KIEFER NOTEBOOKS 1998-1999 ~

R E A D     M E

NELL BLAINE ~

N E L L       B L A I N E

Oxford

2019

REMEMBERING CLARENCE SCHMIDT











It is the hour — any hour is — to remember Clarence Schmidt, the grass roots Woodstock, NY artist and his reign of building House and Gardens over a twenty year period (1952-1972). Ohayo Mountain to be exact is where Schmidt built and held fort with stupendous natural glee, creating roof top gardens, countless symbols and totems, and two sculpture structures — one reaching 7 storeys, and both lost to fire. One man's attempt at creating and interior/exterior living experiment mainly from used materials, found objects, castoffs, architectural mayhem, craftsmanship and deep wonder.

The above photograph "Doll Foot Shrine" is by Gregg Blasdel, thank goodness documented while Schmidt's structure was still afloat. One of myriad objects created and planted, holding its own aura over the region.

MARSDEN HARTLEY






TO THE NAMELESS ONE



You, who have power over
everything obscure
Listen — come over here; sit by
my side
and let me say the things I want
to say—
I want nothing in the way of artificial
heavens—
The earth is all I know of wonder.
I lived and was nurtured in the
magic of dreams
bright flames of spirit laughter
around all my seething frame.

Marsden Hartley (1877-1943) American painter and poet and one who has never been replaced, wrote this poem late in his life taking stock of all around him, and still all around us.


in memory

Robin Blaser
Sherry Taylor

ALAN CHONG LAU

The above just received from good friend Alan & Kazuko from Seattle. Many other paintings received over 30 years has them taking up one proud wall where I work. Long ago morning visiting the city we went to find Alan & Kazuko, so many friendly cats in the neighborhood. I believe they still live in the apartment where we stayed with John Levy in 1979 on an earlier pass through town by train. An apartment building right across from the city zoo, where we went and stood with the snowy owl. Alan paints, writes poems, works in the grocery store around all the vegetables that must talk to him because the poems are that good. See his Longhouse booklet Alan Chong Lau.