Moose - Piney Lake, Vail, CO
Moose - Piney Lake, Vail, CO
Moose (Alces alces), Adult, Male
My buddy and I crept around a hill and into a thicket of young birch to get a line of sight on this Moose. We were close but across a small ravine from him so we felt safe. Moose are one of the few animals that I have had frightening experiences with in the wild. This photo was taken 10/12/2020 at 9:51 am.
WeForest Donation: $320 (What is this?)
Print Number: 1/3
Print Size: 15 x 22.5
Total Dimensions: 35 x 39
Hanging equipment and certificate of authenticity included.
Photograph
Moose (Alces alces)
The largest of all Deer species, the Moose only lives in colder climates than other smaller deer range into. In North America this is a band across most of Canada and Alaska and a small range dipping down into some of the Western United States. Unlike most of their cousins, Moose live largely solitary lives outside of calves staying with their mother for about a year and a half. However, as all Deer species, Moose have antlers and thus they are dropped each year and grow back. It’s hard to believe that they can grow such appendages in such a short amount of time but it makes for quite a lovely keepsake if you happen upon some shed antlers on a hike. Depending on where you are hiking; however, it might not be legal to take them, so be careful!
Location
Piney Lake, Vail, CO
Located 12 miles north of Vail, by way of an extremely rugged dirt road, this Lake, and the 40 acres private ranch surrounding it is inaccessible for a good portion of the year thanks to snowfall. But when you can make it up there it is well worth the adventure of the road to get there. Nestled in a valley, it is surrounded by the Gore Range towering above and reflecting back at you off of the glassy lake. The ranch and amenities on one side of the lake serve as a idillc location for weddings and vacations throughout the late spring and summer and hikers use the trails surrounding the private land a few more months on either side.
FRAME
Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni)
Cuban Mahogany is one of three species of Mahogany and it was originally the most widely used of the three. Nowadays, Honduran Mahogany is the much more prevalent wood and what most people would recognize as Mahogany. Native to the Carribbean, Cuban Mahogany’s northernmost range does include the far south of Florida, including the Keys. I happen to get all of my Cuban mahogany from a salvager in the Keys who removes the trees from construction sites before cutting it into slabs and drying it.
THE ELEMENTS
Fire, Water, Earth, and Air
In the display case in the bottom of the frame, four items are preserved glass vials. The items represent the elements: fire (wood charcoal), water (mineral oil), earth (soil), and air (a milkweed seed). I include these items in my work as a symbol of the interconnectedness of all life on earth, and as a reminder that humans must do better.
The Plaque
I engrave a wooden information plaque for each work. The plaque includes what the photograph is of, the location of the photograph, what type of wood the frame is made of and where I got the wood from. The plaques also explain what the vials are in each display case, and even state the meaning of my logo. The plaques are attached magnetically and can be removed to read or to store on the back of each frame if you prefer not to have it displayed on the front.
