First Post Ever!

Planning this trip was exciting and fun since it gave us the opportunity to be creative as we worked our schedule around two very important weddings. With the first wedding coming up this weekend (Los Angeles) and the second being on October 6^th (New Orleans) having the goal of making it back to the States by Christmas has our journey set in three stages. The first stage is nearly complete: our long road trip through western North America. We are now in Santa Cruz and look forward to a couple more days here before working our way down the coast to L.A. with stops in various places. My brother Paul and sister-n-law Meredith will be joining us tomorrow for this last leg and for the wedding celebration in L.A. We are excited to see them and to have them join the amazing list of family and friends who have been a part of this incredible journey so far.

The places we have seen and the things we have done have all been great. Each of the national parks we visited was incredible. Tough to say which one I liked best, but it was great to follow-up the visit to Yellowstone (and Glacier) with a viewing of an exhibit of paintings by artists who recorded views from these parks. Many of the pieces in the show (Yellowstone to Yukon – at The Whyte Museum Banff) were painted by Thomas Moran, the official artist of a team of surveyors who set out to discover the sources of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers and record the areas in and around the park. It was his work that did much of the convincing of congress for the creation of the world’s first national park.

I had the opportunity to visit Yellowstone N.P. in 1988. My family was there during the massive forest fires that burned through much of the park. The smoke was reported to have reached Chicago and beyond. Anyways, Shelley and I had lunch at a picnic spot that was the same place where my Dad was interviewed by a local station doing a story on the fires back in 88. It was cool to look across the river there and notice the 6’ pine trees that I’m guessing were about 24 years old. Oddly enough, at that same spot, there was a family of five (three boys acting like muppets) that also took me back to 1988. The woman (presumably their Mom) apologized to Shelley and Me for their behavior. I laughed and told the woman my story- no apology required.. 24 years ago the reporter asked my Dad if he was afraid for his family. After 3000+ miles of driving from Culver, Indiana, fear had to have been the least of his emotions.

Along with embarking on a trip around the world with a swell travel companion, my secondary goal was to produce a new body of art work that could eventually result in something worthy of consideration and exhibition; something worth viewing and interpreting in a fresh and unique way. The watercolors will be going all the way around the world. The Acrylics might make it as far as New Zealand, and the scratchboards will probably remain in the U.S. This artistic goal has proved to be difficult with limited time in each place, and ever-changing daily plans running interference. Yet, being forced to work quickly is good. (For those of you who know how I work will probably agree). Limited time and fluctuating schedules aside, the real hurdle has been the subject matter. In the midst of so much grandeur- where do I start!?  Even when a spot is selected- it seems insurmountable.. It’s a good problem to have, but makes this goal of mine rather difficult. And while I could be spending that time hiking and seeing more, it’s nice to stay in one spot for a while as things unfold around me. Taking a summer painting course at The Anderson Ranch in Snowmass, CO a few years back- I recall everyone in the class feeling an extra degree of difficulty when approaching a day painting of The Maroon Bells.

The spots selected for painting were all great places to sit back (away from crowds) and enjoy. Much nicer spots than my studio room back home I must say. Turning my attention from painting to watch a mountain goat walk by versus turning around to see if the offsides call was in fact correct is slightly different. Here is a list of subjects painted with their locations included (pictures to follow):

1) Rampart Range / Colorado Springs

2) Shelley in the Barrow’s Kitchen / Denver 

3) Grand Prismatic Spring / Yellowstone NP

4) Lower Falls / Yellowstone NP         

5) Hidden Lake / Glacier NP                     

6) Bow River and Downtown Banff / Canada

7) Lake Louise / Canada

8) Studies in Vancouver and Seattle

9) Pacific City Beach / Oregon (may be my favorite stop of the trip so far)..

10) Point Cabrillo Lighthouse / Mendocino

11) Elephant Seal Statue / UC Santa Cruz Marine Lab 

I wrote most of this in the morning- then had to explore Santa Cruz a little more. I will have to find some more time later to write about stage 1 of 3. But, here are a few lists I’ve thrown together:

Great Little Drives:

287 - Ft. Collins, CO to Laramie, WY

Bow Valley Parkway – Banff to Lake Louise

128 – Mendocino to 101 Sonoma Valley.

Animals Seen:

Sea Otter, Sea Lion, Hawk (catching trout), Elk, Grizzly Bear, Bald Eagle, Mountian Goat, Big-horned Sheep, Marmot, Coyote, Dolphin, Pika, Owl, Bison, White Pelican

And then: Chipmunk, Squirrel, Mule Deer, Seagull, Sand Piper, etc..

And the following Family and Friends along the way:

Mary (and the McDonalds), Pat and Rich, Brian and Kim, Andrew, Rachel and Brittany, Lee and Betsy, Jeff and Sarah, Jason and Miles, Will and Ali, Sara, Dave and Susan, Matt, Tracy, Hazel, and Finley, and Gail and Mark.

While mentioning people- I need to finally give a shout-out to two of my wonderful former students, Claudia and Julia. The bow tie has been having a great time, and will be receiving it's own link on this blog. Soon I promise.. It has been there with us the whole way, and pictures will be posted soon. Thank you for this gift- it's making it's way around the world!