Artist’s paper plants rival the beauty of the real thing
Colorado enacts regulations but is traveler-friendly; resorts adapt for safety
Some of the most stunning plants these days at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens are not alive.
In “Bringing Reverence to Nature: An Exploration of Botanicals in Paper,” Lea Gray has produced about 20 creations that capture real plants, especially succulents, in card stock and Italian crepe paper. The artworks — some of them hung on the wall and others in terrariums or planters on pedestals — are so lifelike that visitors to the Conservatory’s Cardinal Health Gallery frequently ask, “Are they real?”
Gray, 39, a fine arts graduate of Columbus College of Art & Design, is a native of Sidney, Ohio, where her mother and her grandmother instilled in her a love of plants. In her Worthington apartment, which is also her studio, she has nearly 50 live plants along with her created ones.
“When you go into my home, you wonder what is fake and what is real,” she said.
With her artwork, she said, she tries “to emulate exactly what’s in nature.”
With help from several assistants, Gray cuts the paper for her plants largely by machine, then assembles the pieces into the planters or onto a square or rectangular base before hanging the work on the wall. She finishes the assemblages by spraying the paper plants with transparent paint and even dry shampoo to enhance or change the colors.
In the wall-hung triptych “Agave Collection,” varieties of the species in shades of blue and green are grouped together and surrounded by thick wooden frames that resemble garden borders.
“Aeonium and Purple Pearl Echeveria” groups those plants tightly together in a bowl, with dangling tendrils.
“Cascading Black Pine Bonsai” is a small, graceful tree with machine-cut fringe leaves, a resin-based trunk, driftwood tree limbs and a base of black sand as the ground.
“Botanical Preservation Collection” is a large terrarium filled with a variety of succulents and other plants.
Gray said she came to her art form from origami. “I was getting bored with origami and wanted something more expressive,” she said. “Someone asked me if I could make flowers for her mother for Mother’s Day. That was nine years ago.”
Her art and her business took off, and she sees no end.
“The paper flower world is huge, but strangely kind of underground. But I don’t know anyone else who makes succulents like I do,” Gray said.
“I see myself doing this for the rest of my life. The more I do it, the better I get. And there’s a never-ending supply of plants that I haven’t made yet.”
negilson@gmail.com
ACROSS
1 “Just a moment!”
7 Crusade
14 Changes gears
20 Debonair
21 Spiritedly, in music
22 Bull battler
23 Clinton drains material
away by percolation? 25 Celebrity chef Lagasse 26 Deborah of “Separate Tables”
Coach Parseghian Competent
“Red Book” chairman Presley wears a disguise? Rathbone jumps ship? RSVP encl. Ideologies
Kylo — (Darth Vader’s grandson)
British peer
Prefix with angle Liquidy lump Keaton argues back in a debate? Longhorn’s gridiron rival Anticipated Downy quilt Locke adds decorations? Carders’ demands Nothing more than Work for
“ER” roles
Up — (cornered) Cobra variety Romero competes in a relay?
Ford marks a word for omission?
“7 Faces of Dr. —” (Tony Randall film) Matt of “Good Will Hunting”
Links org.
FBI guy, e.g. Words clarifying a spelling
Osaka money Heaney makes people smile?
Fiber for hose
Kept safe Submit taxes paperlessly Leroux does a ballroom dance?
Santa — (desert winds) Zero 27 28 30 31
35 38 39 40
41 42 43 44
49
51 53 54
57 60 61 62 63 65 66
70 72 73
74 75 76
78 79
84 86 88
89
92 95 96 97 98
Engrave Singer Janis Baseball’s Felipe or Moises Scottish Celt Thompson works as an usher?
104 Deane goes on
a cruise?
106 Bush press secretary Fleischer
107 Old British gun 108 Alternative to
Yahoo
109 Russia’s — -Tass 110 One of Janet Jackson’s sisters
112 Wiig mends a
sweater?
