I had the most relaxing and restorative two-week drive around the American West. I’ve always loved a road trip, either with someone I like or alone. This was a solo journey.
My first stop was at Oil Painters of America's National Convention in Missouri to fix a frame that broke in transit, and it allowed me to scoop up all kinds of amazing paint at discount from Michael Harding, the great British oil paint guru.
Lucas, Kansas was my next stop, where I marveled in stunned curiosity about the folk art installation called, “The Garden of Eden” from about 1919.
I then continued West to Castle Rock Colorado, where I enjoyed visiting my first roommate from 40 years ago. Nancie and her husband James have a fabulous wine bar, Crush, which you must visit. It's a friendly yet sophisticated place, much like Nancie, whom I remember with a purple buzz cut and spiky accessories. (Do not ask what she remembers about me...) James will find the wine for you WITHOUT FAIL.
I drove northward to Denver and the Vandewater sisters, friends from highschool, who showed me the Denver Art Museum, Cherry Creek and the lovely Sax Gallery. With Amy and fam we watched the eclipse, which I heartily enjoyed, and then we bathed in the Indigenous Peoples collection at the DAM.
Watching the Eclipse in Cheeseman Park, sans glasses
Loving on the 7th floor Hennings at the Denver Art Museum
With artist Lynn Vandewater we visited Denver Art Museum’s collection of Western art, which was dazzling!!!
After that I drove through Vernal Utah, seeing fantastic dinosaur bones, as well as spending a sunrise alone with petrogyphs from the Fremont people of 300-1000 CE. I was totally inspired.
And finally, a stop with family friend Jennifer Jordan, author, filmmaker and wonderful human.
Then Daud was getting pneumonia, and I had to scamper home. If you can call driving for three days “scampering.”
One remarkable consistency about my trip was Americans being kind to me, a woman alone on the road. Gas station attendants, shop keepers, fellow hikers.... Everyone was so helpful. I felt lucky, and reconnected with the Heartland.
But why, you may wonder, was I circling the country away from my family? Not painting? Construction is the answer!!!!!
Daud knows I hate construction, and my studio needed to be disassembled in order to build a new, 25' foot wall in the bank hall to stop the falling sand, and to make hanging art easier.
Speaking of Daud, upon my arrival the coughing and feverish artist had tried to surprise me by creating a new mosaic for the portal between the bank’s kitchen and vault room. It’s not done yet, and there’s much patching, cleaning and grouting to do, but WOW!!!
WIP, of course, but already lush….
Thank you so much for accompanying me through this recollection of my road trip. I hope your Spring is wonderful, and that you’ll join me and Nina Froriep for our second episode of “An Artful Life: Curious conversations about how people make and use Art.” These artistic conversations are about 40 minutes long.
Our May 1 guest is architect Heidi Hefferlin, celebrating 25 years of HK Architects, and we are going to figure out how Art and Architecture intersect to enrich our lives. Bring your questions!
An Artful Life | Season 1 episode 2 | May 1 at noon on LinkedIn live, and later on YouTube
Yours with best wishes this beautiful Spring,
