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Getting Back On Track…

Somber Bear on Bike – Inspired by being Stranded..

Well, I just arrived back from Arizona Fine Art Expo, about 4 weeks later than planned. I left January 3rd, expecting to be back the last week of March, but it was a longer trip than normal. Soon into the show, everyone realized we probably started a week early in the tourist season in Scottsdale. So, after consulting the artists, show management decided to extend the show one week. No problem, already setup and space on the Ranch next door paid up.

So you can imagine, being away from my little boy an extra week, I was really ready to get back home at the end of the show. Broke down on Monday and got up at ~4:40am on Tuesday, helped my friend John take another load to his storage, loaded-out to my trailer, then left the show about 1:40p on Tuesday afternoon, hoping to get down the road far enough to drive the rest of the way on Wednesday.

About an hour in, my ‘crazy’ GPS was telling me I-10 was shut down and I needed to re-route back up North of Phoenix. Silly GPS I thought, It will clear and I’ll be on my way. Well, in 6-7 hours I listened to an entire audio book but only moved a couple of miles. 🙁 Finally got back on the Interstate and started driving around 8:30 pm. I recognized I was tired but my trailer was packed and all the hotels were full cause of the shut-down. So pulled over for Diesel and DEF – always so careful to take care and do proper maintenance on my baby.. Less than a quarter mile down the road, it became apparent, in my exhaustion, I had made a mistake. So I spent the night in about 40 degrees alongside of I-10 and a group gathered around me through the night. The motor-home  behind me got roadside assistance in the morning, but I had to be towed 90-miles back to Tuscon. Had enough clarity, despite lack of sleep, to pay to have my trailer towed back to Loves. Then I was stranded in Tuscon for 16 days waiting for the fuel system to be replaced.

I picked up my truck last Thursday night and made it to Abilene in time for my Dad’s memorial on Sat & Mon then back to Austin, about 4 weeks later than initially planed. So In addition to repair costs, lodging etc. I’m also behind on work etc. since my Wacom Mobil Studio Pro tablet burned up on me a few days before Expo ended, have only had my cell phone to work on.

Thanks to the friends and family who ‘had my back’ and helped me get back home! 🙂

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Day on the Viking1 Rig in Gardendale, Texas

I grew up mainly in the West Texas town of Gardendale, Texas. An area built on the oil Industry with corporate offices in Midland a few minutes to the East and Odessa home to roughnecks just to the South. So when new drilling popped up in the little community where my parents still live, I had to go out and get some shots…

The initial shots here are just a sampling of the many I took chronicling the casing of the well and moving of the rig from a block and half West of my parents place (could see the rig well from the back yard) down East of their place by the new water tower. They are placed in somewhat chronological order and I really appreciate any feedback! 🙂

The rig is named Viking 1 and the Driller told me it was used for the Reality Show ‘Black Gold’ airing September 8. A huge thanks to the crew who initially invited me on site and the Driller for Keystone oil for the great background information and allowing me to shoot. Guys send me you your bio info so I can add to these and upcoming images – Y’all were great! 😀

Click here for the initial gallery of 52 images…

Viking1 - Sway by Jamie Rood Catch Casing by Jamie Rood Forklift Tilt Crew on Platform Rig near Water Tower by Jamie Rood Casement by Jamie Rood Ready to Haul In by Jamie Rood

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Artists Lot @ Evergreen Arts Festival!

All setup and ready for the Evergreen Arts Festival tomorrow & Sunday. Camping out in the lot at old Albertsons with several other artists. Went to dinner with Jerome & his wife Kat & Dave at Taco Bell across the lot. Instead if hanging my shower bottle from the back trailer door, helped Dave (who I met at keystone last weekend) put up his new outdoor shower enclosure. It was great fun – you should have heard/seen us. Included a couple of pics…

Evergreen Shower - Dave Evergreen Shower - Jamie Evergreen - Artist’s Lot Evergreen - Artist’s Lot Jamie’s Rig SideEvergreen - Artist’s Lot Jamie’s Rig

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Camping Along the Arkabsas River…

Sitting here on my futon with the door of my utility trailer open to the roaring Arkansas River following a thunderstorm. Eating Dolmas and pita chips after a day of shooting – which started off by a good breakfast with my neighbors and fellow artists from Florida at their campsite beside me.

I was like a kid in a candy store earlier crawling down the bank of a creek, through Poison Ivy and brush. Here, off in the back-roads, lay several old vehicles with water running through and around, moss, spider webs, and overgrowth. BEAUTIFUL! Waiting for little spurts of light through the thick trees and making due with the overcast. A sort of paradise as I step down onto a large boulder to find it give a little – like the top of an old car! 😀

Before I descended, the county water commissioner drove by and after I swung my mirror around and moved a large rock to let him pass my truck, we chatted and he told me they were put there originally 30-40 years ago as rural ‘erosion-control’.

After a while, it started to rain, so I headed back into to town for a long walk with an new friend and a bite to eat along the river watching kids float by and kayakers practice. Then when the Sun came out later, I drove back out – but alas by time I arrived, it had gone down behind the mountain. Tomorrow I will go back with my wet shoes and hopefully a little more sun, then maybe off to a mining town.

Alright time to bungy the door and lay down in my sweats for a chilly night…

 Of course, pics later 😉

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New Crates…

Dad & I built some new crates last week:

Really a great time working with Dad while Mom was away to Kansas City.

1 holds up to 32″x48″* canvases and the other up to 18-20″x27″ canvases. The larger one opens up from either side to allow opening in tight quarters…

New Crates for Jamie Rood New Crates for Jamie Rood New Crates for Jamie Rood – together with current crates…

the largest size holds a 40″x60″ canvas, the khaki color holds my 24″x36″ canvases and the smaller hold 18″x24″ canvases (the smallest I normally carry to shows).

Update: 2010-07-31: The new ones are shown above un-sealed, just got done sealing them with Marcela.

* intend to start bringing this size out to fill a gap, but the crate also holds all sizes like my 12-18″x48″ (long ones) etc..