Moab Visitor Center in Snow

Moab Visitor Center

Painting No. 1-A-13

I was in the gallery most of the day and at some point I decided that I needed to paint plein air (out in the open) but the temperature never got above 18 degrees today. So I set up my paint kit in the gallery and worked out the window towards the Moab Visitor Center. The mountains pictured are south of town and are known as "Behind the Rocks".

I thought the cool blues combined with red-ish shadows and dead leaves worked well. Your thoughts?

My Morning Coffee

Today I woke up early 7 AM, and went to the Moab Recreation Center for a little exercise. As I'm driving I notice the temperature gauge says it -5 degrees outside; coldest night of the year so far, and you can feel it. I see a kid in running tights, a hoody and a scarf wrapped around his face, jogging down the middle of the street. My thought is that hypothermia has already set in and he doesn't know it yet. He moves to the side and lets me pass.

I make it to the gym...it's really nice, state of the art equipment. I plug my ipod into the treadmill, pick the band "Everclear" and I'm off for a 40 minute run. Beautiful floor to ceiling windows, I can see the sunrise creep across the red rock canyon and watch the school kids trotting from the buses to the school building all at the same time.

Later at the Red Rock Bakery I'm minding my own business when a gentleman of about 55 comes in wearing shorts and a parka. I've heard rumors of some locals who refuse to wear pants in the winter, this is not a dare between buddies to see who's tougher....it's just a local thang. He tells us that it's 3 minutes by bicycle from his house to the bakery; I'm thinking the wind chill alone must be -25 degrees!! His legs are looking pretty pink, but he's happy and nonchalant about it. I saw him later that day peddling past the gallery, I'm assuming he was heading home, still in shorts.

Did I mention that the gallery neighbors stopped by to ask if I had any water available because their pipes were frozen? I hadn't noticed but mine was frozen solid as well. Apparently some waterlines in town aren't deep enough to remain open during the deep freeze. The landlady called the city and we are now on the list to have the water meter thawed by city forces, but it could be days before they get to us. I went to city hall and used their restroom.

Ok, last thing.....I'm really digging the local radio station. It's completely solar powered and the DJs are volunteers. The music selection could only be described as eclectic which is great, totally digging it. Today's hot song was, "Mama Found My Bong" by Rick Mahan......only in Moab.

First Day at the Overlook Gallery

First Day at the Gallery

Today I'm officially moved into the Overlook Gallery in Moab, Utah.
How does one deal with this kind of change? If it was just a matter of changing jobs, or changing housing locations, that's one thing. but changing life all together is hard on the temperament of an individual. Remember that movie, "Never Cry Wolf" about the researcher tracking wolves in northern Canada? Today I felt like him, dropped off in the middle of nowhere (no offense to you Moabites), it's really cold (+1 degree this morning) and I'm looking at my supplies scattered around the gallery floor wondering what to do?......yes indeed, what to do?
I start with the most important things first; get the radio cracked up and make some good strong coffee. Ok, that's going. Now develop a schedule.

1. Breakfast and art studies
2. Drawing and or painting
3. Marketing strategies
4. Lunch
5. More drawing and or painting
6. Close shop and find something to entertain myself with.

Breakfast is hard boiled eggs and cheese, with coffee and a new book on composition for 2 dimensional art. I'm sitting in my favorite chair, in the sun, watching as the shadows play against the red rock cliffs, sipping coffee and learning something new...pretty good start. Afterwards I work at framing 3 plein air pieces for a local restaurant owner who has volunteered to hang my work.......new opportunities are arriving, yeeaah!!!
At eleven o'clock I'm visited my another shop owner who also happens to be an artist. He chats me up then invites me to lunch at the deli across the street. This place makes a different soup each day and it's really good.
Later in the afternoon I inventory my frames and start thinking about marketing ideas for the future. I've been thinking for a few months about what I expect out of myself and what I want to gain financially from being here. Somewhere in the next 6 months these 2 ideas must cross paths and work together to achieve my goals.....it's all up to me at this point....stay tuned.