"Un Petit Feu"

Un petit feu means a little fire or flame, in French. This piece is just over 5" tall.

It's interesting to me to see how the call to reach upward seems to be inherent in human nature. A few years ago, almost subconsciously I noticed that a little patch of land on Tujunga Canyon Blvd near my home, was going through some changes. It had been totally overgrown, with dead and dying branches hanging off the trees in sad disarray. Gradually, the landscape was brightening up and the living plants and trees were more evident. But, what was particularly catching my attention was the appearance of rock piles, artfully stacked in a way that was balanced and engaging to the eye. At first, there were only two or three and I thought it might be my imagination that they were even there, for I caught them from the corner of my eye, as I drove by. After awhile, I remember asking my daughter if more were appearing or was I just imagining them. It was if they were growing up from the landscape. Rocky sentinels rising from the earth, these natural sculptures had a feeling of connection and community, as if they were speaking to each other and to the visitors who might walk amongst them. I determined to do just that, to get out of my car and take my time looking at them all. Whoever was the artist, he or she had also started to put up various decorations pertaining to holidays, which led one to wonder what s/he would think of next! One day I made up my mind that this was the moment I'd stop. When I drove up to the spot, I saw that the person responsible for this transformation was there! His name was Richard Stewart and he was a local painting contractor who, aside from being a member of the Rotary, had felt compelled to start cleaning up abandoned areas and was particularly taken with all the rocks he'd been unearthing at this spot, also known as Horse Thief Pass, in the process. He was very modest and really pleased when I told him I was an artist, whose greatest passion was in carving stone, and that I was very taken with his creations. He didn't consider himself to be a "real" artist, but one has only to look around to know that true art is taking the materials one has and with love and thoughtfulness, brings a new vision and understanding. From my perspective, Richard fills the bill.

This spring he and his wife Susan were married there and all of us local residents were invited to come and share their happiness and a little wedding cake. Unfortunately, my daughter and I were committed elsewhere, for we would have loved to participate in their joy and in the warmth and celebration of a community for a member that started a little flame that has become a roaring bonfire of appreciation. One person can make a difference.