Gallery In the Sun

"His hand trembled as he struck the match.  But he didn't hesitate.  He reached down and touched off a bonfire that consumed 100 of his oil paintings, watercolors and sketches valued at an estimated $250,000.
Ted DeGrazia, the Tucson, Arizona artist, shocked the art world on the night of May 12, 1976 with his blazing protest against the Internal Revenue Service. " (from a newspaper article of the day)

Even though I had been there four times before I passed up the entrance twice before I saw the sign...



I was still not feeling the best after my bout of stomach upset but I had been cooped up for several  days in the house; the paint and glue smells from the work being done, and the need to visit the Apple store all forced me out of the house.  So I took advantage of a spectacularly sunny day and packed a sandwich for lunch with the idea of visiting this gallery that is very near the Apple store in Northwest Tucson.



If you were around in the 50s or 60s then you will surely recognize his art.  It was (according to the critics) the kitsch-of-the-day and, I confess,  one of his prints hung on the kitchen wall of our home when Roger and I were first married.



Look familiar?

Ted DeGrazia built his gallery out of 'found materials'  high up in the Catalina foothills. The door to the building is reminiscent of a mine entrance and was inspired by his birthplace, a small mining town in southern Arizona.



He was an artist, sculptor, musician, builder, craftsman, and back-to-nature hippy (according to several of my friends who knew him.)

 

The inside of the gallery is part and parcel of the desert….  

 

Walls of adobe and native grasses,



and the floor is composed of sections of LaCholla cactus, cut into 4" slices and imbedded into cement, then varnished.





Here and there are patterns, and occasionally a lovely chunk of turquoise.

There are lots of nooks for displays of his works...



But no windows.  Light came in through little holes around to tops of the rooms.

 

 And there were many, many rooms; 15 or more. 

Of all his work, and there is a lot of it on display, I like his horses the best.

But he did pottery and jewelry and ironwork and sculpting.



This is a wall hanging in cloth.



  

He clearly had an affinity for the natives of the area--the Indians and the Hispanics.

He built a small chapel on the property and Indian weddings were often held here. 

  

The critics may have frowned upon his work but people drove from hundreds, even thousands of miles away to find his gallery and buy his work.  And at that time it was miles outside of the city along a steep and unmaintained dirt road.

Ted DeGrazia burned his paintings because his heirs could not have them without paying taxes on their market value.
He explained it this way, "I thought about this for a long time before I did it.  I tried to give my paintings to the University of Arizona but they didn't have any room to hang them, they told me."

"If an artist wants to take a tax deduction for his paintings, he is allowed only the few dollars it costs him for paint, canvas and other materials.  Yet when the artist dies, the government wants to collect taxes from his heirs on the market value of the paintings.  That's when I decided to burn them."
The angry artist had been hurt by the refusal of his alma mater to accept his paintings, so he tossed them into a Jeep and headed for the Superstition Mountains.   When he reached Apache Junction some of his friends met him.  "Nobody tried to stop me," he said.  "Once I had made up my mind, that was it." 

Later DeGrazia sat in a chair on his patio behind his studio and told the reporter how he felt when he saw his art work going up in flames.  "For a long time I sat and looked at the paintings…" and then he described the subjects, the settings, the incidents that each brought to mind.
He was accused of creating a publicity stunt, of burning only prints. But they were truly all originals-- and he never painted again.

(Next:  The house and gardens)

Am I Blue?

This has been a No Good, Very Bad Week….

It started with Precious (the IPad).  No Sound.  How do you talk to Siri without sound, much less listen to "This American Life" or Jon Stewart?
I had an appointment at the Apple Store on Tuesday but I started to feel really bad on Monday.  A Bug?  Something I ate? I showed up at the Apple Store anyway but boy did I feel rotten.  They said her speakers were gone and to come back Thurs. and they would give me a new Precious. I left clutching my beloved Precious to my chest.  A new Precious?  I felt discombobulated. (Hmm, do I have a fever?)
Tuesday night and Wednesday were very uncomfortable, especially since I had workers in the house all week replacing some sheetrock, repairing some walls, plus painting my bedroom.  The fumes were ghastly.
I was nauseated with flu or food poisoning, plus smelling paint and primer and glue,  and who knows what else.
And then the Coups de Gras, I could not post pictures to the blog!  All Week!  I am hoping it is something minor--but now I am waiting for Ron to work his magic.

