We are in Tieton

Downtown Tieton, Not a car in sight in this moment...it is beautifully calm and quiet here in this little 4 street town. But, it was a fun and wild week, we went to potlucks for the holiday and a movie night. In fact today we are kind of pooped out.

 

Yesterday we went to the vet as Monty was peeing blood. It was so scary. He doesn't seem sick at all... he is on antibiotics and today he is a bit better. He does love the bed in the little apartment I'm staying in. 

In all this getting settled and going to fun events I
haven't had much of a chance to really look around, go for some walks and imagine what it would be like to live here...
A few things that have made an impact:
1. The best pan dulce bakery here ever! I have to stop this addiction of mine!
2. There are only modest sized houses in Tieton, nothing over 1400 square feet.
3. The sun has shone every day we have been here, today all day. Cold, but sunny. I love it.

Jentel Residency Post #5 An interview

An Interview with Janice

Who is that hippo and why is he holding that button? 

He is the newest member of my jury. (See drawing of figures) I believe he is the wisest. He has suffered much in his life, he is worn... he loves his friends and knows they will not reject him because he is too big, or doesn't wear a hat or have nice shoes.

What do you wish you had done more of at Jentel?

Daydreamed

Spent time doing nothing

Walked in the hills more 

Less?

I wish I had worked less and let that be ok.

What does the button mean?

It reminds me of the very good Russian sculptor at VSC who walked up to me tapped me on the chest and said (in a wonderful accent) "you good artist". I treasure this memory and hold onto it when I don't believe in myself.

What did you like the best about Jentel? 

The landscape and the people, residents and staff. I loved the input, support and hilarity that ensued from our relationships. 

Jentel Residency Post #4 and what did you make?

I got to Jentel and just felt tired.

Knowing what a gift this time was I, like all my fellow residents didn't want to waste time. 

The Jentel staff reminded us there was no expectation to produce, rather the goal was to renew ourselves and enjoy the connections we were making. (that was easy!)

I put up 12 flour sacks and stared at them and said "oh well, I don't know what I'm doing, but I'll just start". I realized I missed my wood panels. I have grown used to the process of paint/sand/paint/sand and work on paper felt very difficult. 

I worked in this confusion state for about 2 weeks. And then things started to happen. Funny at the end of the residency all of us said the same thing, that we needed another week as the work had just begun to roll, click and come together.

Jentel Residency Entry #3 or Who were the other artists and writers?

It's me, taking a walk with my lovely orange vest on. The residency administrators worry we might get hit by a car. 

 Jake from New York City,  a writer editing a novel.

On the left Jun, a painter and installation artist and mixologist!

And on the right is David, a native of Wyoming working on public art projects. 

Karla, a writer and RN like me

Misha, a film maker. Created a green screen environment in her studio.

We six arrive on the same day. We range in age from 29 to 61. In any normal circumstance you would wonder how we could connect. 

But the pursuit of a creative endeavor creates this common language and experience. We have all struggled for time, for validation, for inspiration. 

We all agreed it was great to not be the only strange one in the bunch!

We bonded, we helped each other, and we laughed soooo much!

Scenery, Jentel Post #2

I arrive at Jentel which is 20 miles from the nearest town. I wondered why I picked these photos to show you... it is because the landscape is so a part of this world. There are more hills than houses. This is so different from where I live. I find myself trying to take in this vast beauty.

 This is the residence house... 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a huge living room/kitchen, a library and a media viewing room. 

The land behind the house is called the 1,000 acres and we are allowed to wander there IF we wear an orange hazard vest and write down what time we leave. You can get lost in the beautiful hills. Did I mention the first day here we saw 2 golden eagles?

                           

 

The creek runs through the property beside the house. It is wide and shallow and in the summer residents bump down it in inner tubes. 

This is the beaver dam on the creek although the only "sighting" has been a loud thwack on the water.

The landscape informs but it is hard to slow down enough to listen. The first time I wandered in the thousand acres a flock of birds landed in a tree. I watched them, but suddenly realized they were singing. I know this sounds strange, but I realized that in Eugene I might see birds, but I don't hear them. I listened for a long time.

Residency Stories, #1

Wyoming is the least populated state in the US. 

The Sheridan county airport is the smallest one I have ever flown into.

Lynn, from Jentel was there to meet me and drive me the 20 miles to Jentel. There was a little corgi girl in the car to wiggle and give kisses. Thanks Josie, I was pretty overwhelmed and exhausted.

This was my huge, well lit studio space, 22'x24'. 

You could dance around in it (I did)

And there are my paper flour sacks waiting for me. 

This was my 3rd residency and for the first time I had no idea what I was going to do. 

I knew these lumpy wrinkled papers had been a good idea because I could just mess around and not feel like I was wasting the 4 dollar a sheet stuff. 

For this residency I would say I was materials driven, not idea driven. My zip lock bags of found papers, my new heat tool, the flour sacks were the impetus to push me to start. 

 

Here is one of the first 12. 

Working in groups of 6, 8, and 12 was helpful...

ok, more interesting adventuress tomorrow!

I am back from Jentel Artist Residency...

" Karla's Magic Coat"  14"x14"  mixed media on paper

I got back from the wilds of Wyoming last night at midnight. Today I am in a bit of a zombie fog.
I think I can only write about this time at Jentel in pieces. To write a chronology is overwhelming.

I could start with Karla's magic coat... purchased at the Red Door thrift shop for 8 dollars. It is an 80's pink color, wool with white polar bears embroidered all over. A big hood with fake fur and two long strings with pom poms made it an irresistible bargain. 

There were 6 residents and when the staff oriented us they made it clear that we were to connect with each other and not rely on staff. We did... it was a bit amazing we were a team in about 10 minutes.

 Karla of magic coat fame is an amazing writer and a nurse like me!

More soon when I remember where I left my brain.