Friday, April 28, 2017

Last Friday at Home, I Hope....

Today we got new brakes, and oil change.

Although I would not allow my car in the Park to be viewed by visitors if I had the power, I began doing longer trips when it hit 100,000 miles.  The CarTalk guys convinced me of the "nothing to lose" aspect of letting things fall off and keeping it running for the lowest investment.   If it is rolling, it is just fine.  Now it stops too!
In my mind it is like a jigsaw puzzle, packing for a month away.  I am really funny, as my last few trips to Denver went with entire art shows of 30 paintings in the trunk (I did not unload the last 20 until this week...) and my cat and the necessities of life, but I will no longer have the ability to run to the local 7-11 and grab a bag of potato chips at 11 at night.  I am visualizing planning ahead!  So today I got canned food, a salt and pepper shaker, spaghetti and sauce and will bring the last of what is in the fridge, freeze things that can't go bad and stop in Holbrook on the way in for milk and cold stuff.... need to learn where the grocer is anyway! And all for a whopping 4 hour drive!!
My computer is completely ported into a small external drive, I have the home phone now all computerized so I won't miss the tons of unidentified callers looking for that OTHER Debra Jones who has outstanding bills! Thinking of adding a few GB to the cellphone, and if it works, may even experiment with a "hot spot".   I am such a tech addict....hoping for withdrawal.  I am boxing up all the peripherals and a small printer and paper to begin fitting into the trunk.
I have a list of minimal clothes and the knowledge there is a laundry makes me feel much better about that plan.
Refilled all my meds, updated insurance for the year, paid all the bills and go out nearly broke, but tapping savings for now.
This weekend I have a few obligations and figure tomorrow will be actual loading anything not critical at home so I can figure the amount of finished art to carry for demos and show-and-tells.
The cat is a piece of cake. We have made about 8 individual trips in the past couple of years and he is cool!  As you know, he lives in that cage at home too.  I even opened the portable red kennel to get him used to it and he is sitting in it, supervising now.
So the weekend awaits and I am saying goodbye to the windy, concrete box I live in for the windswept (so much different) beauty of the millennia in this stark and amazing National Park.

(Nothing picturesque about all this... that will begin on MONDAY, if the internet gods shine on us!)

(....well I did find some wonderful traveling glasses....


Monday, April 24, 2017

First Event is on the Schedule - May 12

Holbrook, the little metropolis on the edge of the park, has wonderful arts events featuring the Artists in Residence at their historic Train Depot!

The Park cosponsors the Holbrook Art Series featuring the monthly artist in residence and give a great way to see what the Park is doing and help me with promoting my art.

I am planning a demonstration of my Tin Cup style.



I did a lot of the Pony Express historical re-enactors from the area a few years ago.  I figure showing my pieces and explaining my technique would be a great way to make a new PeFo related piece and interact with the community!  I will post the images when we get going.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Getting Real

I spent the day finalizing lists.
Today we needed to be sure meds were ordered and plentiful in case of emergencies.  Appointments that need done before I go are in line to get done.
Finally, we needed a micro chip and rabies shot.  No telling what sort of visitors may sneak in.
Thing here, is an indoor only kind of a guy, but since we are in the middle of nowhere, If lost, when found, I want him back!  So he was told NO HARNESS.
This is odd.  I tend to grab him by his handle when he is making trouble, but the vet fears he will rub the little "beacon" out if the harness hits it wrong.   So he is NUDE for a few days.
Here he recovers in his travel home, while I work in the office.  He is fine elsewhere in the house but in my studio, if I leave, paint water ends up on the floor and who KNOWS what damage he could do to an oil palette.   

Next to tuning up the poor sad travel machine and vision check for me before departure next week.
More to come.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

April 19 is Petrified Forest Day!!!


Today they re-dedicated the Painted Desert  Community Complex (aka the Painted Desert Visitor Center) as a historic landmark. The governor proclaimed today Petrified Forest National Park Day!

For me, it starts the 10 day count down, but I doubt it will be as exciting as a proclamation, dedication and grand opening.  
They also swore in a group of new citizens in the Park.
I am so excited by the whole National Park Service I could just split!  
Take a look at their FACEBOOK PAGE.

(PS.  There is still a free weekend this week, if you want to check things out!)



Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Less than a month

Although I hope this blog will be a visual journal, I find the month counting down is very nondescript.  I am trying to think ahead and shut things down at home. I have cancelled cable.
This is heart-stopping!
Cord cutting is not part of the requirements, but as I know there is no entertainment and I might have limited internet, I might as well see what my tiny laptop and phone data can do for me on the road.
(I will not be FULLY disconnected as I signed up for the online cable offer, so ..... I may be found in a Holbrook McDonalds loading missed episodes into my head over a burger)

I have had a lot of friends encourage me with my landscapes.
This is NOT my thing.
I am not thinking of clothes, as one might for a month on the road, rather whether to pack a lot of canvas or paper and how to keep it safe on the road and from my roommate (a cat who believes furniture keeps items from their natural home ON THE FLOOR)



...and whether I should do all water media, bring the pastels or/and oils?  This is like figuring how to put your house in your trunk!

Below is a sketch from my trip last year of the pronghorn in the park.


I hope there will be a LOT of visitors with feathers and fur to keep me busy, but I have to work hard to let the experiences to come, flow over me.
I am the sort who tends to push the river....