12.14.2007

migration


this is my new tattoo.

12.11.2007

everyone but you



yesterday i got a new tattoo and a really bad headache. i decided to hit the sack early, but before i smooshed my face into a pillow i decided to give eric shiveley's two hour documentary a chance.
eric is an alamosa local. he spends a lot of his time in milagros on his computer and always orders a cup of coffee, a cookie and, oh ya, some ice water. when i first met him i thought he was probably just another jerk with a camera. he often makes awkwardly inappropriate jokes that i cant even be offended by cause he mumbles so much. but, like many of the folks in alamosa, eric has become a face i am fond of and i like when he comes into the coffeeshop to spend two dollars in five hours of free wireless. he's funny and he's cute. and he is just another jerk with a camera but a jerk ive come to appreciate. and it also turns out that his jerk of movie is actually quite good. call it a revisionist western as it pours viewers into the beautiful isolation of middle of nowhere colorado. eric sells everything he has to move to the desert of the san luis valley to live in a trailer while he builds a tin can of a house. he is lonely and ambitious; a lethal combination for any artist. while he builds his home he struggles to find himself as a musician and as a person searching for a place where he "belongs and knows he is needed". his documentary tells the story of a rugged individual searching for what every john ford cowboy wanted: freedom and happiness.
take a look at the trailer above. if you're interested in seeing the film or know of any festivals he could submit it to, let me know. because, honestly, the movie doesnt suck.

12.06.2007

la familia de la casa monterey


ghosts of smith college past

a couple days ago i was in an antique store here in alamosa sifting through a box of old postcards complete with messages and memories. as i flipped through i found a familiar image; after closer examination i realized it was a photo of none other than northrop gillet house, a dorm i lived in at smith college. i continued to sift and found another image of smith college. these postcards are from a woman named jeannette to her fellow smithie, gwen. the first one is dated 1950 and the other 1926. it seems gwen got married and moved to colorado springs.
what a crazy find - - the world is a small, small place.




the message here reads:
"dear gwen, remember our happy days here? having lovely time and enjoying driving to and from rochester. much love, jeannette and kate" dated 1950

this one reads:
"dear gwen, i've been here for a few days. have loads to tell you. miss bailey was married today. will write you a long letter very soon. love, jeannette" dated 1926


12.04.2007

sketches part deux

some more sketches, similar themes as before:



more fotoz

on top of the polariods in the post below i have a few other photo updates of life here in the san luis valley. this past weekend i was fortunate to have a three day weekend and while my travel plans didnt work out (first gallup, then denver, then santa fe) i was glad to have the weekend to relax and enjoy some time off. i spent most of the weekend working on my grad essays and sitting in my bed. my journey with katie on sunday was really nice. this valley is full of bizarre vistas. and with winter fully under way the mountains that surround this valley are extra beautiful. the view is almost unreal - like a painted backdrop in some theater. i am very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place.


the old drive in theater past monte vista, right before
center on route 285. i have a polaroid of the sign in the
post below but i also love this photo as it captures the
empty and forgotten frontier. the sign says 'entrance'
but there is nowhere to go.


crazy trees in the dead of winter. although i hear it is
january that is the most painful month here in colorado.


tink marvels at what appears to be a spotlight for her
mischievous ways.

the next two weeks will be crazy: this friday is the charity ball sponsered by valley wide health systems. basically it's a big fundraiser for la puente and there's a lot of work to be done to prepare for it. then, on saturday the 15th we will be having a christmas party at the shelter complete with santa and elves. the theme we have chosen is "christmas stories" including a variety of well known stories about the holiday season. all the volunteers are dressing up as different characters. i made it pretty clear that despite my height i'd truly prefer not to be an elf. so instead i think i will be tiny tim from a christmas carol. that means i get a crutch and multiple opportunities to say "god bless us everyone". then on the 18th i drive out to st.louis to visit polly and company. all very exciting.

sunday drive

this past sunday katie and i went on a short drive around the san luis valley. it was a really beautiful day; blue skies, snow topped mountains. here are a few highlight polaroids.