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Thank You Sheep

I am going to sit in this landscape a moment and say thank you to some sheep.

I am coming off a whirlwind fibre fair weekend and heading into a whirlwind art show that begins on September 16 and continues through to the 26th. In the midst of that time frame there is the heavy task of sorting and tagging lambs for market, and the heavier task of deciding on ewes for sale due to lack of winter feed.

A parcel of prairie, a flock of sheep, numerous dogs, a couple cows and horses and cats too – it is all a lot of work as so many of you know. There is no way around that nor should there be because when we try to find a way around the work we lose sight of the very Nature that allows grass based agricultural to work so well.

This prairie land with this flock of sheep and these dogs, the very nature of this place is what stirs the desire to take a photograph, make a piece of artwork or write some words. It stirs the desire to keep making attempts to capture the deeper meaning of all the work and turn it into something tangible that can be shared with you.
And getting outdoors to take photos, muddling my way through making a piece of artwork and constantly writing in journals is what keeps the work from being too much.

But as the flock shrinks life is shifting, as life is wont to do. I feel a stronger emphasis and pull toward making photography and artwork pay for themselves like I have always expected this flock to do. It’s a welcome shift and a big unknown and scary one at the same time.

Prior to living here the titles photographer, artist or writer were not even on the radar. Now these creative acts are fast becoming the singular pursuit because it feels more and more imperative by the day that slices of nature be shared with a world of people who are lost and rapidly becoming detached from the very nature that can heal them.

The Art Now Saskatchewan fine art fair is an opportunity for Saskatchewan art galleries to promote their gallery through promotion of current artwork. The event is a hybrid online/in person event. You can shop online and/or you can visit the gallery in your area and view the artwork in person and make your purchase directly. Full information about the Art Now can be found at artnow.ca. My work is presented by the Little Manitou Art Gallery at Manitou Beach, SK. as part of a collection of women artists.

I am also one of several artists giving an artist talk this year; a first time opportunity for me. My art talk happens live at a reception taking place at Little Manitou Art Gallery Friday the 24th at 7 pm. The reception is open to the public. The art talk will also be recorded and shared online on the ArtNow website on September 26th at 1:30 pm.

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Pastoral Revisit

The land, the flock, the dogs and I. I wish to expand on the last blog post, which was titled pastoral ease. Moves with a lot of animals are not easy but they do have a feeling that is hard to replicate elsewhere.

The word pastoral is described as land or farm used for or related to the keeping or grazing of sheep or cattle; associated with country life. The origin of the latin word pastoralis is ‘relating to a shepherd’.

I seldom use the word but when it comes to mind I think it is this that the dictionary might also mean but missed out on:
Pastoral is one of those times when no other personal or worldly problem exists.
the drought is not here, the imminent sale of animals is forgotten, your next move is not a concern. With each step along a move with livestock you slip deeper into existing right here and now and you know the world is right for right now. Therefore it’s a good time to be alive and present.

I do not think or feel pastoral thoughts when I am out and with the dogs and the flock on a move. But instead the activity of moving across a landscape with a group of livestock is rich with pastoral nature and thus I become infused with it. When the moment is shattered or the move is done the feeling is too, however, it always, always leaves an indelible mark upon ones soul, because that is the nature of Nature. That is to be pastoral.

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