Petrified Forest Residency, Day 2, September 27, 2010

I will upload this morning’s thoughts and, with luck, a painting. And with more luck, the internet connection will allow me to upload two paintings, which is how many I did today.

Morning Moans:

Jer and I woke at 5:50 and were at Tiponi Point by 6:08. The gate just beyond the pullout was closed, so I decided to paint there, again. Shortly after I had all my gear set up, the ranger appeared and opened the gate. However, later we discovered we had a key to the gate, so we can enter and leave at will.

This morning’s painting is more successful, at least in hue, because I found my transparent iron oxide.

Tiponi Point, Sunrise (Petrified Forest), 12 x 16″, Oil on masonite, 2010

We got back about 9:30, had coffee and breakfast, looked at our photos, and I went back to bed. Later we checked in at the main office, where we met Todd, the liaison person for the artists, and found Sarah and Matt, who were at the [Oregon] John Day Fossil Beds National Monument when we were there four years ago. Sarah said she saw our car and, without realizing it was us, had a moment of homesickness for Oregon. They have a two-year old boy, Issac, but sounded just like their old selves.

Amy Chan, our fellow artist, who came by in despair last evening about her digs, has been issued better quarters, by herself instead of with two roommates, today. She was waiting at the closed gate before we got there this morning – another obsessed artist.

After the Nap and visiting with folks:

We took a short trip to the painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark (at Kachina Point). Originally constructed of petrified wood as a place for travelers to the Painted Desert, it was renovated by the CCC guys in the 1930’s, run by the Fred Harvey company in the 50’s and 60’s, and re-renovated by the Park Service, after they were convinced it had historic value and shouldn’t be torn down. The structure has been overlaid with pink adobe (?) but was originally made of petrified wood, which still exists under the  surface. The interior has many of the original furnishings, with southwestern decor. It also has fine murals by an Indian artist; well worth examining more closely.

My great interest in it is that it has two wonderful patios for painting, useful in the mid-day sun. So one of these days we won’t have to rise at 5 AM, a time of day that I am not generally sentient in.

The staff member at the Painted Desert Inn was very helpful and it will be fun to go back there and work. And the staff member at the main office also helped us think about where we might go next. She suggested Lacy Point, themost southernly viewing place in the northern section of the park, and said that 4 PM was the perfect time to see it. So off we went at 4 PM. This time, I was faced with the westering sun, silhouetted buttes and mesas, along with a sunken plain highlighted by the sun. An interesting problem. I’m not sure I solved it. I wanted the buttes to float a bit, and even looking at the real painting, I don’t think I achieved that effect.

As you can see, the colors are very different from this morning’s. The Park has various geological formations, some of which are richer in iron and magnesium than others; those are the red red rocks. Here, the rocks are more varied in color and of course, the western sun caused the shadows to shine differently. The big plain in the center is a special feature of this area, about which I read but can’ provide only visual info about. It was glowing in the sun, while the buttes were dark and fierce.

I have an inkling of a plan about how to deal with the park, which sprawls and has a variety of foci. I think I want to do a series of paintings at various “historical” (ie geological and human history) points, and then work them into something larger, perhaps time-line like or overlaid, as with collage. I’ve never done a successful collage, so that might be beyond my abilities. I have a lot of time to do this, of course — about 12 more days!

I have begun by collecting pamphlets and of course, we are both buying books as if we weren’t having to drive home in a loaded Honda. I shall try absorbing the information and make a more formal plan.

Tomorrow, we plan to arise at 5 AM and go to Blue Mesa, a loop drive and hike in the southern part of the Park. We had to inform the Park law enforcement troops that we would be there before the gates opened, so they didn’t arrest us for stealing petrified wood. I could tell them that we will have no room in the car for wood — too many books!

Report from Apartment K, Petrified Forest National Park, September 27, 2010. –June