Steven Iseman ART

11/22/2022

Title: Bookends

This is the latest in a continuing series on books and literature.

The production process for my sculptural pieces I often requires me to produce an extra block of waste material - ends - as a necessary by-product. I keep these and rework them into art pieces. Well, having developed quite a collection of ends - book ends - so it is time again to stock some library shelves.

Framed

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11/22/2022

This is the second item in my Bedrock Series.

To explain: In the Summer of 2022, three friends and I crossed Canada by bicycle as the Spinning Wheels Tour to raise awareness of how to live well with Parkinson's Disease. It was epic.  We started in Victoria B.C. on June 25 and arrived in St. John's Newfoundland September 17.  Along the way we encountered innumerable people living with the ailment, and we offered encouragement and support.  We also raised funds for some very worthy charities.

On route, I collected interesting and unique rocks from interesting and unique places, and I have spent the last few months shaping and polishing them for use in art projects, ensuring that each piece can bear the sign "Made of Canada". I hope that you enjoy what is to come.

This piece, called Nature's Show: Autumn Lake, incorporates gorgeous stones that I extracted from a tranquil lake in British Columbia. I first viewed these shore-hemmed trees on a warm Summer day and presumed that I was seeing them at their best. But nature is all business during Canadian Summers, so these trees are dressed in their work clothes. But in Autumn, when the work is done, we see their wild side.

Unframed. Displays on stand.

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11/11/2022

This is the first in the Bedrock Series.

In the Summer of 2022 I crossed Canada by bicycle as a riding member of the Spinning Wheels Tour to raise awareness of how to live well with Parkinson's Disease.  We started in Victoria B.C. on June 25 and arrived in St. John's Newfoundland September 17.  Along the way we encountered innumerable people living with the ailment, and we  offered encouragement and support.  We also raised funds for some very worthy charities.

On route, I collected interesting and unique rocks from interesting and unique places, and I have spent the last few months shaping and polishing them for use in art projects, ensuring that each piece can bear the sign "Made of Canada". I hope that you enjoy what is to come.

This piece, called Mother and Child, is meant to honour my wife and every woman like her who has endured every imaginable hardship, discomfort and personal sacrifice to bring bright new babies into the world.  There is no better example of a bedrock contribution to our society.

09/25/2022

Third in a series of commissioned works:
This one is called Rough and Smooth

09/08/2022

Steve’s Blog - Sept 6-7 - extreme cycling - Clearview NB to Fredricton and Petticodiac

We have been cycling up a storm lately. In the past 8 days we have cycled 1,039 km, with an average distance of 148.4 km/day. During that time I twice reset my longest distance ever cycled in a day, and Jim had one as well. Details below, for those who care about cycling stats.

Thanks to a referral from former CBC Radio news anchor Robert Fisher, we had the chance to meet Harry Forestell, who anchors the CBC Radio news in Fredericton. Harry dropped by our Fredericton RV site for a chat, and even listened in as Jim and I had a CBC Radio interview with his colleague. Two things about Harry: he has Parkinson’s and he is an uncommonly friendly, bright and pleasant fellow, who manages to maintain a stressful job despite his condition. I am eager to learn how he does it..

This morning would be our last “big” ride. We estimate that the remaining rides will be 100km or less, (I still can’t believe that we are at a point where 100km is not a monumental event that would take a week or more of training to achieve.) Today’s route wound up being longer than planned and, in fact, became my all-time longest ride, at 209.7 km. But to add to that, this day in New Brunswick was also the most vertical that Jim or I have climbed throughout this entire cross-Canada trip; not BC, not Northern Ontario, not Quebec. It was also the most vertical that I have ever climbed in one day: 2,174 m (Jim’s was slightly less as he stopped due to the late hour and a sore knee, but he will be adding the remainder to his ride tomorrow.

I am so proud of this ride, though it came at a cost: I had to ride home alone in the dark, albeit with lights all over my bike.

Peaceful sleep awaits.

07/10/2022

Parkinson's Disease: Study in contrasts

With Parkinson's Disease, tremors can occur when opposing muscle groups are locked in opposition - paired extension and flexion muscles fire simultaneously without the usual dopamine regulation to trigger one to work and the other to yield. The result is the distinctive Parkinson's quiver; opposites don't always attract.

This piece is part of a set of three works commissioned by Parkinson Canada, that look at paired opposites. Each piece focuses on challenges or symptoms in the Parkinson experience

Rough and Smooth
Rough are the movements, with spasms and braces
Smooth as the skin on expressionless faces
Rough is the treatment by those who don't know.
Smooth is the swaying, and involuntary flow
Rough is the sleep as new stresses takeover
Smooth are the sheets that help to roll over

These descriptions intend to conjure images of the realities faced by many people with Parkinson's Disease, particularly those who have become disconnected.

.art

06/24/2022

Order to Disorder

Parkinson's Disease: Study in contrasts

With Parkinson's Disease, tremors can occur when opposing muscle groups are locked in opposition - paired extension and flexion muscles fire simultaneously without the usual dopamine regulation to trigger one to work and the other to yield. The result is the distinctive Parkinson's quiver; opposites don't always attract.

This piece is part of a set of three works commissioned by Parkinson Canada, that look at paired opposites. Each piece focuses on challenges or symptoms in the Parkinson experience

Order and Disorder

Order required to track all medication
Disorder of focus, memory, attention
Orders of magnitude to assess muscle stiffness
Disorder on file, questioning mental fitness

06/04/2022

03/19/2022

Where is Steve?
I know that it has been a while since my last post. I’m here, but I am in training for something BIG. It is taking so much of my time that it has limited my studio time.
Details to follow.

12/18/2021

Come to the show

Couldn’t make it today? Come tomorrow between 10 - 5.

Lots of great vendors. And for the naughty people on your list, there’s Art for sale 🤪

12/15/2021

This weekend
I will be displaying some of my favourite eLuminations - my light-up art.

09/18/2021

In Toronto area? Come see me today at the Shops at Don Mills for our show. Here until 7:00 tonight.
Not in Toronto? Come here.
Also open tomorrow 11:00 - 5:00.