Roxanne Patruznick: Today we're talking about the transition moving from one place to another and the impact that has on an artist's work. We're also talking about how travel informed Aliyah's desire to find her forever home. another thing that you brought up is about your supplies. for me as an artist, I carry supplies, but lot the supplies that I use are on site, like ironing boards and stuff like that. But when you're working with found objects and maybe you're having different kinds of equipment that you need. ⁓ Welcome to Travel, Create, Repeat, where we talk with fellow artists, writers, and performers about travel and creativity. I'm Roxanne, and I'm an artist nomad who's been traveling full time since 2017. Today's podcast guest is Alia Bone, a multimedia artist, a painter, as well as a sculptor, working with found objects and creating one-of-a-kind work. Aliyah, for my last question, I'd like to ask about the artist retreat you went on in the desert between moving from Portland and settling in Joshua Tree. What stands out for you before, during and after the retreat? How is that and how does it impact your ability to travel?
Alea Bone: Hmm. Well, that was the that brought me to the desert. I was invited to participate in, I believe I was the second artist in residence at the Highway Sanctuary. Stephanie was the first, maybe. I'm not sure if I have that right, ⁓ but it a newly launched project.
Alea M Bone: It's tricky. It's very, very tricky because the materials really dictate the type of work I do. you know, I can't, I'm not just painting on canvas. I am using, you know, all this tin and metal and beer cans and bottle caps and wood and all this stuff that's really, you can't travel with that. You know, you're really limited. So important have
Roxanne Patruznick: ⁓ good morning. Tell us little bit about yourself. Where are you originally from?
Alea M Bone: Good morning. Well, I grew up in the Bay Area of Northern California and spent my 20s in Yosemite National Park. All my friends went to college and I went to Yosemite and liked it so much I stayed there for about nine years. And then I moved to Portland in 95 to...
Alea Bone: here in Flamingo Heights, just outside of Joshua Tree. And started Shrine ⁓ on Allen Spears. And it's evolving sculpture park, I you would call it, made out of recycled Anyway, it was everything I've always dreamed of. And so I was super excited to be invited to participate.
Alea M Bone: a place I can stockpile a boneyard, ⁓ know, of all my junk that I need to rummage through in order to make something. And why I think it's so vital that I establish my studio where I can finally have a place. attend art school at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Later in life, I was about 27 at the time. late bloomer, ⁓ spent 27 years in Portland, got married, bought a house, had a raised that kid and...
Alea Bone: never done any kind of ⁓ before or residency. So I had no idea what to expect.
Alea M Bone: to stockpile it, is one of the things that led to my divorce. That ex didn't appreciate all my junk. We just didn't see eye to eye on it. So I need to have a place where I can have ⁓ access to tools and the materials. ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: You
Alea Bone: Since I'm a mixed media artist, I brought my bottle cap collection. I stuffed my car full of all my bottle caps. I couldn't bring them all, but I brought as many as I could. it's funny, ⁓ you I mean, I...
Alea M Bone: Now I'm here. Starting a whole new chapter.
Roxanne Patruznick: Hahaha Wow, so awesome. Yeah, I wasn't sure how long that you'd lived in Portland. yeah, remember you talking about being from a while back and working in the parks, ⁓ I think, right?
Alea Bone: I had left my husband ⁓ I was of floating as a free agent. And ⁓ I up the car, drove down here with no idea of what was going happen afterwards. I just knew I had the opportunity to come down here and do a paid residency to make art.
Alea M Bone: and that makes it hard to travel or to do retreats or residencies else.
Roxanne Patruznick: That does make a lot of sense. And I do miss, I miss having that space that's just my studio space. That's just a room that I can just leave a mess and like really spread out and have lots of stuff. Like that is something I can't really do living this way. That I love when I go into someone's studio and there's just so much stuff in there and like all this potential and I can't, I just can't do that. It's gotta be wherever I am.
Alea M Bone: I worked for the concessionaire. went up originally to work, to try to get on with the park service and do trail crew or something like that. But ⁓ briefly was in the California Conservation Corps and discovered that I really liked working, doing hard ⁓ you in the woods. It was just ⁓ something that really worked for me at that time.
Alea Bone: which felt so extremely validating and empowering. And so I jumped on it. I basically changed my life for art. You know, knowing what was going to happen afterwards, it didn't matter. All that mattered was being there for one month and building this sculpture, permanent sculpture out of bottle caps. I basically changed my life for art. You know, knowing what was going to happen afterwards, it didn't matter. All that mattered was being there for one month and building this sculpture, permanent sculpture out of bottle caps. ⁓ kind of a, it sounds so crazy. ⁓ I built this,
Alea M Bone: Yeah.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah. Yeah.
Alea M Bone: So has that affected the type of art that you make? And so that's what I was hoping to do in Yosemite, but it proved to be a little more complicated. So ended up getting a job with a concessionaire ⁓ and a variety of different jobs. I was tour guide. That was really fun. ⁓ I was ski lift operator. I worked for employee recreation. It was just a blast. And then I ended up finally at the Awanee Hotel doing fine dining where the good money was. ⁓ And it gave me
Roxanne Patruznick: definitely writing is easier ⁓ It's a, it's an easier travel thing. the could be an easier travel thing. because all I need is like a mic and my laptop ⁓ and I know what else, like I don't need like a ton of stuff. and the mic have is, is on the heavy side. So I might actually at some point pare down and get a lighter mic.
Alea Bone: seven and a half foot tall, basically a birdcage. it's interactive. The idea is you go in to the cage and you contemplate all different ways ⁓ we to hold ourselves back or let other people maybe hold us back. All the different ways we tend to compartmentalize and box ourselves in. After you have little contemplative moment,
Alea M Bone: all day to play, ride my mountain bike, jump in the river, rock climb, and then go to work for a few hours at night. And it was just great lifestyle. And I really liked living in that ⁓ know, ⁓ stepping my door and looking up at Yosemite Falls and Half Dome. And it was just, I felt so spoiled to live there year round.
Roxanne Patruznick: for travel purposes. For painting-wise, I do carry actually a bunch of stuff. I carry an easel. ⁓ carry... a small easel, it, you know, and I have a tripod and I a bunch of paints and I have a bunch of heavy watercolor paper that I use and other like odds and ends. So it's...
Alea Bone: And when you're ready, you push through the beaded curtains of bottle caps and release yourself.
Roxanne Patruznick: It adds up, like it takes up weight and space quickly.
Alea M Bone: it was really, really hard. It almost felt like breaking up with a lover when I decided to leave to go to art school. But needed to do that. And I Portland because it was a city that had an art school, but it was still close to the mountains, to the ocean, to the rivers. ⁓
Alea Bone: and set yourself free. And then when I had to come up with a name for the thing, had calling it a birdcage, but decided that that had sort of negative connotations and I wanted it to be an uplifting experience. And it kind the shape of it of reminds me of Dr. Who's telephone booth, like a transporter, ⁓ right?
Alea M Bone: Mm-hmm. It's so interesting to think about what is, we need in to do what we want to do, you know, materialistic. ⁓ What you, you know, just really puts the focus on our tools, what we use to express ourselves how much space they take up? You know, it's.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah.
Alea M Bone: that I love so much. So it seemed like a winning combination. was a good life too for ⁓ years.
Roxanne Patruznick: The TARDIS.
Alea Bone: Yes, that's it. So, I mean, it is a transporter a transformer. But I came up with the name elevator because ⁓ I the idea that it elevates you, lifts you up. And so that's ⁓ my is that people when they visit, this is on right on the road on a hillside, right off the highway, hence the highway sanctuary.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah. Wow. I, you know, I think I remember you mentioning that you worked a corporate job. Like, was that, was that in Yosemite or was that in Portland?
