Rashaad Newsome

When in town I surf the web for all the things I've read about. It was on Guernica.com that I found an interview with Mr. Newsome. His website includes a variety of images of his art including stills from two performances of Shades Compositions.

Here's an excerpt on Youtube from FIVE and from a performance of Shades Compositions in Russia.

An hour of dance videos.

You might also enjoy the work of Mike Cloud. This link is to some images of his work.

Kofa Wildlife Refuge

Over 660,000 acres of which more than 550k is wilderness offers a plethora of exploration opportunities.

There are the remains of a CCC built campground, Crystal Hill (such original naming!) where quartz crystals still abide and decent expanses of untrammeled desert. The biggest drawback is the frequent buzz of jets, helicopters and small planes which, out here, elevates their obscenity to physical violation. And they call this wilderness. 

But this is my kind of campground: so overgrown it's only recognizable when seen from above. The individual campsite trailer-dumps have been diaphrammed with steel plate, the barbeque posts have been torched off at ground-level and the pink agglomerate, CCC-crafted pylons that protected the margins of each site are obscured by new growth. And not a picnic table or another person in sight.

With Eggbert's new offroad tires giving him an increased level of confidence, we took the 4-wheel road toward Scott's Well and Juniper Spring. He leaped the arroyos with ease and clambered over the steep spots with aplomb. But as I sat enjoying the Five-o'clock-martini, I smelt the odour of gasoline and the next morning discovered a leak. We hastened into town for repairs and are enjoying a Thanksgiving layover that will include the Recycle Santa Fe Art Show December 5-7.

Sunset's tender light on the Livingston Hills. 

Sweet Pie a.k.a. Paul Winer

Thanks to the internet, Paul Winer is once again famous.

In the video below he recounts how he broke up a fight between two motorcycle gangs (3:52). 

His story is succinctly told on the blog A Year On The Road.

Mr. Winer is also a talented artist. 

But he's best known for originating the aphorism: Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke. It's the chorus of his greatest hit. My favorites are My Nothing and a song written for his daughter who died when she was 8 1/2. "In an effort to live with what you never lose...your blues, you have to lift up." 

(Article abt annual fundraiser for Celia's Rainbow Gardens and other social services.)

He's on the left, formally attired (in a jacket) for our interview.
Nov 17 was a bit cool.

Above is the REAL star....Felicia.

Yarnell, Arizona

Yarnell was in the news last year when 19 firefighters died. Suzan and I stopped for coffee after the Shooting Place (see 11/26/14) on our Mooseway to Quartzsite.

The Espresso place is two doors west of the grocery, which is closed. Owned by Jeff and his wife, the ambiance is intimate, welcoming and includes wifi. They also have a small store and she has a well-appointed and beautifully decorated salon for cutting hair. 

Delbert, an alcoholic musician, was volunteering in the Espresso bar. He'd been dry for four months and was putting together a January fundraiser for a widow whose husband was killed in the fire.

Next door is the Painted Lizard, 

a nice antique/gifts/art emporium where Suzan found an incense burner at a very affordable price. There was also an interesting painting of Koshares by Al Bahe for $4,999.00.


The Cornerstone Bakery 

is on the south (left going toward Quartzsite) side of the highway at the west end of town. It came highly recommended, but it was past time to make camp as we trundled out of town so it was "saved" for next time.

The Shooting Place

It was getting late on Nov 15 as we pulled out of Prescott. The road wound through the mountains, campspots tucked into steep-sided valleys. They'd be inviting if you've no 'clinations tuh claustrophobia AND aren't driving anything bigger than a pickup.

It was near dark as we made camp on Forest Rd 71 a few miles above Wilhoit. (Google maps shows 72 but not 71. We camped at what I surmise was Wilhoit Spring but Maps shows the spring on FR 72. The one we were on was clearly signed as FR 71. It's abt a mile N of FR 72.)

Wilhoit Spring (dry) is 50 feet to the left

The tender light of morning (above) brought a train of trucks, all driven by middle-aged white guys. Along about the fifth one my curiosity inspired me to ask if there was a party. "Ain't no party," he said, "It's a practical pistol shooting competition. There'll be over 200 guys here in a little while." 

