Last year when sales were almost non-existent, I forgot what it is like to arrange a painting schedule around the heat and the limitations of a swamp cooler. Now I remember. Everything has a downside and an upside. Last year up—no painting in the heat. This year up—good sales. All set up, ready to begin, […]
MKPS Picnic in the Park
The Mineral King Preservation Society sponsors an annual picnic each year in Mineral King in July. It is a bring-your-own-picnic, bring-your-own-chair event. There is lots of chit-chat among friends, and each year a speaker brings stories of Mineral King for learning, entertainment, and for the preservation of history. This year the speaker will be Trail […]
A Pair of Long Hot Days, Part Three
On day two of my Mineral King oil painting biathalon, I started early, actually feeling kind of excited to try a new scene. I was so into the details that I forgot to take very many photos of the progress. Call me “Butter” cuz I’m on a roll! Next? These two would most likely be […]
A Pair of Long Hot Days, Part Two
After I carried the first painting outside, I just grabbed the next canvas in the lineup. It is an unusual view of the Honeymoon Cabin, which is a tiny museum for the Mineral King Preservation Society. It is either the 2nd or the 3rd best selling subject of Mineral King oil paintings. I carried this […]
A Pair of Long Hot Days, Part One
When paintings are selling quickly and the season is short, your Central California artist must work quickly. Therefore, on a pair of hot days, she soldiered through multiple paintings to restock the store at the Silver City Resort. First, this piece needed the water to be repaired, the edges painted, and a signature. This one […]
More Hot Times in Mineral King
Here is the continuation from Friday’s long post about hot times in Mineral King. Evening light In spite of the ferocious heat down the hill and the uncommon heat in Mineral King, the evenings were very pleasant. One evening, Trail Guy went in search of his favorite flower, the leopard lily, more commonly known as […]
Hot Times in Mineral King
When it is Really Hot down the hill, it is just hot in Mineral King in the sun and on the trail. Sitting in the shade isn’t too bad, if you are covered in bug spray, the kind with a lot of DEET. When the heat is on, the biting bugs are very very active. […]
Three Ready and Two Not Ready to Sign
I made a list of what to fix on Red Barn, Big Oak, fixed it, and decided it is good enough to sign. (There is time to change my mind and add, correct, or subtract.) I put another layer on the bridge, which is going to be a challenge for many reasons. This is the […]
Community Life in Mineral King
Mineral King Without Hiking
There is always work to be done on cabins; I’m the self-appointed Chairman of the Neighborhood Beautification Committee. As such, I said “I can” when a neighbor asked if I knew of anyone who could paint the trim on his cabin. The very faded and peeling trim. A new pair of socks is on the […]