Alea M Bone: It's a constant challenge. It's a constant challenge. it probably does dictate what you make and how you make it. You know, and it puts you into this different mindset. That was in Portland. After I graduated, had loan debt that had to pay off. And so I couldn't just start painting and being a freelance I had to pay the bills. ⁓ I ended up working for a reprographics firm Precision Images. ⁓ Someone said it was
Roxanne Patruznick: Okay.
Alea M Bone: That's that I think that'll be an interesting theme with your future interviews hear from other people, especially people who travel to art. Like how do they do?
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah.
Alea Bone: that you can interact with this piece, step inside it, and then hopefully leave with an elevated sense. You know, it'll be different for everyone.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. think a lot of people, of them probably just do everything on their computer maybe, which I've tried to do that and it's hard for me. ⁓ really need to do it with my hands. And ⁓ ⁓ working on paper and canvas and boards and I like oil paint, real oil paint ⁓ and brushes and...
Alea Bone: So it was a month long process.
Alea M Bone: a glorified Kinkos, which I thought was hilarious way to describe it and pretty accurate actually. But I did large format digital printing and color correction and a little bit of graphic design. And I did that for about nine years until the big recession. I think it was 2009 when I got laid off.
Alea Bone: I never totaled up how many bottle caps I used, we're of thousands. And elicited the community to in and help, to participate, to ⁓ bang with a and nail holes into each bottle cap and string them onto wire make these little donuts that I use ⁓ as a sort of building
Alea M Bone: Mm-hmm. Right.
Roxanne Patruznick: So it's been a little bit of a challenge, you know. ⁓ But we'll see, we'll see. Yeah, we'll see. ⁓ things in the process, in the wings.
Alea M Bone: Yeah. Look, I'm. I do really want to say I love that you to be pulling it off. You know, you're still creating beautiful paintings and that tactile art out into the world. You have created a wonderful life, you and Johnny, and I love, I just, I love what you're doing. You're making it happen. with a whole bunch of other people. And that's when I decided to try to a living as an artist, which was a major leap of faith.
Alea Bone: Yeah, it was a process, but it ⁓ was a transformative experience. My divorce was finalized during that month. It ⁓ was in the winter, the month January. It was very, very cold ⁓ and ⁓ what they call murder winds. So it was, you you think of word retreat, like an art retreat, and you think ⁓ of...
Roxanne Patruznick: So good, yeah. So ⁓ one of the things that I also love about is you're skilled in all these different mediums, like painting and with found objects and sculpture. Like you just, it seems like you're good at everything. And ⁓ one of your signature things that you use a lot are ⁓
Alea M Bone: ⁓ inspiring. ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: Thank you, Leah. Thank you.
Alea Bone: something really peaceful and beautiful like a spa or you know some quiet space. This was not that.
Roxanne Patruznick: the bottle caps and beer cans, and I'm what drew you to use those or if there was a, was there like an experience where it was just like an aha moment, like, oh, I've got to use this or you saw some other artists doing something similar or I don't know, like how did you incorporate that into your 3D work?
Alea Bone: This was very, very rugged and rustic and... emotional, difficult. There were ⁓ lot of challenges. Anyway, ⁓ I it done. And it was the catalyst that brought me to the desert. And things sort of started to fall into place after that, as I made connections and found my way into settling in. I don't know, did I answer all the questions before, during, and after?
Alea M Bone: I don't know, let's see. So originally set out to be an illustration major. Well, I did major in illustration. ⁓ So I illustration because I used to draw when I was younger and I enjoyed painting and...
Roxanne Patruznick: Hahaha!
Alea M Bone: commercial art just seemed like a responsible choice as an older student, you know, trying to be practical and figure out how I could make a living. And then as I started exploring illustration and, you know, ⁓ looking Rolling Stone Magazine and the Atlantic Monthly and all of those publications that hired freelance illustrators back in the day.
Alea Bone: Was that it?
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, like I, I'm, think what I'm ⁓ wondering is, do you feel now looking back, it's interesting to look back at the beginning, like when you're writing a story, there's an ⁓ something called an inciting incident. And it's the thing that sets on your path. And and then along the on your
Alea M Bone: I ⁓ gravitated towards the artists who were doing something other than just straight drawing and painting, incorporating three-dimensional objects. There was this ⁓ guy, Paul
Roxanne Patruznick: path, there's like a point of no return.
Alea M Bone: I don't know if anybody has heard of him, but he was one that first inspired me. He painted on really gnarly old wood and I loved that texture. It just totally spoke to me. And so that's one of the first things I did for my was I did a series of paintings ⁓ on old plywood. And then I started incorporating found objects.
Roxanne Patruznick: the retreat, I think, is the inciting incident. ⁓ you could say even ⁓ de Jesus' show But there's a point of no where you're not going back. ⁓
Alea M Bone: onto my paintings, very similar to what he was doing. And just something I ran with. ⁓ And living in Portland, I was trying to find a way to set myself apart from everyone else, like what was gonna be my thing? And we to that my ex-husband and I ⁓ moved to Portland for the beer. ⁓
Alea Bone: I had to go back to get the rest of my stuff. That was a whole nother journey. But it cemented in my heart and soul that this is where I belong. That ⁓ rustic, landscape and...
Roxanne Patruznick: Hahaha!
Alea M Bone: since Portland's known as Beer Vana. that was ⁓ favorite pastime, was to go to brew pubs and drink good beer. And was before everybody had moved over to the big can craze. Most beer was still being bottled at the time and there was a plethora of bottle caps everywhere. And so started playing around with bottle caps and I thought I'll be the... ⁓
Alea Bone: you know, it just, it spoke to me and, and the. It's funny, I wasn't gonna try not to get emotional, but just the word community chokes me up. I didn't know anybody. knew a few people, but we had this unveiling for sculpture and it a and stormy day. And so I didn't know if anyone would show up and this incredible outpouring of people came and I just felt so.
Alea M Bone: bottle cap artist or the beer artist. There doesn't seem to be anybody doing beer art, beer themed art. And that just was a no-brainer to me. It seemed to make sense. Living in Portland, make beer art. So that was my, that's how I first started doing it.
Alea Bone: and lifted up and like, this, ⁓ I found my place ⁓ and are my people. Yeah, it was ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: love that. ⁓ especially the idea of what people not doing? You know, how can I set myself apart? feel like, to me that sounds like finding your voice an artist, like signature, your ⁓ thumbprint, like the thing that makes you ⁓ unique. I try to do that as well. I just really appreciate that. ⁓ And I have kind of a ⁓ weird question. ⁓
Alea Bone: ⁓ one thing I'd like to say is about, you know, the, the retreat versus residency, you know, and what it means and the whole concept. ⁓ it occurred to me that what I'm trying to do, I still feel like I'm in transition. I still feel like I just got here, even though it's been two years. which is crazy to say. I feel like what I'm trying to do.
Alea M Bone: Yeah. Okay.
Roxanne Patruznick: I have a weird question I have another artist friend who also would love to interview at some point who becomes different people when she ⁓ paints or ⁓ when she does her work. sometimes artists have like an alter ego you know, a persona or something. And I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on that, like an alter ego that would inspire creating work.
Alea Bone: is my life into a permanent retreat.
Alea M Bone: That is such a fascinating idea. you know, the first thing that came to mind when you said that was when I was working on my thesis, I did a series of women in rock. And because I wanted to a freelance illustrator, ⁓ I to do, have my work in Rolling Stone was the big dream, or do CD covers ⁓ and book and things like that. But I was really music focused.
Alea Bone: you get that?
Roxanne Patruznick: Okay, I just got some chills because we're talking about finding like putting roots down community finding home, which definitely resonates for me even though I'm a nomad. I think living your life like a work of art, ⁓ like your life like you're on a retreat, like every day is on retreat. I love that and it's not like a spa, you know, it's actually hard work.
Alea Bone: Hehehe No, it's not!
