Painting Along the Road 2011
Gregory Botts, continuing across America.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Monday, October 17, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Big Sur
I've been painting this coast for a long time.
I remembered some lines of poetry I wrote in 1996 here:
I like the juxtaposition of the old and new site paintings and what they generate in the studio.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sierras and Deep Springs College
I taught at Deep Springs College in 1995. This is a great entry into California. The Sierras loom up like nothing else right from the Owens Valley Floor to the 14,000 foot Mt Whitney.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Zion National Park
It's really hard to paint here. No where to get off the road. Everyone has a certain behavior in motion and if they see me painting they all stop like they saw a bear -- I knew a spot that no onecould see me, I painted there before. It's really hot and I found a spot of shade with the view.
The moon was just setting behind the mountains at around noon.
North Rim, Grand Canyon, AZ
From Monument Valley all of a sudden one is at 8,500 ft at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Last evening there was a monumental lightning storm, I was ready to die. Never experienced anything like it continuous flashes and thunder for an hour louder and brighter than I've ever seen.
This morning it was in the 50's. Had my down jacket on.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
New Mexico to Arizona
Approach to Monument Valley. I painted a bit off the road to avoid all the French and German tourists driving RV's like-- well I dont know what.
Goosenecks is maybe a better place to stay as they have removed the campground from Monument Valley and put up an awful hotel.
One wonders what anyone thinks?
Always wanted to paint this. I was on a river trip 10 years ago and we arrived to this monument from our entry in Bluff Utah. A great rip which I painted the river and petroglyphs.
This classic view is now the dump. It used to be the best campground in America. Now they have built a Mall like hotel and taken out the facilities for the camping? Who knows?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Painting Along the Road Statement.
I feel a bit unsettled as I arrive in New Mexico and see the paintings from my trip.
First, I never really painted back east, as the easy character and familiarity to where I was born in Pennsylvania has not interested me.
The western landscape implies more of an adventure.
Second, these places, and their shapes and colors found-- start to order themselves in my mind, and that process has not begun as of yet in the eastern subject.
The studio work of blowing these paintings up and sending them through the processes of my work give these places their reality to me.
As of now they seem raw, old fashioned somewhat and not all to my liking. It is this uneasiness though I need to sit with to allow a real authenticity and as I believe a final meaning to me is to result.
Third, I'm not sure why do this in public. One thing that bothers me is how people see me as out there-- having a good time. It implies there is nothing much beneath this activity. Being in public keeps me moving. I'd wish for a more insightful comment though to meet my own level of work and commitment.
Finally I think my process of going out and using the results could be enjoyed by more artists. The bystander, the critic, too-- and finally create a different culture or at least my own personal culture of how things could be a yes rather than a no.
That the Earth, and this relates to the dangerous moment our planet suffers, can influence a choice to make art about how things could be rather than the ironies we all know too well by now.
Well this is my constant idealization, ordered it makes a poetry and my painting practice back in the studio.
First, I never really painted back east, as the easy character and familiarity to where I was born in Pennsylvania has not interested me.
The western landscape implies more of an adventure.
Second, these places, and their shapes and colors found-- start to order themselves in my mind, and that process has not begun as of yet in the eastern subject.
The studio work of blowing these paintings up and sending them through the processes of my work give these places their reality to me.
As of now they seem raw, old fashioned somewhat and not all to my liking. It is this uneasiness though I need to sit with to allow a real authenticity and as I believe a final meaning to me is to result.
Third, I'm not sure why do this in public. One thing that bothers me is how people see me as out there-- having a good time. It implies there is nothing much beneath this activity. Being in public keeps me moving. I'd wish for a more insightful comment though to meet my own level of work and commitment.
Finally I think my process of going out and using the results could be enjoyed by more artists. The bystander, the critic, too-- and finally create a different culture or at least my own personal culture of how things could be a yes rather than a no.
That the Earth, and this relates to the dangerous moment our planet suffers, can influence a choice to make art about how things could be rather than the ironies we all know too well by now.
Well this is my constant idealization, ordered it makes a poetry and my painting practice back in the studio.
Friday, June 24, 2011
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