My Life & Artwork - July & August 2018

September 5, 2018 Teressa Jackson

Monsoon beauty on Linda Vista Trail in Oro Valley, Arizona

Well... I was a slacker and didn't do a blog for July. So, here's one covering two months!

The monsoon season really ramped up in July, and during July and August, you could at least spy a rain shower on the horizon someplace or another a good portion of the time. This also meant cooler temperatures (more 90's, less 100's) and higher humidity (oh joy - I thought I escaped that!). I'm a sky gazer anyway, and it's been a glorious time to watch the drama unfold above.

On a hot day in early July, I took a trip up to Mount Lemmon to escape the heat. At over 9,000 feet, it was nearly 30 degrees cooler on the mountaintop than down in Tucson. The trek is a little time consuming, but well worth it. During the monsoons, though, part of the key is finding a time when it's not raining up there, as the mountains get so much more rain than the city does.

The wildlife sightings weren't as plentiful over July and August, but we did see our first tarantula spider outside the apartment. He didn't bother us in the least and I thought he was pretty interesting. I know, I know, I'm a weirdo. We also had a few onslaughts of Sonoran Desert Toads (aka Colorado River Toads) in the depression outside our apartment, which the monsoons filled to make a little lake. They make the weirdest (loud!) noises and depart as quickly as they appear. I was totally baffled the first time they showed up until I figured out what the racket was.

I also got to spend some time in the Tortolita Mountains, just north of Tucson, while house/dog sitting for my second cousin Kim and her sweet dog Murphy. Kim and her husband Ian have built a beautiful home that is surrounded by a rocky desert wonderland. It was like a mini vacation in our own backyard.

The fam along the coast in Newport, Oregon

August was, well... full of love. The first week of August, I took a trip to Corvallis, Oregon, to see my sister and her family. As a bonus, the icing on the cake was that my mom was there, too. We had lots of fun and laughs and a trip to the coastal town of Newport, where the high was 60 degrees - not a temperature I've seen in a while!

I visited my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, the last week of August for a whirlwind few days. Having never "moved away," it's a new thing to visit home and figure out the logistics of how to cram in visits to everyone who's been an important part of nearly 40 years of your life. I was sad that I could not arrange a way to see every one of the many, many lovely people whose faces I miss. I had many more great intentions than I had days and hours, and unfortunately time seems to have a way of evaporating when you’re trying to meet new babies, celebrate milestone birthdays, help moms, catch up on major life changes, check in on puppy dogs that own your heart, attend weddings... you get the picture. I did my best and that's all I can do. I can't wait for next time!

And now, art! I think I did pretty well considering that I took two trips. I started making 2"x3" size "miniature paintings" and have really had fun with these little studies. Many have sold and they've proven to be a popular item.

"The Land of Stories" I & II, all framed up and ready to go to their new home

I also received a really neat commission. I was asked to recreate one of my miniatures as two 5x7" paintings. The scene, which was from a trail at Madera Canyon, Arizona, made the customer think of the stories she reads to her grandchildren. She said it felt “like you could walk right into a land of tales and mythical creatures.” She plans to have them help her hang her piece and to help them hang theirs. Then she will tell them that when they look at their painting she will look at hers, and they’ll meet in the “Land of Stories.” So sweet!

There are, of course, still pieces waiting for you in my online shop. I hope you'll hop on over and see if one of them takes you to a special place, too. Shop now ›

"Sonoran Suitor"For sale as of this blog posting — "Sonoran Suitor"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Cactus Cartel"For sale as of this blog posting — "Cactus Cartel"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Fetish Pottery Still Life 2"For sale as of this blog posting — "Fetish Pottery Still Life 2"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Newport, Oregon: 8/5/18, 13:05:08SOLD — "Newport, Oregon: 8/5/18, 13:05:08
SOLD

"Newport, Oregon: 8/5/18, 13:05:08"For sale as of this blog posting — "Newport, Oregon: 8/5/18, 13:05:08"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Tucson, Arizona: 12/24/17, 15:21:20"For sale as of this blog posting — "Tucson, Arizona: 12/24/17, 15:21:20"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: 5/27/18, 19:22:12SOLD — "Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: 5/27/18, 19:22:12
SOLD

"Armory Park, Tucson, Arizona: 5/19/18, 14:59:29"For sale as of this blog posting — "Armory Park, Tucson, Arizona: 5/19/18, 14:59:29"
For sale as of this blog posting

"Bahía la Cholla, Sonora, Mexico: 6/20/18, 12:14:32"SOLD — "Bahía la Cholla, Sonora, Mexico: 6/20/18, 12:14:32"
SOLD

"Madera Canyon, Arizona: 5/10/18, 12:48:27"SOLD — "Madera Canyon, Arizona: 5/10/18, 12:48:27"
SOLD

"The Land of Stories I" and "The Land of Stories II" - SOLD (Commissioned pieces)

"Tortolita Mountains, Marana, Arizona: 7/28/18, 19:33:28"SOLD — "Tortolita Mountains, Marana, Arizona: 7/28/18, 19:33:28"
SOLD