Alea M Bone: And so I chose a different female musician from each decade to paint. And as I was working on their portraits, just immersed myself ⁓ their biographies. ⁓ watched movies about them, listened their music while I was painting, you know, because it ⁓ all goes the work. And I tried to channel them as best I could, know, Billie Holiday. ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: it's hard frickin work and and I and but it's also really beautiful you know and I think I love the love seeing hearing you with the emotion behind it
Alea Bone: Yes, it is.
Roxanne Patruznick: because it feels like you're sharing with me how passionate it is for you. It's the art and it's the community. And that resonates with me very strongly because that's what I'm after with this podcast. I'm wanting to connect with other artists and have them share with me what they're doing. And I wanna connect with them and feel that passion and, know, yeah.
Alea M Bone: Peggy Lee, Joplin, Patti Smith. So I did sort of role cosplay a bit while I was working on those portraits.
Alea Bone: Yeah.
Roxanne Patruznick: I love that. ⁓
Alea M Bone: I don't do that. I don't do that so much anymore. that might be fun to do again.
Alea Bone: It's so good, isn't it? so good. That's we put up on.
Roxanne Patruznick: It is so good. Yes.
Alea Bone: Yeah.
Roxanne Patruznick: kind of a superhero thing there, this, elevating women too, I that. you know, us supporting each other women is really great. One of the things, ⁓ along the same line, I really love your Luchador series ⁓ and it feels very powerful. the...
Alea Bone: I love you so much.
Roxanne Patruznick: ⁓ my gosh. love you too. I'm so happy that you're the first friend of mine that I'm ⁓ this with. Like ⁓ done it with Johnny, ⁓ I feel really happy that I get to do this with you. You get to see me kind of figure my shit out ⁓ I'm learning ⁓ to do this.
Alea Bone: you
Alea M Bone: for sure. Hmm.
Roxanne Patruznick: the masked women fighting, they're all badasses. And I remember buying one and at first I thought it sold and then found out that I actually ⁓ it or you saved it for me or something. That was like a while ago.
Alea Bone: Hey, we're working it out together. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I know.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whew, all right. So we're bring it down and wrap it up. So I just wanna thank you again for agreeing do this with me ⁓ and sharing from your because I feel that. And so before go, ⁓ where can people your artwork?
Alea M Bone: I saved it for you. wanted you to have that. ⁓ That, ⁓ thank you. I really did have fun with that series. So I went from bottle caps and then the can craze happened and I moved beer cans.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, I love that.
Alea M Bone: I was playing around with them up. ⁓ basically collage with metal. And they're really easy to cut, the aluminum. And so I would ⁓ paint face and then the beer can mask on top of the painting. And that was fun way of mixing the painting with the found objects. Not quite three dimensional, but it did give it this extra element.
Alea Bone: Well, they can go to the highway sanctuary and see some amazing things by Shrine and Stephanie Brockway and Prescott McCarthy and Reese and ⁓ kinds of other artists ⁓ that are worth seeing. You know, it's constantly evolving ⁓ and quite a beautiful experience. But I'm also on Instagram under Alia Bone. ⁓ and on Facebook under BoneWorks, B-O-N-E-W-E-R-X. ⁓
Alea M Bone: And it also had this metallic nature, you know, which really pops. And I liked that. But for sure, it was very to represent these women who are fighters, you know, that we've all got that side of us. And it's important to in touch it, you know.
Alea Bone: and I'll be on the Highway 62 Art Tours, ⁓ is the open studios here in the high desert. That's in ⁓ October, first three weekends in October. Definitely worth a trip to the desert for. There'll be like 250 artists opening their studios. So that's come on down.
Alea M Bone: Yeah, there's so much I can say.
Roxanne Patruznick: Excellent. ⁓ my gosh, I love it. Yeah, and this podcast should be up before that way before that so people will be able to find all of your all of your stuff. Yeah, really love it. ⁓ think that a lot of people connect with that series and ⁓ the fierceness that you bring to that series. Okay, folks, you ⁓ enjoyed podcast and would like to hear others, ⁓ please over to my website, travelcreaterepeat.com and subscribe to my emails. There you can also read my travel blog as well as see my art shop. And please subscribe and support me on Patreon, ⁓ which patreon.com forward slash travel create repeat.
Alea M Bone: Thank you. I continue to return to it. You know, it's been about, I think it's been 10 years since I started it. it's something that I continue to go back to. And I recently did another one, completely different. ⁓ I did a mask with found object, you know, pieces of leather from purses, ⁓ shoes, ⁓ old boots.
Roxanne Patruznick: And we'll see you next time. Yeah, thanks. Thanks a lot. We did it. Yay.
Alea Bone: Woo!
Alea M Bone: ⁓ things that I get from thrift stores and swap meets and I sewed, hand sewed it, which was very and then placed it over a painted piece. ⁓ And when painted the face this time, I wrote a little subliminal message on her forehead that I knew would be covered up with the mask, but just to kind of imbue it with a sort of a or a purpose, you know, that no one will see in the finished piece, but it kind of gives it an extra little, it's like putting a spell on your work, in your work. I don't if you do that. at all. But was for a show called Feral and wanted do something fierce and feral. And so I this piece and then it didn't make it into the show. which an interesting experience because I have not dealt with very much rejection in art career, which is of funny to say ⁓ because I know, I've just been really blessed, I guess, or careful. And so that was an interesting experience be rejected with this bad ass piece that I felt really good about. which I thought was a total shoe-in. I had to sit with the idea that somebody else didn't feel that it was appropriate or whatever, and all the that come from that. Okay.
Roxanne Patruznick: Before your move from Portland, you took some trips to Los Angeles, my hometown. From your experience, how would you compare Portland?
Alea M Bone: Hmm?
Roxanne Patruznick: to Los Angeles.
Alea M Bone: Whoa, worlds apart at the time. I mean, all these big cities are being gentrified now and sort of homogenizing and becoming very similar. at one of my first trips, Los Angeles was just like Disneyland to me. Palm trees and sunshine compared to the gloomy Portland. But I was excited to go. to show at La Luz de Jesus, was a big bucket list dream of mine. And I just felt like a kid in a candy store, you know, like my dreams were coming true. I made into this big group show, La Luzapalooza, that I had been trying to get into for a few years. So when that happened, It was very exciting.
Roxanne Patruznick: I remember that. I remember you going to Los Angeles and like, I always loved La Luz de Jesus. Like I remember their art gallery and it was very sought after showing space. Yeah, I remember how stoked I was for you to be showing there. Yeah. And we're gonna transition a little bit to the desert, but before we do.
Alea M Bone: Thank you.
Roxanne Patruznick: I wanted to ask you if you ever miss the Portland art scene or do you or maybe you still feel attached to it or part of it or maybe missing friends there. How do you how do feel about?
Alea M Bone: What I miss the most is you it's spring right now. And spring ⁓ Portland was so incredible with cherry blossoms and all the magnolias and dogwoods. And I had an incredible that I cultivated over 20 years, you know, full of ⁓ daffodils and tulips and. was so green and lush and ⁓ explodes in the spring. And lived for that and all the fragrance in the air and everything. I used to hike a couple of times a week in the Columbia River Gorge with some good friends. And I yearn for that. I do miss that because it's so entirely different here in the desert, which I chose. I chose and at peace with that. ⁓ I do miss my friends, but in touch almost daily on Facebook. And I have these little chat groups with my besties, ⁓ Heidi and Stephanie and Anna. We still talk regularly ⁓ and ways to see each other. So. am at peace with the move, with the lifestyle change. It was time. I was ready. I have never regretted it. Not for one second. It was a major, major change of ⁓ of I'm a thousand miles away now. you know, it's ⁓ in a in a lot of ways, it feels like being on another planet, but I needed So here I am.
