The Big Sandy Main Street Puddle
In my hometown of Big Sandy, Montana, lies a small puddle of
water. Scarcely 10 feet in diameter,
it’s located just off Highway 87 at 48.178412
-110.111571. Officially named the
Joe Trepina Memorial Main Street Puddle, it is commonly known as Puddle. It was named for my late uncle Joe, who was the
water superintendent for many years. I lived with him and his sweet wife Dottie
one winter after my dad’s 4wd pickup broke down and I couldn’t get back and
forth to school. I shared the basement
with their son Donnie, who holds the record for the number of consecutive plays
of Don McLean’s song “American Pie.” I
swear, if someone plays that song at my funeral, I will haunt them for
eternity.
Wikipedia, under the Big Sandy history entry, describes
Puddle as “particularly charismatic.”
That is an apt description of the town in general, I think. This idyllic community is overflowing with
good will and happy people. Sometimes,
the town smells like wet dog, but other than that, it’s a great place to
live. That’s what they say, at
least. I live 20 miles out on Lonesome
Prairie, but I do have my gallery in the town, so I get to check on Puddle with
some regularity.
I began the Puddle Project April 28th, 2019 for
one simple reason. Or maybe not so
simple, depending on whether you are a licensed psychiatrist or not. Since my first posting on Facebook, Puddle
has gained hundreds of fans in at least 13 states and Canada. In June, fans will be traveling from every
corner of North America—part of a developing pilgrimage to see and celebrate
Puddle. Strangers approach me on the street to ask how Puddle is doing.
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| Initial Facebook Post |
Everyone wants to be part of “Puddlemania.” Some
say the water has healing properties. A
batch of vodka made with Puddle water is distilling as I write this. Poems have been written about Puddle, courtesy
of Big Sandy’s mad subgenius Steve Sibra.
I’m reaching out to Jeff Ament about writing a song, and maybe a doing benefit
concert. Our county commissioner has given me a verbal commitment
to designate Puddle as a county park. Negotiations
are underway with our city council to install a permanent water supply to
Puddle, complete with a fountain pump and a timer. If a daily fountain show won’t bring in the
tourists, nothing will. My sources
indicate the American Prairie Reserve is attempting to buy the section of Main
Street where Puddle is located. We will
fight them and their vast amount of East Coast money. “Save the Puddle, stop the APR” posters are being
designed, and a Puddle Preservation Society has been formed, with a “meet me at
the puddle” event planned. Maybe I’ll
see you there. Senator Tester will
speak. My attempts to get President
Trump to designate Puddle as a National Monument have failed, but Tester has
promised to strong-arm the Donald. Quid
Pro Quo. Not a day goes by that I don’t
get an email, message, or phone call about Puddle—many wondering if merchandise
is available. But the one question I
never get is “WHY?”
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| Summer in the City |
Puddle as Metaphor
Is Puddle a metaphor for the decay of small rural towns in
Montana? Does it represent the crumbling
infrastructure of our agricultural economy?
What about the aging population in towns like Big Sandy and the
governmental abandonment we feel? Will
the media denigrate us as simple-minded irrelevants clinging to Guns, God and
Puddle? Could it be the “Puddle of Youth?” Is it an oasis of hope for those who wander the desert of
meaninglessness? What about those
who deny the existence of Puddle? Will
their disbelief prove to be the last straw that holds together our community
and ultimately the World? Am I crazy, or
a visionary? Am I the OWG (old white guy)
equivalent of Greta Thunberg? All of the
above, and none of above.
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| One Dog's Water |
Puddle as Conceptual Art
Conceptual art and the philosophic school of thought known
as “Absurdism” have long fascinated me.
For those of you who didn’t waste a good chunk of your life going to art
school, conceptual art is a movement that prizes ideas over the visual or
physical components of works of art. In
short, just the expression of an artistic idea suffices as a work of art—no
actual work needed. It is so simple, at
least on the surface, that many would reject conceptual art as being anything
other than crap. The key to creating
“good” conceptual art lies in the mind of the audience, an art critic, or a
gallery owner. The more it is talked
about and written about, the better it is.
By this standard, Puddle is a successful work of art for me. Talked about, written about, and potentially
monetized.
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| Local News Coverage |
Absurdism is where my real interest lies--the idea that we
can find meaning in a meaningless object like Puddle. This was my mindset when I first dipped a toe
into the water. And if I could entice
others to find meaning in the meaningless…then the project would become a fully
realized work of art. I understand that
some may find that offensive—but art does not exist to please everyone all the
time. Sometimes, people just need to
have fun. I know I do.
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| This American Life |
Wizard or Wacko?
Being the man behind the curtain has come with a cost,
however. Time, energy, photo-shoots,
posters, t-shirts, scale models, vodka labels.
I need employees, but who has time for that? I have enough trouble with the one employee I
already have. I have repeatedly turned
down media requests for more information and interviews. “Puddlepalooza, Three Days of Peace and
Puddle” is scheduled for June 19--20.
Stay tuned for the limited edition poster. There will be a parade, music, young women
wearing tall boots, stray dogs, games, and a lot of drinking. And tons of unhealthy food, including the Big
Sandy favorite, Weasel on a Stick.
The possibilities for Puddle are endless. Ideas flow like Lonesome Prairie coulees in
the spring. Art can be hard work. My mind is on overload, and Toto is nipping
at my heels. It might be too much, but I
am not afraid—I have the heart for it.
The big question is—do I have a brain?
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| Holiday Spirit |
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| Cancelled! |
Interested in buying a Puddle Palooza poster? It's available on my secondary website.
