Wednesday

I worked on the sun bathed cliff today. In reality it was made up of busted-up rock layers, laid down over millions of years and then most likely shattered during the uplifting process. So if I were to paint it all as is, my mind would be turning into jelly right about now. My only option is to simplify the whole thing and make a smoother cliff. Nobody likes a busy painting anyways!

The cliff on the right side is glowing from reflected light, so I want to put that in tomorrow and start on the water.

Richard Boyer

Tuesday

I worked on the background cliffs this morning. Just had to make sure the values and colors were all close enough so as to push it back into space. I'll get larger value and color jumps as the cliffs come closer to the viewer.

I'm leaving for a six day river trip down the San Juan this Friday. This is that trip I talked about earlier with Dave Strayer and all the research scientists. I will be the token artist, kind of like the pet dog being brought along for the trip! So every day I have been slowly getting my things together and putting them in a corner of the basement. I have about seven canvases I'll be taking with, so I've designed a rocket box to hold wet paintings and most of the painting material.

I picked up one of those Soltec easels the other day and found out that it doesn't hold as much as my French easel, so the extra tubes of paint will have to go in the box with the wet paintings.

We tend to eat really well on these trip. I made a lasagna and Strayer will be bringing with a dutch oven, so I don't think anyone will be going hungry. A few boxes of wine and cases of beer will also be with to wash down the food.

The one thing that is still missing and I have been looking all over the place for it ! Is the star chart and binoculars, last time we were there Nick brought them with and the star gazing was amazing, we actually had a good view of the Andromeda Galaxy with just some simple binoculars.

Richard Boyer

Monday, May 10

Monday is just one of those days.

Yesterday Victor and I decided to go on-line and see what kind of airfare prices we could get over to Sweden. We settled in on Orbitz.com and found some prices that were competitive, still expensive as hell, but what else can you do. So we booked marked the page. I went there to buy the tickets about two hours ago. As soon as I started clicking on the desired flights, up popped the message “Sorry this flight is no longer available at this price!” It was doing that with every offer I clicked on. I’d had enough, so I called up Orbitz.com……that was a joke!

After waiting for twenty minutes they patched me through to some call center in India, why does every airline and website put you though to @#%@ India?

The guy, who was basically clueless, answers the phone like he is in a speed reading contest, most of which I can not understand. I gave up asking him to repeat every other sentence. From what I could understand, the airlines where all changing their prices and nothing was actually up to date…………”so like what is the point of your web site, if none of the prices even are real?” I asked

“No problem, I can help you!”, was my response. It took a while to explain that I was just looking for the best route over the Atlantic without half a dozen stops. His last offer was a flight from Salt Lake via L.A, Houston, Philadelphia, then over to Frankfurt and up to Stockholm. All for the price of $1,600…………….”your kidding, aren’t you?” and I hung up! That flight took close to two days in flight time!

I called SAS and they told me $2,600. per person was their best offer, I hung up again! Keep in mind I’m buying for five! By this point I had been messing around with various people for close to two hours trying to get a price that wouldn’t mean taking out a second mortgage.

Finally I was beginning to see that KLM had the cheaper fares over there from the various websites, so I looked at their site and booked some tickets there. At $ 1,350 each, it was the lowest I could find !!!.........damn these airlines must be making a good profit!

I finished off the 30x40 painting

And started another Grand Canyon piece.

Richard Boyer

Friday

How do real estate agents put it? "and its sooooo charming!"......which of course translates into "its ridiculously small."

Such is Rick's humble abode!

We all stuffed ourselves into his living room last night for the crit session. Surprisingly it worked out rather well, although getting any distance form the work wasn't much of an option. The snack table was placed right in front of me, so very quickly the pizza got smaller and smaller.

I arrived late, after ten, with Victors school play. Karin didn't want to admit that the whole production could have been shortened by about an hour! I noticed a lot of parents looking at their watches.

The lazer pointer was passed around and the critiquing got to a late start, but nevertheless went smooth. The only problem being that I call it quites after twelve. With the kids getting up at seven, I can't pull all nighters. Robert was the last one to pull out his works, but I had to leave. I think we really have to get the sessions started much earlier, the only problem is convincing the other critters to show up earlier so we can make it a reality.

Richard Boyer

Thursday

Today I worked more on the 30x40, trying to get as much done as possible on it. I’m always amazed at people who can finish off something that large at one sitting. Richard Schmid seems to come to mind there, as for me…….forget it !

It could still use another day or two depending on how rough the critique committee will be tonight. I know it needs to be warmed up a bit in the foreground and maybe break up some of the dense green foliage overhead. Some sky holes might fix that problem?

Tonight Victor’s school, the Salt Lake Arts Academy is putting on their annual fund raising play. The entire school is involved in this theater production, a play that has been several months in the working. And tonight is the family night, where everyone can go with the kids and watch their older brother of sister perform. Tomorrow in the fancy formal performance, a dress up, wine sipping event which will cost you fifty dollars a ticket. Its all for a good cause, so most everyone will show up. We are signed for both evenings.

Rick Graham will be hosting the crit session tonight, since this play will take a little longer, I most likely won’t be there until 10:00.

Richard Boyer

Wednesday

So last night Karin's mother was telling us over a glass of wine about her grandparents, what they were like and where they came from in Skåne ( southern Sweden). I asked when they were born, she replied 1866.
Yes, they could have been talking to Anders Zorn if they were up in Dalerna

Today I started a larger version of some of the stuff I have been working on for the Joe Wade Gallery, a 30x40 alley scene from Sante Fe. I have a feeling this will be fun to do, since it will be quick. I like that since you can get all kinds of spontaneous brush strokes.

I ran out of a few colors so its off to the local Utrecht store to stock up again!

Richard Boyer

Tuesday

Here is Monday's model session at Rick's place. We worked on her for about two and a half hours. Last night we also had Karin's mother arriving in from Sweden. Markus, our oldest picked her up at the airport from her dazed 18 hour flight. When I got back at 9:30, she was still up; real time for her would have been six in the morning!

Elsie will be staying for four weeks or so, which for us is great. She loves to take over in the kitchen and help with the kids.


I did another small 14x11 piece this morning for the gallery in Santa Fe, its actually another window from Provence. It was quick and fun to do. I need to do more of these, since its good practice to get the entire piece finished in one session. It generally translates into thick brush stokes to get it done.

I also worked on the other four 12x16's from last week, so these I'll also throw in the box and send off today or tomorrow.


Richard Boyer