Roxanne Patruznick: when you you talked about coming from Yosemite and working in the mountains in you've come from all these different natural places, the forest and mountains and then Portland with the coast and also mountains and and now the desert, like you're experiencing all these different climates ⁓ and and I'm sure that that has had an impact on you and maybe even what you make. you feel that it has in some ways? ⁓
Alea M Bone: I think that that is still coming. I don't consider myself a desert artist yet, ⁓ I think that is forming inside me. ⁓ still in transition. ⁓ only been here for a little over two years, ⁓ it still feels fresh and new. And kind of been in a weird state of limbo. You know, when you have such a major lifestyle change, leaving my partner that I had been with for 32 years and my home and, you know, turning it all upside down. When I, when I came to Joshua Tree, I brought a carload of bottle caps. I had more bottle caps in my car than personal possessions. So I wonder, like you, you travel with so little. You just have a few suitcases. You leave all, you had a big house in Portland and a big, beautiful garden as well. And you left all that behind and you strip yourself down ⁓ and learn to live in a completely new way. And that's what I'm still doing. I'm still it out. I did go back and get most of my stuff and bring it down, but then I had to put it in storage because I'm renting and I'm still looking for my forever home. But I'm hoping that this is going to be the year that I make that happen, that I find my own little piece of property either with a house on it or maybe I'm going to build something. I don't know, but I'm going to be 60 this year. And the big goal ⁓ put down roots and, know. establish my own place with my own studio, my forever home.
Roxanne Patruznick: you now live in Joshua Tree. ironically, me and ⁓ my husband, we used to go to Joshua Tree on the weekends as our ⁓ when we lived in Los Angeles. We'd ⁓ go there, you know, maybe like
Alea M Bone: Hmm.
Roxanne Patruznick: once a month, once every other month. We'd go to some crappy motel and then just spend the whole day ⁓ in Tree Park. ⁓ We have friends who got married in that old town in Joshua Tree, the famous bar. Yeah, Pioneer Town.
Alea M Bone: Mmm. It's Pioneer Town and you're referring, yeah, you're referring to Pappy and Harriet's. Yeah.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yes, Pappy and Harriet's. So do you have a favorite thing about the desert right now? Like something you really love about it?
Alea M Bone: There's so much to love. it's the wide open space. Seeing more land than buildings really important to me. It's ⁓ soothing. The rocks, the boulders, ⁓ just mountain ranges really speak me and put my mind, body and soul at ease. Of course, there's the stars at night. ⁓ And the Joshua trees themselves are so otherworldly. Last night, my boyfriend put me on the back of his motorcycle and we took a ride up through the park ⁓ at And ⁓ been really stressed out ⁓ and I needed a little something. And that was the perfect medicine. Just to ride through the park at sunset, see those trees. I mean, it really does feel like traveling to another planet because there's no other place like this on earth I Don't know. I just really connect with the land It's it's been a theme my whole life It's something that really grounds me So ⁓ the I Love seeing Roadrunners in my front yard and the little bunnies that come through and Quail that scurry through hearing the coyotes at night, it's special.
Roxanne Patruznick: Hmm. I have all these images when you describe all of that. can see it. I can see it really clearly because I've spent time there. Do you have any future travel plans?
Alea M Bone: Mm. Hmm. when I first got divorced, I I am going to travel the world, you know, because those were things I didn't get to do as much before. And so I had the opportunity. Now that I'm free, I can go and do whatever I want. But I'm really focused on finding
Roxanne Patruznick: You
Alea M Bone: my land and putting down roots right now. I ⁓ like to live vicariously through you and my landlord. She has a place in Italy that she spends part of the year in and she's also just spent this winter in Oaxaca and that all just sounds so glorious and romantic. But I think ⁓ right now okay with just living vicariously through you guys. ⁓ that feeds me enough. My focus right now is finding my own place here ⁓ making that happen.
Roxanne Patruznick: And that sounds wonderful, actually. Sometimes I'm traveling around a lot and sometimes I miss just being in one place for longer than three to six months.
Alea M Bone: Yeah, I remember a few years ago, you were, I don't know if it was an art project or just something you were thinking about, but you were talking about the concept of home and what that means and what that looks like for people and for you. Like you were redefining what that means for you and Johnny, a sense of home. Is it a place or a feeling? a thing or you know, what is it? What does home mean for people?
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, I mean, it's an interesting thing to have a deep dive in because I think that different people might conceive it differently. I think a big part of home for me is Johnny, ⁓ know, like us, the two of us together is a home. There are different cities now that I that we've returned to that feel like their homes. Like right now we're in Tbilisi. ⁓ Georgia and this is definitely one of our homes. I hung out with a friend earlier this morning and very dear friend who I made the last time we were here. So it's definitely friends are like my home and it's an ongoing thing. think another thing that I think about not to hijack interview ⁓ is I think what ⁓
Alea M Bone: No
Roxanne Patruznick: ⁓ ⁓ I about what family is, because I think that a big part of what makes a home is the family. And I think a lot of the family for me is the family of my friends, ⁓ Johnny, but also my friends.
Alea M Bone: For sure. We need to be, we need connection. And it's interesting in this day and age, connection, mean, physical face-to-face connection, of course, is vital. But there are so many other ways to stay connected. And give it a bad rap, know, social media, but it keeps us connected. I mean, we're doing it right now. You know? And it's working.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, and it's great that you brought up the connection piece because I think that's the whole intention behind me doing this podcast is I want to connect with my creative friends because easy to get disconnected when you live the way I live. And I really value friendships with you and with friends of mine. I just want to connect. This is like, it's me connecting, but it's also like giving you a platform and wanting to support what you're doing, you know?
Alea M Bone: Yeah, and we're doing it. It's great. It's working.
Roxanne Patruznick: It's working! ⁓ my gosh. ⁓
Alea M Bone: that you're doing this. ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: that, yes. And that leads me what do you have going on creatively the moment? Is there anything ⁓ that you're excited about creatively?
Alea M Bone: Hmm. I do have some shows booked. I've been invited to a sculpture show, which I've never described my work as sculpture, you know, ⁓ but I guess does fall into that category. I recently a piece where I did more sculptural, ⁓ 3D with it, was very, very exciting. And I was carving. wood using all sorts of new tools and in new ways to me and it was exhilarating. mean, using hammer and a chisel and physically, you know, breaking ⁓ the wood something sparked, it definitely sparked something in me and that I want to do more of. I've been fantasizing about doing like large chainsaw sculptures. But I don't, I mean, we'll see what happens. ⁓ I love, I love working with power tools, ⁓ I also love hand, any kind of tool. And and there's something physical that really feels good me. My work is so physical. Just ⁓ the of up metal.
Roxanne Patruznick: That's pretty badass.
Alea M Bone: with tin snips and shears nailing it to wood. This piece I ⁓ recently It was two snakes intertwined, sort of yin and yang, a black one and a white one. And I out hundreds ⁓ of out of leather, tin and fur and all sorts of different materials ⁓ and nailed them to the wood that I carved the form. But man, my hands were killing me. And I have to be careful about that because I am getting older and I have to find easier ways to do things. But there's something about that challenge and physical aspect that I enjoy. So anyway, did this piece. It was something very, very different and almost cathartic. you know what happens when you complete something, ⁓ journey like that? took about a month to complete. There's this, don't even know the word for it, this hangover you get when you finish a piece, ⁓ big piece like that, where you just, whoa, takes everything out of you. And then like, now what? Like I've just gone this other level that was new me. And now I'm like, what do do now? What's the next thing gonna be? So then I was invited to this sculpture show and I'm trying to figure out what I'm gonna do. And I'm still forming those thoughts and finding my inspiration and I'm in that percolating stage.
Roxanne Patruznick: Nice. it's interesting because ⁓ what noticed about your work is that sometimes I can see how you're connecting to the world with your work, beauty, the butterfly series, that kind of transformative beauty. And probably you have different ideas about that specific body of work, but also ⁓ commenting on things going on in the world we're resisting, and all the powerful women, the luchadors, being fierce yeah.
