GET YOUR FACE ON WITH BILL SKRIPS
Saturday September 7, 2024 Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Cerillos, New Mexico
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Noon was the kick off time for this adventure today. A simple drive from my house down Highway 18 to Mineral Point got me there by 3:30 p.m. Dinner is going to be weird today because of the schedule so I stopped at the Subway for a sub to hold me over.
At 4:30 p.m. I headed over to the Green Lantern Studios because tonight was the opening of my art exhibit, Portrait Assemblage: Mixed Media Artwork.
The turn out for the reception was impressive to me with some Mineral Point friends showing up as well as Sarah Rehmer (teaching this weekend at Shake Rag) and Denice with our Milwaukee area friends Bill, Sue, Dale and Robin. What blew me away was the number of pieces that sold on this night.
After the exhibition, Richard offered me some left over wood from the remodeling of the building next door and I took it for the upcoming mask making workshop in New Mexico.
After pilfering the lumbar, I walked down the hill to the Mineral Point Opera House for a great concert by guitarist and singer Martin Sexton.
His opening set was his rendition of the Beatles’ Abbey Road album. The second set consisted of his own blues and gospel-tinged songs. He was outstanding.
Then it was into the Mineral Point Hotel for a good night’s sleep as the trip actually starts tomorrow in earnest.
Mileage for the Day: 133
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Today I was up so that I could be at the Red Rooster Café in Mineral Point for Apple Dumpling French Toast (can you tell this is a favorite). Then after packing it was westward down the road to begin my journey to New Mexico.
My first stop of the day was in Dyersville, Iowa, on the Historic Highway 20 at the Plaza Antiques Mall. I only bought a clock body to convert into a shrine at some point.
My second stop was at Savvy Salvage where I did buy a few thing but the better part of the morning was spent talking all things art and mixed media with the co=owner Kari.
Next stop was the Fort Dodge Silo Art, the creation of artist Guido van Helten. The subjects are local individuals that van Helten photographed first, then used for the mural. Here are my first photographs that I took on this trip:
Despite being already behind the schedule needed to get to the workshop by Tuesday night, I decided to end my day in Souix City, Iowa, at 5:00 p.m. Dinner was at the Mongolian chain Hu Hut.
Of course, next up was Sunday night football! No, it wasn't--Direct TV and Disney are feuding and that made it unavailable on my hotel TV.
Mileage for the Day: 670
Mileage for the Trip: 803
Monday, September 9, 2024
Today’s breakfast was a little weird. I Goggled breakfast places and chose Curry’s Town House Café in South Souix City. That was the weird part: I had to cross the stateline into Nebraska to get there even though it was only a 4 minute drive. The waitress named Vera did not call me Honey (a goal of mine in all these cafes) nor could I break her resting bitch face.
Today was not a day that I enjoyed. I puttzed so much yesterday that I needed to put some Federal Highway miles on and the GPS suggested Highway 80. 80 it was: a long straight boring road full of corn. I only made one antique stop at the Platte Valley Antique Mall (whose address is somewhere between Omaha and Lincoln—seriously, that is the address on their business card). I bought a child’s size ironing board to add to my collection of ironing boards that I am going to work on “someday.”
I did find one abandoned gas station to photograph after I turned south on Highway 76.
One cool found object at the gas station was their cash box, now flatten. More one that latter.
My final destination for the day was another Holiday Inn Express. This one is in Greenwood Village, south of Denver. Unfortunately, I will still have 6+ hours to drive tomorrow. This trip is not turning out to be much of an adventure but I still have Santa Fe in the windshield.
Mileage for the Day: 694
Mileage for the Trip: 1496
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Today I got up and ate breakfast at the IHOP right next door to the hotel. Sometimes the easy button outweighs creativity.
I was on the road to Santa Fe by 8:00 a.m. I have to say that once into Colorado and New Mexico the terrain was much more interesting to look at. Also it is not often I see elk and bear crossing signs. The only animal I saw were multiple deer—some too close for comfort.
My one road stop for the day was Pueblo, CO, were I found two great antique malls in the downtown area: Union and Cotton’s. While I only bought a few things I did kill an hour off the road which helps me physically and mentally.
I got to Santa Fe around 2:30 p.m. MT so I had time to hit Artisan’s Art store to buy some paint. Yes, Denice informed me that the paint container is still on the floor by my work table at home. I had to buy more paints as I have to paint. I have to.
With the afternoon available I made two museum stops—places I had not visited the last time I was in Santa Fe for a workshop with Bill Skrips.
The first was the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. The big exhibit was Pathfinder: 40 Years of Marcus Amerman. He is an artist of many talents but perhaps most famous for his “photobeadilism” wherein he lays down a photo, his beading strings, and then recreates the photo in beads. Amazing stuff.
The other two exhibitions at the Wheelwright were Master Glass: The Collaborative Spirit of Tony Jojola and Pablita’s Wardrobe: Family & Fashion.
The second was the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.
I was pleasantly surprised to find the main exhibition was a ethno-photography exhibit by Zig Jackson called Indian Photography Indian. The exhibit focused on dignified portraits of reservation residents showing both the positive and the historic dark side of this story.
When I left, it was raining which helped the outstanding sculptures look even better.
Tonight I checked into my residence until Sunday morning: Inn at Santa Fe which is about 20 minutes from the workshop in the town of Cerrillos. Tonight I pushed the easy button for dinner and got carry out from Kentucky Fried. Actually, it was not all that easy as they failed to give me any utensils forcing me to revert to my caveman instincts.
