It has been a summer of pack mules and horses. Of high altitude painting, frost covered dawns, sunlight on granite, nylon tents and down sleeping bags, campfires and laughter, box wine and hearty camp fare, bears, camaraderie, and even a few more bears.

I went on two pack trips over a five week period- one to the Spanish Peaks Wilderness of Montana and the other to Garnet Lake in the eastern Sierra of California- a gauntlet of travel and studies which will turn into studio paintings over the winter. These pack trips are essential to my painting. As in most arts, creation is a distillation of experience. As I find myself completely at home in the Sierra (it is mid-September as I write this and snow is predicted tomorrow,) the beauty and gothic qualities of the high country constantly fuel my need to express some inherent truth of these places in pigment and canvas.

So, paint boxes are packed on mules, hours spent on horseback, and a summer passes- leaving in its wake an alluvial fan of experiences, memories, and sketches. Now it is time to get in the studio and hone these rough rocks into something true. The travel has left me tired. Admittedly, it is hard to get the trail dust out of my blood and settle into the steady, uneventful cadence of studio work. There is no risk of my easel kicking me, no wind to turn my canvas into a sail, and my pot belly stove determines my weather. But, it is time to get to work. In quoting Ernest Hemingway, I substitute the word “writing” with “painting.”

          “In going where you have to go, and doing what you have to do, and seeing what you have to see, you dull and blunt the instrument you paint with. But I would rather have it bent and dull and know I had to put it on the grindstone again and hammer it into shape and put a whetstone to it, and know I had something to truly paint, than to have it bright and shining and nothing to say, or smooth and well-oiled in the closet, but unused. Now, it is necessary to get to the grindstone again.”

And to the grindstone I go. I hope you enjoy the photos from my travels.

Charles

9/07

Russell Case, Tracy and Matt Smith, our cook Pat, Kate Starling, me, Joe Wayne, Greg Scheibel, Kristina, and our guide, Lee Hart up in the Spanish Peaks Wilderness of Montana.

Trying to squeeze 2000 feet of rock into 16 inches high above Thompson Lake in Montana.

Lee Hart, our guide in Montana, striking the classic cowboy pose. A teller of many tales- of grizzlies, crazy Italians, and deep snow drifts, all woven into the landscape of the Spanish Peaks Wilderness.

Working down switchbacks in some damn steep country!

Armand Cabrera, Dr. Jim Hongola, David Linn, Charles Waldman, Ned Mueller, Spanky the Wonder Dog, and me at Garnet Lake in the high Sierra.
(And a pesky bear courtesy of Photoshop!)

Painting the afternoon light at Garnet Lake.

Our pack guide and Sierra cook Lianne and her trusty dog Spanky. Spanky rousted the bears out of camp on a nightly basis and kept the pack animals in line.

Ned Mueller and I enjoying a cold libation chilled in the depths of Garnet Lake.
You gotta love those Sierra pack outfits- “you want it, we pack it” seems to be their motto.

Charles Waldman telling tall tales after the morning painting. What a fine group of artists and traveling companions. A lot of good stories- Ned telling about how it feels to be kicked by a Brahma bull in Mexico City was a fun one.

The Undiscovered Sierra Riviera.

OK, it is not all work! I took the midday off to enjoy some late summer sun, high country majesty, and trashy gossip magazines Lianne brought on the trip.
Quality time doing nothing…

Thoughts on Dixon Country

Well, my paintings for Maynard Dixon Country 2006 are done and drying. The hard part is over. It took four research and painting trips to the “Lonely Sierra” region of Bishop and Lone Pine to figure out what I wanted to say in paint. Now I can look forward to the fun of the event- good camaraderie, good scenery, and good paintings.

The highlight of last year's event, however, was the presence of Daniel Dixon who spoke of his father and mother, Maynard Dixon and Dorothea Lange. His quiet humor and insight added a new depth to the understanding of both artists. Also, he's quite the singer and ukulele player! This is another aspect to this event which separates it from all others. There is a strong emphasis on simply having fun and taking in the art found in experience. There are transient masterpieces created around a fire with song and wine. The below photographs only touch the surface of the fun and camaraderie which is the essence of Maynard Dixon Country. It's one hell-of-a event!

WWW.THUNDERBIRDFOUNDATION.COM

(Left to Right) Artist Chris Morel, Robin Arnold, Dixie and Dan Dixon.
Dan's wife Dixie plays a mean guitar as well and sings wonderfully.

The singing and laughing went on both Friday and Saturday into the wee hours of the morning. They are memories for a lifetime. Dan recalled songs his father enjoyed and sang them with raspy gusto:

Meet me tonight in Dreamland,
Under the silvery moon;
Meet me tonight in Dreamland,
Where love's true roses bloom.
Come with the love light shining
In your sweet eyes of blue;
Meet me in Dreamland,
Sweet dreamy Dreamland,
And make my dreams come true.

Dan plinking away at his Ukulele with Robin Arnold.

Daniel told us of a song Maynard was fond of singing to his children. Maynard would sing to them while popping his false teeth in and out. Daniel said it was his Dad’s own immortal composition. When I read the lyrics I can hear Daniel’s ukulele and his laughter serving as a coda to the final line.

Gum Drops

Papa had gum drops
And baby had none;
Papa had gum drops
And gave baby one.
At three in the morning
When babe sleeps no more,
Then
Papa takes baby
And paces the floor
Too-ra-lay
Too-ra-loo
No more gum drops for baby,
For you, just a few!

To experience Daniels recollections of the past while enjoying the crackling fire, songs, and laughter of the present helped to create and understanding of Maynard Dixon that could never be expressed through books or even in paint.

Thank you, Daniel for a wonderful evening. I hope to see you around the campfire this August.

Charles

July 2006

Daniel wrote this in my copy of his book of recollections on his mother and father-

THE THUNDERBIRD REMEMBERED

Maynard Dixon, the Man and the Artist

Ediza Lake Pack Trip 2005

Kate Starling, Jesse Powell, Kathleen Dunphy, Chuck Waldman, Mike Obermeyer, Armand Cabrera, Jeff Fennel, Me, and Russell Case.

This was, simply put, one damn fun trip! I organized this pack/painting excursion to further explore the Sierra while enjoying the camaraderie of painting with fellow artists. Having participated in many plein air events, the aspect which I find most beneficial is learning and sharing experiences with other artists. We spend so much time painting in seclusion that painting together on location is uplifting and inspiring. Unfortunately, sometimes these events can be a bit stressful (can you say “Quick Draw?!”) Also, Plein Air shows are so ubiquitous these days that I fully expect to see “South Barstow Plein Air” being advertised in the coming months. Several of my clients have remarked how confusing all of these shows and organizations are becoming.

So, I planned this trip with the thought of doing nothing more than getting out there and slinging paint. We hiked our tails off and painted like fiends. From this trip we will create studio paintings for future shows and our galleries. Sometimes, the simple aspect of using plein air painting as a tool, a means to gather information by making studies which will be used to create greater works in the studio, gets lost in the business end of making a living creating paintings. As artists, we barely scratched the surface of painting possibilities and I plan on returning next year. Below are some photos from the trip.

Charles

8/10/05