Alea M Bone: Well, that's why I gravitate towards butterflies because they are fierce yet fragile at the same time. You know, they're so resilient and their migration, you know, they travel so far and they, they overcome so much and everything they represent about transformation, which makes so much sense with what I do with recycled found objects, you know, repurposing things giving them new meaning, new life. I will always return to butterflies. They are my spirit animal and they represent much personally for me. that I'm still So ⁓ that's theme that is dear to my heart.
Roxanne Patruznick: I love it.
Alea Bone: Hmm. Well, that was the that brought me to the desert. I was invited to participate in, I believe I was the second artist in residence at the Highway Sanctuary. Stephanie was the first, maybe. I'm not sure if I have that right, ⁓ but it a newly launched project.
Alea M Bone: It's tricky. It's very, very tricky because the materials really dictate the type of work I do. you know, I can't, I'm not just painting on canvas. I am using, you know, all this tin and metal and beer cans and bottle caps and wood and all this stuff that's really, you can't travel with that. You know, you're really limited. So important have
Roxanne Patruznick: ⁓ good morning. Tell us little bit about yourself. Where are you originally from?
Alea M Bone: Good morning. Well, I grew up in the Bay Area of Northern California and spent my 20s in Yosemite National Park. All my friends went to college and I went to Yosemite and liked it so much I stayed there for about nine years. And then I moved to Portland in 95 to...
Alea Bone: here in Flamingo Heights, just outside of Joshua Tree. And started Shrine ⁓ on Allen Spears. And it's evolving sculpture park, I you would call it, made out of recycled Anyway, it was everything I've always dreamed of. And so I was super excited to be invited to participate.
Alea M Bone: a place I can stockpile a boneyard, ⁓ know, of all my junk that I need to rummage through in order to make something. And why I think it's so vital that I establish my studio where I can finally have a place. attend art school at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Later in life, I was about 27 at the time. late bloomer, ⁓ spent 27 years in Portland, got married, bought a house, had a raised that kid and...
Alea Bone: never done any kind of ⁓ before or residency. So I had no idea what to expect.
Alea M Bone: to stockpile it, is one of the things that led to my divorce. That ex didn't appreciate all my junk. We just didn't see eye to eye on it. So I need to have a place where I can have ⁓ access to tools and the materials. ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: You
Alea Bone: Since I'm a mixed media artist, I brought my bottle cap collection. I stuffed my car full of all my bottle caps. I couldn't bring them all, but I brought as many as I could. it's funny, ⁓ you I mean, I...
Alea M Bone: Now I'm here. Starting a whole new chapter.
Roxanne Patruznick: Hahaha Wow, so awesome. Yeah, I wasn't sure how long that you'd lived in Portland. yeah, remember you talking about being from a while back and working in the parks, ⁓ I think, right?
Alea Bone: I had left my husband ⁓ I was of floating as a free agent. And ⁓ I up the car, drove down here with no idea of what was going happen afterwards. I just knew I had the opportunity to come down here and do a paid residency to make art.
Alea M Bone: and that makes it hard to travel or to do retreats or residencies else.
Roxanne Patruznick: That does make a lot of sense. And I do miss, I miss having that space that's just my studio space. That's just a room that I can just leave a mess and like really spread out and have lots of stuff. Like that is something I can't really do living this way. That I love when I go into someone's studio and there's just so much stuff in there and like all this potential and I can't, I just can't do that. It's gotta be wherever I am.
Alea M Bone: I worked for the concessionaire. went up originally to work, to try to get on with the park service and do trail crew or something like that. But ⁓ briefly was in the California Conservation Corps and discovered that I really liked working, doing hard ⁓ you in the woods. It was just ⁓ something that really worked for me at that time.
Alea Bone: which felt so extremely validating and empowering. And so I jumped on it. I basically changed my life for art. You know, knowing what was going to happen afterwards, it didn't matter. All that mattered was being there for one month and building this sculpture, permanent sculpture out of bottle caps. I basically changed my life for art. You know, knowing what was going to happen afterwards, it didn't matter. All that mattered was being there for one month and building this sculpture, permanent sculpture out of bottle caps. ⁓ kind of a, it sounds so crazy. ⁓ I built this,
Alea M Bone: Yeah.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah. Yeah.
Alea M Bone: So has that affected the type of art that you make? And so that's what I was hoping to do in Yosemite, but it proved to be a little more complicated. So ended up getting a job with a concessionaire ⁓ and a variety of different jobs. I was tour guide. That was really fun. ⁓ I was ski lift operator. I worked for employee recreation. It was just a blast. And then I ended up finally at the Awanee Hotel doing fine dining where the good money was. ⁓ And it gave me
Roxanne Patruznick: definitely writing is easier ⁓ It's a, it's an easier travel thing. the could be an easier travel thing. because all I need is like a mic and my laptop ⁓ and I know what else, like I don't need like a ton of stuff. and the mic have is, is on the heavy side. So I might actually at some point pare down and get a lighter mic.
Alea Bone: seven and a half foot tall, basically a birdcage. it's interactive. The idea is you go in to the cage and you contemplate all different ways ⁓ we to hold ourselves back or let other people maybe hold us back. All the different ways we tend to compartmentalize and box ourselves in. After you have little contemplative moment,
Alea M Bone: all day to play, ride my mountain bike, jump in the river, rock climb, and then go to work for a few hours at night. And it was just great lifestyle. And I really liked living in that ⁓ know, ⁓ stepping my door and looking up at Yosemite Falls and Half Dome. And it was just, I felt so spoiled to live there year round.
Roxanne Patruznick: for travel purposes. For painting-wise, I do carry actually a bunch of stuff. I carry an easel. ⁓ carry... a small easel, it, you know, and I have a tripod and I a bunch of paints and I have a bunch of heavy watercolor paper that I use and other like odds and ends. So it's...
Alea Bone: And when you're ready, you push through the beaded curtains of bottle caps and release yourself.
Roxanne Patruznick: It adds up, like it takes up weight and space quickly.
Alea M Bone: it was really, really hard. It almost felt like breaking up with a lover when I decided to leave to go to art school. But needed to do that. And I Portland because it was a city that had an art school, but it was still close to the mountains, to the ocean, to the rivers. ⁓
Alea Bone: and set yourself free. And then when I had to come up with a name for the thing, had calling it a birdcage, but decided that that had sort of negative connotations and I wanted it to be an uplifting experience. And it kind the shape of it of reminds me of Dr. Who's telephone booth, like a transporter, ⁓ right?
Alea M Bone: Mm-hmm. It's so interesting to think about what is, we need in to do what we want to do, you know, materialistic. ⁓ What you, you know, just really puts the focus on our tools, what we use to express ourselves how much space they take up? You know, it's.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah.
Alea M Bone: that I love so much. So it seemed like a winning combination. was a good life too for ⁓ years.
Roxanne Patruznick: The TARDIS.
Alea Bone: Yes, that's it. So, I mean, it is a transporter a transformer. But I came up with the name elevator because ⁓ I the idea that it elevates you, lifts you up. And so that's ⁓ my is that people when they visit, this is on right on the road on a hillside, right off the highway, hence the highway sanctuary.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah. Wow. I, you know, I think I remember you mentioning that you worked a corporate job. Like, was that, was that in Yosemite or was that in Portland?
Alea M Bone: It's a constant challenge. It's a constant challenge. it probably does dictate what you make and how you make it. You know, and it puts you into this different mindset. That was in Portland. After I graduated, had loan debt that had to pay off. And so I couldn't just start painting and being a freelance I had to pay the bills. ⁓ I ended up working for a reprographics firm Precision Images. ⁓ Someone said it was
Roxanne Patruznick: Okay.
Alea M Bone: That's that I think that'll be an interesting theme with your future interviews hear from other people, especially people who travel to art. Like how do they do?
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah.
