"When the way comes to an end,then change- Having changed, you pass through."
I-Ching
Recoiling to the depths of my memory. The summer is slowly fading away and many stories have yet to be shared. Part 1 left off at Ad Astra Music Festival, right before my departure to Colorado for two weeks. Returning Sunday from the festival to fly out at 7am that Tuesday June 14th constructed a small window of time to get ready and pack with all necessary supplies for travel in the state and painting Sonic Bloom Music Festival. I arrived to Denver early in the afternoon and was scooped up by one of my oldest friends I had not seen in 5 years, "D-Dot" or Todd, also a Virginia native.
"Sunshine of Your Love"
"Aloha"
When we arrived to his place we took his dog "Riggins" to Sloan's Lake which is practically a part of the neighborhood. Colorado sunshine radiates much stronger than back in the east. At a mile high in the Denver area, the sunshine awakens your bones and the air replenishes your lungs. As I took it all in, D-dot and I spotted a bald eagle which I felt was very symbolic of the journey. Conveying some sense of power to what lie ahead.
The next six days I spent scooting through Denver, seeing a Rockies game and catching up with other friends I know that live in the area. Just having a good ol' taste of what Denver had to offer as well as checking out small towns like Golden and Morrison where Red Rocks Amphitheater is. Right outside of Morrison there is a beautiful 5 mile hike in Matthews/Winters Park with a great overview at the top. Here are a few photos from the hike.
Our little friend we met along the way.
Sunset on the summit.
Summit which looks over Red Rocks.
After my adventures through Denver I took the bus to Boulder and stayed with my great friend from art school, Jake, who is also a Virginia native. He has continued his passion for glassblowing in Boulder full time so being in the shop with him was just like old times. My stay in Boulder was a restful one. I think after 6 days of running around in Denver I needed to catch my breath. Literally, the altitude will get to ya!
Boulder is such a quaint town with Colorado University at the center. There are two farmer markets a week which I got to enjoy during Wednesday's set up. All week we ate great home cooked food by Jake and his girlfriend Marie which was the replenishment I needed to prepare for a long weekend of live painting in Georgetown.
The spontaneity of this trip never seemed to bother me. There were obvious obstacles that for some reason I did not pay much attention to. There was the point that I had no tent for the festival, or blankets, and better yet no ride to the festival. And some how it all worked out beautifully. D-dot solved one problem by lending me an old tent he had in the basement. Jake and Marie lent me a blanket and pillow so that I did not freeze at night. Michael Garfield who was running the live painting set me up for a ride with Mackenzie, one of the other live painters. At about 2:30 in the afternoon on friday June 24th my ride arrived and I was extremely amped to be painting a festival in Colorado!
The artists had an amazing area of display consisting of two 20 foot domes that one served for merchandise and display and the other as a more relaxed and meditative room of display with beds all around the floor. The nights were cold! Easily in the 40's. Which surprised my attire a little bit. I did have the basics of socks, pants and a jacket but it was like a Virginia winter out there. Dancing while painting though is a great way to keep a center of warmth going. It did get toasty during the day but the mornings stayed nice and cool for ample sleeping time.
Around 8pm each night I would set up to paint by the main stage with all the other painters and stay going till about 2-3am. There was a great sense of community during those three nights of setting up with the painting crew. There were about 12 of us set up all in one long line like a hallway of artist. Walking down the line of artist through the bright lights, it was not only our artwork displaying as the gallery but as performers we were also a part of this living, breathing organism of artists taking life at night. A "live gallery" I will call it. I had never been part of such a large group of live artists at one time. For each of the three nights I painted a piece. This weekend I felt like purging all my creative energy into multiple pieces instead of taking the approach to working on one piece for multiple days as I will do in other cases. It served well to getting fresh ideas out that I am still using and working on currently. Here are photos of the finished work.
"Tied To My Heart"
6.24.11
Original $250
Prints $10
"Eyes On The Land"
6.25.11
Original $150
Prints $10
"Maze of Your Mind"
6.26.11
Original Sold
Prints $10
Artist Gallery
Picture of myself and a few other painters from Sonic Bloom's website.
When I was packing to leave Colorado I realized I could have booked another week to stay in the state and still could not have done everything I wanted to do. Completely satisfied with what I experienced on the journey, I am looking forward to my next visit to the Rockies which might be more of a permanent stay than a visit.
Soon after my Colorado excursion I had two shows to perform during the next two weekends. The first was at the National in Richmond Virginia invited by People's Blues of Richmond. I was accompanied by my other painting friend Thomas who always lends to great company, good conversation and inspiring creative insight.
"Sunshine of Your Love"
7.1.11
Original $150
Prints $10
The second show was at the Jewish Mother in Norfolk Va during Galaxy Dynamite and Silo Effect. Thomas was able to join me during this evening as well which brought a copious amount of communication with the audience confined by our small area to set up. In certain situations at shows it's so great to be painting with in the audience. Other times it can be a little overwhelming and difficult to hold one's own space. This evening everyone was extremely kind and respectful.
"Aloha"
7.9.11
Original $200
Prints $10
Thanks for reading and stay connected for many more stories I have to share from my 10,000 miles + of travel this summer.
Stay Creative,
Chapin Mathews
"All the works of man have their origin in creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination."
Carl Jung
