Spider Woman's Hands

I am a portrait painter.  Because of that I am rather meticulous in trying to get model releases from anyone who could be recognized from my work.  Everyone who is demonstrating or helping in the park, from Rangers to Volunteers, all have to sign off on copyright issues.  They become part of the public benefit, just like the scenery (so I was public domain while I was there!!!)
When I was lucky enough to witness this presentation, I asked for a release and was greeted with "let me think about it"
There is a very good reason to think it over.
The Native Americans in the Southwest have been iconic and functioned at money-making props for many artists and tourism promotions and have not benefitted from their "personhood".  You are your face and features.  Stealing the one thing you ARE is a very tricky issue.
So, even as I left, she was still thinking.....
I have tweaked a bit the experience and this is the image I have of the presentation!   No face, just the amazing experience of watching hands on a traditional loom....

 I began with a way too detailed drawing.  The skin on these ancient hands is so full of character, much like the weathered mounds in the badlands of the park..

This is a toned canvas and I drew in pastel pencil and chalk to start the image.

I began trying to paint the amazing arms and silver

 

This was always the fun stuff! I love exploring flesh and although this model did not have my requisite "eyeballs" I say I paint, the humanity is what I hoped to capture.  I am always in love with work that shows it is not a photo, but the work of a human being, so I always like to stop before it is done, but this needs a better environment...

So I had to move on to the boring stuff... fibers and background:

 The piece on the right was about done, but it looked too empty....

I wanted to reflect the spirit of the weaver.  Spiderwoman, not in a place but just the weaver, and her spindle.... and........ what?

 I added the products of her hands and softened the light from the window.  

I have a high quality photo of the drawing above and will upload it to my Fine Art America store soon.  I will have a full area of my work from the Petrified Forest and continue to update.

Jane - Demo at PDI

I got it started last night, and put the watercolor under-painting on this morning. It kind of looked cool! So I figured it would make a great pastel and around 7:30, I realized I'd have to start putting it together to demonstrate.
I drove across and saw Jane pulling in, because I had taken the photographs of her last night I was able to use them for reference but have the luxury of having my model sit, there so people really enjoyed watching it here's a few progress shots:

I got to set up in front of the observation window and she was off to the right making beads it was kind of a perfect spot to be. I also had some of my rocks and some pieces showing other pastels that I made and on the end was the display of all of the actual artwork that I've done so far.

This was how it looked when I started over there. I thought it was a pretty good watercolor which was a big mistake because when you make pastels over watercolor you want the water colors to pretty much cover the paper and be darker than the final colors. It was such a good watercolor..... That I kind of goofed it up.

And this is a few hours down the road.  I did not have any trouble working and chatting.  LOTS of nice folks and interest in my work.

I even scored ANOTHER FREE ICE CREAM from the ranger.


Do I look that hungry.?.. NOT!

 And here is how she looked at 5, when I closed out.

I am not unhappy, but I would not tackle the beautiful and intricate necklace in front of people. I told them I did not want them to hear me swear. I am not unhappy.... I think I just said that.

Forgive me folks I am ridiculously exhausted. I had to eat, and just remembered that I didn't go to the store on my way home. So it was spaghetti and sauce. I have a can of fruit cocktail that I think will be dessert.

Of all days, the wi-fi at PDI was exceptional. After I have recovered I will go over and see if I can edit this on my computer. 

****Well, I got here. Decent wi-fi and forgot to charge the laptop!!!  It is marginally better and I hope the wifi holds for my mail.

Tomorrow the plan is sustenance!  Much as I am not all that cool on driving to town, I must get a few bits of something to fill the coffers for a week.  HOWEVER I did get invited to a little pot lucky thing that some of the resident volunteers are doing for us artistic types on Wednesday.  I am not sure if I can carry on normal conversation with humans for a whole evening but I promise I will spend two days trying to remember how it is done!

Zombie Returns to Where She Belongs... for now.

I did an awful lot in what seemed like absolutely no time! From the Park, the trip home was not a waste:

I brought my own sheets so the loaners were cleaned and folded for the next tenant.  Took the rugs (Thing had some furball issues... and they were obviously not part of the general clean up) to destroy my home washer... and indeed they tried!  So the floor looks all pretty.

I had a hard time rounding things up to leave, as the cat still woke me for sunrise but I was running on 4 hours sleep today.  Only forgot the laundry soap and never got the RUBBER CEMENT so my my birdie will be finished when I get home.

I just kept throwing things in the car.

