In October of 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred, just after we had finished our house. The epicenter was 10 miles away. Although we built the house to be structurally sound and only one glass broke, I was greatly shaken by it (no pun intended). The parking lot at our nearest beach had a chasm at least 80' long and 6' wide. The concrete columns supporting Highway 1 pierced it instead, and the road collapsed onto the river it crossed.
I stuttered as a child and, as a result of the earthquake, I began to stutter on almost every word. I went to a wonderful homeopath who helped me so much that it made me want to help others. I ended up going back to college to get my masters degree in counseling psychology. One of the classes woke me to my archetypal self.
Every morning at 6 a.m., whether a work day or not, I drove to the ocean. I could walk or run for five miles and see no one. I began to recognize that archetypal self, the ancient part that trotted along the water, holding my spear. And I remembered . . . .
I collected bones, shells, seaweed, and driftwood—sometimes whole skulls. I probably looked like a crazy woman, each of my hands looped in a bungie cord wrapped around multiple long pieces of driftwood. I loaded everything in my car and unloaded it in big piles in my studio. This was my studio then. It was 30' wide, 50' long, with 12' high and 19' high walls along its lengths.
I stuttered as a child and, as a result of the earthquake, I began to stutter on almost every word. I went to a wonderful homeopath who helped me so much that it made me want to help others. I ended up going back to college to get my masters degree in counseling psychology. One of the classes woke me to my archetypal self.
Every morning at 6 a.m., whether a work day or not, I drove to the ocean. I could walk or run for five miles and see no one. I began to recognize that archetypal self, the ancient part that trotted along the water, holding my spear. And I remembered . . . .
I collected bones, shells, seaweed, and driftwood—sometimes whole skulls. I probably looked like a crazy woman, each of my hands looped in a bungie cord wrapped around multiple long pieces of driftwood. I loaded everything in my car and unloaded it in big piles in my studio. This was my studio then. It was 30' wide, 50' long, with 12' high and 19' high walls along its lengths.
Below is that first hut.
The studio had eleven 4' x 6' skylights that we built ourselves. I would go there when the moon was full and lie inside the hut.
The studio had eleven 4' x 6' skylights that we built ourselves. I would go there when the moon was full and lie inside the hut.
Below is the 14' tower I called "Trapped Spirit" because when I closed in the last wall, I realized I was expressing how trapped I felt. Inside is a dolphin skull with eucalyptus bark and pelican feather wings and tail that reach past the walls (see detail below). I still have the dolphin skull. The rest of it, I tipped over a mountainside to return to the earth.
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This was my 10' cubic Temple with another hut I made.
This one is called simply "Cage" with a close-up below.
I drilled four tiny holes in each eucalyptus pod for the waxed linen thread to go through, to create the grid. I loved the meditative quality of holding each pod, one at a time, and drilling each tiny hole.
I drilled four tiny holes in each eucalyptus pod for the waxed linen thread to go through, to create the grid. I loved the meditative quality of holding each pod, one at a time, and drilling each tiny hole.
HOME Soul Encaustics MIXED MEDIA. Treasure Boxes. BOOKS TEMPLES, HUTS, FORESTS EARLY WORKS CHILDHOOD & TEENS PAINTINGS EARLY HUTS & TEMPLES PRAYER TIES GALLERY LESLIE
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