Eureka! The sun came out.  By Thursday I felt much better and kept my appointment at Apple.  They discovered the glitch that had shut down the iPad's speaker, so I didn't have to adopt a new Precious. Ron says I need to stop playing the Heavy Metal and Acid Rock at full volume.
The workers were done by Friday evening and I have my bedroom back without plastic all over everything.  Food tasted good again. Sigh Me came out of hiding and curled up in my lap to purr.

And maybe I will be able to post something this weekend….Stand by.

It's a New Year!

 It was a great party at Phillip's house.  He lives high up in the Catalina foothills overlooking Tucson, and he collects all manner of creepy, crawly desert critters.

For some, his hobby manifested in the form of hors d oeuvres.

I managed to stay out of the room with all the mysterious tanks and cages. I tend to have nightmares and I was sleeping in the RV that night without the protection of Sigh Me.



I wanted a picture of the city from high on the hill but failed to get a good one before dark settled in.  Take my word for it, the view was pretty fantastic, and in every direction.  And the stars were brilliant.  We even espied a few comets--or UFOs.

All ages were present, while marshmallows and sparklers proved the hit of the party.

Other than being a collector of tarantulas, Phillip is also a firebug and a chemist so the fire came in many colors.   

I tried to get some photos of the blue and green flames but alas, no luck.



It's interesting how the photos come out when the lens stays open too long.  (My New Year's resolution, To get into a photography class.)

 

 I was parked at the side of the road and this was my view in the morning.  It was, for sure, a beautiful day.  The night had been pretty cold without Sign Me to snuggle with but I thought it best not to bring her along--fireworks and such. 

2014 is a new year and it looks as though it will be very interesting… So much is changing.

New Colorado Motto (as seen on Twitter):   "Have you looked at your hand?  Have you really looked at your hand?

Food, Cooking, Storing, Appliances & Recipes I Liked

Someone asked me recently, "Did you just eat out all of the time?"
Actually, I ate out very seldom but cooking was definitely a challenge in the very small space.

Lessons learned in an RV come unexpectedly, very messily, and they stick--in more ways than one.   No matter how carefully things are packed away it takes only one misjudged corner turn, where a wheel or two ends up on the curb, to discover there are problems in stowing food. And I guarantee you that every RV driver has taken a corner too close or too fast at some point.

Food storage took months of such lessons before I reached some semblance of  order in my tiny galley.

The first hurdle was dry storage.  How do I reduce the enormous amount of stuff I had collected in my kitchen over all the years to no more than the essentials.  And how do I pack all the staples, cans, condiments and spices that are necessary to put together a meal and secure it ultimately from mayhem.

As I started packing stuff in the RV I learned very quickly, the fancy packages that encase food will occupy most of the shelf while leaving a lot of unusable space over and around the items.  It was that initial realization that brought me to the idea of cutting down those great big plastic containers cat litter comes in (thoroughly washed out of course) to the exact size of the shelf the containers were to sit on.  Then I took all those boxes of cereals, flours, beans and noodles and repackaged them in zip top baggies and threw away the boxes.   By layering each packet into the plastic boxes I was able to more than double the amount of food I could store, it was easier to find because I put similar items in each container and listed everything on the outsides of the containers.  Food stuffs were safer on the shelves because the containers kept things from sliding around willy nilly.

Hints:  Cut out all directions needed for items such as oatmeal, polenta, rice, etc. and pack inside the baggie with the food. 
Put one or two bay leaves in any packet that contains flour, cornmeal, grits, etc. to keep out the weevils.  Believe me--it works. 

