A great white cornfield

Spent the night in newton Iowa, along interstate 80 east of des Moines. Nice place with a speedway, community colleges, County courthouse, some dining options, and warm hearts.

Morning view on US Hwy 6 leaving newton. The view here was indicative of the next 200 miles.

Stopped at Coe College to view the art collection hanging in the library. It seems a wonderful facility.

View of the Mississippi river north from the Hwy 20 bridge which connects the two Dubuques.

Home town.

2016 studio pics

Casserole for client in KC, MO.  Design courtesy of a western mexico artist.

Terra Cotta platter. Thanks to Jennifer E., whose collection includes a couple of banana themed bowls.

Buff clay work bowls, early March.

Mugs for the Nest, Tulsa.  

At long last, my new tool for making handles, a georgie's extruder.

WalmART bridges

I enjoyed walking on the grounds of crystal bridges museum in nw arkansas' metroplex.

There is a new installation of a frank Lloyd wright home transplanted from a flood plain in the east. This isn't it.

Special exhibit of western hemisphere art comes down January 18.  Can't say the curatorial statement stuck with me.

New Year's Bread Bake

MIxed wheat and unbleached wheat flour in a ceramic bowl.  I've used metal bowls for years but decided this time to follow the path of the purist.

Sticky dough with the salt and oil added.

Much of the water called for in the recipe was not needed.

Big fat potter's hand working the dough.

The dough after chaffing.  My first time to do this.

The flying nun - ready for rising and punching down and rising.

Divide. Shape into loaves.

Time for the final proofing.

Debbie gave me these bread sheets years ago.  

Ready for the oven.

I've turned the bread to stone!
No surprise - as potters often turn things to stone.

Dining, santa fe to woodward, ok.

Evening sky coming into Woodward, Oklahoma. Ate like a pig at big Dan's steakhouse, where food happens fast.

Santa fe was white with snow and red with the best chili I've ever tasted. It took 33 years but I finally made it to the Shed (superb chili and tequila) and to the bistro at la casa sena (Broadway vocals and great piano man). Enjoyed the Huey gallery on Palace ave, speaking with Keith Huey and seeing early Scott Christianson plein air oils, as well as continuing my survey of pueblo pottery at the legitimate Andrea Fisher gallery. 

Left the Nedra Matteucci gallery through the side garden gate. Couldnt take the chance that my soaking wet 4  legged companion would shake off on a half million dollar painting or two. ( matter of a duck pond in the sculpture garden).

Then off to Taos via Chimayo and the high road for green chili stew and textile shopping. Pictured above: church in Chimayo.

Helped kick off a jazz fest in taos and hit the road for the oxygen rich okie atmosphere.

Gallup flea market - pinon to pig

Gallup flea market; big and dusty and bold. Hay for sale. Get your eats. Spend the day.

 Fresh crop of pinon nuts out of the Navajo Nation. Roasted. Salted. Eat em like sunflower seeds.

Pigs for sale. Also tools, clothes, shoes, music cd's, jewelry. Lots of tires.

Anywhere, west of Albuquerque. Lots of grass, but no cattle in sight.

Hotel view of cathedral: Snowy impression, Santa Fe november morning

Gallup lullaby

Route 66 lodging in Gallup, NM is located along the main line.  At 6900 ft above sea level, Gallup is the epicenter of native/pueblo art.  Earls restaurant is a good place to meet local artisans.  Richardson's has a wide selection dating back 103 years. Perry nulls is a good stop. South of town on the way to zia, Joe _______'s had good value. 

These rocks guard the entrance to acoma 's sky pueblo.

The pueblo sits 400 feet above the valley floor on a mesa.