On our way to VSC- Day 11

Day 11 found me waving goodbye to my sweetheart while she drove back to Boston to catch a plane back to Dallas. 

I had a suit case full of very dirty cloths, and two boxes of art supplies waiting for me at VSC. My month long artist residency starts at 1:00.

On our way to VSC- Day 10

Saturday was our last full day of our trip to VSC. We spent it driving the back roads up to the city of Burlington with a stop at a fruit wine tasting room, and one at the Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory. The ice cream was much better than the fruit wine.

Burlington was having a jazz festival, so as we walked along the board walk we could hear the music of drums and trumpets. Burlington is another nice Vermont town that I would like to see more of, but we had to get up the Johnson, to the Vermont Studio Center. 

After checking in to a BnB, We ate that night at the Winding Brook Bistro. It was very good, but I must admit that I was so nervous about starting my artist residency at the VSC that I can't recall what I ate. 

On our way to VSC- Day 9

Our goal for the day was to hike, hike hike. We knew that we wanted to do some of the Appalachian trial, but I also wanted to see some water falls, so we stopped off at Hamilton Falls, The deadliest falls in Vermont. After a three mile hike we came upon this wonderful, multi layered falls. The photo really does not show the scale and beauty of this place and how tempting it is to climb it's deceptively deadly banks.

We linked up with the Appalachian trail just out side of Woodstock. It was a lust walk through bolder strewn woods. We stayed in Woodstock which is a sky resort town, so it was a bit expencive and not have as charming as Brattleboro.

On our way to VSC- Day 8

Day 8 found us in the town of Brattleboro Vermont. We drove across New Hampshire on the interstate making only one stop at the Pisgah State Park where we were eaten to a slightly dizzy state by swarms of monster sized mosquitoes.

But in the town of Brattleboro we found The Latchis, an art neuve movie theater/hotel, and across the street was a local pizzeria that hand made pizza using organic produce and local cheese. Plus they had beer. The town had lots of galleries and an art supply store! A way groovy town. I am going to have to do more research on Brattleboro. 

On our way out of town we saw our first cover bridge. It had big timbers that were held together with big wood pegs.

On our way to VSC- Day 6 & 7

On Wednesday we headed out to the airport to pick up our rental car, then we drove back to the city to the Institute of Contemporary Art to see the Shepard Fairey show. It was a way better show than I thought it would be. In fact I found it inspiring that he could go from a street bomber to having a studio that employs several interns and still produce work that is fun and edgy. One sad note, the food at the ICA was expensive and not good.

Anyway, we spent so much time at the museum that we were late getting started on our first driving tour of the New England coast line. We were hoping to take highway 1A all the way up to Portsmouth New Hampshire but we only made it up to Ipswich. We stayed at a BnB that was listed in the New Hampshire state tour book, Kaedebb.  It was a historic building with a Japanese infusion. 

The small towns along 1A were all very quant, and the rocky beaches were wonderful. I would have been happy to spend the next few days exploring tide pools and eating steamers. I was also amazed to see so many really old cemeteries. It seems that the life an old sailer is very short.

On our way to VSC- Day 4 & 5

The 6 hour train ride to Boston was wonderful. Trains allow you to see the country and mentally realize that you are dramatically moving from one part of the world to another. Unlike airplanes that reduce travel down to it's most unbearable elements.

after saying that, once we stepped out of the Boston train station, I instantly lost my sense of direction, so we ended up walking a few more blocks to our hotel than we needed to. 

Later that night we met up with a friend from Dallas who is finishing up his fellowship at Harvard. Wine, Tapas, and good conversations.

The next morning we hit China town, a few galleries such as Barbara Krakow -wonderful Terry Winters prints. and  Judi Rotenberg Gallery  -a wonderful show of works on paper. Then we  walked around China Town. Dinner was just off the Paul Revere historic trail in the Italian part of town. Good wine, good bread, and calamari in a spicy tomato sauce.

On our way to VSC- Day 3

After two days of good food, family bonding, evening wine on the patio, and a few more trips down to Pooh Corner, Monday morning found us heading downtown to catch the Amtrak to Boston. 

The photo is of a large wall sculpture at the train station that poetically illustrates the history of the human spirit. 1893. I didn't get the artists name but I love this end bit with children carrying models of a train, a paddle wheel steam boat, and lastly, a small infant with no dipper carrying a zeppelin.

