balanced rocks, remic rapids

There's a spot on the Ottawa River, not so far from my house where artist John Felice Ceprano creates beautiful, delicate, balanced sculptures from the river's abundant limestone. The sculptures change with the seasonal ebbs and flows of the river. He recreates the project each spring, populating the space as the river water recedes, an entire landscape created by the end of Fall. Then, through winter and spring, the temporary sculptures are knocked down, the space emptying but for a few standing rocks. Sometimes, you can catch Ceprano at work, but most often the sculptures seem to arise from nothing.

I love land-based art, especially when it utilizes local materials in a sustainable way. Ceprano's Ottawa River sculpture reminds me of Andy Goldsworthy's work:


Living in Ottawa often feels lonely, too far away from the people and places I love. When I go to Remic Rapids, I like to walk across the flat limestone and wade through the water. If there is space enough, I will lie down on the rock and look up at the sky. For a moment, amidst all of these rocks, I can feel like I'm in the desert. Last fall, when my parents were visiting, Ceprano was at work, so we talked to him for awhile. He told us that Southern Utah's canyon country was part of the inspiration for the work, so it's no wonder that I feel so at home here.

This week has been ridiculously hot, too hot to go outside, too hot to be inside. Miserable. One evening, the densely humid air made for spectacular light. The sun was a brilliant red globe, the surrounding sky gray. We went to the river to watch the sun, to wade in the cool water. It felt as thought everyone there was letting out a slow sigh to have just a moment's respite from the heat.