"When dawn spreads its paintbrush on the plain, spilling purple... ," Sons of the Pioneers theme for TV show "Wagon Train." Dawn on the mythic Santa Fe Trail, New Mexico, looking toward Raton from Cimarron. -- Clarkphoto. A curmudgeon artist's musings melding metaphors and journalism, for readers in more than 150 countries.

Friday, October 9, 2020

For the open road

"The Open Road, " 8 x 10 watercolor, 140 lb d'Arches rough press paper

"The
myth, the mystery, the mythology," of the open road, in the words of poet Nathan Brown, reading my commissioned poem about back roads last night in his Fire Pit Sessions, titled New Mexico 104.

The magic back roads highway from Tucumcari to Las Vegas, where you can see forever, with little or no traffic, at whatever speed you wish--ahead are mountains, and to the right or left, wide open spaces.

Then of course I think of Walt Whitman and his "Song of the Open Road," which so fits my spirit, especially in these cooped up days of pandemic, racism and political chaos.

Listen to Walt:

"Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road....

"You road I enter upon and look around, I believe you are not all that is here,

I believe that much unseen is also here."

So today's watercolor, much better than yesterday's 4 1/2 by 10 quick study, "Mountains Ahead," from a photograph I took on that highway years ago, heading to my beloved Sangre de Cristos, and La Villa Real de La Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asis.

This one will be framed as an 11 x 14 and hopefully sell. Thanks Walt, thanks Nathan. 

Yesterday:



1 comment:

  1. Very nice. Love the paintings and the feelings invoked of Tucumcari - a place I visited a few decades ago and which still holds very fond memories.

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