Crescendo: Homestake Opera House Benefit "Artument"

I was invited to be a part of

The Crescendo Gala

which is a fundraiser for the 

Historic Homestake Opera House

in Lead, South Dakota

on June 3rd.

I am honored to be one of four fine artists

creating "Art-uments"

which are artistically altered

musical instruments

each of which

will be auctioned at the Gala.

My piece is titled

Live Your Own Song

and

it is inspired by my friend Dawn Wink's novel Meadowlark.

Meadowlark is based on the life of Dawn's Grandma Grace

on the harsh early 1900's prairie of eastern Meade County

in South Dakota.

It is a raw and heartbreaking story,

yet one of deep resilience, strength, and friendship.

I chose a passage from the novel

featuring a conversation between Grace and her friend Daisy.

Daisy encourages Grace to live from Song,

like meadowlark...

and that all creatures and people have their own Song,

they just have to find it.

"Most people live their whole lives and never listen to the songs of life,

not their own or any around them.

Scares them too much.

It's easier to go through life living the way everybody else expects you to.

But when you're listening to your own song, Grace, you feel deep peace, right here."

She reached out and placed the flat of her palm on the center of Grace's chest.

...to live life in song, Grace,

that's what the Great Spirit intended.

Meadowlarks inspire me as a birder.

They arrive with the announcement that spring is coming

and then in spring blizzard's harsh winds

they sing in defiance right in the face of adversity.

I love that.

Meadowlarks sing hope to all prairie dwellers.

The process of creating an "Artument"

began with a collage

of an old hymnal page, 

a postmarked meadowlark postage stamp,

dictionary definitions for

Dakota, meadowlark, grace, and daisy;

a poem entitled Meadowlark from a 1916 South Dakota Bird and Arbor Day book,

a daisy elementary school coloring page 

from the collection of local Enning librarian and historian Irma Maude,

a vintage book spine,

and other various papers.

The sides of the guitar feature tissue paper

designed by Melody Ross

and created and sold through

Full Circle Exchange

a job readiness program for female refugees from horrific, war-torn situations.

Layers of acrylic paints were added,

as well as alcohol inks.

I sketched a meadowlark in pencil and then painted with acrylic paint.

The Live Your Own Song Art-ument

celebrates

song,

authenticity to your self,

and

the South Dakota prairie.

Time lapse videos of the art in progress:

Part One

Part 2