Tracking

Tracking

acrylic/fluted sbs
28"x 34"


So.......
Years ago, I lived in SW. Wyoming in a small town called Evanston, it was your everyday small town in the West, there were the typical places to go, and things to do....As Western standards go.

I worked as a bar back in a place called "Billy's Country Emporium" that was short lived..... eventually I worked construction.... The work was hard and rewarding, it was up on a mountain in an area called "Carter Creek", the rest of the country was in recession,  we worked like slaves and lived like kings....

We were a rough-shot bunch and would take small road trips .........Blow off steam and take in the surroundings,(which were unbelievable), usually we'd just throw sleeping bags and cooler's in the car/truck and head North, either to Southern Montana, Jackson Hole/Yellowstone or Southeastern Idaho area..... it was truly one of the highlight's of my youth....

So on one of these trips, we were just South of Yellowstone and a group of us probably 10,  pulled off the road and set up camp under a long stretch of pine and aspen, built a fire, and  proceeded to enjoy the day.

After a while I remember stretching out under the sky... and watching the day pass, The sky there is different from any where I have lived before or after.

I somewhat ignored the party going on (for a while) and just watched the sun moving across the sky....

And I thought ... As a young man

" I will never forget this....."

So here it is almost 30 years later.... I have not forgotten it, the people that were there are a bit fuzzy, but the clean day and the air that swirled around us has remained as fresh as it was that weekend. or just last weekend.

(I hope I didn't give away my age on this story, but its all part of sharing one's experiences)

In the Electric Room

In the Electric Room

36"x 28"
acrylic/fluted sbs

The String

The String

28"x 36"
acrylic/flutted sbs


So, when we were kids, we'd go to visit my father on the East side, he lived in a nice little town out side the city.....  He had a house that had a creek running along the back of the house, it was really more of a water over run to prevent flooding.
 We would explore it and sneak cigarettes and do all the things boys will do when left on their own, at the end of the creek there was a tunnel, the water would flow through, it had a bend in it, so one could not see to the end, to do that you would have to enter.... so we did... with candles.....
When we would get to the bend there was light, and at the end it was squared off and the water would flow until it dropped about 60 feet to the river.

Years later I would have a reoccurring dream... as an adult I was outside the tunnel, there was a girl or woman, I was never sure...... She would see me then run into the tunnel, I could never catch up with her until I reached the squared off end.... and as I would approach she would just stand there....
When I was just about to her, she would jump head first to the river....... I could never stop her or help her

I probably had that dream 9 or 10 times

in kansas

i visited my father for almost two weeks recently.  he lives in kansas city, the place in which i grew up.  i seldom visit any longer-there never seems to be enough time, and, furthermore, it is expensive to get to from the east coast.  however, since my father was ill, i made the time.  it was good.  since i was without my children i was given the gift of being able to view the places of my childhood in a way that i had been unable to before.  certain landmarks that had been taken for granted by me earlier in my life took on mythical qualities.  in particular, i became transfixed by a group of factories by the missouri river, with bright candy cane striped smokestacks.  they seemed so surreal and slightly absurd against the grey days and the muddy, murky river. i am sure i had seem them many times before, but, i never noticed them. i was really struck by the notion of how much i ignored because it was familiar.  i probably missed a lot.  now that i am back at home, i hope to notice more here.  visual magic is everywhere.

Via Diablo

Via Diablo

34"x 28"
acrylic/fluted sbs

spring will come

this triptych is less about an actual dream and more about dreaming.  like so many people, i have a difficult time getting through the dark and cold days of winter-although i do appreciate the flat light it brings.  with this painting i wanted to capture the feelings of hope i have about the coming spring.  i have been lucky enough to greet 45 springs and i am always surprised at how powerfully they regenerate and lift my spirits.

Side Effects

Side Effects

34"X 28"
acrylic/fluted sbs