A Little Shins Gig I Did

This summer I had the opportunity to work on the art staff for the Shins video, It's Only Life.

I did miscellaneous things such as:

shop for props

made fake firework packaging

maintained the stunt dog, Riot's, antlers

concoct the concept of a skateboard deck to pull James Mercer through the grass

littered a SE Portland neighborhood with newspapers and misc. objects

those are my silver trashcans in the street

(it rained during production which meant the newspapers got wet, not an easy clean up)

dug up and placed weeds in the cameras frame for the close up shots of Jim being dragged

helped the puppeteer with his costume

helped with the costumes accessories

drug James Mercer across the grassy lot on the west end of Mississippi Ave
(a bizillion times)

there may be a few other tasks but I've forgotten now that it's almost November

It was a long two days, well worth the effort.

The LA & P-Town crews were hip and dedicated to their work.

And a crazy cool guy named Hugs was a shining star.
(as well as my friend Alisha-check out her latest work)

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An autumn walk

to cleanse

the creative soul

and refresh

the innovative mind.

and then there's always this...

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This Spot...is a No Go

An inside work now lives outside supported by an ancient cedar tree stump (survived the Yacolt Burn) that's been withering away. I was told it's decreased in diameter by at least half in the last two decades.

I'm curious how the cement board will behave in the elements. Although under cover of a new growth cedar of which a wandering rose vine has invaded, the piece will still receive an abundance of rain and snow.

When a tree falls...I take photos (this morning in my jammie pants, slippers and warm cozy hoodie while enjoying a perfect cup of coffee). I wasn't present for the ripping-cracking thunderous sounds but was assured they were alarming enough to hope it wasn't one of the trees near the house. Instead the old sickly maple near the back of the property fell neatly by the fire pit and missed the gazebo (later this afternoon a most killer fire will rage in the pit accompanied by a wonderful Zinfandel from Maryhill Winery which happens to be not that far away...Mmmmmm I do love their Zin).

Just last weekend I scouted this part of the property for ideal places for some land art, the kind that changes the architecture of the landscape (as I'm currently learning about in one of my sculpture classes). My mind is set on using cobalt blue glass bottles (the ones that once held sparkling flavored water from Trader Joe's, I'm pretty sure that's why I have been buying them for all these years -saving them for...well...possibly this very thing), rusted wire and fused and slumped glass custom formed to the tops of the old cut stumps.

As far as art goes...this spot...is a no go.

While keeping in view of the newly destroyed stump I may spin a web of rusted metal between these trunks and wrap a glass bottle as if it were delicious prey for a steam punk arachnid. However...this tree is in similar shape as the fallen one. I'm not sure how long it will last.

This guy...seems bothered by the audacity of the maple to jump ship and lay down on the forest floor. Rookie.

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A quick little phone clip to take your thoughts away from the daily chaos.

and...

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The autumn leaves...are spectacular.

Sweet Camellia

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Sweet Camellia...

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judgment

ridicule

alienation

pain

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Sweet Camellia...

timid

embarrassed

ashamed

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Sweet Camellia...

wept

plunged

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Sweet Camellia...

had not begun

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Sweet Camellia...

never the same

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