I traded out most of my paper art samples and brought a few more of my rock repros.  (Like I said... there is still Yellow Horse...)

But when I hit the road about 8, I was physically running on empty.

Nearly got dozey on 377, the last third of the trip and my favorite part of the drive. High chapparral, lots of shrubs and flat.  I started smiling again as I turned on 40 out of Holbrook.

I have a grocery list I gave up on.  I rolled in, and wanted nothing but to sleep.  It felt like a wave of peace and energy poured over me

I am going to try to be more visible.   

I had talked to a weaver and bead stringer named Jane who was up for me doing her portrait.  She was in PDI today, so I made myself walk over with camera and got a couple of good shots.

I determined to pull out my newly tidied-up pastels and see if I can remember how they work.   I am pretty sure I do not... 

I sat on the patio, put the thing in the cage and enjoyed the COOLNESS.  No wind, and just brisk enough to NOT be Phoenix!! I drew and dozed.  

Here is my start on Jane.  I am planning to see if I can do a watercolor under pastel.  I have not done it for a portrait for years.  I also know I will kick myself with the amazing necklace she was wearing.

My boyfriend says he is ready to see more art and less travelogues.  We shall try!!

One Week Down... Waaaa!

I know, I am being a whiner, but I am very upset that I am almost 1/4 done... One week?  Not cool. I really don't want to do art, I want to plan art and stare at things.

Managed to cover my head for about an hour!  Got up at 6 and am feeling better and better.  I don't seem to have any unexplained aches and today was promised horrific winds and cooler temps.  Not real weather, but "dry lightening" was forecast...OOOoooOOo. Felt almost jolly, having a painting under my belt and more ideas, I ran into the compound and loaded the blog.  Takes much longer than at RFM, but weather was nice.


Here is the main parking area and entry to the PD Visitor Center.

 You are looking at the gift store and the area where the offices and my area of contact are.  They have a library I was very interested in... but it is NOT my kind of library.  It is for research and has serious stuff in there.  I was hoping for a copy of Desert Solitaire as I don't seem to know how to download my library audio books.  They are all set to stream and won't store. Drat!

Here is the Ortega shop and best fry bread cafe in the park!! (only one, of course, but their "baby" is exactly right!  I always drown in Navajo Tacos but these are human sized!) To the right is the patio area and where the best wifi is available.





I don't like to admit how much time I spend there.  I MUST get my booty down at dawn's early break and learn how to unlock the gate so I can use that extra hour before things get hopping.


I know, I am supposed to use the lock-down time to commune with nature on my own, but I am only today starting to understand the ins and outs of how the park is available and NOT available to me.



A weaver and her daughter had set up camp in the PDI over weekend and there was a couple of tables of rugs and beads.  The stuff of Pow Wow wares and the loom with the framed samples of dyes.  I remember the display in Mesa Verde and seem to vaguely recall the weavers on the side of the road... Alice and Donna had introduced themselves to me on Friday and I got carried away yesterday so I stopped in again. The other artist had given them his space and I think we will need to coordinate.

I would have loved to paint them working!!!

Alice is 97 and you don't see her picture.

She is still debating whether I can take a photo to use for a painting.  I understand completely!  For decades Native American's images have made money in advertising and their snapshots have been turned into art by amateurs and PROFESSIONALS and they are still eeking out livings trying to keep the culture alive.  I totally honor that decision........but she will be back the last weekend.  I will clear out my Saturday to see if I can work from photos if she lets me snap her on Friday!

I had visited PDI twice and the first trip (wherein I planted the idea of photos... and would return) is where I chatted up Dennis.  He was a volunteer who I would have talked to all day.  He turned me on to his best thoughts about wildlife and explained a phenomenon that I had a hard time putting into words:

Some of the amazing area near the TeePees is much like the rest but less colorful and it looks dusted with espresso!  I didn't understand why it was coated with all this brown.  He explained that the layers erode in sequence too.  So this area had eroded to the brown and it was falling from the top, although it looked like it was being coated in it!  SOOO COOL!



The first trip in, Suzie the amazing woman who is EVERYWHERE, showed me that the flier is done for the demo in Holbrook on Friday.  Looks REALLY good!  I am going to demo a coffee stained drawing.  Always action packed!




Again I have two neighbors.  Just for one night and I have already forgotten their names but they are passing through and you could see it in their eyes, they felt so privileged.

I got brave and inspite of the storm blowing up around me I went hunting and FOUND two pronghorns, right where Dennis proposed!  Not best shooting conditions but babies with barely horns and new poses.
A great day all together!