Sacred Places: El Malpais

Edge of Crater, El Malpais, April 2013, (c) Nancy Charak photograph

I have an affection for plants that anchor themselves into seemingly hostile environments. Here's this little guy who has decided, "Okay, I'm going to put down roots and try to earn a living here." This is the edge of a volcanic crater in El Malpais, which translates from Spanish to "the bad country." This crater last erupted 3,000 years ago, which in geologic time is just a split second ago.

Sacred Places: El Malpais

Vicinity El Malpais, April 2013, (c) Nancy Charak photograph

It shouldn't take a linguist to decipher what El Malpais means, the badlands.

Nancy Charak Open Studio Friday May 10 from 6 to 10 pm

Cornelia Arts Building, Where Art Works, Open Studios
Friday, May 10 from 6 to 10pm
1800 W. Cornelia, Chicago, that's the corner of Ravenswood and Cornelia, entrance is on Ravenswood, we're a block south of Addison, decent parking and close to the Brown Line.
Free and open to the public.
corneliaartsbuilding.com

Nancy Charak in Chicago Gallery News

Sacred Places: Shiprock

Shiprock, Nancy Charak (c) 2013 photograph

After touring the transcendent scenery of Canyon de Chelly, my buddy, Slim and I motored over to Shiprock. Slim talked me into driving the rental car across the cattle grate through the open gate onto the dirt road to see how close we could get to take pictures. We estimated later via Google Earth that we'd done six miles in and six out. Not too bone jarring.

Shiprock, Nancy Charak (c) 2013 photograph

Shiprock Road, Nancy Charak (c) 2013 photograph

Google Earth capture of dirt roads to Shiprock

Sacred Places: Painted Desert

Painted Desert, Nancy Charak (c) 2013

Uncovering Indians at the Vatican

Via [The Telegraph]

Via [The Telegraph]  Apparently, these naked dancing figures are the first depiction of Native Americans in the old world, within just two years of Columbus' first landing in San Salvador in 1492. Recent cleaning uncovered these figures. Best part, they were hidden since 1503 because the succeeding popes wanted to distance themselves from the Borgias, and shut up their part of the Vatican. The rooms weren't reopened until 1889.

Artist of the Day: Agnes Martin

Agnes Martin at MOMA.

Agnes Martin at Guggenheim.

Agnes Martin at Dia Foundation.