Sometimes people ask me “How long did it take you to create a painting like this”? Often I would like to say a set number, but in reality this process to paint with wax and dye on silk has been a lifelong learning experience. In this painting there were over 5 hours just to get my drawing on to the silk, then another 15 hours of waxing and dying the piece; 30 minutes to remove the wax.
As we headed east, we traveled through the state of Nebraska passing mile upon mile of cornfields—I have never seen so many in my life! No wonder they call Nebraska “The Cornhusker State”’. After several days camping in state campgrounds in the middle of nowhere, we decided we needed to experience civilization.
Sadly leaving Estes Park we headed east on US 34 through winding canyons along the Big Thompson River until we reached the City of Loveland, Colorado. I had last passed through Loveland about 20 years ago when I was investigating job opportunities at the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper(how the world has changed).
Leaving my friend in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, it was time to continue east.
We headed over Rabbit Ears Pass through the city of Kremmling fueled up in the town of Granby had lunch at the Granby Garage Roadhouse. It was a rainy day and the skies were gray. We headed through the beautiful town of Grand Lake to the western entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park.
After staying in the pretty little town of Bluff, Utah for a couple of days we started heading north. We drove to the city of Blanding to grocery shop and then headed west on Utah 95. I love the Utah state highway signs as they feature a beehive with the highway number in the middle of it.
Now that I am back in the saddle after being on the road in “The Roge Mahal ” for the past 3 1/2 months it is time to get to work! Of course I will continue sharing snippets from various stops on our trip in the near future. Sadly I returned to a yard full of weeds that needed pulling, a septic system that needed to be replaced for the studio, and a minor flood in the studio from a small roof leak after I got home.