On our way to VSC- Day 2

After walking the two hairless dogs down to Pooh Corner to pooh, the four of us humans loaded up the car and headed out to George Nakashima's studio. He died a few years back but his family is still creating wonderful furniture using George's designs. 

The 9 acer compound is a mix of small purpose designed buildings. One for cutting and milling the ruff lumber, one for turning spindles, one for applying lacquer, an office, a show room, living quarters, and a kitchen/dinning area. All were designed by George and reflected his connection with natural materials and simple forms.

Below is a design for a walnut table they are creating for the White House.

On our way to VSC- Day 1

We decided that instead of flying directly to the Vermont Studio Center, we would take a couple of days and to a New England road trip. 

Day one: we landed in Philadelphia and headed to my brother and wonderful sister in law's house. The above photo is a close up of one of their two hairless dogs. 

Barcelona @ Christmass

It was kind of rainy most of the time, and yes this is the ugliest building I have seen, But the 10 day in Barcelona was wonderful. I would happily go back just to eat more of their wonderful food. 

Art basel: Immersion and Beyond

Posted the last article on Art Basel Miami 2008 on the Art & Seek blog. It was a great time that I hope to repeat next year.

Eating the best food in Taos, New Mexico

On our way to go hiking in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness we stopped in at the Dragonfly Cafe for a quick snack. It is a rustic house turned European cafe' where people eat in the front yard, the porch, and in the house. Organic ingredients locally grown, and the eggs that come from the chickens raised by the chief made this an intriguing choice. 

I ordered the Beef hash, and it was so good I had to take a picture! Yummy!

The beef hash looked more like a beef stew cup cake. Standing tall, crowned with a poached egg and drizzled with hollandaise sauce. It was served with two slices of extra hard bread that I used the to clean the plate with as opposed to licking the plate clean.

Hiking up the mountain later was a real struggle.

Site Santa Fe "Lucky Number 7?"

I stopped in to see the seventh edition of Site Santa Fe. This time it was a show of site specific art work that was not were only in the museum but also scattered around the center of the city.  There are 25 artists from 16 countries that created art for just this show and just these sites.

I had high hopes for this show but I think the majority of the reviews got it right. There just wasn't enough real meat to chew on. My hunt for the outside installations was derailed by heat, food and other galleries. I did enjoy leaping from the balcony onto the big foamy stunt pads. I now know why I am not a stunt double.

What I did like was the ball point pin drawings by Timothy Nero at the Box Gallery . They had that obsessive noodling that I am a sucker for. Also the Tai Gallery  which is know for showing woven bamboo baskets from Japan has started to show photography. Masaru Tatsuki captures a vanishing lifestyle that combines low riders, transformers, and diesel trucks.  

Zero lot construction

In Dallas as it is all across the country the small homes of yesteryear are being replaced by modern upscale houses; McMansions, Starter Castles, Coliseums of Consumption.

But this has to be a new plateau for the construction of zero lot homes. Apparently the architect did not think about phone lines overhead until they started building of the roof. That's when it must have dawned on them that the cables were going through the roof line.

So they just tied the cables up with plastic ties and added a third floor balcony. Problem solved. 

A day in the swamp

I know that for most people the idea of spending time in a swamp brings up images of alligators, snakes, and swarming mosquitoes. Things that should be avoided, especially when on vacation. But The small town of Uncertain Texas on the edge of Caddo Lake is one of those quite hide a ways that is so special that I feel guilty telling others about it.

Caddo Lake is a hunting & fishing paradise, but if you go off season the lake will transport you to a world that is filled with the sounds of birds, frogs and yes the rumble of distant alligators.  When the sun cuts through the spanish moss covered trees the water becomes a rippling mirror. And the town of Uncertain is a culture unlike any other in Texas.

Yucatan Adventure

We spent the holidays eating and climbing our way across the Yucatan.  This was the first time I have ever been Mexico and I was a bite nervous about going. But as it turned out every day was a wonderful adventure. The history, the nature, the food, the towns and the people were all just wonderful. In the town of Izamal we ate food that I would gladly travel all the way back just to eat more of.

 

The first archaeological sites we went to was Uxmal (pictured above). It had all the classic elements of a Mayan city plus large lizards climbing all over the grounds. Some of the other sites we went to were deep in the jungle and we were the only ones there!