Anton Viditz-Ward Heart Surgery Support Fund

"On Jan 15, 2020 our friend Anton Viditz-Ward will undergo open heart surgery in order to correct a congenital condition.

No big deal. 

Well…. Ok… maybe it is a big deal. 

It’s hard to tell with Anton. Aside from a few rare fits of impassioned encouragement directed at buffoons using tools in dangerous ways….no one has ever seen Anton make a big deal out of anything. Anton is one of those folks that is quick to forgive, slow to anger, and not one to complain about physical discomfort. Many of us have been the recipients of his patience and thoughtfulness and have admired his ability to withstand adversity. Those of us whom have had the pleasure of working with him have learned from his steadfast ability to remain focused and calm in the midst of the chaos of creative endeavours.

Anyone who has been to Burningman during the last 15 years has most likely enjoyed the machines that sprout forth from Anton’s mind and were fabricated by the Mine Camp Crew in the bowels of Deep Creek Experimental, one of the most unique artifactories in America, of which Anton is a founder. He is currently the director of programming at the facility which is located in a decommissioned limestone mine near Telluride, Colorado. The Mine is literally and figuratively the heart of the underground fire art scene on the West Slope of Colorado. Without Anton’s vision, courage, and perseverance, it’s doubtful The Mine would exist, and without The Mine, machines like “The Wheels of Thwarted Ambition” or “Palindrome” would have never made it out to the Playa. It’s also true that without Anton’s assistance to the late great climbing legend, Chuck Kroger, the much loved “Via Ferrata” which threads across the cliffs above Telluride would not be as grand nor as beautiful as it is.

Anton makes a modest living designing buildings and fabricating architectural steel elements. His machines and contributions to the local arts and climbing communities have been labors of love which could not happen without the support of Telluridians, Burningman, and the crew of local artists who volunteer in support of the DCE mission.

Anton is looking forward towards a life of less pain. The upcoming surgery is inspiring him to focus his mind and open his heart towards his aim of focusing his mission as an artist and community conspirator. He sees Deep Creek Experimental as a slow moving train. It has taken a lot to get it going, it’s a big load ... but it’s moving ahead now ... slow and steady. Anton is looking forward to many more years of developing the facility and programming at DCE as well as expanding the artistic offerings of The Mine Camp to the good folk of Blackrock City.

During the many months following the surgery, Anton will not be able to perform much of the work from which he earns his living. Our support will enable him to relax and focus his efforts as he regroups, organizes his thoughts, and reconsiders his routes. We know that he will meet the challenges of recovery with skill and grace. He will keep moving forward as he will certainly use this time in recovery towards the betterment of his life and thus the betterment of the community in which he resides. He will not be derailed by the unforeseen, and he will always adapt and roll with the changes. A gift in support of Anton’s recovery is a gift in support of the artistic community of which he is an integral part."

-Joe Bob Merritt

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Antons’s Schedule

January 4 driving back to Ohio to his dad’s house

January 14-15 Pre-op testing at the Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota 

♥️THURSDAY JANUARY 16 th Open Heart Surgery♥️    

January 17-27 ICU and recovery at Mayo Clinic

End of January - beginning  of March recover at lower elevation. 

2nd week in March back to Mayo Clinic for follow up

6 more weeks of recovery ........

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INTERVIEW WITH ANTON FROM TELLURIDE ARTS ARTICLE:


Anton Viditz-Ward has been a Telluride resident for over 20 years. A welder by trade he is also a trained architect and artist. He is the founder and manager of 

Deep Creek Experimental, an artist collective operating out of a decommissioned limestone mine just outside of town. He has brought to life this giant hole in the earth repurposing it for storage, studios, and event space. Here he works on his steel-welded, human-powered, kinetic sculptures and other projects. His work has been selected for the Burning Man Honorarium many different years, and his projects can be seen in Scott London’s book, Burning Man: Art on Fire as well as Art of Burning Man by NK Guy. 


How did you start welding?

I wanted to learn how to weld and was referred to Chuck Kroger and Kathy Green at Bone Construction. I went up there and introduced myself around lunchtime. He told me to come back at the end of the day. When I returned he gave me a tour of the shop and tools and said if I wanted I could start work on Monday. He hired me for general construction, and I was doing a lot of concrete work at the beginning, but teaching me to weld was part of the deal. Within three months I was welding every day. My first job was Society Turn. 


Art Education?

I am trained as an architect. I went to the University of Cincinnati -Design, Architecture, Art and Planning Program


Describe your art:

Mechanical. Industrial. Degenerative

 

Ideas and Inspiration?

I look at Machinery. I look at paintings I look at sculptures. Mechanical things give me inspiration. Farm Equipment. Military vehicles and equipment.

 

First time at Burning Man?

1999. My roommate from college sent me a ticket and called me every week for a year telling me how I need to go. We would literally get in arguments over the phone about me going.

 

...and you initial reaction?

There was some interesting stuff and a lot to take in. It was a different cultural experience that I hadn't seen before. Although, in some ways it was reminiscent of other things in our American culture and that I had experienced. It had the essence of a Grateful Dead show, and the essence of camping with my family at Formula One races on the East Coast. I found something familiar, communal, and what had been missing.

 

Creative Heroes?

Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain. Marcel Duchamp. Claude Monet. Lebbeus Woods.


Future work?

I'm working on smaller sculpture right now as well as fire place inserts. I also want to start to explore neon. I'll keep doing more fire sculpture type stuff but I also have a bunch of lighting ideas and sound sound sculptures I've been thinking about. 


Favorite Salvage?

1962 Ford Galaxy 500. Also a future art project.