Diary of a Residency, Day 29, March 16, 2009

Each of these days is intense, long, hard, and yet they go fast. I get home so wiped I can scarcely eat (but of course, I do anyway.) These blog entries tend to be hard to do, but it’s the only way I can differentiate one day from another.

So today, first Jer took me to the main highway to Death Valley (Rt 374), just before the Rhyolite turnoff (lots of traffic, relatively speaking), and I set up to paint the Barrick mine on a long board. I thought it would take at least two sessions, but I’m getting faster, more efficient with these big boards and the local color. I was happy with the first draft, the second draft improved it, and the third tweak (the last two done in the studio) may have finished it. It needs to sit for a bit, but I’m quite pleased with it. The circumstances weren’t awful (not Gold Point awful) but they weren’t ideal. The sand fleas (or my imagination) made my ankles itch, and it got pretty hot. There was some breeze, but I was totally exposed. Betty and Fred saw me hauling my cart after Jer left (I changed my mind about the angle from which to paint and so had to move after he left) and thought I had walked from the Red Barn. I later confessed that I actually caught a ride. And John and his greyhound with the sunglasses stopped by to chat me up, just as I stood up to take a break. That was nice, too.

So here’s Draft 2 of the Barrick Vat Leach Gold Mine, on Route 374. The locals hope it will open up again, now that the price of gold has gone up:

The Barrick Mine on Ladd Mountain, 18 x 36″, Oil on masonite, 2009

I need to touch up the mountains on the right a bit more, to see if I can make the point that they are natural and the “pyramid” is unnatural. I do love the way it looks a bit like an oversized and slightly foolish chair.  I wondered if the Egyptians disliked seeing their land taken apart for the Pharoh’s tombs, and I thought a financial historian could make an argument for mining of gold. But I personally am a bit horrified as well as mesmerized, even if Barrick got an award for its “clean” industry.

So Jer came back about noon, took the painting to the Red Barn, came back for me, and we took the gear up to the Red Barn.  Then I had the rest of the day to futz and tweak. I am determined to get the big pieces out of the way this week, so I straightened (with the help of Betty and Fred, who dropped by on their way home) the back wall canvas, and taped off the edges so I can stretch it. It looks good as is — all down hill from here. (That can be taken in two opposing directions/meanings).

And I tweaked a bit more the Rhyolite long board, which is looking splendid. Betty made two more suggestions, which worked well. She has talked of buying it, but I’m reluctant in a number of ways — the price for such a large piece would be high, and I like it a lot, enough to hope that I can keep it for myself. But we’ll see:

Rhyolite Ghost Town and Goldwell Open Air Museum, 18 x 36″, Oil on masonite, 2009

This photo was taken just before the last two tweaks, another road and a tiny mine opening, were made at Betty’s suggestion. And here’s a closer view of the center of the painting:

I fussed at the Golden Canyon plein air painting, but I fear I did not actually make it better. Jer says I did, so I think I’ll take his word for it. It will serve as a starting point for the Back Wall Golden Canyon collage:

Golden Canyon (final version_, 18 x 24″, Oil on masonite, 2009

It’s definitely more abstract — I eliminated the red rocks at the top, which served to stop the eye and give a kind of perspective. It will be interesting to see how I can intertwine various views of the place — I’m beginning to get glimmers of ideas. Tomorrow, I pick up the brush.

And then, not being able to put it off any longer, I worked on the Beatty Map, filling in all the bits and pieces, screaming at my inaccuracies all the while. As someone said (not of this painting, but of a certain stage in painting), much of it looks “phoned in.” But when I removed the tape and imagined it as a window scene, it isn’t as bad as I thought. So I’ll keep picking at it. Unenthusiastically, but it’s on the list.

So two blank cavases for the week’s work — the Back Wall Golden Canyon [Golden Canyon Revisited] and a blank one that  I don’t know what will go on — I’m sort of saving it for inspiration — or desperation. I can always simply not paint it — it will roll nicely and go back to Portland without oil paint if necessary. I’m thinking vaguely of having Jer drive me the 20 or so miles out to Death Valley, just as you approach the view of the flats. There are hills there that I would like to try to capture. But that’s a vague thought.

Here’s the blasted Beatty Map: it doesn’t even have the charming bits I incorporated into the Basin map, which was also problematic.

Maybe I’ll think of some charming bits — the Free Parking Sign from the Silver Slipper? The Beatty Club Horse or Tin Man? The Burro Inn sign (alas, the Burro Inn having been taken over and let go to dereliction by Eddie, the slippery). Or the Joshua Tree that sits beside a beautiful rock, a stop sign, and four humungous satellite dishes.

Reporting, braindead as usual, from the Goldwell House, in Beatty, Nevada.

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