This past weekend I started the last of the five paintings I am doing for this commission project. It is a small oil, dear to my heart, and I am hoping it will come out as well as I can envision it in my head! When it is finished I will turn my attention to all the WRITING that still needs to happen for this project! Each painting will have text accompanying it to get at the issues I am trying to elucidate in this work. And there is an artists statement to write as well.

Yesterday I was interviewed by Brent Bjorkman of Th Vermont Folklife Center. He is documenting the process of creating all these paintings and photographs by the ten Art of Action Artists. It was a wonderful couple of hours spent reflecting and conversing about art, community our forest landscape and making meaning in our lives. Thank you Brent, for your kind and careful work.

Had an wonderful time participating in VT Family Forests Neighborwood Workshop on Saturday, July 11. 35-45 people were there: loggers, foresters, academics and forest landowners. Best practices for wood harvesting were discussed and observed, and there was expert information about burning wood for maximum benefit and minimum environmental cost. Also discussion about the capacity of the forest in our specific five town region to support wood heat/energy, considering available land and growth potential of the forest. These are critically important issues and there is likely disagreement about how much harvest our forest can sustainably support.

David Brynn, the director of Vermont Family Forests featured a presentation of the first four of five paintings I am creating for the Art of Action during the workshop. It was a special opportunity for me to show the paintings to a group of interested citizens, including some of the people who are IN the paintings! Also a special opportunity because the paintings will be split up soon, and likely not shown together more than once or twice before they are auctioned in summer 2010. My sincere thanks to David, and Vermont Family Forests.

Here are a couple photos of the group in an area being harvested by Bill Torrey. You can see him here explaining it all to us. Photos by Paul Forlenza.