Back On Track

Last week I had a breakthrough of sorts. I was finally able to get back on track with the Bottle Cap Tree. I had been working on it regularly up until about the end of March and since then I had been ignoring it completely. First, I let the whole getting my sculpture to Sioux Falls thing distract me. Then I went on vacation. Then I just didn't want to deal with the tree. See, I knew I had some structural issues that needed working out but I just didn't know how I was going to fix them.

But finally the realization that 1) it was almost June, 2) Burning Man was three months away and 3) I pretty much would have no time to work on it in July got me motivated. I spent a good day and a half "battening down the hatching" you could say; I got all of the weak branches more firmly secured. Then I came up with a game plan for how to proceed next. I feel a lot better now.

I am excited about the tree again and that is a very good thing. Right now though I am actually in the process of making a temporary art piece with some of my bottle cap flowers. It will be displayed at a Burning Man event that is this Saturday. So, in way I guess I am back to ignoring the tree. But at least what I am working on is tree related.

There is a lot left to do on the tree but I know I have plenty of time to get it all done. Really the most important thing to focus on right now is getting more bottle caps. I know I have enough metal crown caps to cover the base of the truck. But I'd love it if all of the branches on the upper levels are covered completely as well. This is were other people will come into play. My mom is visiting in a few weeks and she will be bringing lots of bottle caps with her. She has recruited some local bars to save caps for me. Pretty cool. Then, of course, there will be the few hundred or so that I get when I am in Colorado next month.

August is gonna be all about covering the tree with caps. I think a few friends of mine will be willing to help with that process. So, it should all go well. I am nervous about going to Burning Man, though. Mainly because I have never been and I have no idea what to expect, especially in regards to weather conditions. I really hope also that my tree can withstand the forces on the playa. I have been doing everything I can to make sure it's structurally sound but given that I don't really know what I am facing, it's pretty hard to plan for every possible contingency.

Also, I am nervous that my first-timer-ness will show in the art. I really hope it can stand up to all the other stellar art that will be near it. I mean, I guess it'll be okay or they wouldn't have accepted my proposal in the first place but still.

See, there is this Man Base Artists email list that I am a part of and in the beginning a lot of us were introducing ourselves and describing the art we were bringing out. Let's just say it was pretty intimidating when people are saying things like, "My tree, the Feel Good Tree, is interactive. People come up and give it a hug and it senses their mood at that moment and then projects those feelings out to everyone on the Playa who immediately respond in a way that is transmitted back to that person and makes them feel really good. Then the tree does a little happy dance before it sets itself on fire in a dazzling display of pyrotechnics. A a few minutes later it is completely reformed and ready for the next hug." And then here I am saying, "Um, my tree is made out of bottle caps......". Right, okay. So, kind of an exaggeration but there really is going to some to great art there. It's hard not to measure yourself against what others are doing.

Anyway, I'd better get to work now before this whole new found motivation for the tree goes away again. Bye.

Spam Philosophy of the Day: No thoroughly occupied person was ever found really miserable.

So, get to work. Or play. Or whatever.