Evening Light over Utah

Desert Sunset Study 1

8" x 10" oil on canvas

 

Last night, after I closed the gallery, I drove to the high desert north of Moab and painted a couple sky studies. The quality of light in the evening sky is just as varied and stunning as the atmosphere that falls against the Navajo sandstone. At this location looking west across the Utah desert, on a clear day I can see 80-100 miles. This long-distance view only accentuates the cloud-sky colors and patterns. After painting I drove to the Monitor and Merrimac Buttes to watch the last purples fade from the spring sky.  

Desert Sunset Study 2

8"x 8" oil on canvas

Best Plein Air Day Ever......so far

Today was some of the best plein air painting that I've experienced since arriving in Moab. The day started at the Red Rock Bakery of course with the owner, Howard, pouring coffee and talking Utah politics with the tourists.....always worth listening in.
Next, I'm making arrangements with my friend Phil Wagner; oil painter, poet and renaissance man, to paint in Arches National Park at 10 A.M. When I finally arrive this is what I see on the side of the road (photo to the left). Phil has framed and attached make-shift wooden legs to a 32" x 40" piece of plywood, constructing a tabletop-like paint surface for his newest (and largest) plein air painting. Looking very-much like a giant robot spider, I'm waiting for it to start walking around at anytime now.
Phil paints a bright base coat of yellow paint which immediately gets the visitors attention and the cars start pulling over.

This is exactly why I love working with Phil; he is always experimenting with something new. He is either studying dead painters, fiddling with art chemicals or stretching the limits of whats possibly in the field.

I setup my small plein air kit close to him, it looks like a pack of cigarettes next to his rig. During the day we stop and talk to the park visitors, honestly, we posed for probably 10 photos and were captured many more times by the folks in cars who were too busy to talk.
We paint until 3 P.M. at which time Robin Straub, Phil's wife and another great plein air painter arrives to load the contraption into her 4-Runner.
Afterwards I drove out to Wolfe Ranch and hiked to the Delicate Arch Overlook. It's a short hike with the addition of a slickrock rim that rises to the east and adds an additional 1/4 mile to a point that most visitors wont ever see. I stayed on the rocks for probably another 2 hours.
It was warm and peaceful, nearly poetic in-nature.
I saw the first lizard of the year.
I saw Indian Paintbrush blooming.
I took the time to talk to some friendly looking cactus,
and I watched as silent forms of tiny people raced back and forth under the Delicate Arch, so far away that I couldn't hear their chattering.........something of Ed Abbey in all of this.

Mata Ortiz Pottery is Art

So now I have become an art trader.

 

A couple days ago a gentleman arrived in the gallery who sells pottery to art galleries throughout the southwest U.S.. The other artist and myself purchased approximately 20 pieces to resell. Since I know nothing about pottery I was relying on his advice and direction.

 

On initial examination you might think that these pots are replicas or reproductions of ancient pots used by early natives to this country but that would be wrong. What I have found out since then is that these pots are all made by hand in Mexico by a small select group of artists in the town of Mata Ortiz, hence the pots are known simple as "Mata Ortiz". It all started with a curious boy, Juan Quezada who without any outside help collected old pottery sherd's (broken pieces) and taught himself the ancient art of pottery. Here's where is gets interesting; each piece is considered an individual piece or art, no pottery wheel is used in it's formation, no stencils or airbrushes are used to paint the pots, every touch to the pot is completely done by hand, even the firing is done over cow dung (no thermostat controlled oven). 

The pottery was given the "official art" status in the mid-1970's by Spencer MacCallum who recognized the significance of the talent involved with this work.

 

 

 



Castle Valley

Castle Valley Study

Painting No. 3-C-13

8" x 8" oil on canvas panel

 

Sunday afternoon I painted out on Hwy 128, along the Colorado River. This is Parriott Mesa, another wonderful example of the plein air painting opportunities that abound in this part of the world. This is a typical morning study.

Balancing Act

Balancing Act
Painting No. 1-C-13
8" x 8" oil on canvas panel

My days are busy lately, which is a good thing.
Now that spring is upon us here in Moab, every artist in town is wanting to go outside and paint.
Yesterday it was Phil Wagner and Robin Straut, (Robins' work is currently on display at the Red Rock Bakery). The painting, "Balancing Act" was yesterdays' effort as we painted under the shadow of Ham Rock at Arches National Park. Today I painted with Tony Lema, business owner and oil painter, at the formation known as "Parade of Elephants", also inside Arches N.P. The conditions were pleasant with beautiful sunny skies, no wind and only a few tourists. One young man photographed me while I painted, others pull up in their car and watch for a few seconds before going on. I actually like painting near the tourists, it makes me work harder to produce a quality product. Perhaps I go a little beyond what I would settle for if no one was watching.

Tony Lema working on his plein air oil painting at Parade of Elephants.

The Perfect Day in Moab Utah

How do you describe a near perfect day in Moab, Utah?
Here's how....

• 7:30 am - Go to the gym and run for 30 minutes on the treadmill. I usually run for 40 minutes but I was afraid of being late for breakfast. On the IPod? Everclear. 
• 9:00 am - Meet a friend at the Rock Rock Bakery and Internet Cafe for coffee and bagels. As you know this is my favorite morning hangout location; it's always a cozy and relaxing atmosphere.
• 11:00am - Drive to Arches National Park with my breakfast friend and slowly drive through the park, stopping at the Garden of Eden. Hike up to North Arch, South Arch and Turret Arch. It was windy today but still a pleasant time with only a few tourists.
• 1:00pm - Lunch at Fiesta Mexicana with my breakfast friend. This is a great restaurant; the service is quick, the food great and the prices are very reasonable.
• 2:30pm - Back to Arches NP to paint en plein air (painting outdoors) with 2 of my new local friends Phil Wagner and Robin Struab. We painted for nearly 3 hours at Ham Rock, which is just southeast of balanced Rock. It was windy and cool, but we had a great time of being in close proximity to one another.
• 5:30pm - At Phil and Robin's place for wine and a serious discussion of art topics.
• 8:00pm - Home for dinner and blogging.

Moab plein air painters Phil Wagner and Robin Struab working

through the afternoon at Ham Rock in Arches National Park.

 

Moab Community Theatre 2013

What a great night to be in Moab, Utah.
The weather was just perfect today. I was in the gallery working on a new painting and a fellow artist came in, sat and talked for a half hour or so. Then I got a call inviting me to a "happy hour social" at a friends house after work. These are the nicest people, they've really allowed me to be a part of their lives and meet their close friends. Really a great group of Moabites, I can't say enough for their generosity towards me.
After drinking come wine and singing along to the ukulele, we all walked down to Star Hall; a cosy historic theater originally built in 1905, that's a wonderful place to see movies and plays. Tonight's entertainment was the Moab Community Theatres' production of "A Company of Wayward Saints", written by George Herman and directed by Shane Bartosh.
This play written in 1963 tells the tale of a theater company attempting to earn enough money to travel home by performing a one-night play for a rich benefactor.
I really enjoyed the production. I thought the entire cast was spot on and that everything was done with great precision and professionalism.

The play runs March 3rd at 2:00pm, and March 7,8,9 at 7:00pm.