July 23, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Talking Crowes”

I have been reading a lot of Game of Thrones lately so today’s sculpture takes on little bit of a different meaning for me, when I hear the word “crow” I immediately am transported to the Wall these days.

With that being said I’m guessing “Talking Crows” was not created by Nelson’s Denis Kleine with Game of Thrones in mind. Regardless he has captured the essence of two crows beautifully having a chat on a tree and its branches. Crafted in bronze atop a beautiful stone base “Talking Crowes” captures one of nature’s conversation that we normally tune out. With one bird listening and the other speaking we can easily relate to the humanity exhibited in this piece.

I am so impressed that there is yet another Kootenay artist featured on Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk! Denis Kleine is based out of Nelson and has actually won the Peoples’ Choice Award for Sculpture Walk in the past! For more about his big win and his art click here.

To visit my previous blog about “Talking Crows” neighbor sculpture “The Kiss” click here. 

July 22, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “The Kiss”

After capturing on of the smallest sculptures on Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk yesterday, “Sova” today I have a large sculpture for you that can be found among other works outside of Castlegar City Hall and the Castlegar RCMP Detachment. “The Kiss” is absolutely beautiful, the way the sun hits it makes it an inspirational piece of aluminum art to behold. Dedicated to all of the loving hearts separated by law, “The Kiss” is not only significant because of its physical majesty but because of it’s message.

“The Kiss” comes to Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk from Serge Mozhnevsky who is based out if Coquitlam, British Columbia (yes another talented BC artist). For more one “The Kiss” click here.

July 18, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Sova”

Daniel Kloc's "Sova" perfectly captures the wisdom and mystical nature of the owl. "Sova" is one of the smallest sculptures on Castlegar's Sculpture Walk but should not be underestimated because of its size.


"Sova" is incredibly detailed, with every feather perfectly defined.

I learned a little Czech from the Castlegar Sculpture Walk website, "sova" is the Czech word for female owl. To learn more about "Sova" (the sculpture) and Kootenay artist Daniel Kloc click here.

To see "Whisperer" the very large sculpture featured in my blog before "Sova", click here.

Small but mighty, I had to include a close-up on this incredible sculpture by another talented artist from the Kootenays.

July 08, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Petrified”

I love “Petrified”. Inside a wire nest sit three soapstone eggs, one has hatched allowing us to see its colorful interior. “Petrified” sits beside yesterday’s Sculpture of the Day “Link”, just off Columbia Avenue in front of City Hall.

There is a magical element to these prehistoric looking eggs. I think they prove how impossible it is to judge something by its exterior. I love the vibrant interior of the hatched egg. I cannot imagine how hard it was for Spring Shine to move these gigantic eggs and manage positioning them in the nest.

Could “Petrified” be the next permanent addition to Castlegar’s Sculpture collection? I think it fitting. So many amazing things get their start and grow here. Often they leave the nest, but as one the new friends I have met here in Castlegar told me, they always find themselves back in the beautiful Kootenays.  

"Petrified" is a sculpture by another very talented BC artist, Spring Shine is based out of Argenta and you can learn more about him, "Petrified" and his other work by clicking here.

To see my previous blog on Castlegar Sculpture Walk's towering sculpture "Link" click here.

July 01, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Tri-Tonal”

“Tri-Tonal” is one of the most noticeable sculptures on Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk and on Columbia

Avenue. It stands tall outside Castlegar’s RCMP Detachment by the bus stop and Peak Physique. This small area is home to many sculptures but “Tri-Tonal” stands out because of its incredible size.

“Tri-Tonal” exhibits the magic of the number three and pretty much speaks for itself.  Ootischenia artist Michael Misuraca is another great Kootenay sculptor on the Castlegar Sculpture Walk.  For more on Michael Misuraca click here.

To see my previous blog on “Next Generation” click here.

June 25, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Sea Swimmer”

Today for my sculpture of the day I ventured down Columbia Avenue looking for a little inspiration. Today was one of those days where I wanted to jump in my car and gun it for Mexico, never to be seen or heard from again. Yes, today I was looking for a little extra freedom with heavy workload and I found it in “Sea Swimmer”.

To be completely honest with you “Sea Swimmer” does remind me of Disney and Pixar’s character crush from Finding Nemo, that is totally a compliment to artist Heather Wall because everyone knows the painstaking lengths the teams at Disney go to when making movies to mirror the animals they are portraying.

Oh the freedom of being a turtle set to swim the seas. To be honest with you I hate swimming and I consider what turtles do in the water much more graceful than actual swimming. To me (because I am horrible at it) swimming involves frantic movements that are so unlike turtles, turtles are so smooth and graceful in comparison to how I envision the average person swimming.

Heather Wall is another BC artist (from Powell River) represented on the Castlegar. Sculpture Walk. For more on Heather Wall click here.

“Sea Swimmer” is a green sea turtle created from steel, the detail on this piece is incredible. This green sea turtle seems so happy to be floating free from the world care. Not only is the turtle, focus of this piece, incredibly detailed the starfish and the fish that adorn this sculpture also are impeccably crafted from steel.

I am so impressed with “Sea Swimmer”, so much so that it is definitely in contention for my vote for the People’s Choice Award! By the way, "Sea Swimmer" is sculpture number sixteen in my blog series, that means I am halfway through Castlegar Sculpture Walk 2014!

Have you read my previous blog on “Dreamer”? If not you can check it out by clicking here.

June 20, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Rebirth”

“Rebirth” is one of the largest sculptures on the 2014 Castlegar Sculpture Walk and it stands beside one of the first sculptures I featured here in my blog series, the incredibly unique “What The Nose Knows”.

Equally unique, “Rebirth” truly is one of a kind because it is constructed from the casts of ribs from the ribcage of a blue whale.

It is crazy how massive the ribs of a whale are! They are not something you commonly see downtown Castlegar (obviously) so they stick out like a sore thumb. “Rebirth” really puts things into perspective and proves that we really are just so small in comparison with other parts of our amazing world.  

Resembling a giant heart it is inspiring to see “Rebirth” prove that life can be recycled, that even in death we can still continue to go on and influence the world we have left behind. Thank you to the Sandman for sponsoring “Rebirth” from David Hunwick, another impressive artist that has a home base right here in BC. You can explore more of Hunwick’s work in Victoria at the Point Hope Shipyard. For more on David Hunwick and “Rebirth” click here.

For my previous blog about the Castlegar Sculpture Walk’s “Playful Souls” click here.  

June 19, 2014- Castlegar Sculpture Walk Sculpture of the Day “Playful Souls”

I am wild about this sculpture! It has been a horsey week for me, my mother’s horse foaled last week so I have been a little homesick. Spring is the best time to live on a farm with baby animals popping up left, right and centre!

Today’s sculpture is another small work that is incredibly detailed. “Playful Souls” sits on the corner outside Mountain High Lighting (one of the sculpture’s sponsors) across the street from another piece I have featured in my blog series “Eye of the Wind”.

Another neat thing about “Playful Souls” is that the artist behind this beautiful metalwork sculpture is from the West Kootenays. I have somehow managed to pick two sculptures from Nelson back-to-back in my blog posts! I try to devote a fair amount of time and praise to each sculpture but I do feel a little unfair love and pride for West Kootenay artists featured on the Castlegar Sculpture Walk; like Simone Schlichting!

Not only is Schlichting an impressive sculptress, she also crafts impressive jewelry at her business Valhalla Studios.  For more on her incredible equine inspired jewelry you can click here.

Slowly but surely we are getting through Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk 2014! I am still torn on what sculpture will get my vote for the “Peoples Choice Award”. After a very horsey, homesick week I can totally see it going to “Playful Souls”.

Today I was inspired by the “Playful Souls” and the message behind it; I went to Nelson and had a tame night on the town (it is a Thursday) and played rather than hunkering in for a night of show prep and a routine weeknight. Why? Well, because like animals sometimes we need to get out and play.

Fair warning, this was another sculpture impossible to capture in all of its glory in one photo. Please visit it and check it out for yourself! 

For more on “Playful Souls” click here.

For my previous blog on Castlegar Sculpture Walk’s “Counting Blessings” click here.