Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Streamside spirits

This slight tale has its beginnings last week at the Salvation Army store, where, out of the blue, a nice gent behind the counter decided that the Granddotter was the right fit for a pair of shiny black tap shoes. Only two bucks. Who could resist. We got to talking. He mentioned that he had carved a dragon and another sculpt to be found by the side of Granite Creek just behind Coffee Roasters.

Next thing you know, even before I managed to get over to the site, Warren of Touch Wind was up from Tucson and had posted some excellent pictures, especially considering how difficult the lighting is creekside. There was the impressively tall dragon, carved (chain saw, Dremel tools) from a big cottonwood stump still rooted in place.

To give you an idea of the size, the Granddotter posed between the creature and the remainder of the stump.

She explained to me that both of the claws (above, below) were at the end of the dragon's wings. I especially like the claws digging into the earth; former roots, I would venture.

I noticed this former stump nearby had been carved out, tho why, I do not know. Perhaps to provide wood for the dragon's teeth and fangs.

The Tree of Life is on the upper bank, looking out over the parking area behind the arty McCormick Street cottages. The entire piece is carved from a big stump that still supports a smaller living tree.

The woman is holding a masculine mask overhead. You can see the remaining part of the tree behind the mask (below).

Below the woman's belly button, which is a sun symbol, are all sorts of critters, with those that fly at the top. Next come a variety of land animals (below).

At the very bottom are sea creatures. Jeff Grabish is the artist who saw the possibilities in these two stumps and turned them into a remarkable pair of streamside spirits.

14 comments:

Warren said...

love those sculptures and your cool picture angles too! and thanks for the link!

Anonymous said...

Wow, amazing local artists!

Thanks for promoting their work.

~Anon in AV.

Granny J said...

warren -- just wish I could have gotten a better fix on the dragon's head!

anon av -- especially interesting -- this sculptor has almost no presence on Google except for Warren's blog. I hope he gives us more streamside spirits.

Omegadad said...

Did Omegadotter note the orca in the bottom photo?

BTW...I'm jealous. All they carve around here are grizzlies and moose.

Give my girls a hug for me. (And have them give one to you.)

SIL

meggie said...

Wonderful art. Little Granddotter is so gorgeous!

Steve said...

That guy has a talent.

Judy said...

Wow! I'll have to go and take a look at that. I had no idea that it was there. Thanks for showing it.

Changes in the wind said...

Amazing....really amazing.....

Granny J said...

od -- I don't recall her mentioning the orca, tho she certainly noted the crab & the octopussy.

meggie -- I agree wholeheartdly!

steve -- yes, I hope he does some more work around town (and makes some money, too).

jarart -- I think it's fairly recent, tho there's been nothing in the paper about it. For the dragon, go down the stairs to the creekside trail & turn left, looking carefully into the grennery. The Tree of Life is upstairs, next to the painted shed.

changes -- quite right.

Kathleen said...

Amazing! I didn't know there was anything like this back there.

Very cute g'dotter =) I get to see mine tomorrow!

Granny J said...

frame -- amd it's just around the corner from your shop... you should pop over on your lunch hour!

A. said...

what remarkable sculptures and pictures! thanks for sharing! i came here through this month's festival of the trees and i must say - if i were a tree stump i would love to be carved out like this :)

Les said...

I found your site from Festival of the Trees and thought you may be interested in this old cottonwood I saw in Denver this summer.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3798364054_e2e4eb4d69_b.jpg

Les

Granny J said...

arati -- wouldn't most of us?

les -- that is remarkable!

 
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