Heart of the Mountain

My first impression of Great Basin National Park is “WOW!”

Our Colorado scenery is outstanding, but here the country is desolately rugged and the mountains rise against a vibrant blue sky from a flat, empty valley, hazy in the fall afternoon sun. All around is the brilliant gold of rabbit-brush. The clear air smells of pine and sage and is filled with the chatterings of birds. Brightly-hued groves of aspen dapple the folds of the mountains. A small lizard greets me upon my arrival at the cabin that will be my home, studio and workshop for the next month. From the rear windows I can see far over into Utah, and the gash of Notch Peak against the sky will become my compass. The front porch opens onto the expanse of the mountains marching straight up before me to become majestic Wheeler Peak. Each late afternoon I watch the craggy shadow of this summit creep across the valley floor until it envelopes the far range and Notch Peak in the soft blues and grays of evening.

I spend my time hiking, exploring, sketching, and familiarizing myself with the area and the people, both present and historic. I visit Lehman Cave numerous times and walk to the bristlecone pine grove, where I am humbled to be in the same space and time with these ancient, living trees. There is much wildlife to see—deer, jack-rabbits, turkey and ground squirrels.

Me and my house for the duration of the project

My house for the duration of the project

I do measurements and fit templates. I ask for input from the park staff on what they would like to be included in this work. I begin thumbnail sketches, and toss most as soon as I get them on paper. With a work of this size, I need to “map” my panels, and the only space large enough is on my bedroom walls, so up goes the map of the whole project, life-sized. It hits me how massive this job really is.

Project map in my bedroom