On one crazy curve the fridge door flew open and deposited food all over the floor.  That told me those cute little tupperware containers were not the best storage either.  Besides I could never find the right lids, the bowls were as space consuming as the boxes had been,  food was hard to see when packed in colored bowls and tightly into the fridge, and when the bowls hit the floor the lids would usually fly off.

I discovered canning jars were the answer this time.  No matter what the size of the jar, there are only one of two size lids and the lids tightly seal the jars  so they don't leak when sloshed around.  The jars can hold very hot or very cold food, they can be purchased in any grocery store, and they can take a lot of abuse without breaking. I proceeded to toss out all my plastic containers and have not regretted it even once.

The best of all things about canning jars is that you can can--yes you can.  (I want that put to music please.) In other words, if the jars are sterile, and the leftover soup is really really hot, the jar will seal and hold for several days longer in the fridge.  In this way I did not have to dine on a batch of chili for seven meals straight. This procedure is not really canning unless the jars are boiled in water for at least a 1/2 hour but it will still stretch the life of leftovers far longer than usual.  Following is one of my favorite recipes to put into jars….

Mother's Eggplant Goulash

1# ground turkey, or chicken, or very lean beef

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 medium to large eggplant, peeled and cut into bite size pieces.

Approximately 1  quart chicken stock  (water & bouillon cubes okay for stock)

1/4 cup low salt soy sauce

Salt, Pepper and Herbs to taste--preferably fresh but dry will do.  I use whatever is at hand…thyme, oregano, basil, savory.  

In large pot, boil eggplant in stock until tender.  Set aside while sautéing ground meat, onion and garlic until onion is limp and meat is no longer pink.  Add soy sauce and seasonings and stir until well mixed.

Add eggplant to meat mixture and enough of the liquid to give a nice broth. (not too soupy)

Serve over brown rice or chinese noodles.

Eggplant Goulash, pear salad with honey-yogurt and walnuts, and white wine.  YUM!

  

The RV has a two-burner stove, a hotel-size fridge, a microwave, and a sink with running water.  That's it!  Since the microwave was electric I seldom used it except as a bread box.  Ron bought me the wonderful little NuWave oven (above)  that I kept mostly stored away unless I was plugged in to electricity.  (Best meal in the NuWave…Onto a sheet of Aluminum foil place a tilapia filet, thin slice of onion, fresh herbs, slices of button mushrooms, dribble of olive oil and several tablespoons of white wine. Seal packet and bake until done.)
I also had a crock pot but used it only once or twice.  On really hot days I would turn on the generator for 1/2 an hour and run the air conditioner while I cooked.
I have the little table-top barbecue stove that I used a lot in the parks until I set the picnic table on fire.  (another lesson learned--fake wood tables will melt, then ignite, if they get hot enough.  The Rangers don't like that.)

 


I don't always want to get up and cook oatmeal in the morning so I found a recipe that I can keep in the fridge in canning jars and just pour into the skillet in the morning….

                          Oatmeal and Applesauce Pancakes

In a large bowl, usually the night before, mix….
                            1 Cup self rising flour (or 1 cup flour & 1 Tblsp baking powder)
                            1/4 teasp. allspice or cinnamon
                            1 Cup quick cooking oats
                            1 Teasp. vanilla
                            1/3 cup applesauce
(I keep on hand the small individually packed 4 oz applesauces and just eat a tablespoon out of the cup to make it the right amount.  Please don't tell on me.)
                             1 1/2 cups milk
                             3 tablespns syrup (sometimes I use molasses)
                             2 tablespns oil

Stir gently and pour into a jar to store in fridge.  Each morning I pour enough to cover the bottom of my Pam-sprayed skillet and allow to cook slowly until firm enough to flip.  (Hint: Spray spatula with Pam to keep batter from sticking to it.) Also, add a little more milk if batter becomes too thick.  Serve with lots of fruit and honey-yogurt.  Sometimes I add walnuts to the batter. 

