What have I learned, now that we’ve done this twice?

Well, let’s start with something that I was always pretty sure of.  Get the installation done early.  This year we had a bolt misalignment.  Fortunately, it took very little time to get past that one, but even last year this was my greatest fear.  That we would get to the point of installation, and I would have failed in some small measurement that would throw off the whole thing.  Glad to have that out of the way.  Moving on, what else?

My friend Wendy, superintendent of the Keweenaw National Historical Park uses this as a signature footer in her email:  "If you bulldoze your heritage, you become just anywhere." (--Sarah Delano, New Bedford).  It is so true!  What do you have to show for the work of the bygone generations if we just re-develop everything.. 

It’s a strategic position, the smelter offers a clear vantage point to see both east and west, up and down the canal. It has the potential to frame a view of the lift bridge as well as sunrise and sunset. It also offers a clear view to the south across the waterway to Houghton.  This is the exact spot where many of the materials used and moved through the Copper Country landed and departed.  The sculpture that ends up here must embrace this.

When this project started, my vision was short and immediate.  There was no time to ponder scope.  I answered the call of the muse, not all of it mine.  Someone in the Copper Country had a vision for me that I was unaware of until this project came together.  Not until the completion was that vision fully revealed to me.  When I was asked if this could have happened without the support of my family and community connections – I responded “No” without hesitation.  I still believe that to be true, but no one person in my community could have made such a thing coalesce.  I was the weaver of this dream project. 

I would love to say that I have been able to sit back and reflect on this summer’s joyous events, been able to absorb.  Not so!  I’ve been running hard in the recent weeks. Clambering to just make it to the end of this race.  Is there a minute to catch my breath?  May I slow into the season yet?  When can I rest?

These last three weeks have been intense.  From the anticipation before my departure, the anxiety of pulling things together, the cut sculptures matching the contingent plans for bases, watching park employees pour concrete in 85 degree weather with 80 percent humidity, hoping the plan to install works with nothing but simple machines and no one gets hurt in process, 3 public presentations, media coverage by 4 TV stations, 3 radio stations and two newspapers (and counting), hoping that my dear husband has a good birthday and that I don’t loose my cool in any of these situations!

Despite my best efforts at planning, there have certainly been unforeseen details.  I am not the only one who has been surprised by what we hadn’t thought about before we got to this point.  I feel better not being alone in this.  We are all learning.  Not only have we been on top of solutions, but also requested that we take time before I leave to discuss in person and remedy these issues before returning home.  I want this project to be something that paves the way and sets the best possible example for others in the future. 

This evening, I picked a cup of raspberries from my berry patch and walked them down to my elderly neighbors.  We have a tradition of tipping them back and enjoying the mouthful of berries instead of savoring them one by one.  She took a fall the other day and spent the night in the hospital, I watched her dog.  I am concerned that she may not be here when I return.  My berries may have been an “Ok, nice to know you” moment and a final goodbye. 

There have been so many people in my life who have impacted me and my trajectory over the years.  To those who have changed and challenged my course, I am eternally grateful!

The creative wellspring that is my imagination also gets tired. I can become single focused and forget the folks around me as well as those who are interested out there. I can also become worn down by all the life that gets in the way when the desire to work doesn’t align with the time. The dog days of summer are here, and I want nothing else than to close my laptop and run away to the river. Timelines are slippery things. Sounds like it will be September before I can return. It’s due to many factors, collective vacation time of all parties involved, the time it takes to circle up feedback and when I can feasibly spend some length of time in front of a computer. I have a chiropractor appointment this afternoon.

From where I stand now, this is what it looks like. I have a day or two of rest when I finally get home (more on that later). I am going to create a site map to get very specific on where our placement will be for the 4 figures I plan to create. This will allow me and the park maintenance and authorities to prep the sites for our ballast pads. I need to create a more concise plan for the public outreach I am obligated to do. I also need to finalize the designs, taking my initial sketches to the digital final designs for approval and cutting. Then we can plan the installation dates. I will need to buy tickets and get accommodation in the Keweenaw again in the end of August. There are so many smaller pieces to this project when I break it down into steps. It’s a little overwhelming again looking at what I have on my list of things to do.

Adventure and relaxation. On the 4th of July my alarm went off at 1:10 am, I was not impressed. My husband coaxed me out of bed and we hit the road to Spokane airport. The next three hours of driving was into the growing dawn. Sunrise was gorgeous and the first rays were all the fireworks I needed. We made it to the UP that afternoon. Had a brief visit with family along the way. Next up, class reunion: nice, small and a bit saucy, as it should be. More friend visits as we head for Pt. Abbaye. Camp on Pt. Abbaye is rustic, but always peaceful. The sauna lights easily and my folks are always prepared.

I’m getting excited to land in the Keweenaw! Beyond the occasional day trip in recent years, it’s been 20-ish years since I’ve lived in Hancock. To come back with new eyes and to make the historical visible is such an honor. This project and the possibility of leaving a lasting mark in the park still gives me goosebumps.