Blog - Margaret Herrick

Mimi and I arrived home last night after a lovely week in New Orleans. For a long time I have wanted to make a fact-finding trip to this city. Patty and I briefly stopped in New Orleans on our road trip to New Mexico in June. I wanted to revisit some places, study others, and learn how artists planned to commemorate the 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I fulfilled my mission and had many unexpected experiences, as well.

I went to several galleries and learned that many artists are showing work that reflects the varying horror of the 2005 hurricane. I saw a wonderful survey of landscape paintings of the city’s varied neighborhoods, “Calling out the Wards” at the Jean Bragg Gallery on Julia Street. I learned about an exhibit at the Historic New Orleans Collection on Royal Street that documents the disaster of Katrina, “Katrina + 5.” I had the time to talk with several hurricane survivors and I felt true empathy with their feelings. The mother of artist, Myesha Francis, of M.Francis Gallery, calmly said that she lost everything during the hurricane, but that her family was O K. As her little grandson played on the gallery floor, I realized how truly thankful Mrs Francis really was!

Although I have been back to NOLA several times since 2005, this week I was able to honestly experience a the sadness, the reality, and the beauty of this hypnotic city in a new way. There is so many needs here! I look forward to returning to New Orleans before the end of the year to see what new gifts have been presented to this city.

On Friday, August 12, our JDB Alumni Adventure was held on the Ichetucknee River. Six of us floated down the river and later enjoyed a picnic lunch. The weather was sunny, cloudy, and rainy during the time we were together, but our spirits were never dampened. We relished the warmth of the air and the lushness of the wildlife that we passed.

Please refer to the Journey Daybook Blog for photos and more pages. I worked on my page and made photos from the little yellow raft that I rented which helped keep my belongings dry as I floated and splashed in the river.

This has been a sumptuous summer, and I am just now catching up. July in Santa Fe was very full. I spent nearly every day on my writing project but, of course, I found time to make journey daybook pages. The ones I am posting here were made as I engaged in activities near my exquisite little adobe home.

Cristo Rey Church, a large adobe church, was built by Archbishop Rudolph Gerkin in 1940

After seeing the crafts exhibit, I enjoyed a late lunch al fresco

After a full day’s work, I treat myself to dinner out at my favorite cafe, a place where Bob and I dined in 2000. I walk the mile from home as a thunder storm threatens. I am not alone - my journey daybook accompanies me. I draw and write at the table and observe my surroundings with clear attention. The storm becomes intense while I enjoy the inside warmth of Pasqual’s. In the end, I carry home this warmth as I walk at the end of the this early evening storm.

Panza llena . Corazon contendo

“Full belly . Happy heart”

At the suggestion of a friend, last evening I went to the weekly meditation and Dharma Lecture up at Upaya, the Buddhist retreat center that is located close – a few miles up the mountain - from me. After 20-minutes of sitting meditation, Nathalie Goldberg (author of Writing down the Bones) and Beata Stotle, the co-abbot of the community, spoke to the assembled. These ladies just returned from a powerful retreat in Europe were they visited Germany and the Nazi death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, in Poland. Although their impressions were very fresh (unedited and unhealed by time), each of them spoke of the shock and horror they discovered upon learning the details of the unspeakable crimes that were committed by the Nazis against their death camp prisoners. They each understand and conveyed to us that it is in the details of living that man is capable of his best good and also his most horrible evil.

The atmosphere was profoundly somber as the large crowd exited the temple and walked quietly back into the evening routines of living. I felt changed by understanding the reality of the Holocaust – even after these 60 + years – and experienced a renewed determination to change myself and my response to prejudice, bigotry, and human violence, however these forms of marginalization are experienced in my life. For those of you who may want to know more, I am including the link to The Zen Peacemakers Blog. The founder Bernie Glassman led the retreat to Auschwitz.

Since I have been in the Southwest, I have been intrigued by the colors of the sky, the atmosphere, and the earth. At the Journal Keepers gathering I struggled depicting nature quickly because these colors confused me. When I moved into my “new home” here in Santa Fe, I hurried to Artisan’s Santa Fe, a local art supply store that I love, where I bought some new paper. A friend once told me that when we are stuck, it is good to change just one variable. So, this is what I did! And . . . I was rewarded with greater comfort making my journey daybook pages.

The images below were made last week when Patty was here. On Tuesday we went to Crownpoint, on the Navajo reservation, where Patty worked in the 70’s and then we drove to the Acoma pueblo on our way back. On Thursday, we drove to Chimayo, a tiny Spanish church shrine, which is has unique curative soil. Pilgrims come to this place for healing. It is much like Lourdes, in France.

Patty and I arrived in Santa Fe after a the wonderful gathering of Journal Keepers in Albuquerque and the opening of our exhibit at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History. I have had some real challenges with photos and my computer; therefore I am attaching herewith a link here so that you may view some photos of the exhibit and the artists at the Opening on 10 June, 2010 in Albuquerque.

The tiny little restored adobe house that I have rented for 6 weeks is located in the downtown district and has a beautiful small courtyard where Mimi is able to walk in and out. We all enjoy the flowers as we eat outside and draw during the day.

You are invited to the opening of a group exhibit in Albuquerque NM of illustrated journals assembled nationally by artists working in a variety of disciplines. The invitation follows. Exhibited will be a host of journals, paintings, and a video made in the fall of 2009 at Zion National Park, UT. I have belonged to this loosely organized Journal Keepers Group for about 12 years, taking great pleasure in joining the members, called “littermates,” for many retreats in remote, beautiful places, chiefly in the western US. Now we get to exhibit together!

This first exhibit was generously arranged by Margy O’Brien and curated by David Baccadutre of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque. As part of the exhibit, I am honored to present the work from two large projects which have never before been shown  - “A Journey Daybook Crossing the State of Florida,” in which I kayaked and hiked from the Gulf of Mexico to the St John’s River 1999-2000. This is a portfolio of maps, drawn in the moment, and watercolors made during the days of this journey. The second piece, a journey daybook made on the Colorado River, is a portfolio of maps, drawings, and watercolors made over a 3-week period in 2006 when I traveled with a group in small wooden boats, called dories, through the length of the Grand Canyon from Lees Ferry to Lake Mead.

I will be traveling to this exhibit and to the Journal Keepers retreat in Albuquerque, which will be held in conjunction with the exhibit, with my friend, Patty Jett, who is on the board of the Journey Daybook, Inc. and who is also a committed and talented artist and journey daybook keeper, here in Cedar Key. It would be wonderful to see other friends at the Museum on June 10th, the Opening Reception for the exhibit. This is sure to be a wonderful exhibit!

The NMMNH is located in Old Town, the old center of Albuquerque. The physical address is . Go to the NMMNH website to learn more details about this exhibit.

Today started the first of this two-day festival: one of the oldest in Florida. Because of the ideal location of my house, studio, and little gallery on Second Street, I decided to open my French doors and invite people inside to view my work, Journey Daybook work, journals, and the work of JDB members - all of which is for sale.

This was an extraordinary opportunity - much better than I expected! Today’s visitors included artists, academics, and many people who were very interested in the exhibited work and the Journey Daybook process.. The public response was gratifying and very affirming for me. The festival continues through tomorrow, and I intend to open my Atelier Ten Tails again.

At the Tench Building

Below is my journey daybook page made at the Tench Building during our Adventure on April 16th.

I posted on the Journey Daybook page a description of our JDB Adventure today. You can see some of our images in the “Notes and Journey Daybook pages” page. Below is my journey daybook page.