I have been in San Francisco this week, attending a workshop with Juliette Aristides. She has researched and published rather extensively on classical methods of painting. The workshop has thus far had a lot of discussion based around technique-the first day we concerned ourselves with the value structure of a painting, the second was an inquiry into color and the third on drawing. Conceptual notions of beauty, meaning and teleology of paint have asserted themselves as well. Aristides views the atelier movement as a resistance to the post-industrial wasteland she sees us marching toward and views the role of the artist as to remind others of what we once had and have lost. These are values such as unity, appreciation of beauty, sense of place, purpose, sense of identity…

 

A backpacking trip this past week in Big Sur with a group from the Junior class provided great views and was a pleasant get-away from technology. Below are a few sights and the people with whom I shared them with. It was a great time. I am sorry to see it end so quickly.

I just came back from a whirlwind in the Wasatch Mountains. Too much traffic on my way there pushed my drive to about 19 hours, two hours spent sleeping in the cab of my truck. I met up with Kristina and Kerri and quickly shrugged off the lack of sleep.

We went for a tour of Big Cottonwood Canyon and hiked to a local waterfall.

It was time to ski. I had the good fortune of skiing with Brent for half a day.

In the afternoon, I toured with Dave and followed him as he sniffed out the powder.

This is the angle station, the view from the third deck of Watson Shelter. A few lift mechanics at work inside.

A small study on clayboard panel from the Rustler parking lot, looking down toward Mt. Superior and Salt Lake City.