#614 Snow Moon

Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, Native American and Canadian tribes of the north call

February's full moon the Full Snow Moon.  Some tribes referred to this moon as the Full Hunger Moon 

since harsh and frigid weather made hunting food difficult.  

Shown below, a Mule Deer doe slowly passes under last night's Full Snow Moon in the sub-zero cold.

The night before last, a snowstorm dumped over ten more inches on our studio headquarters at the foot of the Wind River Range in Wyoming.  We woke up this morning to -16 degrees temperatures and as usual, the first thing one thinks about are the animals . . . both domestic and wild.  We have horses, goats, poultry, and feral barn cats that share the property with a resident herd of mule deer and wintering pheasants.  At the base of heated buildings such as the studio, animals congregate because the temperature is actually a few degrees warmer.  We keep a water heater in a big rubber tub and put out hay and corn for the geese.  The chickens have a heat lamp in their coop and we enjoy fresh eggs in the winter because the light induces laying eggs.  While all of this is a necessity for the domestic animals, we are careful not to tame the deer which would inhibit their wildness and ability to survive . . . after all, in the big scheme of things, we are predators.

Below, are images taken at our place along the frozen Popo Agie River in Wyoming.  

Although the surface is frozen, the big river flows underneath to join the Wind River downstream.

This photo was taken from the studio deck this morning . . . below zero but sunny!

 

The barn protects horses, goats, and barn cats but on this sunny day, the warm sun will feel good on their backs.

Geese are amazingly adaptable to frigid weather and like all creatures, require an open source of water.  Water, in this climate, can freeze in less than an hour!

Below and at right, the big domestic geese are fed corn and hay is given to the deer when snow covers the ground.  Trish cries,"goose-goose-goose" and the geese come running!

Below, Trish and Penny enjoy a warm fire after chores are done.

Below, no sun yesterday but the deer, with their long winter's coat, nestled in the snow
and bedded down for warmth and the pheasant found morsels by scratching through the snow.

In the bleak midwinter, Frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

                                                                                     - Christina G. Rossetti



Deer have always been a favorite subject.  Below is an early etching (1979) entitled, "First Snow".

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Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#547 Beyond my studio window: Super Moon - Buck Moon

Last night the full moon was incredibly bright and appeared larger than normal.

The scientific term for the phenomenon is "perigree moon" because it is the point
at which the moon is nearest earth.  The dramatic moon appeared to be 30% brighter
and 16% bigger than normal.  Interestingly, we will experience three
Super Moons this summer:  July 12th,  August 10th,  and September 9th.

Below, is an image of last night's Super Buck Moon.

July is the month of the Full Buck Moon . . . the name denotes the time of the year when
bucks begin to grow new antlers.  Names for full moons date back to Native Americans and some
of the names are haunting beautiful:  Full Wolf Moon is in January . . . so named because the
wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages.  Full Harvest Moon is in September,
Full Hunter's Moon is in October,  and Full Rutting Moon is in November.
More information can be found on The Old Farmer's Almanac link  -
http://farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names/
  

Below are photos taken beyond my studio window at the Wyoming studio and a few sketches of deer.

Below, this little Mule Deer buck hangs out in the loafing shed  . . . he has not yet lost his winter coat and is in velvet.

To learn more about the subjects go to the links below.

For a complete list of the blog index go to the Index Page and
type the subject in the Search This Blog link on the right.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#367 In the studio: Full moon and Mule Deer

It's frigid cold and snowy in Wyoming and there 

was a full moon last night . . .

December moon is called the Cold Moon.

Full moon names date back to native American tribes.

On the left, the full moon rises,

and on the right, sets over the ice-bound Popo Agie River.

The ever present Mule Deer bed down close by and crunch across the pasture during sunny hours.  

They are a constant source of inspiration. 

Below, a clay model in progress of a Mule Deer buck silhouetted against north light

#230 Beyond my window: The Flower Moon

Saturday night, May 5, was the night of the Full Flower Moon . . . May is the month of abundant flowers.  The unusually large moon was closer to the earth this year and was spectacular.  Full moon names date back to Native American tribes of what 
is now the northern United States and southern Canada.

The nesting Canada Geese and Mallards share the pond with my four big domestic geese.  I took this picture by my studio on a cold, Wyoming spring night.

At left is page from my sketch book, and below is the

Flower Moon rising over my pond at dusk.

#156 In the field: Full Moon, Snow Moon

February full moon close to Wickenburg, AZ 

Full moon last night.  Northerly Native American tribes called the February Moon the Snow Moon. Some tribes called it the Hunger Moon or Storm Moon when food could be scarce and the weather foul.