Aunt Louise discovered this treat and I found the recipe on the Web.  It stores nicely in jars and was a nice dessert to have easily at hand….

Cherry Coke Jello

Ingredients

• 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 packages (3 ounces each) cherry gelatin

• 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

• 3/4 cup cola

Directions

1. Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set fruit aside. In a saucepan or microwave, bring pineapple juice and water to a boil. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Stir in pie filling and cola.
2. Pour into a serving bowl. Refrigerate until slightly thickened. Fold in reserved pineapple. Refrigerate until firm. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Copied from Tasteofhome.com website


Now I am headed to a New Year's Eve Party and don't expect to be up to blogging for a few days.  I hope you all have have A GREAT NEW YEAR!

Holiday lights and movies.

Here are all my neighbors and their lights were photographed from my front yard.

 



In his yard there is a complete creche, four or five Disney characters, lit up chili peppers, and carols playing.
Those green things are a sahuaro cactus and a mesquite tree.

Somehow desert trees don't do so well with lights on them.

Everybody is doing it so here are my top ten movies for 2013:

1.)  Gravity (This is as close as I can get to a trip to outer space)

2.) Philomena (Judy Dench is a marvel)

3.)  Inequality for All (Documentary by Robert Reich)

4.)  Mud (Matthew M. is changing his stage persona)

5.) Dallas Buyer's Club (Change complete)

6.)  Captain Phillips (Good adventure story though not exactly true.)

7.)  American Hustle (Hooray! Finally a movie that gives women equal footing--so they steal the show)

8.) 12 Years a Slave. (The language feels authentic and makes the story that much more real.)

9.) The Butler (Good acting and interesting to see Jane Fonda play Nancy Reagan)

10.) Much Ado About Nothing (Now that is the way I like to see Shakespeare played out)

These are movies I recommend but there are at least a dozen more that are playing right now that, I am sure, are excellent as well.  Anyway, I think it has been a great year for movies.


The highlight for me, however are the Academy Award nominated shorts that all play in February, on a three-night marathon, at our local art theatre.  The shorts are from three categories; live action, documentary, and animation.  If they are playing anywhere near you then don't miss them--I promise you will not be sorry.

Now let me know what movies you liked this year.

  

Christmas musings...

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…..Hmm, I have never eaten a roasted chestnut.  I will add that to my list for next year.



Son, Ron, took his fiancé, Loretta, to Minnesota for Christmas--I am not sure why.  The temperature  there today is 29 degrees--and that is the high.  Poor Loretta. It is summer in her home town of Perth right now. Maybe Ron is testing her.



Last weekend was friends, Don and Nancy's annual Solstice Party and it turned out to be the best ever.



Don started it off with a speech that included the history of Solstice plus lots of welcomes and recognition of friends.



Before the night was over the crowd had grown to nearly 100 people….



many of them friends for a number of years.



The entertainment was grand--and loud--with at least 3 microphones and speakers both inside and out...



But not even one irate neighbor showed up--even after the Karaoke got under way.




We had a drone that circled the party throughout the night.



And we had a great rendition of "Mack the Knife."



The wonderful thing about a party of such lovely friends is that they will all listen to the singing then applaud whether you are good or bad.



But many of them, on this night, were very very good.



Homage was paid to the best of all Christmas movies.



And those that were tone deaf found a great card game that included insulting politicians and testing ones sense of humor.



And others enjoyed just sitting around the bonfire that managed to continue burning until the wee hours of the morning.
Thanks guys, it was a great party.



Enjoy your Christmas dinner while you listen to my favorite tune...

http://k2radio.com/my-new-favorite-christmas-song-video/?trackback=fbshare_top

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkwlR6EnOps


 I hope you can access one of the above links, but if not go to Youtube and put in:

"Stuck in the Smoke hole of our Tipi" 

But be careful, this tune will not leave your head for hours.