EcoArts of Lake County

When in California visiting Dandelion Farm, (see "A Stroll Through Dandelion Farm,") my host and I went for a nice drive so that I could see a bit of rural Lake County. I was her driver, she was my navigator. At the time I wasn't sure specifically where we were headed, but I gathered that my navigator must be directing us around some lake after seeing signs for "Lower Lake," "Clearlake," "Hidden Valley Lake," and such. Near the southern end of our route - I'm driving along a winding road, sucking down a mango hemp milk smoothie I had picked up at some java hut cafe back in Middletown - my navigator says she saw a sign.

"A sign? What kind of sign?" I was busy drinking hemp and driving. I didn't see a sign.

"Eco art or something."

Oh, really? So we u-turn and look for a sign.

"EcoArts: Lake County Sculpture Walk."

We are both intrigued. We follow the sign, park in the gravel lot outside of a park entrance, and walk up to an opening in the fence. My host/navigator picks up a brochure: "7th Annual EcoArts: Lake County Sculpture Walk - 2009 Exhibit Guide."*

So we walk through Middletown County Trailside Park. I have my smoothie and a camera. She reads through the brochure. This is what we see:

Walking along the path, we first approach "Blind Ambition" by Karen Turcotte. It's a larger sculpture (my picture doesn't do it justice) composed of mini-blinds, bottle caps, and PVC (plastic #3). I say something obvious like, "Cool! It's a sculpture made with repurposed materials." My host smiles and nods, continues browsing the brochure, and walks on. I snap a few photos.

The second sculpture on the walk is "Joyride" by Glinda Addington.

It's a tower and stands tall over me. The foundation is a large rusted barrel, on top of which is a massive metallic lotus flower. Rusted iron rods rise around a dark statue. The lone figure stands before a gold sun and beneath a pink skull that is looking down from its third eye.

We turn right off the main path. Before us is "Sun," by Mary McGregor, a wood, fabric, and blue beaded sculpture that appears to represent sun and water. Beaded strings drip down like rain, and a bright yellow circle, composed of a weaved spiral, stands out from the backdrop of oaks.

"Travel Plans in Stone" by Kevin Byrnes is unlike the other pieces we've so far come upon. The totem is a mosaic of cut stone.

Upcycled colorful and printed fabric was sewn to make massive oak, ginkgo, and maple leaf tree ornaments by Shelia O'Hara and students.

Sherry Harris' “Garden Clutch” stood out among the previous. I stopped and gawked and thought, “that is just... beautfiul.” It was intricate, symmetrical, abstract, and stunning to look up into. Gourds gather in a woven mulberry branch sphere centered between two tall towers.

A “CommUNITY” project assembled by elementary age kids. A display of respect using both the natural and the synthetic - stone and plastic.

“The Old Fisherman and his Cranky Dog,” a sculpted scene near a drying lake, was created by James Douglas Marble.

Give a man a fish...

Steel bait.

My navigator/strolling companion was partial to this piece. As a gift to her, before I left Montana I made a small 'junkie' mobile inspired by this (see future post “Mobile in Montana”). “Diego's Mobile,” by Diego Harris, is a massive spinning sculpture created from found objects and colorful gourds. Someday, when I have a yard and a big tree in that yard, I'm making a massive hanging gourd mobile. Someday.

I was impressed by “Window of Opportunity,” from Lawrence Lauterborn. The brightly painted oak galls are exploding from a suspended window frame.

Anthony Johnson's “Eclipse” is a simple but stellar sculpture created from a wagon wheel and grinding stone.

“The Plight of Plastic – Something's Fishy in the Oceans” is right! Karen Magnuson uses the living surroundings and plastic garbage to represent some sea creatures.

The whale eye stares at its perceived plight.

The gull tangled in trash struggles for flight.

“The American Weigh,” a heavy set wisteria figure by JV Magoon.

Go kiddos! “We Can....” is another school project.

What can you do to save the planet?

You can “Create-with-Nature.” An interactive piece by Zach Pine.

There were several other pieces created with nature and other upcycled materials not pictured here - 23 total. These 15 were my favorites... and I had decent enough photos of them to post. I was buzzing from hemp and sugar, and California is also very hot. The art trail was awesome, but I found myself moving swiftly from piece to piece in an eager search of shade.

*(A special thanks to featured artist and EcoArts Executive Director Karen Turcotte for snail mailing me a copy of the brochure!)

