research, scheduling and an excursion

Pretty serious words for a Monday!

Started off the day saying farewell to the other guests. It's been so nice to have such interesting people around to visit with at night; sharing stories of our explorations and our lives.

After a round of hugs, it was back down the mountain to the Visitors Center to schedule the rest of my week with the Rangers and choose the day for my on-location walk-about with a Paleontologist. 

Next up was getting the addresses and hours for the different Indian Confederate Tribe centers where I will research the local Tribes of the John Day River area (which I learned today was originally called the Maha River.) 

While I've been painting, sketching, hiking, taking photographs and absorbing the unique geography of the area during my residency, my goal is to incorporate these things with some of my research into Native Tribal folklore and storytelling. I want to weave the landscape with the stories and create a series of paintings in my studio.

As part of my Residency, I have 4 months to submit 3 completed paintings to a panel from the NPS here at John Day Fossil. The panel will then select one as the FINAL piece. I'll then have an additional 2 months to make any changes to it, let it dry, have it varnished, framed and shipped! ( Come to think of it I may have already explained this in an earlier post! Oh well...)

I gathered up my schedule for the week, took a walk down to the river for a peek, then headed out for my EXCURSION! 

Yes. I, Sara. Drove. 3. Hours. To visit the Pendelton Woolen Mill in Pendelton, Oregon!! Gorgeous climbing drive up to 5075 ft surrounded by Ponderosa Pines then back down and across wheat colored grasslands and past weathered wind blown barns. 

I toured. I shopped. I drove down Main Street. Saw great, big old Craftsman Homes. I found a Starbucks! I got gas. I drove 3 hours back.

Well, 3 hours and 12 minutes thanks to a mandatory sunset photo and cow traffic on my last 5 miles up the gravel road