"Tucson, Arizona: 8/17/18, 19:14:22For sale as of this blog posting — "Tucson, Arizona: 8/17/18, 19:14:22
For sale as of this blog posting

"Tucson, Arizona: 8/11/18, 19:09:32"For sale as of this blog posting — "Tucson, Arizona: 8/11/18, 19:09:32"
For sale as of this blog posting

Shop now ›

Teressa the Tucsonan

October 11, 2017 Teressa Jackson

"To be a human being is to be in a state of tension between your appetites and your dreams, and the social realities around you and your obligations to your fellow man."
~John Updike

I wasn't yet three years old when my family arrived in New Albany. Although I wasn't born there, it and the Louisville area are the only home I've ever known.

As a teenager, I couldn't wait to leave the area. I applied and was accepted to Chicago's DePaul University. At the last minute, however, I changed my mind. I remember that my mother was pretty upset, and she issued an understandable challenge given our family's financial situation. If I could persuade Bellarmine University to (re)award the scholarships that I had already declined, she would let me alter my plan. To both our amazement, I was successful.

Bellarmine was a good fit for me, and in retrospect, I think DePaul and Chicago would not have been. A couple of years after graduation, I continued my education at the University of Louisville, and my Master of Public Administration degree led me to work primarily in the human services sector. By the time those eight years had passed between high school and graduate school commencement, I not only had bought two houses in my New Albany hometown, I had a goal to work to actively help those who lived in the area. I was invested.

I can't believe that fifteen years have passed since then. My career has led me to meet some truly amazing individuals who comprise the bulk of the people in my life I refer to as friends. In fact, a humbling number of them have bought one or more pieces of my artwork and helped support my wandering over the past year and/or cheered me on instead of telling me I had lost my mind.

Although I have found great fulfillment in my life and career, I have also always felt that I missed out on something by never living anywhere else. Maybe it was the number "40" entering my life, or maybe it was just finally time, but I felt that my wandering over the past year was something I had to do. I didn't want to be someone who said they were going to do something "someday," but discovered that someday never came.

Once I set my mind to making the events of the past year happen, my determination drove me past hurdles and doubts. Many times, we spend more time thinking about why we can't do something than how to change that reality. I'm admittedly a little proud that I found the courage to set those uncertainties aside, stare the obstacles down, and make changes.

The places I have temporarily called "home" over the past year have provided me with many valuable experiences and inspirations. Staying in a place for a couple of weeks or even a month definitely provides a different perspective than a few days on vacation, but it's still a far cry from truly settling in and making a life there.

Now is the time to take that next step.

After leaving Saint-Martin, Aaron and I flew to Tucson. We had been to the area previously and enjoyed it. The prospect of living in a place with some of the mildest winters possible, beaucoup Mexican fare, a visually inspiring desert landscape, and a population around the size of our Louisville hometown lured us to consider it as a more long-term option. Aaron scored a job more quickly than we expected, and we hurriedly flew home and have spent the past several days driving our few remaining belongings from my mother's house in Johnson County, Indiana to the Arizona city also known as the Old Pueblo.

Me at Tucson's Saguaro National Park in January

I am tremendously fortunate to be in a position to casually look for local employment while I continue my contract work and creative pursuits. It will be interesting to see how we adjust to living in this city, but so far, people have been quite friendly and welcoming. So for now, and maybe even for good, you can refer to me as "Teressa the Tucsonan."

If I know you and you're reading this, chances are, I miss you. I hope to see you on my future visits back to Derby City when I should have more time for socializing, and invite you to look me up if you ever find yourself in this corner of the Sonoran Desert.

Living in an apartment instead of out of a backpack or vehicle, I'm looking forward to having the space and focus to create more and larger works of art. I have a lot of inspiration from this past year, and I can't wait to keep working through it all. Stay tuned as I continue to document my adventures as a new resident of this community, and stay in touch as I continue to keep you all in my heart.

Much Love,

Valley of the Sun

April 27, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Kalisha and me at Hole in the Rock at Papago Park

Two weeks ago, I meandered through the desert, past the beautiful blue waters of Lake Havasu, and into the Valley of the Sun. Phoenix has definitely lived up to its nickname, as UV rays have been in plentiful supply here, and there certainly hasn't been a single drop of rain.

I even got to experience a day at what they refer to as the "century mark" when the mercury climbed to 100 degrees on Sunday. You always hear people say that it's not as bad because it's a "dry heat." They're telling the truth. I'd take a million 100 degree days at 6% humidity over 90 degrees with 90% humidity back home. Heat is infinitely more tolerable when you don't feel like someone wrapped a wet blanket around your head. Sorry, Ohio Valley.

While I feel I've barely scratched the surface of what this city has to offer, I've definitely enjoyed my time here. I had visited Scottsdale several years ago, but didn't really get to do or experience much on that trip. I honestly had no idea how large the city was until I got here. With a metro area of around 4.5 million people, it's around 3 times the size of my Louisville hometown.

