Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 48 nineteen. The final piece in the series, "Protection," features a face mask representing the masks being made by all those willing to sew and donate them to medical facilities. The hands are holding soap for the essential procedure of frequent hand washing. THE SCULPTED FACES THAT YOU CREATE CAPTURE A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF EMOTION. HAS THE WORLD SITUATION AND WORKING IN SELF-ISOLATION HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE EMOTIONALITY OF YOUR SCULPTURES? I use the emotions people are feeling to create messages. In the se- ries called "Healing and Rebirth," Medusa is a Greek word meaning to guard or protect, and so Medusa is the inspiration behind this series because the concept of "guarding and protecting" is so crucial during this time. "Healing" is the first piece in the series, with her beautiful snakes leading us to rebirth. The second piece is titled "Pro- tector," and features the ancient symbol of the Greek god of medicine and healing: a snake-entwined staff known as the Rod of Asclepius. Our medical professionals are the most admired people at this time. "Guardian," the third piece in the series, features an ouroboros, which is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent eating its own tail, symbol- izing wholeness and infinity. The snakes on all the pieces represent wisdom, to get us through these difficult times. WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE BEEN STAYING VERY BUSY. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST YEAR? Over the past year, I have focused on creating series, as they provide an opportunity to say more on a subject than individual pieces. A collector purchased an eight-piece series titled "Precious Firewood." This series featured different types of wood gathered as firewood. Each piece identified the type of wood and where it had been gath- ered. I continue to add to that series as it is a way to incorporate nature in my organic concrete sculptures. Some of them now feature sticks upon which I have painted patterns. The New Year inspired the series "Ringing in 2020" using antique bells I had collected. In each piece, the bells can still be rung to appreciate their varied tones. "Ringing in the Year," "Ringing in the Decade," and "Ringing in the Century" comprise this series. I was also honored to be included in the National Sculpture Society's online exhibition, "Creating in Self Isolation - Works in Progress." THE UNIQUE SERIES-A-YEAR THAT YOU ARE OFFERING TO NON-PROFITS SOUNDS FASCINATING. PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT. I appreciate non-profit organizations and how they enrich our communities with all that they do. I'm donating a series a year to bitteroot drifted branches Gone fishin' "THINGS THAT INSPIRE ME ARE

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