A congenial, self-proclaimed doyenne, Chiffon Denim, flirts with the camera while presenting her concept for an experimental musical, Children of the Mountain. She's a fictional character that I play, but her project and her backstory are very real. Last summer, my husband Scott and I were living in a yurt while he was building our house when we saw a plume of smoke. We had just moments to gather our daughters, and cats, fleeing the mountain with the flames in our rear view mirrors.
Our friends took us in. We watched and waited. Scott was the one with all the family heirlooms, the massive art collection, the DVD library. He owned an art gallery before transitioning into concert-promoting. We were roughing it, but filled to the brim with rich and evocative art. Our house-in-progress was built on his sweat and backache. But he didn't flinch. He returned to the property immediately after the evacuation orders were lifted to transform a portion of the burned remains into a beautiful oasis for our family. Staying on site, one month after a fire, before the county has had time to clean up the debris, is generally unheard of. But we had a small concrete electric room next to our basement that was intact. The ash and remains of our actual home was far from the house we were building. And my husband can make a home out of anything.
Our friends had a bunch of instruments in the house where we were staying. I'm not a musician, I'm a comedian and an actor, though I'd taken a break from the arts to be a mother. I learned to play a song from Scott's favorite musical while he was working in a warped realm in the heat and the ash-filled air.
We returned to our property. We learned the construction financing was compromised by the fire, so Scott drew a set of plans for a guest house, and began pushing them through County. I recorded the song and made a music video. It was shot before the cleanup crew arrived, so that the marrying of two very different worlds could be seen. Scott began hardscaping with a pick and shovel. Mixing and pouring concrete by hand, he is building the most magical courtyard I have ever seen. It's called The Fane of Amatys.
That's where I shot the second music video, using a song that I wrote in a process that felt very much like transcribing. Both are being used in a series of promotional videos for Children of the Mountain, an experimental comedy about overcoming the depression and heartache that comes from suffering a climate change calamity.
Being the victim of a natural disaster has made us aware first-hand of a growing problem that will continue to cripple sections of us. Depression is a major factor in the hardship that comes from natural disasters, which is why The Red Cross offers emotional support, as well as financial assistance. Funds for the production are currently being raised in a Kickstarter campaign. Proceeds will go towards helping future victims of natural disasters.
Children of the Mountain, among other things, will document the building of our home. When it is complete, we plan to host group-funded concerts. Never have I felt more alive, creative, and in-love with my husband. My primary hope and ambition is to truly appreciate every golden little moment that life has to offer. From here I can see, for the loss of everything, but it still hurts.
Poster