Mileage for the Day: 389
Mileage for the Trip: 1785
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Today I had to be in my room at 7:00 a.m. in order to do an online registration for Big Ears, a music festival that I attend every March in Knoxville, TN. After that went well I decided to just eat breakfast in the hotel lobby, something I usually try to avoid.
The drive to Cerrillos is only about 25 minutes up the appropriately named Cerrillos Road from my hotel. I got to Bill Skrips studio around 8:45 a.m. to meet and greet all the fellow participants.
Bill Skrips is a folk artist. He is a master at using objects to create emotions and I love his work.
This workshop is provided by Bellissima Art Escapes operated by Kathie Vezzani. Here is the course description:
“Get your best face on with Bill Skrips in his Los Cerillos studio September 11-14, 2024. In this workshop, you will have an opportunity to make masks from different substrates--heavy cardboard, wood and more. We will use paint, glue, found objects, cutting, bending, and carving, plus your imagination to create some fantastic masks. This is a workshop for self-starters - instructions will be heavy on how-tos, as opposed to “what.” Come with your own great ideas and the instructor will help you facilitate them -engineering, application, and “do-ability” will be stressed.”
After an orientation from Bill, we got right to work. Lunch was provided in the workshop today. We worked all day and finished up around 4:00 p.m.
The group went out to dinner tonight in the funky town of Madrid which is just south of Cerrillos.
Tonight back in the Inn At Santa Fe I did a little painting on my masks.
Mileage for the Day: 46
Mileage for the Trip: 1831
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Today’s breakfast was at the local restaurant Weck’s. I was up in Cerrillos by 8:30 a.m. We worked on more of our masks until we had pizza for lunch. The afternoon went by fast as we are building and detailing multiple numbers of masks.
Unfortunately my workbench buddy Alex had to leave today because of personal business so she took the time to do her show and tell at the end of our workday.
After the work today I took a tip from Leighanna Light and headed to Jambo, an African and Caribbean restaurant which was really busy. I ordered the Moroccan Lamb Stew and was not disappointed.
Mileage for the Day: 53
Mileage for the Trip: 1884
Friday, September 13, 2024
Today’s breakfast choice was Flying Tortilla where I had the odd choice of a Belgian waffle. I am certainly being ethnically diverse on this trip.
While I momentarily felt sorry Alex had to leave it does mean I could spread out on the entire workbench I have been working on.
Today’s lunch was right next door at the very interesting Black Bird Saloon. Sandwiches were enjoyed all around as we sat with a bunch of tourists.
After doing all the packing and sharing goodbye hugs all around, I was done with this workshop. I have to a big thank you to Bill Skrips for being such an inspiration and to Kathie for running another great workshop.
Driving to the workshop this morning I saw a sign for an estate sale so when I left I drove to it only to discover that it was no longer open despite saying it would be until 3:00 p.m. Next I tried a salvage place that turned out to be an antique store with a good but false marketing strategy.
With so much time on my hands I decided to return to the museum complex area I had visited early in the week to go to the Museum of International Folk Art. The exhibits included Between the Lines: Prison Art & Advocacy and Amidst Cries from the Rubble: Art of Loss and Resilience from Ukraine. The big surprise and to utter delight there was an extensive cartoneria exhibition called La Cartonería Mexicana / The Mexican Art of Paper and Paste. The exhibit included a movie about Pedro Linares, the master cartoneria maker and the inventor of the alebrije.
I thought it could not get much better but then I went into Multiple Visions: A Common Bond, the Girard Collection which is part of the folk art collection of Alexander Girard. This architect and his wife traveled the world and collected 10,000 objects which they willed to the museum. I wish I could have been this guy.
Dinner tonight was Shrimp with Lobster sauce at Chow’s. I eat a lot of Chinese when I am not with Denice as this is not her first choice of food.
So the art stuff is all organized, packed and ready to go back to Milwaukee. I just need to pack my clothes in the morning and head on down the road.
Mileage for the Day: 65
Mileage for the Trip: 1991
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Today is move out day in Santa Fe so I ate in the hotel lobby and was on the road by 7:30 a.m.
Determined not to look at the same stuff on the way home, I headed south to reach US 40 East. Here is the cool gas station I found and some clouds. New Mexico has the best skies anywhere.
I knew on 40 East eventually outside Amarillo I would hit Cadillac Ranch. That was the good news. The bad news was it was the Sunday crowd, the sun straight in the sky because it was noon, no clouds and it felt like it was 110 degrees. This is the best I could do:
I stopped tonight in El Reno, Oklahoma, for a steak dinner at Montana Mike’s. Despite being geographically confusing it was a good choice as I had the energy to push on to Tulsa where I arrived at 8:00 p.m. I want to go to bed early tonight so I can get up early tomorrow and get on the road. The big question is can I drive the remaining 11 hours to Milwaukee tomorrow or will some antiques get in the way.
Mileage for the Day: 655
Mileage for the Trip: 2646
Monday, September 16, 2024
This morning's breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express got me on the road by 8:30 a.m.
There were three antique stops today: Heartland Antique Mall (Lebanon, MO); Buffalo Wallow Antiques (Sleeper, MO); River Run Trading Company in Missouri. At the River Run the owners David and Mary were nice enough to give an artist a tour of their house to show me their art works and antiques. They have a beautiful home that overlooks state farmland and a wonderful display of cool thing to live amongst.
I did not get home until 10:30 p.m. (CT) and pretty much went right to bed. The trip was great but I wish I had taken one more day to get home.
Mileage for the Day: 655
Mileage for the Trip: 3434
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