119 Precursor to
web forums 120 Tartish brew 121 Peanut butter
cup brand
122 Composed
123 Transition zone between plant communities 124 Will subject
99 100
DOWN 1 Ogre of myth 2 “Uh-uh” 3 Scratch (out) 4 Chicken with long, soft plumage
Curvy letters
Herb of the parsley family Actor Linden
Ryan and Tatum of film Fib tellers
Family rec facility Infant cry Lunched, e.g. Lovers’ flowers, in Spain Superb Native Wrath Physicist Enrico Case hearing
Goes it alone
“Am not!” comeback Funeral stand These, in Mexico Slowly, musically Winner’s hand gesture 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 24 29 31 32 33 34
35 36 37 40 43 44 45 46 47 48 50 52 55 56 58 59 63
Tough dude’s self-assertion Surpasses
Cost of cards Picture book Devastates
Actor Depardieu Poet-singers Tweaks text
Of the middle eye layer Concise Footfalls
Mental flash
Part of NOW Matrix
Jim Croce’s “I Got —” Wine barrel residue Actress Blair “There Is Nothin’ Like —” 64 66 67 68 69 70 71 74 77 79 80 81 82 83 85 87 90 91 93
“Daniel Boone” actor Trolley sound Cushy course Stains Winding-line dance “Yipes!” Adequate, to Li’l Abner Argentina’s Juan or Eva Lecture jottings Long stories Politico Mo Exodus peak Architect Saarinen Peddles
“So far, no”
Army group
Univ. in Raleigh Fare-well link Condition in outer space 94 Morally strict
98 Actress Quinn
99 Precious red stone 100 Bone of the 103-Down 101 Scratch out
102 Located
103 Foot-leg joint
104 — voce (softly)
105 “— alive!”
108 At — time
(prearranged)
111 Words before dare
or diet
113 Rocker Ocasek
114 “I believe,”
to a texter
115 Scot’s denial
116 “There — god!”
117 New Year in Vietnam 118 MI-TO-SC dir.
“It’s a chance to enjoy life and nature.”
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado skiing is back as winter recreation enthusiasts ascend to the Rockies, with restrictions designed to keep them protected from the coronavirus.
In early February at Breckenridge in Colorado’s Summit County, I skied above the timber line in wide-open expanses with powder up to my knees; carved wide, sweeping turns with friends; and kicked back with a craft beer when the day of skiing was done.
I breathed in the high-altitude fresh air and felt refreshed by descending Breckenridge’s peaks
But there were differences in skiing during the pandemic versus in years past.
I bought a Vail Resorts Epic Pass this year to make sure I’d have a reservation to ski on my winter holiday.
I ate my lunch outside in 10-degree weather.
I had a face covering over my mouth and nose most everywhere I went – except when I skied downhill.
And the only indoor dining I did in town was at outdoor yurts; at my friend’s home; or alone, in my cozy onebedroom unit at Park Meadows that
looked out on a trail called Four O’clock Run.
After 6 inches of snow fell one Saturday, lift lines as long as 15 minutes inched along at Breckenridge’s Peak 7, but they were short during the ensuing midweek days.
There, I met millennials who’d relocated to Breckenridge for a month or two, juggling the demands of working remotely while taking occasional vacation days and squeezing in runs around their work schedules. There were retirees venturing out to experience the great outdoors at 12,000 feet and families
on the mountain with their children out skiing or snowboarding during breaks from remote learning.
Yet others escaped the alpine skiing crowds by opting for cross-country skiing at the town of Breckenridge’s Gold Run Nordic Center, which also required advance registration.
“It’s a chance to enjoy life and nature,” said Sam Ziv, a snowboard instructor who moonlights at the ski shop Sun Logic. “People have been cooped up so long.”
Breckenridge has so far been managing the influx of tourists. By mid-february, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment reported five active outbreaks at the resort involving just 11 staff members and two guests.
Skiers and snowboarders are keeping safe by wearing masks, maintaining social distance, avoiding large groups and enjoying the great outdoors.
Waiting at the free shuttle bus stop on Four O’clock Road was Mindi Mclean of London, who had escaped her country’s lockdown, where many stores are closed and people are allowed to exercise outside just once a day.
“People are completely covered up here in Breckenridge,” she said. “I’m glad to be here. You’ve got to live.”
Still, the COVID-19 ski season has proved difficult for restaurants and retailers. Shannon Foley, general manager at The Blue Fish, said she’d been on the receiving end of vitriol by tourists who didn’t want to wear masks or insisted upon being seated at tables that would exceed the state’s limit. “It’s exhausting,” she said.
Her restaurant has responded with outdoor dining in canvas-covered yurts, which feature fine dining in a space warmed by a hanging 1,500-watt heater, which kept the temperature comfortable for us to dine in heavy sweaters as we sampled fresh sushi, shrimp tempura topped with salmon and tender Kobe beef, with asparagus and shiitake mushrooms.
Gravity Haus at Peak 9 has outdoor ski cabanas imported from Iceland, which you can rent for as little as $50 weekdays or $100 on weekends, for up to five hours, with a $100 minimum food and beverage tab. They feature a picnic table, two easy chairs, games for kids, a space heater and a phone charger.
Amy and Blaine Stern, who have a Breckenridge condo and had been skiing all day, stopped by during one afternoon’s heavy snowfall to check out the cabana they had rented for an evening on Valentine’s Day weekend.
