A quote read in Tinkertown Museum
Morning, Tuesday, July 10th, I got myself together, checked my bags and went to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Research Center.
The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Research Center
The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Research Center with a view of the Juan Hamilton sculpture on the side lawn.
Now I have to admit this place intimidated me. They had rules: no pens, no Post-It notes, no photographs, no photo copies. In other words, lots of stuff you can't do. They also had what I want, information and lots of it.
If you don't know me then you have no idea how much I love books and papers. I buy books everywhere I go. When I become interested in a subject I want every piece of information I can find about that subject close at hand and in my personal possession. I have a huge library at home because of this drive to know. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Research Center and Yale's Beinecke Library are my Mecca.
I got to the Research Center early by about fifteen minutes. I sat and meditated while I waited. Seriously, I followed my breath. It worked to keep me calm and I didn't pace or fidget.
The Research Center is located on Grant Street just about three blocks from where I am staying.
After I had signed in the guard called the librarian and let her know that I was there. I sat still and as calm as I could be at the moment and waited.
The door opened and the librarian, a delightfully patient woman named Eumie, led me into the inner sanctum.
Books, shelves and shelves of books, a wall of file cabinets and another of flat storage drawers, library tables with lamps and two vitrines were all contained in a light, airy room. The building the Research Center is in is a work of art in itself.
Someone else came up to ask Eumie a question and I got to examine the contents of the vitrine. The first vitrine contained O'Keeffe's tackle box with oil paints and palette knives in one half. The other half was occupied by boxes of her charcoal and various supplies drawing supplies. The second vitrine contained O'Keeffe's pastels. My hands ached to hold them and feel the friction of crayon on paper.
In the meanwhile, Eumie had finished and was ready to help me out. She suggested a couple of books to answer my questions about O'Keeffe's support of other artists, but I already have them. I am a little obsessive when it comes to research and at last count my library of books having do with O'Keeffe, New Mexico and related people and things has reached over one hundred items.
After a short talk, Eumie provided me with several binders that I could go through and search for material that I would like to have pulled to look over. And that, my friends, is how I spent two hours.
I made an appointment to return to the Research Center later in the month when I come back through Santa Fe. Eumie said that she would have my materials ready for me.
I walked back to the Ghost Ranch Santa Fe with my feet barely touching the sidewalk and my head spinning with ideas.
I fixed myself a sandwich for lunch and returned to my room to print out my pictures from the past couple of days. My friend, Brandy, called to let me know that she was on her way from Houston.
I kept busy until time for her to arrive. Once we had her bags in the room, we ran out to the Plaza for a quick walk around before dinner. After we had dinner and attended the orientation for the Folk Art Traditions and Beyond, the workshop we are attending, we headed back to the Plaza for a free concert.
An unfortunately blurry picture of Robert Mirabal performing on the Plaza in Santa Fe
We almost ran to the Plaza. Robert Mirabal was playing a free concert on the Plaza and promoting his new CD, In the Blood. We arrived just in time to catch the last song. Robert Mirabal is from the Taos Pueblo. I've enjoyed his music and was glad to be able to buy the new CD and get it signed to boot.
After that we headed back to Ghost Ranch and a good night's rest before the first full day of the workshop.
No comments:
Post a Comment