6.Original Plein Air Drawing, "Plein Air, Turkey Vultures 1, 5.10.24”, ink, 9 x 12”, 2024

Location: Flagstaff, AZ

Event: ArtX Flagstaff

The turkey vultures are everywhere in Flagstaff, and once I started noticing them, I couldn’t stop. For the whole rest of Art Tour 2024, I couldn’t help but pick them out from the sky, their distinctive wings with their actue angle of attack, their dark brown and white coloring, their ever-changing and dynamic silhouette so beautiful amongst the typically clear blue sky. This drawing was made with an ink brush pen, at Walnut Canyon just outside Flagstaff, including a novelty “Junior Ranger” stamp from the visitor center, and some of my sketchbook notes, the text reads:

“…the thick bands of rock (closing in on the visitor center), remind me of stacks of rubber tires, or heavy nautical tugboat bumpers. I watched a modest lizard slurp up ants as I drew his portrait twice. 1:49pm - I’m back at the visitor center. Before I go - the rim trail beckons! / Chat with Hank! De-breif: Guggenheim. “waiting for genius grant”. Damn. Solo shows @Santa Monica.”