Gallery Eight:

Gallery Eight: 2005

2005 marked my introduction to two magnificent places, one, the Sweeney Granite Mountains Research Center, and two, Carrizo Plains National Monument

Click on thumbnails for full image

Carrizo Sunrise
Acrylic on canvas
16 X 20 inches
Carrizo Plains National Monument
San Louis Obispo County, CA
2005

I went out walking before dawn on Carrizo plain, and saw a blue light glowing. I thought it might be someone's blue tent with a flashlight in it, but when I came closer, I realized it was a frozen cattle tank with the morning sky reflecting on it.

Painted Rock
Acrylic on canvas
Old Woman Montains
San Bernardino County, CA
16X20 inches
2005

A granddaughter of the Husong family (see 1998 "Oh Beautiful for Spacious Skies") who was an intern at the Sweeney Granite Mountains Research Center provided me with an introduction to the Director of the center, which resulted in my being allowed into the Granites to paint or gather images whenever I wanted: a great honor.
As a thank you, I left Jim Andre, the director at the Granites, this painting of Painted Rock, an Indian holy site in the Old Woman Mountains. He was at that time writing a guide to the native plants of the Old Woman Mountains for the Chemehevi Tribe who had just bought the site surrounding Painted Rock.

Long and Winding
Acrylic on canvas
Carrizo Plain National Monument,
San Louis Obispo County, California
2005

Our friend Harry brought his Airstream out to Carrizo Plain with us, but soon departed for civilization and the coast. We saw him off to the north end of the Monument.

Spirits, Vittles and Gas
Acrylic on canvas
12 X 12 inches
Ione, Nevada
2005

This brave little saloon, "The Ore House", is open for business in the snowy peace and quiet of Ione, Nevada, a semi ghost-town five miles north of Berlin.

Liberty and Justice for All
Acrylic on canvas
MDCHA headquarters, Goffs
San Bernardino County, CA
2005

The Model A pickup, now glowingly restored, has lived in the vicinity of Goffs all its days. This is my American flag picture for 2005, also my contribution to the MDHCA yearly silent auction.

Silent Night
Acrylic on canvas
The Granites
San Bernardino County, California
16X20 inches
2005

Shortly after we bought a larger Airstream trailer in 2003, our friends Chris and Leslie bought one similar to it. It lives at Goffs most the time. At Christmas they decked it out in lights, and made a photo Christmas card of it. I loved the idea, but thought I could improve on the picture. So I packed our Christmas lights and carried them with us, looking for the perfect setting...

The Trona Pinnacles
acrylic on canvas triptych,
18 X 36 inches each canvas, 18 X 108 inches total
Searles Dry Lake,
San Bernardino County, California
2005

My daughter Jessie left the Death Valley Art Show early in 2004, saying she intended to take photographs on the way home. She later emailed me the other-worldly images which form the basis for this triptych.
"JESSIE!" I said , "WHAT IS THAT? WHERE IS THAT?"
"That's the Trona Pinnacles!"
"How did you know it was there?"
"I looked it up in my gazeteer. Don't YOU look up things in YOUR gazeteer?"

Goldfields
acrylic on canvas triptych,
6X12 inches each canvas,
6X36 inches total
Santa Cruz Island
2005

This is my yearly seascape for the Santa Barbara Channelkeeper Organization: a triptych only three feet wide, composed of three 6 X 12 inch canvasses framed together.
Goldfields is the name of the wildflower which paints the bluffs bright yellow.