Roadmap Or Hike To a Painting™

Among my absolute favorite places is Central, Western, New Mexico, the unforgettable Mesa and Butte Country. 

Where history and archaeology demand your attention

One of the most memorable rock formations in Western New Mexico is called "los gigantes" or the giants. Beyond the dramatic cliff face, this area also has an important relationship to Chaco Canyon, the famous Archaeological site in Western New Mexico.  A question that often arises when visiting Chaco, is where did these Native Americans go.  Well, this ancestral Zuni site is one of the best examples of a Post-Chacoan great house community dating from about A.D. 1250–1275.  This site is also one of the most important pre-contact (before the arrival of Europeans) communities in the region.

A view that just catches your breath

As an artist, I was drawn to the crystal blue skies that offset the dramatic image of red and cream colored cliffs.  Atmospheric perspective is what painters refer to as the impact that distance has on the size of objects and their color.  There are few better places to have a view that demonstrates this effect.  As a young man, and an elementary school teacher on the Zuni Pueblo, I used to love climbing these formations and hiking all around the area. In fact, my first art instructor was Alex Seowtewa, the famous Zuni painter, read more about Alex's impact in me under the About Me tab on my Website.  I was lucky to have been working that day with Michael Chesley Johnson, who was sharing insights and tips from his decades of plein air painting in the Southwestern U.S. and beyond.  We set up our easels on the North side of the formations, and then took a beat to do some sketches.  The idea was to take it all in, and explore what about this scene we wanted to capture.  In my painting, I wanted to capture the reds and pinks of the late afternoon sun as it shone on the cliffs.  I also included a ranch house nestled in the trees, to acknowledge that this area has been cared for, as part of private ranches, for over 100 years.  In my painting, I also wanted to put special emphasis on the rich colors in the earth and the pinion and juniper trees,  as well as the sage. 

Roadmap To A Painting or Landscape Travelogue 

An integral part of my BLOGs, is this idea of a travelogue.   Western New Mexico has an incredible number of drives filled with breathtaking views.  This drive begins heading South of Santa Fe on I 24 and then West on I 40 toward the cities of Grants and Gallup.  The side trips are many, including Laguna and Acoma Pueblos and El Malpais National Conservation, but our path stays on I 40 West to Exit 81 A for New Mexico Highway 53 South. A quick side note here, for those who have not traveled around the Southwest, make sure you get gas and eat before heading South on 53.  Services are readily available along the Interstate, but further apart on the rural routes.  The Kiva Cafe is a good stop not far from the exit at 1500 Willow Dr, Milan, NM 87021.  They also have a Trading Post, if you are interest.  Back on Highway 53,  heading South and West you will cross the Continental Divide and be in the midst of the Zuni Mountains. As you approach Los Gigantes an interest stop is El Morro National Monument, where Conquistadors left inscriptions in the soft sand stone cliffs.  After exploring Los Gigantes, you can choose to head back toward Grants and Santa Fe, or head West and North to Gallup.  Great stops abound there, and good places to eat include the El Rancho Hotel or Earls Dinner.  Both spots are steeped in history, and at Earl's you may even pick a mommento of your trip from one of the artisans.

Have fun!

For More About Jack Mc Gowan, please visit  www.jackmcgowan-artist.com