SaeMay: Art Retreat

The New Mexico Journals - Taos

NM journal 5.19.16

I lay in bed this morn, feeling slow and restful and began to see figures in the mottled dome ceiling. A native woman with a bird sitting up in her hair with a warm smile, hugging an oversized anatomical heart. A young woman with her hair up in a bun, looking upwards and a circle over her heart. I'm in no hurry to head out to play tourist. Yoga and a tub soak and my yogurt and fruit. But I'm not even hungry yet so may drift awhile longer. Why not? It is vacation after all.

Who would have guessed - Turkish Coffee in Taos!

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Tonite i watched the light fade from the sky and reflected on the past week. This coming to end of vacation. Of magical "away". The draw of mountains and the promises they make.

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From sunset to moonset. The moon so bright as it sank to the horizon that it lit up a triangle above the door of the dome. Outside the mountains silhouetted with the glow of the coming dawn.

I woke with anxiety about going back. Of vacation coming to an end and "real" life commencing. This is my real life. Me, on my own. I can, and have been taking care of myself. I could continue. Or I could make a drastic choice of change.

The walls here are a foot thick. I don't want to leave. But I must. I also must try to get a few more hours of sleep...

The New Mexico Journals - Meow Wolf and Multidimensional Parallels, or Travel to Taos

NM journal 5.18.16

Farewell lovely Santa Fe Casita

A facebook comment reminded me of why I feel guilt every time I take a vacation. No matter how well I prep for it, no matter how much I run ragged prior. Not a nice thing to wake up to. Breathe and let it go dear. Breathe and let it go.
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Arrival Greeter at Meow Wolf

House of Eternal Return. About the power of creation. And the bonds of family. And multidimensional parallels. Discovery and play - all the adults who were playing. Elders even. The sense of joy and wonder prevalent.

Through the portal...

Loved seeing the plans and drawings at the end!

***

Then, Taos. Of coming around a bend and into view of the Rio Grande Gorge. Of my Airbnb dome. Of driving around the town and closing a grocery store rather than going out. Of that great big bridge. And stopping by the brewery to pick up a growler since the grocery store sold none, of getting tipsy on beer and snacks in the dome. Of relaxing. More so than previous on this vacation. Of now, in the moonlight feeling unable to settle in despite earlier feelings. Energy and the moonlight.

Taos Mesa Brewing

Evening in the dome.

The New Mexico Journals - Santa Fe Hills

NM Journal 5.17.16

"Courage" by Retha Walden Gambaro

All the promise of a full day ahead. I slept until my 'normal' time for the first time since this journey began. Gentle yoga and a hot shower - Finally! (Yesterday the gas had been off due to utility work in the street) but oddly even with all that I'm quite sleepy. Maybe the delay for caffeine - my body started getting used to 6:30 am breakfast? Crazy!

International Folk Arts Museum - I arrived in time for a docent tour (which I laughed at how little she knew of the exhibits aside from the permanent collection) but the value in hearing the story of the Alexander Girard collection - meticulous!

My favorite exhibit at the Folk Museum - Flamenco!

Them skirts are HEAVY!

Note to self - look for this score...

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And sometimes you end up exactly where you need to be. After soaking at ten thousand waves high up in the mountains (per recommendation) I had dinner with my host family. Dinner being a loose term - it had gotten late enough we just had art and conversation and snacks and salad. Ok - all that WAS dinner - a filling and satisfying one with the conversation and kid sillies with Evie while Christina cooked. After Evie tuckered out we talked art and relationships and the challenges and joys of motherhood. I missed Andy and all of our glowing potential. Apparently I'm good with kids because I'm honest with them. No BS. I'm straight up. I guess I always have been. Kids are just less experienced people, more prone to giggles as well as tantrums. (Evie had a little meltdown there at the end after her milk mustache and milk beard shenanigans.)

We talked of creativity - and how adaptable kids are, and how really it can be whatever we wish it to be (late nights, cheese and milk mustaches for dinner) as long as there is safety and consistency, nothing else really matters.

(Pretty much sums it up for any of us...)
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The New Mexico Journals - Canyon Road, Santa Fe

NM Journal 5.16.16

Morning view

Barely back onto the grid and online and can feel the needs of others pressing in. Take a deep breath, remember you are still on a much needed vacation. Maybe go back offline!

Santa Fe, NM

"Adelitas" as an underpainting

1st gallery - with Adam the retired barber who paints reenactment sand John who was working on an underpainting for an encaustic artist working on a series of the Adelitas. Recommended to visit the Loretto chapel to see the stairs and Meow Wolf.

"Sweet Bootleg Magic" by Patricia Aaron - Encaustic! At Globe Gallery

"Horse" by Gina Freschet at Globe Gallery

"Desert Walker" by Andrea Broyles

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I walked and wandered so much that I feel like I have soaked Santa Fe into my skin. I purchased an orange tunic from the Tibetan project. I watched sculptures twirl in the wind. I visited Loretto and sketched a small part of the ceiling. I got lost and had to use gps to figure out that I had way overshot the tiny street I should have turned on to walk back to the casita. I had dinner at The Shed and my gums are still on fire. Delicious (but Tesuque Village Market still wins for me). I turned down a second margarita (whoa) because I wish to return and paint.