Alea Bone: that you can interact with this piece, step inside it, and then hopefully leave with an elevated sense. You know, it'll be different for everyone.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. think a lot of people, of them probably just do everything on their computer maybe, which I've tried to do that and it's hard for me. ⁓ really need to do it with my hands. And ⁓ ⁓ working on paper and canvas and boards and I like oil paint, real oil paint ⁓ and brushes and...
Alea Bone: So it was a month long process.
Alea M Bone: a glorified Kinkos, which I thought was hilarious way to describe it and pretty accurate actually. But I did large format digital printing and color correction and a little bit of graphic design. And I did that for about nine years until the big recession. I think it was 2009 when I got laid off.
Alea Bone: I never totaled up how many bottle caps I used, we're of thousands. And elicited the community to in and help, to participate, to ⁓ bang with a and nail holes into each bottle cap and string them onto wire make these little donuts that I use ⁓ as a sort of building
Alea M Bone: Mm-hmm. Right.
Roxanne Patruznick: So it's been a little bit of a challenge, you know. ⁓ But we'll see, we'll see. Yeah, we'll see. ⁓ things in the process, in the wings.
Alea M Bone: Yeah. Look, I'm. I do really want to say I love that you to be pulling it off. You know, you're still creating beautiful paintings and that tactile art out into the world. You have created a wonderful life, you and Johnny, and I love, I just, I love what you're doing. You're making it happen. with a whole bunch of other people. And that's when I decided to try to a living as an artist, which was a major leap of faith.
Alea Bone: Yeah, it was a process, but it ⁓ was a transformative experience. My divorce was finalized during that month. It ⁓ was in the winter, the month January. It was very, very cold ⁓ and ⁓ what they call murder winds. So it was, you you think of word retreat, like an art retreat, and you think ⁓ of...
Roxanne Patruznick: So good, yeah. So ⁓ one of the things that I also love about is you're skilled in all these different mediums, like painting and with found objects and sculpture. Like you just, it seems like you're good at everything. And ⁓ one of your signature things that you use a lot are ⁓
Alea M Bone: ⁓ inspiring. ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: Thank you, Leah. Thank you.
Alea Bone: something really peaceful and beautiful like a spa or you know some quiet space. This was not that.
Roxanne Patruznick: the bottle caps and beer cans, and I'm what drew you to use those or if there was a, was there like an experience where it was just like an aha moment, like, oh, I've got to use this or you saw some other artists doing something similar or I don't know, like how did you incorporate that into your 3D work?
Alea Bone: This was very, very rugged and rustic and... emotional, difficult. There were ⁓ lot of challenges. Anyway, ⁓ I it done. And it was the catalyst that brought me to the desert. And things sort of started to fall into place after that, as I made connections and found my way into settling in. I don't know, did I answer all the questions before, during, and after?
Alea M Bone: I don't know, let's see. So originally set out to be an illustration major. Well, I did major in illustration. ⁓ So I illustration because I used to draw when I was younger and I enjoyed painting and...
Roxanne Patruznick: Hahaha!
Alea M Bone: commercial art just seemed like a responsible choice as an older student, you know, trying to be practical and figure out how I could make a living. And then as I started exploring illustration and, you know, ⁓ looking Rolling Stone Magazine and the Atlantic Monthly and all of those publications that hired freelance illustrators back in the day.
Alea Bone: Was that it?
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, like I, I'm, think what I'm ⁓ wondering is, do you feel now looking back, it's interesting to look back at the beginning, like when you're writing a story, there's an ⁓ something called an inciting incident. And it's the thing that sets on your path. And and then along the on your
Alea M Bone: I ⁓ gravitated towards the artists who were doing something other than just straight drawing and painting, incorporating three-dimensional objects. There was this ⁓ guy, Paul
Roxanne Patruznick: path, there's like a point of no return.
Alea M Bone: I don't know if anybody has heard of him, but he was one that first inspired me. He painted on really gnarly old wood and I loved that texture. It just totally spoke to me. And so that's one of the first things I did for my was I did a series of paintings ⁓ on old plywood. And then I started incorporating found objects.
Roxanne Patruznick: the retreat, I think, is the inciting incident. ⁓ you could say even ⁓ de Jesus' show But there's a point of no where you're not going back. ⁓
Alea M Bone: onto my paintings, very similar to what he was doing. And just something I ran with. ⁓ And living in Portland, I was trying to find a way to set myself apart from everyone else, like what was gonna be my thing? And we to that my ex-husband and I ⁓ moved to Portland for the beer. ⁓
Alea Bone: I had to go back to get the rest of my stuff. That was a whole nother journey. But it cemented in my heart and soul that this is where I belong. That ⁓ rustic, landscape and...
Roxanne Patruznick: Hahaha!
Alea M Bone: since Portland's known as Beer Vana. that was ⁓ favorite pastime, was to go to brew pubs and drink good beer. And was before everybody had moved over to the big can craze. Most beer was still being bottled at the time and there was a plethora of bottle caps everywhere. And so started playing around with bottle caps and I thought I'll be the... ⁓
Alea Bone: you know, it just, it spoke to me and, and the. It's funny, I wasn't gonna try not to get emotional, but just the word community chokes me up. I didn't know anybody. knew a few people, but we had this unveiling for sculpture and it a and stormy day. And so I didn't know if anyone would show up and this incredible outpouring of people came and I just felt so.
Alea M Bone: bottle cap artist or the beer artist. There doesn't seem to be anybody doing beer art, beer themed art. And that just was a no-brainer to me. It seemed to make sense. Living in Portland, make beer art. So that was my, that's how I first started doing it.
Alea Bone: and lifted up and like, this, ⁓ I found my place ⁓ and are my people. Yeah, it was ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: love that. ⁓ especially the idea of what people not doing? You know, how can I set myself apart? feel like, to me that sounds like finding your voice an artist, like signature, your ⁓ thumbprint, like the thing that makes you ⁓ unique. I try to do that as well. I just really appreciate that. ⁓ And I have kind of a ⁓ weird question. ⁓
Alea Bone: ⁓ one thing I'd like to say is about, you know, the, the retreat versus residency, you know, and what it means and the whole concept. ⁓ it occurred to me that what I'm trying to do, I still feel like I'm in transition. I still feel like I just got here, even though it's been two years. which is crazy to say. I feel like what I'm trying to do.
Alea M Bone: Yeah. Okay.
Roxanne Patruznick: I have a weird question I have another artist friend who also would love to interview at some point who becomes different people when she ⁓ paints or ⁓ when she does her work. sometimes artists have like an alter ego you know, a persona or something. And I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on that, like an alter ego that would inspire creating work.
Alea Bone: is my life into a permanent retreat.
Alea M Bone: That is such a fascinating idea. you know, the first thing that came to mind when you said that was when I was working on my thesis, I did a series of women in rock. And because I wanted to a freelance illustrator, ⁓ I to do, have my work in Rolling Stone was the big dream, or do CD covers ⁓ and book and things like that. But I was really music focused.
Alea Bone: you get that?
Roxanne Patruznick: Okay, I just got some chills because we're talking about finding like putting roots down community finding home, which definitely resonates for me even though I'm a nomad. I think living your life like a work of art, ⁓ like your life like you're on a retreat, like every day is on retreat. I love that and it's not like a spa, you know, it's actually hard work.
Alea Bone: Hehehe No, it's not!
Alea M Bone: And so I chose a different female musician from each decade to paint. And as I was working on their portraits, just immersed myself ⁓ their biographies. ⁓ watched movies about them, listened their music while I was painting, you know, because it ⁓ all goes the work. And I tried to channel them as best I could, know, Billie Holiday. ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: it's hard frickin work and and I and but it's also really beautiful you know and I think I love the love seeing hearing you with the emotion behind it
Alea Bone: Yes, it is.
Roxanne Patruznick: because it feels like you're sharing with me how passionate it is for you. It's the art and it's the community. And that resonates with me very strongly because that's what I'm after with this podcast. I'm wanting to connect with other artists and have them share with me what they're doing. And I wanna connect with them and feel that passion and, know, yeah.
Alea M Bone: Peggy Lee, Joplin, Patti Smith. So I did sort of role cosplay a bit while I was working on those portraits.
Alea Bone: Yeah.
Roxanne Patruznick: I love that. ⁓
Alea M Bone: I don't do that. I don't do that so much anymore. that might be fun to do again.
Alea Bone: It's so good, isn't it? so good. That's we put up on.
Roxanne Patruznick: It is so good. Yes.
Alea Bone: Yeah.
Roxanne Patruznick: kind of a superhero thing there, this, elevating women too, I that. you know, us supporting each other women is really great. One of the things, ⁓ along the same line, I really love your Luchador series ⁓ and it feels very powerful. the...
Alea Bone: I love you so much.
Roxanne Patruznick: ⁓ my gosh. love you too. I'm so happy that you're the first friend of mine that I'm ⁓ this with. Like ⁓ done it with Johnny, ⁓ I feel really happy that I get to do this with you. You get to see me kind of figure my shit out ⁓ I'm learning ⁓ to do this.
Alea Bone: you
Alea M Bone: for sure. Hmm.
Roxanne Patruznick: the masked women fighting, they're all badasses. And I remember buying one and at first I thought it sold and then found out that I actually ⁓ it or you saved it for me or something. That was like a while ago.
Alea Bone: Hey, we're working it out together. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I know.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whew, all right. So we're bring it down and wrap it up. So I just wanna thank you again for agreeing do this with me ⁓ and sharing from your because I feel that. And so before go, ⁓ where can people your artwork?
Alea M Bone: I saved it for you. wanted you to have that. ⁓ That, ⁓ thank you. I really did have fun with that series. So I went from bottle caps and then the can craze happened and I moved beer cans.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, I love that.
Alea M Bone: I was playing around with them up. ⁓ basically collage with metal. And they're really easy to cut, the aluminum. And so I would ⁓ paint face and then the beer can mask on top of the painting. And that was fun way of mixing the painting with the found objects. Not quite three dimensional, but it did give it this extra element.
Alea Bone: Well, they can go to the highway sanctuary and see some amazing things by Shrine and Stephanie Brockway and Prescott McCarthy and Reese and ⁓ kinds of other artists ⁓ that are worth seeing. You know, it's constantly evolving ⁓ and quite a beautiful experience. But I'm also on Instagram under Alia Bone. ⁓ and on Facebook under BoneWorks, B-O-N-E-W-E-R-X. ⁓
Alea M Bone: And it also had this metallic nature, you know, which really pops. And I liked that. But for sure, it was very to represent these women who are fighters, you know, that we've all got that side of us. And it's important to in touch it, you know.
Alea Bone: and I'll be on the Highway 62 Art Tours, ⁓ is the open studios here in the high desert. That's in ⁓ October, first three weekends in October. Definitely worth a trip to the desert for. There'll be like 250 artists opening their studios. So that's come on down.
Alea M Bone: Yeah, there's so much I can say.
Roxanne Patruznick: Excellent. ⁓ my gosh, I love it. Yeah, and this podcast should be up before that way before that so people will be able to find all of your all of your stuff. Yeah, really love it. ⁓ think that a lot of people connect with that series and ⁓ the fierceness that you bring to that series. Okay, folks, you ⁓ enjoyed podcast and would like to hear others, ⁓ please over to my website, travelcreaterepeat.com and subscribe to my emails. There you can also read my travel blog as well as see my art shop. And please subscribe and support me on Patreon, ⁓ which patreon.com forward slash travel create repeat.
Alea M Bone: Thank you. I continue to return to it. You know, it's been about, I think it's been 10 years since I started it. it's something that I continue to go back to. And I recently did another one, completely different. ⁓ I did a mask with found object, you know, pieces of leather from purses, ⁓ shoes, ⁓ old boots.
Roxanne Patruznick: And we'll see you next time. Yeah, thanks. Thanks a lot. We did it. Yay.
Alea Bone: Woo!
Alea M Bone: ⁓ things that I get from thrift stores and swap meets and I sewed, hand sewed it, which was very and then placed it over a painted piece. ⁓ And when painted the face this time, I wrote a little subliminal message on her forehead that I knew would be covered up with the mask, but just to kind of imbue it with a sort of a or a purpose, you know, that no one will see in the finished piece, but it kind of gives it an extra little, it's like putting a spell on your work, in your work. I don't if you do that. at all. But was for a show called Feral and wanted do something fierce and feral. And so I this piece and then it didn't make it into the show. which an interesting experience because I have not dealt with very much rejection in art career, which is of funny to say ⁓ because I know, I've just been really blessed, I guess, or careful. And so that was an interesting experience be rejected with this bad ass piece that I felt really good about. which I thought was a total shoe-in. I had to sit with the idea that somebody else didn't feel that it was appropriate or whatever, and all the that come from that. Okay.
Roxanne Patruznick: Before your move from Portland, you took some trips to Los Angeles, my hometown. From your experience, how would you compare Portland?
Alea M Bone: Hmm?
Roxanne Patruznick: to Los Angeles.
Alea M Bone: Whoa, worlds apart at the time. I mean, all these big cities are being gentrified now and sort of homogenizing and becoming very similar. at one of my first trips, Los Angeles was just like Disneyland to me. Palm trees and sunshine compared to the gloomy Portland. But I was excited to go. to show at La Luz de Jesus, was a big bucket list dream of mine. And I just felt like a kid in a candy store, you know, like my dreams were coming true. I made into this big group show, La Luzapalooza, that I had been trying to get into for a few years. So when that happened, It was very exciting.
Roxanne Patruznick: I remember that. I remember you going to Los Angeles and like, I always loved La Luz de Jesus. Like I remember their art gallery and it was very sought after showing space. Yeah, I remember how stoked I was for you to be showing there. Yeah. And we're gonna transition a little bit to the desert, but before we do.
Alea M Bone: Thank you.
Roxanne Patruznick: I wanted to ask you if you ever miss the Portland art scene or do you or maybe you still feel attached to it or part of it or maybe missing friends there. How do you how do feel about?
Alea M Bone: What I miss the most is you it's spring right now. And spring ⁓ Portland was so incredible with cherry blossoms and all the magnolias and dogwoods. And I had an incredible that I cultivated over 20 years, you know, full of ⁓ daffodils and tulips and. was so green and lush and ⁓ explodes in the spring. And lived for that and all the fragrance in the air and everything. I used to hike a couple of times a week in the Columbia River Gorge with some good friends. And I yearn for that. I do miss that because it's so entirely different here in the desert, which I chose. I chose and at peace with that. ⁓ I do miss my friends, but in touch almost daily on Facebook. And I have these little chat groups with my besties, ⁓ Heidi and Stephanie and Anna. We still talk regularly ⁓ and ways to see each other. So. am at peace with the move, with the lifestyle change. It was time. I was ready. I have never regretted it. Not for one second. It was a major, major change of ⁓ of I'm a thousand miles away now. you know, it's ⁓ in a in a lot of ways, it feels like being on another planet, but I needed So here I am.
Roxanne Patruznick: when you you talked about coming from Yosemite and working in the mountains in you've come from all these different natural places, the forest and mountains and then Portland with the coast and also mountains and and now the desert, like you're experiencing all these different climates ⁓ and and I'm sure that that has had an impact on you and maybe even what you make. you feel that it has in some ways? ⁓
Alea M Bone: I think that that is still coming. I don't consider myself a desert artist yet, ⁓ I think that is forming inside me. ⁓ still in transition. ⁓ only been here for a little over two years, ⁓ it still feels fresh and new. And kind of been in a weird state of limbo. You know, when you have such a major lifestyle change, leaving my partner that I had been with for 32 years and my home and, you know, turning it all upside down. When I, when I came to Joshua Tree, I brought a carload of bottle caps. I had more bottle caps in my car than personal possessions. So I wonder, like you, you travel with so little. You just have a few suitcases. You leave all, you had a big house in Portland and a big, beautiful garden as well. And you left all that behind and you strip yourself down ⁓ and learn to live in a completely new way. And that's what I'm still doing. I'm still it out. I did go back and get most of my stuff and bring it down, but then I had to put it in storage because I'm renting and I'm still looking for my forever home. But I'm hoping that this is going to be the year that I make that happen, that I find my own little piece of property either with a house on it or maybe I'm going to build something. I don't know, but I'm going to be 60 this year. And the big goal ⁓ put down roots and, know. establish my own place with my own studio, my forever home.
Roxanne Patruznick: you now live in Joshua Tree. ironically, me and ⁓ my husband, we used to go to Joshua Tree on the weekends as our ⁓ when we lived in Los Angeles. We'd ⁓ go there, you know, maybe like
Alea M Bone: Hmm.
Roxanne Patruznick: once a month, once every other month. We'd go to some crappy motel and then just spend the whole day ⁓ in Tree Park. ⁓ We have friends who got married in that old town in Joshua Tree, the famous bar. Yeah, Pioneer Town.
Alea M Bone: Mmm. It's Pioneer Town and you're referring, yeah, you're referring to Pappy and Harriet's. Yeah.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yes, Pappy and Harriet's. So do you have a favorite thing about the desert right now? Like something you really love about it?
Alea M Bone: There's so much to love. it's the wide open space. Seeing more land than buildings really important to me. It's ⁓ soothing. The rocks, the boulders, ⁓ just mountain ranges really speak me and put my mind, body and soul at ease. Of course, there's the stars at night. ⁓ And the Joshua trees themselves are so otherworldly. Last night, my boyfriend put me on the back of his motorcycle and we took a ride up through the park ⁓ at And ⁓ been really stressed out ⁓ and I needed a little something. And that was the perfect medicine. Just to ride through the park at sunset, see those trees. I mean, it really does feel like traveling to another planet because there's no other place like this on earth I Don't know. I just really connect with the land It's it's been a theme my whole life It's something that really grounds me So ⁓ the I Love seeing Roadrunners in my front yard and the little bunnies that come through and Quail that scurry through hearing the coyotes at night, it's special.
Roxanne Patruznick: Hmm. I have all these images when you describe all of that. can see it. I can see it really clearly because I've spent time there. Do you have any future travel plans?
Alea M Bone: Mm. Hmm. when I first got divorced, I I am going to travel the world, you know, because those were things I didn't get to do as much before. And so I had the opportunity. Now that I'm free, I can go and do whatever I want. But I'm really focused on finding
Roxanne Patruznick: You
Alea M Bone: my land and putting down roots right now. I ⁓ like to live vicariously through you and my landlord. She has a place in Italy that she spends part of the year in and she's also just spent this winter in Oaxaca and that all just sounds so glorious and romantic. But I think ⁓ right now okay with just living vicariously through you guys. ⁓ that feeds me enough. My focus right now is finding my own place here ⁓ making that happen.
Roxanne Patruznick: And that sounds wonderful, actually. Sometimes I'm traveling around a lot and sometimes I miss just being in one place for longer than three to six months.
Alea M Bone: Yeah, I remember a few years ago, you were, I don't know if it was an art project or just something you were thinking about, but you were talking about the concept of home and what that means and what that looks like for people and for you. Like you were redefining what that means for you and Johnny, a sense of home. Is it a place or a feeling? a thing or you know, what is it? What does home mean for people?
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, I mean, it's an interesting thing to have a deep dive in because I think that different people might conceive it differently. I think a big part of home for me is Johnny, ⁓ know, like us, the two of us together is a home. There are different cities now that I that we've returned to that feel like their homes. Like right now we're in Tbilisi. ⁓ Georgia and this is definitely one of our homes. I hung out with a friend earlier this morning and very dear friend who I made the last time we were here. So it's definitely friends are like my home and it's an ongoing thing. think another thing that I think about not to hijack interview ⁓ is I think what ⁓
Alea M Bone: No
Roxanne Patruznick: ⁓ ⁓ I about what family is, because I think that a big part of what makes a home is the family. And I think a lot of the family for me is the family of my friends, ⁓ Johnny, but also my friends.
Alea M Bone: For sure. We need to be, we need connection. And it's interesting in this day and age, connection, mean, physical face-to-face connection, of course, is vital. But there are so many other ways to stay connected. And give it a bad rap, know, social media, but it keeps us connected. I mean, we're doing it right now. You know? And it's working.
Roxanne Patruznick: Yeah, and it's great that you brought up the connection piece because I think that's the whole intention behind me doing this podcast is I want to connect with my creative friends because easy to get disconnected when you live the way I live. And I really value friendships with you and with friends of mine. I just want to connect. This is like, it's me connecting, but it's also like giving you a platform and wanting to support what you're doing, you know?
Alea M Bone: Yeah, and we're doing it. It's great. It's working.
Roxanne Patruznick: It's working! ⁓ my gosh. ⁓
Alea M Bone: that you're doing this. ⁓
Roxanne Patruznick: that, yes. And that leads me what do you have going on creatively the moment? Is there anything ⁓ that you're excited about creatively?
Alea M Bone: Hmm. I do have some shows booked. I've been invited to a sculpture show, which I've never described my work as sculpture, you know, ⁓ but I guess does fall into that category. I recently a piece where I did more sculptural, ⁓ 3D with it, was very, very exciting. And I was carving. wood using all sorts of new tools and in new ways to me and it was exhilarating. mean, using hammer and a chisel and physically, you know, breaking ⁓ the wood something sparked, it definitely sparked something in me and that I want to do more of. I've been fantasizing about doing like large chainsaw sculptures. But I don't, I mean, we'll see what happens. ⁓ I love, I love working with power tools, ⁓ I also love hand, any kind of tool. And and there's something physical that really feels good me. My work is so physical. Just ⁓ the of up metal.
Roxanne Patruznick: That's pretty badass.
Alea M Bone: with tin snips and shears nailing it to wood. This piece I ⁓ recently It was two snakes intertwined, sort of yin and yang, a black one and a white one. And I out hundreds ⁓ of out of leather, tin and fur and all sorts of different materials ⁓ and nailed them to the wood that I carved the form. But man, my hands were killing me. And I have to be careful about that because I am getting older and I have to find easier ways to do things. But there's something about that challenge and physical aspect that I enjoy. So anyway, did this piece. It was something very, very different and almost cathartic. you know what happens when you complete something, ⁓ journey like that? took about a month to complete. There's this, don't even know the word for it, this hangover you get when you finish a piece, ⁓ big piece like that, where you just, whoa, takes everything out of you. And then like, now what? Like I've just gone this other level that was new me. And now I'm like, what do do now? What's the next thing gonna be? So then I was invited to this sculpture show and I'm trying to figure out what I'm gonna do. And I'm still forming those thoughts and finding my inspiration and I'm in that percolating stage.
Roxanne Patruznick: Nice. it's interesting because ⁓ what noticed about your work is that sometimes I can see how you're connecting to the world with your work, beauty, the butterfly series, that kind of transformative beauty. And probably you have different ideas about that specific body of work, but also ⁓ commenting on things going on in the world we're resisting, and all the powerful women, the luchadors, being fierce yeah.
Alea M Bone: Well, that's why I gravitate towards butterflies because they are fierce yet fragile at the same time. You know, they're so resilient and their migration, you know, they travel so far and they, they overcome so much and everything they represent about transformation, which makes so much sense with what I do with recycled found objects, you know, repurposing things giving them new meaning, new life. I will always return to butterflies. They are my spirit animal and they represent much personally for me. that I'm still So ⁓ that's theme that is dear to my heart.
Roxanne Patruznick: I love it.
