DAY 15

DAY 15
04.19.07
TREE 16, 17 & 18

WHOO! I am wound up from that climb. It had just the right amount of fear, technical difficulty, and lack of injury or death. I did a 3-tree transfer onto one of the biggest and strongest branches I’ve ever been on. The first tree was little and had just the right little branches to support my footholds. About 10-12 feet up I transferred to an equally small tree, but it was just a trunk, no branches. I used this as a steppingstone to the huge overhanging branch. Once on this branch, about 15 feet from the trunk I kept climbing up. I bounced and it didn’t move. I then climbed down the way I came. Very scary, very exhilarating!

4-19-08:  When you look at the picture above find the smaller tree with the elbow bend.  That is the first tree.  The other small tree that the first one criss-crosses is the second tree, and that huge branch from the largest tree on the right of the picture is tree 3. 

On this day, exactly one year ago, I spent some time with Michelle Amos.  She had the studio across from mine and asked if I wanted some bourbon.  We talked and made print stamps on new linoleum.  She also weaved her pods which are now installed at Zephyr Gallery, please go check it out!  This picture is her in the act.  She covers her mouth because the muslin she weaves with creates a lot of dust.

NOW! I made two photographs last night that I am REALLY excited about.  Thanks to Maryliz and Will for lending me the equipment and the physical help to accomplish this project.  I had first conceived of the idea when I lived in Seattle.  Last night, after eating dinner out with my dad I was trying to figure out what I would do with myself.  I hadn’t climbed a tree so I figured I should go do that before it gets too dark.  Then I thought I could wait till it gets dark and make a video with a flashlight like Will had suggested.  Then it hit me… I could do this project.  I started calling people and gathering my materials at 8PM.  By 11PM Will and I were in Cherokee Park making it a reality.  A funny thing happened too.  The park closes at 11 and I figured a cop car would roll on by telling people to go home.  I had just gotten into the tree with flashlights attached to my body and the cop car rolled on by… didn’t even slow down!  I think he realized the importance of this project.  Try and figure out how I made them and keep in mind it was taken at 11PM at night.  So, with out further ado… the results: