21 Piece Show in Peoria Arizona

September 24 2013 we loaded up the trailer with 21 Termespheres and took off for Peoria Arizona for a show at the Challenger Space Center.   Peoria is north of Phoenix.   Scott Bohall from Glendale was our contact and supporter of this trip.  Another part of this trip was to deliver a piece to Oakland California and spend some time in San Francisco.

Our first night on the road was in Grand Junction Colorado.   The next day we took Highway  128 off I-70 to Moab.  One of the narrow rough windy road that goes through one of  the most exciting, spectacular, breathtaking canyons we have seen.   We stopped in Moab to get a cup of coffee and I asked a guy who had been there for years what the name of the canyon was?   He said, “Canyon 128.”   I said, “ No, it has to have a special name.   It is a special place!”   He said, “Canyon 128.”   Well, I guess all places that are special don’t have special names.

We got to Peoria that evening and the next morning we started to put up the show.   By the time I started my workshops with middle school students, most of the show was hung. We had great help.   My afternoon was spent with two groups of middle school students. We learned some three dimensional geometries and how to apply them to small balls. Each of them ended up with different designs colored  with permanent colored pens.   The next day we finished putting up the show and I went through my 1-6 point perspective workshop with two groups of High School students.  They really got into what I call the continuous four point perspective which is like a panoramic 360 degree drawing that can fit together like a cylinder.

The next day, the opening for the show at the Challenger Space Center went over very well.  Because of the show, three of the pieces are now hanging in Valley Art Museum for a month.  I was so pleased that my 24” sphere called LOOKING FOR THE ORDER (the Einstein sphere) sold. It has been a favorite to many people but now has a permanent home in Scott and Danielle Bohall’s residence in Glendale Arizona.

On to San Francisco

We left Peoria and headed toward San Francisco.  We stayed in Morro Bay California, a fishing village which has turned now to tourism.   We enjoyed this town very much. It is right on the Pacific Ocean.  The next day we went up the coast on Highway 1 to San Francisco. We saw elephant seals in one spot laying all over the beach. It was unbelievable!  What strange creatures they are.    We stayed that night in the Seaside Motel which is north central San Francisco.  This was a good spot to be because we were able to walk to Ghirardelli Square, Fishman Wharf, Pier 39, Coit Tower, China Town  and then all the way up (and back down) the windiest street in the world—Lombard Street and back to the motel in one day. I am not counting how many steps that is but way too many!  We also drove over to the Cliff House to see Markie’s favorite attraction, Camera Obscura which is credited to Leonardo da Vinci.

It is probably the first type of camera ever invented and maybe could be thought of as the first moving picture camera.  It sits on the ocean edge.   This building has a mirror and concave and convex lens projecting the outside images into the building.   The apparatus in the ceiling rotates so the image on a slice of a large hemisphere shows the world outside inside the building.  The Giant Camera, as it is called www.GiantCamera.com , is the largest free standing Camera Obscura in the US.  It wasn’t opened so we had to return the next day.  It is something everyone should see.

Next we went to Oakland to deliver a Termesphere called ORGANIZED INTUITION. This is about a 30” diameter polyhedron. It is officially called a rhombic triacontrahedron.   It has 30 diamond shaped sides.   This will now have a great home with Michael Branco in Oakland.

Then to Tucson

The next day it was time to head back to Tucson to spend some time with my brother Joe and his wife Lacy.   What an amazing place they live in! We had a wonderful time there.

Back to Peoria

Then back to the Phoenix.  Scott Bohall had gotten us tickets to watch the Phoenix Cardinals play the Carolina Panthers and to go to the tailgate party first.  It was great and the Cardinals won!  That evening we picked up the show.

Santa FE!

Next morning we were headed back to the Black Hills. Our first stop was in Santa Fe New Mexico.  The 8” limited LORETTO CHAPEL sphere is now being sold at the Loretto Chapel gift shop in the Loretto Inn.   The LaFonda Hotel gift shop will be selling my MOVA Globe/Termesphere of the Southwest pueblos/pottery scene, FROM THE EARTH.

On to Loveland

The next day we headed to Loveland Colorado where I did a lecture on my work for the Good Samaritan Society Loveland Village. It was a great event.  The kitchen staff provided desserts, all were shaped like spheres and very tasty to boot.

From there it was pretty much clear sailing to the Black Hills where our broken trees and 41 inch snow lay waiting for us. Our 4686 mile, 17 day road trip was done. Home sweet home…..