There is snow north of me and beyond but not where I am this month. Every year I spend several weeks in Arizona; attending art shows, teaching workshops, in the field and as artist in residence at the gallery that represents me in Sedona.

I headquarter in Sedona along beautiful Oak Creek and spent yesterday in the field - photographing and observing ducks and other birds.  The highlight of the field trip occurred when a canvasback hen and drake floated past me with the current accompanied by a widgeon hen.

 A diving duck with two dabbling ducks is an unusual sight here.  Typically, divers like big water.

Canvasbacks Coming In  7 x 5
Backcover of Gray's Sporting Journal
Original etching by Sandy Scott

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#152 Remarque: "Eclipse"

Total eclipse of the moon Dec. 2011

Among all living thoroughbreds, over 95% can trace their direct bloodline back to the stallion, Eclipse.  The story of the horse is fascinating:  In 1730 the Bey of Tunis gave Louis XV eight Arabian stallions.  The French king didn't realize the significance of the magnificent animals and sold them for next to nothing.  An Englishman did; saw one of the horses pulling a water cart, bought it for next to nothing, and bred it to Spanish stock.  Thirty-five years later - on the day of a total eclipse of the sun - the famous colt, Eclipse was born and the rest is history.   

I have always been intrigued by the story of Eclipse and an idealized sculpture 

of the horse has been an ongoing project in my studio for years.  Ironically, 

I completed the clay model on the night of a total eclipse of the moon. 

See earlier Blogs #101, 102, 103 and 111 posted in Dec. 2011 for more information about the sculpture, Eclipse.

Eclipse
26"H 28"W 9"D
9000

This work is one of five new sculptures being introduced at the 

Autry Museum's Masters of the American West Show and Sale. 

#130 In the Studio: Packing for Arizona and Wolf Moon

As the cold wind howls outside the studio window, I'm starting to pack for the Arizona studio.  I will headquarter in the little studio south of Sedona until spring while a small staff remains here to take care of responsibilities.  Every year I leave the harsh Wyoming winter in January and escape to the beautiful Arizona sun.
I have work to finish before I go and will begin my Arizona experience as I have for the past 25 years: teach a sculpture workshop at Scottsdale Artist School.

Full moon last night:

January moon is called 

the Wolf Moon.

Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. Thus, the name for January’s full moon.  It was also referred to as the Old Moon, or the Moon After Yule.  These names date back to Native Americans of what is now northern United States and southern Canada.

Eyes of the Wild

9"H 8"W 7"D

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#103 In the Studio: New equestrian sculpture in progress . . .con't

Full moon last night:  

December moon is called 

the Cold Moon  

and there was a total eclipse 

early this morning.

The new equestrian sculpture mold must be started today

 and in the foundry next week or it will not be cast in time

 for the Autry Masters Show in February.  

If I did not have deadlines, 

I'm confident that the modeling and "tweaking" would never end.  

The process, not the end work, is the most important thing for the artist.

         - Georgia O'Keeffe

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#80 In the field: The deer stand . . .

An inch of snow fell yesterday as we made our way down an old logging road.  We parked the truck in the silvery gray dawn and entered the wet woods on a game trail we had scouted last week while grouse hunting.  


Trish spent the day on a low granite ridge overlooking a little meadow and I hiked further and sat in the wooded fringes.


I absorbed my vista in solitude and sat silent all day listening to wilderness sounds.  I recaptured the sense of wonder, curiosity and adventure I had felt during my early years in the North country as the rocks, trees, birds and all that I found there became my world.  

Cold and snowy - back to the cabin by moonlight.  Full Rutting Moon, Full Frosty Moon. The cabin warmth felt good.  

Spooked  
Detail from original etching
used by Gray's Sporting Journal and
Leupold Optics catalog

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Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#79 In the field: The Rutting Moon . . .

While reading the Farmers' Almanac I was reminded that tonight is the night of the Full Beaver Moon. It is also referred to as the Full Frosty Moon or Full Rutting Moon.  November was the time to set beaver traps before freeze-up. The rut is the mating season for the deer family.

These names date back to Native Americans of what is now northern and eastern United States and southern Canada. Some are hauntingly beautiful . . . Full Wolf Moon is in Jan. - the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages; Full Flower Moon or Milk Moon in May; Full Buck Moon or Thunder Moon in July - when the new antlers of the buck deer push out of their foreheads; Full Harvest Moon in Sept.; Full Hunter's Moon or Blood Moon in Oct.

The boat is loaded and we are leaving the island for the mainland on a frosty morning

 under the Full Rutting Moon to deer hunt.

Mule Deer
Moose
Whitetail
12 x 4 1/2
Original etching

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish