Though I dream of a time when grants and art sales provide all that I need to pay the bills, I’m not in that situation. To fill the [sometimes substantial] gaps, I take on all kinds of random contracts. Often they involve being in front of a computer —building webpages, creating custom spreadsheets, bookkeeping— but today the work was outside in the sun and rain and bugs, assisting with tree removal.

I’ve helped out with my husband’s business, Sawtooth Tree Mgmt, in a variety of ways since the earliest days of our relationship. I wear many hats for Sawtooth, including a hard hat. When I asked what to call my position today, on a job where Mike was removing compromised trees from a steep slope behind a home, he offered these ideas: Chief of Rope Intelligence. Hauler Extraordinaire. Rope Management Technician. I gave myself the title of Manager of Incremental Progress in Log Hurling, since that’s how I spent the majority of my time, chucking rounds down the hillside, working the piles to the driveway little by little. Several trees needed to be roped, ensuring they fell in a direction they weren’t inclined to go in. That is fun work, hauling on a massive line, feeling the leverage of a rope high in a tall tree. Makes me feel mighty.

Both my body and my mind appreciate these occasional breaks from the computer and studio. Even if one day the grants and sales are rolling in and the business of my art career is thriving, I’ll still do some bush work when asked.