It's been especially fun to spend some time with my friend Kalisha, who relocated to Phoenix from Louisville at the first of the year. She was kind enough to tour me all over the metro area, and I truly got a more local perspective thanks to her. We attended a self-defense class, visited the farmer's market, saw the city sprawl from up high at South Mountain Park, gazed at Camelback Mountain, hopped up to the hole in the rock at Papago Park, went to a Young Nonprofit Professional Network event, and devoured a few delicious meals.

Blooming saguaro at Desert Botanical Gardens

Kalisha also scored me a free pass to the Desert Botanical Garden. As a self-described "plant nerd," I think was probably the highlight of my time in Phoenix. Other stops included the Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera exhibit at the Heard Museum, the Rose Garden at Mesa Community College, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West. I took a day trip to Sedona and hiked in Oak Creek Canyon, and stopped at Montezuma Castle National Monument's gorgeous cliffside dwelling on the way back to the city. I enjoyed lunch and olive oil tasting at Queen Creek Olive Mill (olives!!). South of Phoenix, I visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, a multi-story structure built in the 1300's by Ancestral Sonoran Desert People.

I also was really happy that my return to the Sonoran Desert unexpectedly coincided with the saguaro cacti's annual bloom. The white flowers, which open at night and only last through the following day, are Arizona's state flower.

One of the things I enjoy about being somewhere on a more extended timeframe is the chance to just spend time like a normal person. I ate some great Mexican food, spent a lot of time with my paintbrushes, shopped a little, enjoyed my Tempe neighborhood, and put some new tires on my car. After nearly 16,000 miles of traveling, it was time!

There remains plenty I haven't seen, done, or experienced in Phoenix, but I've learned to let that go and not wear myself out. Sometimes you have to walk the line between tourist and pretend local... between vacation and real life.

Where to next? I'm really excited to hit the road this morning and head toward one of our nation's least visited national parks, Great Basin National Park in Baker, Nevada. I'm very excited about the diversity of this remote park, which includes mountains, a glacier, ancient bristlecone pine trees, and a cave. Time to put some wear on these new tires!

Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West in Scottsdale, AZ

Salvation and a Forgotten Sea

January 27, 2017 Teressa Jackson

Yuma, Arizona, was about as close to California as my former home of New Albany, Indiana was to Louisville, Kentucky. Within moments of leaving my hotel this morning, I was cruising down the interstate in the Golden State.

Before too long, I was in the midst of rolling brown sand dunes. On a windy day like today, that meant sand was blasting my car and all over the roadway. I couldn't believe that people were riding dirt bikes on the windy dunes, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves just fine.

My first destination was a short jaunt off of State Highway 111. I encountered Leonard Knight's creation, Salvation Mountain, shortly after passing the sign for Slab City, "The Last Free Place on Earth." I had wanted to visit the Mountain for years, and by the amount of traffic they were getting, I clearly wasn't the only one with that wish.

Leonard, a Vermont native, landed in this California desert in 1984, beginning construction of the mountain that he worked on for nearly 30 years. Salvation Mountain, which he constructed out of clay, bales of hay, latex paint, tires, and pretty much anything else he found useful that had been discarded or donated, was named a National Folk Art Site in 2000, and a National Treasure in the U.S. Congressional Record. Leonard passed away in 2014, but the not-for-profit, Salvation Mountain, Inc. continues to work to maintain and preserve his labor of love.

Unfortunately, I picked a somewhat bad day to visit Salvation Mountain. Going inside Leonard's creation or climbing the "Yellow Brick Road" stairs that led to the top were off limits, as the recent rains had made the construction wet and vulnerable to damage. I still enjoyed seeing the site and appreciated the care that was still going into its preservation.

Next, I was headed to another "weird" destination. Sometime, ages ago, I saw a television documentary about the Salton Sea. For some reason, I never quite got it out of my mind, so when I found myself in the general vicinity of California's largest inland body of water, I went for it.

The Salton Sea was a dry basin when European settlers first came to the area. Apparently, it was actually, at one time long ago, a part of the Gulf of California. When farmers in the area needed water, a man was hired to engineer a canal from the Colorado River to the basin. After a couple tries, he got the canal to flow, but it ended up flowing for over a year and filling the basin to create the Salton Sea.

In the 1950's, the sea was a popular recreational area for Californians. However, the destruction created by a couple of hurricanes combined with the increasing salinity of the sea caused the area's eventual decline. The sea continues to increase in salinity, and is currently about 50% saltier than the Pacific Ocean. It's still quite a ways from being as salty as the Great Salt Lake, but it is inhospitable to most fish except the tilapia who live there, and they don't appear to be living the dream, either. It is, however, a popular spot for abundant bird watching. I'm sure the birds don't mind the fish snacks, either. I found it to be weird, peaceful, and oddly beautiful. :-)

After my tour of the Salton Sea, I cruised until the white salt crust no longer lined the roadway, through the cities of Indio and Palm Desert, and headed up through Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument to my home for the next couple of days in Aguanga, California. And now... I'm hungry for something salty...

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