Skies Painted with Unnumbered Sparks

So all this talk about Janet Echelman... its culminated in something very special. When I was researching our trip to Phoenix in January, I realized that she had that piece there, and the second I saw it I searched out her website to see what else she had going on.

This led me to realize 2 things:

1. that I had seen her work before and never realized it- there is a smaller piece at the Richmond Oval which was installed for the Olympics. I had even been there and stood under it. Years ago. Even before I saw her work in Amsterdam. And...

2. that she had an upcoming project in Vancouver connected to the 2014 TED talks.

I have been connected to the arts for most of my life, and over half of it as a student, employee and maker of things in this field. I see a lot of art. A lot. But I had not felt excitement over anything quite like this in years.

On a whim I wrote her an email telling her I loved her work and I was so excited that she was coming to Vancouver. Little did I expect that she would write me back personally to say thank you, but that this would be my lead in to actually be a part of this mammoth installation. This last Sunday I stood out on the sea wall with a group of friends and other volunteers late into the night and were on site pedestrian control and docents. I got to meet Janet. We were there for hours watching the, albeit, slow transformation of the water front. But it was worth the wait.

The end result is a must see. Please go and experience it. I can post a million photos and it will never do it justice.

www.echelman.com

http://www.echelman.com/project/skies-painted-with-unnumbered-sparks/

Skies Painted with Unnumbered Sparks, 2014

March 15-22, 2014

Located suspended above the street and water between Canada Place, Fairmont Hotel and the Convention Center

See it dusk to midnight

long road back: Jerome, Sedona and Route 66

On our last big drive on the way back we made a few stops-

Jerome AZ is a former mining town built into the side of a mountain. About a mile up in a series of tight turns and winding road. One way in and one way out. The downtown is built in a series of block long switchbacks- so we were always looking up at the underbelly of the next set of businesses. Or down to the valley view. Also a bit of a ghost town, its community now is artists and studio/shops. We also ate an amazing Mexican lunch. yum!

Next stop, Sedona AZ. You'll know it when you see it. Its distinct rock formations and mountains in bight red rock. We wound up at the most stunning Catholic Church built right in to the side of a hill. These shots are actually from its parking lot!

And one quick detour onto a stretch of the historic Route 66. So iconic, yet so sleepy I was able to stand right in the middle of the main drag and not a car in sight.

It was a great trip- felt much longer than a week! Thanks mom and dad!

Her Secret is Patience

A draw for Phoenix as the destination for this trip was that I wanted to see a public sculpture by the artist Janet Echelman. You might remember her mentioned on my blog before as I saw a piece if hers in Amsterdam on my last night there. 

http://greeneyegurl.blogspot.ca/2012/12/floating.html?m=1

This piece is a permanent installation since 2009 in a downtown civic park in Phoenix. We went early in the day to see it and returned again that same night to see it lit up. I noticed it wasn't as vibrant/bright as the piece I saw in Amsterdam, but after I read more about it I understand that the lighting changes based on the seasons. We spent a lot of time in the park talking about it. They are such interesting sculptures that I wonder when people come across them what they think- its so strange and beautiful just floating there. 

Her Secret is Patience, 2009

(Day time)

(Night time) 

Phoenix AZ

good ole Scottsdale

pool side

The Hoover Dam

Currently kickin' up my heels in the States with my folks. Riding their coat tails down to a warmer locale in snow-bird fashion. We flew into Las Vegas and did a little road trip down to Phoenix for a few days of warmth and rest. 

Our first stop was something out of the movies- the Hoover Dam (originally Boulder Dam) 

Built from 1931 to 1936 its quite the amazing feat of construction. I don't really get how they did it but I'll do some more research on that. 

We drove across and checked out some look outs looking back at the dam. Then my dad dropped us and mom and I walked back over- the water level is quite low, the evidence quite visual in a line cut across the banks of lake Mead. 

For me, best known from Superman and later from Fools Rush In- the latter in a scene where the two lovers meet in the middle of the dam spanning two states: Nevada and Arizona. That border and others like that- (I'm looking at you Washington and Oregon)  are pretty cool. It's the kind of thing movies are made of.