almanac with them and with North Idaho. Happily, after much searching, Brent and I found a house and moved to Sagle in 2005. We married on July 4, 2006. From the second I placed foot on ground here, it’s felt as if I’ve been here my whole life. One of my first paintings here was “Alchemy of Light” (pictured on previous page); it symbolizes myself and Brent as two shining stars and reflects the confluences of circumstances in my life.
Q. Your house is on the Artists’ Studio Tour. Tell us a little bit about the house. A. In 2016 we took the plunge and built our dream home on a ridge above Contest Point. We did most of the building ourselves. Brent has architecture in his background and designed our home to also be a working gallery for my art. Our view takes in Schweitzer Mountain to Scotchman Peak, a stunning vista any time of year and one that changes from hour to hour. I’ve never been more productive or inspired. And the pristine dark skies of this area continue to feed my passion for astronomy.
Q. Let’s talk about your passion for astronomy and where that’s brought you in your artmaking.
AT TOP: ARTIST LUCY WEST WITH ALAN BEAN, THE FOURTH MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON, PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRENT BINNALL. ABOVE: “EMBERS OF EXPLORATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT,” PHOTOGRAPHED BY LUCY WEST.
Your lakeside getaway
Vacation rental condos on beautiful lake pend oreille ONE, TWO & THREE BEDROOM UNITS AVAILABLE SLEEPS 4 TO 8 GUESTS Accommodations include: Fully equipped kitchen, washer/ dryer, fireplace, full service athletic club, espresso shop, convenience store & gift shop (208) 264-5828 | posresort.com 47390 Hwy 200 | Hope, ID | 83836
36
|
A. All along I’ve used my creativity to explore the things I’m curious about, to look at how nature or physics works, to investigate our human traits and human nature, to explore science and the cosmos. My primary body of work is science-based, realistic renderings of astronomical objects such as galaxies, planets, moons, and nebulae [see her works “Orion Nebula,” “Mighty M106,” “Waking Wanderer,” “Intrepid Explorer”]. But I also like to use scientific data in a more abstract approach and attempt to express that information through energetic movement, color, and form [as in “Momentum,” “Collide,” “Patterns of the Universe”]. I also enjoy creating conceptual compositions that tell our human story about our species’ journey throughout time from Earth to
208.255.4496
Voted Best Bike Shop Bike Sales & Rentals Full Service Repairs Bike Parts & Accessories Trail Info & General Bikery
3rd & Pine • Sandpoint, ID GreasyFingersBikes.com
SANDPOINT MAGAZINE SUMMER 2019
034-037_SMS19_Interview.indd 36
5/9/19 8:16 AM