I'm dreaming about the road, because Jeanette and I will be leaving next week on a car trip from New York to Wyoming and Colorado. As much as possible, we'll be taking the old highways through small town America, sketching as we go.
I'll be one of the guests at the SKB Workshop in Dubois, Wyoming, September 14-19. There will be a lot of plein-air, landscape, and wildlife painters there in an informal setting.
Also, I'll be traveling out to California in November as a guest of the CTN Animation Expo. I've visited once before, and it's a very interesting gathering of animation artists.
If you can't make it to either of those events, I'll be reporting along the way from the blog.
12 comments:
Hello Sir, Now Many of other shopkeepers selling their product on the way.
my web:Desk2blog
If you're driving through Nebraska, try to hit Ole's just off I-80 at Cozad. The late Ole was a big-game hunter and guide all over the world. You can eat buffalo burgers amidst scores of taxidermied animals. It's unique and famous across the state.
James,
If you get the chance, go see the Colorado National Monument, near Grand Junction. It's like the Grand Canyon compressed into an afternoon drive.
John Kaay
Your route could conceivably take you near Forest City, IA and Blue Earth, MN. Forest City is world headquarters for Winnebago RVs, which would not seem like a reason to go there. However, they have a homemade amusement park that is only used once or twice a year for employee picnics. All the rides are tiny, fabricated by the employees. One of the rides has "rocket ships," each of which has a chrome "nose" taken from an old Studebaker. It's quite an experience to stroll through the grounds -- which you are free to do. The teeny town of Blue Earth is home to The Jolly Green Giant statue, a 55 foot tall piece of American kitsch. If you roll through Rapid City, SD, Hisega Lodge is an interesting place to stay.
Robert Henri isn't his real name. He was born Robert Henry Cozad--his Father founded the town of Cozad NE. The Rest of the Story.........
We traveled through there a few years back. It reminded me of a Charles Sheeler painting, trains at grain elevators taking on grain.
The Isabella Museum in Omaha has paintings by Bougeureau and Gerome (The Sadness of the Pasha, the dead tiger by Gerome. It's a small museum but worth visiting.
All the way from NY? Wow, and here I was thinking my six hour road trip to Dubois was going to be epic. Safe travels...
Sounds like Heaven James. I'll be on a little road trip for vacation next week through part of Central Utah, of course I'll be doing plenty of sketching and painting too!
Sounds like great fun! Safe travels...looking forward to your posts.
James, can you tell us again what media you use to paint your sketchbook covers. Some type of oil paint? Markers?
Thanks.
Just returned from a visit to my hometown in Quincy, IL. Saw your post about Hannibal MO and it inspired me to make the 20 minute drive to see the downtown and caves again. Found out they have 12-14 original Norman Rockwell paintings at the mark twain museum. illustrations for Tom Sawyer and huck Finn. Don't know if you will find yourself in Hannibal again but they were stunning to see and have only just been brought out of storage about two years ago. Oh and coincidentally I saw that Hannibal is about to have its first steampunk event this fall. Lots of converging interests it seems
Ole's in Cozad sound a lot like The Buckhorn Exchange in Denver.
If you visit Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison, there is a paleontological-themed Best Western nearby: http://boingboing.net/2014/08/28/an-exclusive-inside-look-at-de.html
Also recommended are the breathtaking Chihuly exhibit at the Denver Botanic Gardens, and the Society of Animal Artist's premier of Art and the Animal at the Wildlife Experience in Parker.
Thanks, everybody for all these great suggestions! You all know the kind of stuff we like. We haven't set our route yet, so we're putting some pins on the map based on what you've said, and who knows where the wind will blow us?
Mike, I used a sign painter's paint called "One-Shot," which is an oil based paint that is super durable and opaque. I've tried acrylic paint, enamel markers and gel pens in the past, but all of those had issues with wearing off.
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