A Stroll Through Dandelion Farm

In early July I braved the Greyhound bus to travel 13 hours from Portland, Oregon to Sacramento, California. From there I was promptly whisked away for a couple more hours drive via California's best selling hybrid vehicle to visit rural and mountainous Dandelion Sustainability Farm in Lower Lake, CA.

My first introduction to what the farm might have to offer was the “Queen of Heaven Gate,” a massive but intricately sculpted steel push gate. A cement guard lion is perched nearby. I was a bit awe struck, to say the least.

Through the gate I could see the “Hub of Happiness.” It is marked clearly by a haloed lion mural on its western side. This is the home I was to be staying in for my time in Lower Lake. The woman I was visiting has been living on Dandelion Farm as a renter for a couple years. Her Hub is situated in the sculpture garden, “Dandelion Ballad.”

Several large and intricate metal, tiled, cemented, multi-media, repurposed material sculptures are arranged within the terraced gardens of the Ballad, as well as throughout the farm. A white and gold sculpture called “Metal Hymn,” somewhat resembling a gazebo, stands tall in the dry sagebrush of the hills south of the Hub.

At a higher terrace lies the “Bed of Roses,” a cement bench covered in a glass tile mosaic of roses. The form of a resting woman shields herself in the shade of a metal arbor. Vines trail up to the iron ceiling. The beautiful pieces throughout the farm are created by welder and jeweler Candace Stolley and occasional volunteer farm aids. Candace and her husband, Loren, acquired the 190 acres of the farm a few decades ago and their efforts toward sustainability and outreach, as well as the art, is ongoing. The elaborate and decorative structures are intended to further beautify the blissful natural surroundings and are meant as gifts for a personal spiritual guide, Avatar Adi Da.

The “Lion's Lair” rests beside the Hub. The roof of the open circular structure is an obsolete and enormous satellite dish. While I was visiting, three volunteers, or WWOOFers, were painting a design of purple hues on top its roof (a task not yet completed in this photo). Many of the projects throughout the farm, decorative and functional, are done with the labor of unpaid willing workers.

The northern side of the Ballad houses an unfinished cobbed bathhouse, “Reign of Grace,” situated behind a small flower garden and pond.

A woman's figure, shaped with cement, sunbathes beside the fountain pool.

Within the pond a mosaic fountain blossoms among the irises. The clear glass fountainhead appears to be a repurposed lamp shade. Many of the intact glass objects used in Candace's art pieces appear to be antique dishes and bowls.

Several of the sculptures in the Ballad are welded iron rod structures – some functional like this glass tiled bench. Creeping vines are planted near these pieces and add a living element to the sculptures as they become intertwined.

Another small bench is seated by the “Arbor for Endless Intimacy,” the home neighboring the “Hub of Happiness.”

Leaving “Dandelion Ballad,” one must progress through the "Immortal Portal," the doorway to the iron “Tofu Tunnel,” to walk along the “Magic Carpet” trail.

The carefully welded and painted eyes of the portal watch you as you pass.

A jewel-eyed beast, “Pipe the Magic Dragon,” accompanies the portal. His winding form is composed of PVC pipe, cleverly disguised with painted scales and iron webbing.

Through the “Tofu Tunnel,” the “Snake Charmer” is visible South of the Carpet trail.

A naked figure plays a flute, a tiled sinuous snake around his ankles.

The woman dwelling in the Hub finds this piece particularly eerie. I think it's the representational glass eyes.

The magic carpet trail (yes, it's made with repurposed rugs) continues east.

“Lucifer's Lap” hides behind a blood red flesh-peeling Madrone.

His seat is meticulously tiled with colorful glass shards - however, they won't harm you if you have a seat...

The “Sign of Things to Come” points us to the direction leading out of the Madrone Woods of Lucifer, as well as to many other possible end points.

Madrones have always been my favorite tree.

A view of the northern hills beyond the sculptures, arbors, hubs, and carpets shows a clear blue California sky. There were many more art pieces throughout the farm than I have pictured. As well as some wonderful and functional alternative structures such as a yurt (the homestead for the volunteers), solar panels, rain collection barrels and ponds, and a greenhouse with a sun heated lap-pool and hot-tub.

With the thunderstorms that have been going on all day in the Bitterroot Valley, a dip in a hot-tub certainly sounds enticing.