A crack shot with a .357, I allowed as how I could take his nose off at 20 feet and inquired if it was open to the public. He grinned and invited me to come on down.

Several more went by for a total of maybe 20. One or two had someone riding shotgun but most were by themselves; hardly 200. 

We stopped at the overlook to observe the smog that blankets the area for miles around Phoenix. Do you suppose word has gotten around and that's why folks from around the world no longer come here?

For documentation purposes...

The Gallery In Williams

Several weeks ago three artists at The Gallery in Williams (Arizona, that is) granted interviews. Now, finally, they can be seen on Youtube. Please enjoy videos of 

Don Nord...

....a cabinet maker who's taken his skills to another level. He combines his love of woodworking with turbine blades from helicopters that fly over the Grand Canyon, railroad spikes from the Grand Canyon Railroad, and gears, piston rods and such from automobiles. 

Amy S. Martin...

...is a rower with the Arizona Department of Fish & Wildlife. She rows on Colorado River trips and photographs as she goes. She is also a former Peace Corp worker (this link is to a project she's working on) who is interested in helping the stateless peoples' of the Dominican Republic.

and

Tom Williams...

...co-owner and a gallery founder, Tom makes beautiful bells from propane tanks and sculptures using the shoes of mules that trod the trails of the Grand Canyon. His "Shoeguaro" sculpture won Best in Show at the Flagstaff 2012 Recycled Art Exhibition (coordinated by The Artists' Coalition of Flagstaff). A collaborative sculpture is installed at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.  

The Mutton Bone

It was while climbing the hill near camp that I spotted this 1898 installation.   

The next day we went back so Suzan could enjoy the view. It was a leisurely quarter mile and about midway across she noticed something delicately poised on the edge. It took some scrutiny -- it had weathered -- but eventually I recognized it as a post-dinner offering to the coyotes from two evenings earlier...the bone from the lamb I'd enjoyed. The Trickster had cleverly placed it for Suzan's discriminating eyes.

Albrecht Durer nodded with satisfaction at this view.  

Erected & re-erected

Safely kept switch. 

Fort Trevor & The Vigraha Art Gallery in Prescott

On the way to our meetup, Suzan stopped to visit a friend. As the friend's daughter was admiring Suzan's  hammock and stuff, she commented that Trevor was like a fort. Thus, his name, which means Trusted Traveler, became Fort Trevor. 

Suzan and I are spending a couple of weeks together while she acclimates to finding her way "home" each evening. 

She's adapting amazingly fast and you can tell by Fort Trevor's smile he's pleased 
to, once again, be oot & aboot.

We stopped in Prescott where I sampled the Nasty Lady (with mushrooms) at Nastee Dogs hot dogs (one block South of the Court House on the West side). They make all their own dogs, buns, mayonnaise and ketchup. The meat is smoked behind the store. It was the best Brat I've had since Germany!! And only $7.50. 

We also visited The Vigraha Art Gallery at 115 E Goodwin Street, Suite E. It's just up the hill from the Chamber of Commerce in the back left corner of a little court yard on the same side of the street as the Chamber. It was full of museum-quality Tibetan, Nepalese and East Indian bronzes (for reals!!!), a few of which were life-size. 

Suzan keeps her guiding principles on a white board so they can be easily updated. 

1) Face the fact of your own death.

2) Stop making excuses.

3) Become a woman of your word.

         A) Be impeccable with your word.

4) Don't take anything personally.

5) Don't make assumptions.

6) Always do your best.

The Benefits of Travel

Sometimes I puzzle over why we see things when we travel that we otherwise would miss. Then I think, "What's for dinner?"

This Vette was parked near the Gallup library, one of the best wi-fi stops on I-40. It's a magnificent purple, much better than my camera captured.

The owner appeared and allowed as how he'd considered taking it to Albuquerque to show, but was afraid it'd get stolen.

 I assured him the place was crawling with thieves and murderers and he was much safer in Gallup.