“Skiing is one of the safest things you can do during COVID,” she said.
The ski industry, along with state and local health officials, have enacted a flurry of regulations to limit the risk of infection. Colorado’s rules are friendlier to out-of-state winter recreationers than Vermont, which requires most non-vermonters to either quarantine in the state for 14 days once they arrive or quarantine at home for seven days and obtain a negative coronavirus test before visiting to ski – but the latter is an option only for travelers arriving by car or private plane.
In Colorado, there are no such quarantine requirements. Colorado indoor dining is limited to 25% capacity, though.
Skiers from different households can sit on a ski lift together, but at least one seat must be vacant between them. Breckenridge lift-line attendants were vigilant to inform those in lines to keep their mouths and noses covered. You need a reservation for indoor dining at the mountain, which I opted not to do. Instead, I packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, drank free water handed out at the grab-and-go windows and ate at outside tables.
I ventured inside to use the Breckenridge bathroom facilities, where there was a limit on occupancy. But there was no lingering on the walkway to the facilities, as my friend Doug and I learned one frigid afternoon when we stopped to chat by a concrete pillar, hoping to warm up our toes.
“Gentlemen, you can’t stand there,” we were instructed. We were directed to the nearby indoor “warming” area where we could sit, masked, for 15 minutes but were not allowed to eat or drink.
We decided not to. We got back on the lift. We warmed up skiing down a trail called Nirvana.
Aheadline in The Dispatch on March 2 read, “Arnold Sports Festival fans set to invade
Columbus.” h On that day a year ago, the fans began to arrive but soon were told to go home — and they left confused and frustrated. They were told it was because of a virus, one that few of us could imagine inflicting the damage some said it could bring, or the stunning human toll we have seen since then. h Last week, flags were lowered to half staff across the country as the nation mourned the loss of 500,000 Americans killed in one year by the coronavirus. h More Americans have been killed by this virus in one year than were killed during the Vietnam War and both World Wars combined.
Throughout your coverage of Edith Espinal and her return to home and family after more than three years in sanctuary, the one constant in all of the photographs is her clutching on to her dog, Bella. I can relate.
Just about this time last year, Columbus Humane, along with many other animal shelters, were making an effort to find forever homes for their animals. It had been about a year since I was without a canine companion, so I made an appointment to go take a look. I came home with a cute little beagle that had come up from the Portsmouth shelter, where they did not have the resources to perform the extensive dental work that was needed. Adopting him was the best thing to happen to me last year. I do not want to think about what the past 12 months would have been like without him. Since he originally came in as a stray, he was given the name “Mr. Wiggles”. I planned on changing it, but whenever someone asked me what it was and I told them, it would always make them smile so I kept it.
Mr. Wiggles has given me many opportunities to smile during this difficult time, and I am sure Bella has done the same for Edith Espinal during her own personal “lockdown” of three years.
Syd Lifshin, Columbus
Which is worse: Crazy politicians or people who put them in office?
Reading a story of Rep. Madison Cawthorn tweeting about Vatican City requiring the COVID-19 vaccine and stating that doesn't sound legal to him, made me wonder — does he even know where and what Vatican City is?
Tommy Tuberville of Alabama was elected to the Senate and didn't even know what the three branches of government are. Ted Cruz leaves during a crisis, returns and gives a few excuses when questioned about it, then finally admits the truth. I will not even go into the representatives and senators who espouse totally crazy conspiracy theories when there is no proof.
I guess anyone can and will get elected, but what does this say about the people electing them? Evidently they do not look into their candidates very well, or they just do not care.
That amazes me in this day and age, when information is at almost everyone's fingertips. I guess this is the new normal.
Robert Connor, Columbus
Quick reminder: First Amendment applies to laws made by Congress
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Please note the term “Congress.” Mike Kindt, Ashville
Portman’s vote on Trump was right, reflected Ohio voters’ will
In recent days, there have been more than a few letters indicating the writers' wishes that the state of Ohio get rid of Sen. Rob Portman for his role in not going along with the House plan to impeach former President Donald Trump.
I differ with those written senti
ments and here’s one reason why: In the Feb. 15 Dispatch article entitled “How is nation after acquittal?”, it was stated therein that the “Senators’ actions are coming basically directly from what they’re hearing from their voters.” Well, hallelujah.
At long last our senators were doing what the folks back home sent them to Washington to do. What a concept. Wouldn’t it be great if all senators and representatives from both parties would listen to the voices of their voters? After all, they work for us.
Jean Hayward, Upper Arlington