Sunday, 29 April 2018
Point of Rocks RV Campground — Prescott, Arizona
Temps: 72F (22C) / 44F
(7C)
After a good night’s sleep snuggled under our winter-weight comforter, I woke up at 6:00a. I like that I can keep my window shade open here since there is no street light streaming inside. Nothing like waking up naturally to daylight. The 55F (13C) temp outside rose quickly enough to 65F (18C) … very, very comfy … but a little too nippy for an al fresco breakfast.
Today was to have been our hiking day, but the forecast for high winds — gusts of 30+ mph (48 kph) expected for most of the day — put those plans on the back-burner. With the museum we planned to visit closed until 1:00p, the morning was mine to check off some of the things on my to-do list.
By mid-morning I was ready to enjoy some fresh air. Our patio was still in the sun. With no possibility of opening the awning, or using our umbrella, I needed to find another option. The solution … place a chair on the driver’s side of the rig. There was plenty of space … and decent scenery to enjoy whenever I raised my head from my reading. The rig served as both a shade- and windbreak. Perfect.
The view is not particularly exciting, but it is a private spot.
Since the wind chilled the air, we actually appreciated the sun’s warming rays when we sat down to eat our lunch at the picnic table … taking advantage of the winds dying down a bit … if only briefly. Our tummies sated, we then headed off to enjoy a bit of western art and culture.
Welcome to the Phippen Museum!
The Phippen Museum is just down the street from the PoR RVC … making it a perfect spot for an afternoon outing. The place is named after George Phippen, a local artist and the first president of the Cowboy Artists of America.
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Bronze sculpture of Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce ... Sculptor: Doug Hyde.
On this Sunday afternoon, the museum was deserted when we arrived. A few people showed up in our wake, but the galleries are spacious and it never felt crowded. Admission is $7pp for non-members. When Mui asked about a military discount, the cashier said they don’t offer one. Instead she charged us the $5pp student admission. Generous and graciously accepted.
Cowboy Chorus … Artist: George Phippen.
The museum has several galleries that display both permanent and temporary art exhibits, including one that has a number of historic artifacts and photos … and a chuck wagon as well. There are also two studio replicas — one of Phippen’s cabin studio and another one representing Ray Swanson’s studio.
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Beautiful leatherwork.
Replica of George Phippen’s Cabin Studio. The signage explains that he always sat
down to paint with a mirror behind him [on the dresser to the right]. “The mirror
gave him depth and distance without having to get up. This perspective also
provided a reverse image which aided his appraisal of composition and details.”
In the middle is the sketch on which he based his Mule Train painting (left).
This replica of Ray Swanson’s Studio combines elements of two of his studios.
On the easel in the center is his last unfinished painting. All but the detail work
on the silver buttons was done when he became too ill with cancer to continue.
We took our time wandering through the various exhibits. Photography was allowed, so I took several pictures. I did pretty good limiting my shutter clicks, but still came away with a decent number of shots to remind me of my favorite pieces. We both enjoyed the museum and would give it two thumbs up.
Incident at the Waterhole … Artist: Ken Gunall.
Treed … Artist: George Phippen. His quirky sense of humor comes through in the painting.
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Left: Three’s a Charm … Artist: Ray Swanson.
Right: Hopi Maidens Before the Home Dance … Artist: Ray Swanson
After we were done wandering around the galleries, we walked up to the ridge behind the museum to check out some metal horse sculptures. By this time the wind was really blowing hard, so we didn’t dally. Shortly after 3:00p, we were home.
[For more images from the museum, click here for my online gallery and scroll through using the right arrow.]
The museum visit made for a nice wrap to an otherwise relaxing day. One of the things we promised ourselves before embarking on this road trip is to take it easy. Yes there is a lot to see and do, but we’re going to pace ourselves.
Tomorrow is supposed to be a rather cool day. We are not going to let that deter us from our planned hike.
© 2004-2018 Two to Travel's Phaeton Journeys. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED by ERIN ERKUN.
I especially like the Ray Swanson image on the left, wonderful light. The museum looked quite nice, and especially on a windy day. Enjoy your take it easy time!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a wonderful museum. The bronze of Chief Joseph is especially striking. Makes me think of the many bronze sculptures in downtown Joseph, Oregon (including one, of course, of Chief Joseph).
ReplyDeleteWe find it challenging to pace ourselves when there are always so many interesting things to do. Thanks for the reminder! :-)
I too love waking up to natural light. It's becoming more and more difficult to do. Having nearly constant winds here, I can sympathize with arranging your day around them. The museum was a great choice. The artwork is really wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLooks like my kind of museum. Hope to visit if we ever return to that area.
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