The Shapes of a Life

We'll start this one in a field of dreams.

One thing I've noticed is that fields of dreams are all different. I think we all have them: that raw material from whence our dreams are born into reality.

They can be about things we want to do or about how we want to be. They can be vague or precise visions of the future we desire, or treasure troves of collected wishes, ideas, inclinations, or stuff. 

They might lie fallow for long periods during which we either ignore them or step timidly around them, not bearing to look. Over time, we may add or subtract elements, changing and refining them, shaping our dreams as we mature and learn more about ourselves. Often we cherish them, but save them for later like dessert.

With intention and attention, with consciousness and devotion, and with a dollop of luck, we may one day step into our own field of dreams and bring it to life.

Here in the little town of Elba in the countryside at the base of Mt. Rainier, Dan Klennert has been living life in his field of dreams for years. His passion started when he was just a child, cruising neighborhood junk piles with his little red wagon. As a young man, working as a mechanic, he was intrigued by discarded gears and sprockets and metal shapes; he learned to weld.

His four-acre park, open to the public, is testament to a lifetime of creative inspiration and work. Ex-Nihilo, as he calls it (which is Latin for "something from nothing"), is both workshop and museum, with Dan's work scattered across the sprawling lawns.

He works in scavenged metal and in found wood, constructing his menagerie of creatures, structures, and people.

He stockpiles the pieces for his sculptures, then spends days combining them, letting the shapes of the objects guide him to the final design. 

Amid the bigger-than-life animals, a trio of musicians performs.

Look closely at the parts and pieces, the whimsical placement and arranging of everyday objects into sculptures that speak to us.

Some of Dan's sculptures are immense, but that doesn't prevent him from transporting them to shows and festivals all over the west. One of his choppers was a main attraction in Sturgis...

...and, the day we visited, he was preparing to transport this giant fish.

The tricycle, an irresistible photo op, is staying home for the moment.

A donation is the price of admission for all this wonder.

So what's happening in your field of dreams? Are you tending it? Grooming it? Making it real?

Mine is growing like mango trees in San Pancho's summer rain. Things are sprouting that I don't even remember planting, but I know I did because that's how it works. I find myself gliding into it as smoothly as a dancer on a waxed floor, waking up each day to the reality of its reality. Am I amazed? Totally. Grateful? Of course. Excited? Oh my, yes.

Something fantastic is hatching. I'll tell you all about it. Soon.

Comments

[Maria Lee]

Love this stuff! Thanks, Candice.