Thursday, March 1, 2018

Tales of the Traveling Tote #14 ~ Stickworks

Welcome to Tales of the Traveling Tote # 14

Home Bodies, that's what we've been!
With the push of the holidays in December 
and the bitter cold of our January and Februay days this year, 
Miss Merri Mac and I have not ventured far 
from the warmth of the cozy fire in our living room.
What to share for an adventure when one is
curled up on the sofa reading, stitching, or napping?

How about filling Miss Merri Mac 
with sticks for a little stitck adventure?

Those of you who follow Hyacinths 
know of my love of nature, gardens, and parks.  
Austin has many natural areas with hike and bike trails, 
creeks, and rivers, some of which I've shared in the past.

You might recall one of Miss Merri Mac's 
early adventures to Zilker Park here.

Shoal Creek flows through the heart of Austin 
where it empties into Lady Bird Lake.
Though it definitely shows the stress of urbanization, it also
offers respits of natural beauty with city hike and bike trails and parks, including Austin's oldest and much beloved Pease Park.

What's this you ask?
It's a recent Stickworks sculpture right
here in Austin's Pease Park.

Some of you may know of the internationally 
aclaimed sculptor, Patrick Dougherty.
He has created over 280 of these organic outdoor sculptures made from twigs and sticks and sapplings gathered from the area in which he constructs these large scale structures.
Click Here for an fascinating interview with Patrick Doughtery about the process of creating Yippee Ki Yay.

Yippee Ki Yay here in Pease Park is constructed of
Roosevelt Weed, Ligustrum, and Ash, all sourced from 
the hill country west of Austin.

  A Spanish cathedral was the inspiration 
for this patricular sculpture.  According to Mr. Dougherty,
"The surfaces are a bit rude and raw like the terrain of the hill country where the material was gathered.  I imagined cowboys herding cows through the mesquite trees and decided on a cowboy saluation, Yippee Ki Yay!"

 There are five of these large "rooms" that create a
delightful maze to wander.  As you can see,
the 12-14 feet height dwarfs me and Miss Merri Mac.


Photo Credit, Margie Gaudin
The sculptures are intended to be interactive,
both in the construction with local volunteers who helped
to buid the sculpture along side Mr. Doughtery and his son, Sam
and in the enjoyment as visitors young and old experience

Yippee Ki Yay first hand.

It's heartwarming to see children and parents chasing each other through the stitck passageways, sounds of glee echoing through the 
park as families come to see Mr. Doughtery's latest work.

Photo Credits Clockwise From Top Left
Daniel Finchum, Shannon Clark, Bob Joy, Pierre Charbonneau
As you can see in the sampling above, 
you must go visit Patrick Dougherty's site and 
view the distinct sculptures he has created round the globe.  
You can find an interesting article here on the process of constructing Yippee Ki Yay.

Thank you for joining me again for Tales of the Traviling Tote.
Miss Merri Mac and I will leave you with a touch of spring.
Iceland Poppies from a local flower farm, Grassdale Farm.
Read below for the details of the latest giveaway,
MacKenzie-Childs soap dish 
with the Beekman 1802 Goatmilk Soap.


Our Traveling Tote Group is pleased to welcome
Ricki Jill and Countes DeMonet @ The Sketchy Reader
Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home
Lea and Miss Scarlett @ Cici's Corner 
Please come along and travel with us.  Just click the link to join each of the Traveling Tote Adventures. 
Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths 
Emily with Miss Courtney Childs The French Hutch
Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box
Jenna with Miss Coquille @The Painted Apron
Linda G with Miss Poppy @ More Fun Less Laundry
Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda
Rita with Miss Luna C Panoply 
Jackie and Miss Madi K Purple Chocolat Home
Ricki Jill and Countess De Monet @ The Sketchy Reader
Lea and Miss Scarlett @ Cici's Corner