I wasn’t sure how traveling alone would go. In spring, I visited New York and New Mexico, nearly back-to-back – neither new to me, but new to the newly solo me.
First, New York City. There, I wasn’t really alone too much. I was staying with a dear friend in Washington Heights, who handed me carefully off to my Brooklyn nieces in the middle of the trip, who handed me back to him for the rest of the visit… my sweet people making sure I didn’t brave the NY subway system by myself (but boy, did I learn about subway maneuvers!). However, much of my museum-going was solo. One day, I spent the afternoon alone in the Cloisters. I sketched there, plein air, instead of working from photos later as I often do. It was luxurious to have the time – as long as I wanted – to wander and sit and sketch. The Cloisters are lovely in that way.
NYC art highlights: surprised by a room of German Expressionists at the Neue Galerie; Americans in Paris show at NYU’s Grey Museum; contemporary art plus Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party at the Brooklyn Museum; a series of installations on the environment at Fotografiska (where the clock photo of me was taken, courtesy Joe Hamel). And so much more, of course. It’s New York!
Just a month later, I went to New Mexico. It was an overdue trip – Joe and I had intended to go again – we both love it there – but he never got well enough. I stayed in Albuquerque with beloved friends for a couple of days and then to Santa Fe, Ojo Caliente, and ending back in Albuquerque. I buried the last of the “Joe-dirt” at the base of a fragrant old desert sage, on a trail called “Joseph’s Mine Road.”
I love how a geography defines the palette for my daily practice travel sketching. From New York, unintentionally, my sketches are mostly graphite, and washes. Not a reflection of how colorful New York is, but there’s no doubt there’s lots of concrete. In New Mexico, it was impossible to resist color: the blues, the earth tones and since it was spring, some intense bright greens abounded.
In Santa Fe and Ojo Caliente, I was solo. I thought it might be strange or sad thinking of times there with Joe, and with my mother, too (who was my traveling companion over 20 years ago). But it was good. I felt safe. I felt free to go where I wanted, when I wanted. The autonomy was refreshing – I went with the flow. At Ojo, I did experience the “invisible older woman” syndrome, a somewhat liberating phenomenon (unless you are trying to get the bartender’s attention for the check). The best thing about the aloneness was walking in the desert with not a soul in sight. The silence and the sky profound.
NM art highlights: excellent contemporary abstract art in Santa Fe’s Canyon Road galleries, I particularly enjoyed Tierra Mar, and Gerald Peters Contemporary. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum of course, which featured a full-bodied retrospective, and some unfinished works, which, with my love of process, I especially enjoyed. The New Mexico Museum of Art is a small jewel, I had no idea. I learned about Rick Dillingham and enjoyed their selection of pieces from artists who had studied or worked in NM at various times.
So how did it go? I liked the autonomy and flexibility of solo travel but found that having folks to connect with (through mutual friends here in PT), was really nice for meal companionship, personal discovery and to get local knowledge. As in daily life, I enjoy solitude and sociability, and of course my trusty sketchbook – it’s a good mix.