersed in transforming chaos and isolation into tranquility and understanding. I am now the Steam Engine of a Freight Train Locomotive rising up out of the deep dark sea into an infinitely more beautiful galaxy.

Electric Water World Studio & Gallerium are Moving....

2008-03-05T16:24:00.010-06:00

...New and Improved Transformation in Progress.
Please Stand by for future updates as I Navigate my way through Uncharted territory....
I'm getting the Gilligans Island theme song running through my head now. Although I think I am a bit further into the Three Hour Tour, even past the point of several mishapped adventures with Gilligan and the Natives. Even beyond several failed attempts at escaping the Island... In fact I may well be on my way home this time, However the tiny ship was tossed and the weather is still pretty rough... Not to worry, I am after all an Old Pirate at Sea... and I've got me treasure chest burried... deep within.

Almost Famous!!

2008-02-28T14:02:00.006-06:00

This is what it looks like to be Almost Famous!!
I would like to say Thank You on behalf of the Academy... To all of my AWESOME Fans and Cheerleaders who have Woo Hoo'd and cheered me on through amazing moments and devastation alike!!
I am now in my Fourth week of 8 Magic weeks in the creation of the Electric Water World Gallerium...
My Almost 17 year old Earth Angel was kind enough to arrange for me to use his digital camera so that I will be able to post images of the process... 2008, My year of Transformation has already been truly amazing.... Living the work that I am creating requires a bit of soul searching and a great deal of honesty to myself... as well as the people in my life who are closest to my heart. This is the magic that will ultimately shine through in the end.

What it's all about...

2008-02-27T16:26:00.002-06:00

This week.... Stirring it up. Washing it out. Getting it on your shirt. letting the paint dry. Next week.... Untangling the cords... Feeling the power. Becoming the steam engine. Annihilating whatever stands in my way...(by Annihilation, of coarse I mean to treat people as kindly as possible.) After that... Theres no telling.

Back to reality...

2008-02-19T10:49:00.006-06:00

-23F windchill -40F tonight... and the window is open in the Gallerium.... why you ask???
I have taken to painting galvanized metal water buckets, a garbage can and my mothers old ironing board with oil based enamel paint... it smells highly toxic. Since the garbage can and buckets have spent a lot of time outside and the seams are slightly strained, I am going to need several layers of paint to seal them up tight. I definiately do not need 100 gallons of water flooding my house. which is about what it will take to fill the sculptures I am setting up at the moment... Do I have flood insurance???? How would this sound to my Homeowners insurance agent... Hi, I was wondering... am I covered if the garbage can I filled with water and threw a lightbulb with a rock taped to the cord underwater in should happen to leak????
Hmmmm??? Nahhh... Somehow I am quite sure they just wouldn't understand.

Wrapping it all up...

2008-02-15T15:25:00.002-06:00

Detail image: Close up of wiring from the Electric Water House
The Electric Water World Gallerium is about to begin coming to life this weekend. With a predicted heatwave on the way... (33F) I will be able to find the nerve to actually haul the Dumpster and thrift store piles out.... and start setting up sculptures. As for the House of Chaos and House of Calm which were laid to rest for the winter, I ran off about 25 11x17 color copies today to put up on the walls and re-collect my thoughts on the work as I calculate the elements for the house of transformation. Last weekends dream was filled with bright colors and studio visits that were in a mall that looked a lot like art college only way more colorful. I have transferred the color into some of the new work I am putting together... Lime Green Yellow Orange Red and Marine Blue oil based enamel are on the shopping list.

The Magic is Happening!!! I Can Feel It...

2008-02-08T08:26:00.000-06:00

Me and My Brother....
JOHN BYRON MANSFIELD
MARCH 19 1960 - MAY 13 2007
When my phone rang at work yesterday the caller ID revealed a number I was definitely not familiar with.
About a month ago Ruth Frost, a Chaplain with Twin Cities Hospice had called me as part of a follow up they do to families who have lost loved ones over the past year to see how they are doing, and how they handled the difficult time of the Holidays. As we got to talking, I mentioned that I was an artist.... that was where we really connected, because it turns out that she was an artist as well. I explained a little bit about how the loss of my brother marked the end of my childhood family and how my future creative vision involved collecting the past, releasing it and moving forward into the future.
The work is scheduled to take place during a two year fellowship for which I have applied. If this happens to be your first time reading my online journal I will add a brief update... The plan is to create and set sail to three Electric Water Ships. One each for my Father, Mother and Brother. Each ship will be made from a small wooden fishing boat with a sail covered in light bulbs. There will be a generator on board to light the sail. Each ship will have a treasure chest. The time I spend creating this body of work will give me the time needed to reflect on each of their lives and the impact of our lives together.
So, to make a long story longer...
I answered the phone, and it Was Ruth. I had sent her a copy of my Fellowship proposal and she rolled out this amazing phrase... (which i can't even remember how it went) but she started out by saying how my wonderful project was really the story of my greiving process and how interesting it was that I am integrating healing into the artwork.
She invited me to write a story for their upcoming newsletter saying that she felt people would find inspiration to help them through their own grief. I am really touched and feel quite honored to be able to be included in their world, if only in a small way... The work they are doing for people truly ranks them among Gods Angels on earth.
I will post a copy of the story here when it happens.