As most of you know I’ve begun a new series of paintings I’m calling The Micaceous Series. A reader of the blog, Grace Kane, calls them my earth paintings and she is so right. I am making them with earth and straw, the recipe for adobe. The longer I live here on this land, the more it finds its way into my art. Truth be told, the longer I am of this place, the more it finds its way into my soul.
It is hard to describe or explain, this deepening relationship I am experiencing with New Mexico, with Truchas. I’ve never encountered anything like it before. William deBuys says in his lovely book, The Walk, “… New Mexico, the words of which name enchant me beyond reason…” That is precisely how I feel.
It is not just because of the land itself and its beauty. It seems to spring from the remarkable culture and heritage, both ancient and modern; Indian, Spanish and Anglo, and the sense of profound magic that seems to dance in my imagination. I FEEL this land like no place I’ve ever been. It is a presence, a friend, a character in my story.
I share this place, it is certain. But it does not feel haunted, rather “enchanted” as the license plates say. The spirits of those who went before, those who still dwell here, seem to welcome me. I have never felt safer or more nurtured. I have never been afraid. I walk alone in the dark of night moonlit or not. It’s as though the elders are taking me by the hand and saying, “See, look at this; consider this.”
The other day I was ready to plaster some new canvases but was out of straw. The morning had dawned still and clear but by the time I was ready, a huge storm had blown in. I couldn’t do anything without the straw, though, so Kelee and I headed out into the gale-force wind. And you know what? The storm that seemed so menacing from inside the house was actually quite beautiful once I was out in it (a great example of how art really does enhance our lives).
I wandered and gathered, out in that powerful energy I was now a part of and, I swear, it was almost spiritual. The land was offering herself up to me, giving me her grasses, her mica, participating in creating, as the crows danced and banked on the wind. I tell you what—it was very different from driving to an art supply store and buying the stuff.
I am very grateful to this land that is guiding me, inspiring and teaching me; grounding me. Somehow we are in this together. I am part of the magic. I am becoming a piece of her history, too. Perhaps one day, when I no longer walk this earth, I will be one that nurtures and guides those who, like me, are drawn to this land—to write about it, paint it, sing it, dance it… Look for me in these mountains and hills, in the arroyos, on the llano, the fields of grasses, riding the storms and rising with morning. I will be there.
Love to you all,
jeane
Jeane,
I would love to be there to video tape you on your walk and aid you in your sharing of the glory of the spirit of your landscape:) The audio was foggy, but I did get most of it. I loved seeing Kelee walking ahead of you..what a dear one he is.
Were I there I would take many photos/videos of you and your lovely company of land and animals. The mica filled rocks were shimmering well in the video, and I can imagine the crushing them into the contents of your paintings…the still photos are AWESOME visual descriptives of your process. Do you have a New Mexico basket filled with the shimmery stones as well? It would be a wonderful vibrational center of inspiration:) Wait, maybe I just want one of those…lol. YES I DO. I have many fun adventures to choose from I think.
Love and light to you Jeane and all you love,
Gracie
I would love to have you here as part of the documenting of this place and what is being born here. One day you will come and we’ll go visit Georgia’s house and land together.
Yes, I’ve gathered so much rock and it is placed here and there and everywhere, in wooden bowls, baskets, pots, on the portal, on my desk, as paperweights and door stops. Now I want a cute little front loader so I can collect the big boulders and put them around the land as nature’s sculptures!
I’ve delivered so many new pieces to the gallery! I am totally wrung out–spent–but in that really beautiful, delicious way. I think I will only write for awhile now, though. Those pieces just needed to spill out of me and they are very physical to make!
Come in person and choose your own stone.
Love and light back to you and yours,
Jeane
I love it!! All that lovely rock all around:) and vases of grasses – all of your raw materials abundantly available.
OHhhh I LOVE small machinery…cute little tractors that are actually able to move large dirt piles and huge ROCKS:) Lots of times they are in fantastic colors as well lol!! Clark and I rented a few dirt and rock movers here to open up the back lot a number of summers ago…he pushed over large trees and small buildings with one of the not so small ones lol. SO fun:)
I wish for you happy dirt collecting and many healthy days of physically joyous painting:)
My wish also is to do a colorful rendition of your lovely self – full of color and joy from a photo of course:)
XOXO
Grace
The rock is more sumptuous than photos can show. In Utah everything was so boldly colored and magnificent. Here the rock is more subtle but I may love it even more (so nice that I don’t actually have to choose favorites).
I would love to see a colorful rendition of me done by you, which is interesting because I don’t actually like seeing photos of me. Of course we would need a great contrasty shot like Georgia’s for you to work with…
Great post! Loved the walk vedio though it was hard to hear your softspoken voice; even still I think I heard it pretty good with my ear pressed to my speaker as close as I could without getting the vedio out of view. Loved seeing your process of adding the grass and then putting it on the canvas. Would like to see a finished piece of work though! That one rock you lifted up to the light shone its glitter so beautifully! Loved that rock…was that mica that you could crush down somehow? Well again I hope you have a post showing some finished work with the earth (grass material) on canvas! Take care and thanks for another great post.
P.S. Remember I am a fan of your artwork so that is why I keep wanting to see finished products. =) Cin
Yes, getting decent sound outside here is challenging. There’s been so much wind and that howls on the video so the talking must be softened to soften the wind! Then the music hides the wind further… oh dear, after Easter the winds usually die down, so maybe there will be some clear sound 🙂
Actually, the mica I’ve been using has been collected by Isabro Ortega at a site people have been using for centuries here. It is already broken down and just needs to be collected and sifted. But the micaceous rock, like that in the video, is what breaks down and makes the micaceous soil.
These pieces are hard to photograph. You really need to get close to them to see the interplay between the grasses, the mica and the pigment, but I will see what I can do… I’m glad you’re interested!
Very much interested! Hope you can get some good pictures to show me, well all of us, for I’m sure I’m not the only one interested. Thanks again and Take care, Cin =)
I was just at the gallery to take some photos for you and my battery died! I’d used it up shooting video at a puppet show. So soon, very soon…