Today we checked out of our motel and explored more of historic Santa Fe. On Christmas day, two of the places that we wanted to visit were closed. Thom was very interested in seeing the Loretto Chapel and I was itching to go to the Georgia O’Keefe museum.
We started off at the museum. Inside were many works of Georgia O’Keefe, plus many photographs of her taken by her husband, Alfred Stieglitz. They had an exhibit that contained the camping equipment she used when she would go out to paint in and around New Mexico. Since we are big campers, we were astounded at the type of equipment that was used in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. Georgia O’Keefe was a very interesting woman who knew what she wanted and went for it.
After her husband died in the mid-1940’s she decided that New Mexico was the place for her. In an interview that we watched she said that New Mexico felt like home to her the first time she visited. She hadn’t known that she was looking for a spiritual home until she found it there in northern New Mexico.
I can understand this feeling. The state of New Mexico is like no other that we have visited. It is bursting with color, from deep ochers to violent purples, yellows, and reds. The contrasts of the landscape are heart-stopping and almost violent in their extremes. There is something about the air that makes you breathe deeper and fuller. The sky stretches endlessly while the earth rises and falls in dramatic drops into deep canyons and up to elegant mountain tops that seem to always be swathed in white.
After we left the museum, we saw a gallery right next door that was exhibiting Ansell Adams prints. Of course I had to go in there! The two people who have influenced my art the most are Georgia O’Keefe and Ansel Adams. To have them sitting side by side made me think I had died and gone to heaven. Inside the gallery was photograph after photograph done by a genius (in my opinion). To be able to see the famous Moonrise print in several variations was astonishing to me. I left both of these exhibits feeling rejuvenated.
As we began to walk to the Loretto Chapel a few blocks away, it began to snow lightly. I guess this was a precursor to what Santa Fe could expect that evening. Thom had been talking about seeing the Loretto Chapel for months before this trip. He was very excited to see that it was open. Upon entering the chapel, we were drawn to the famous miracle staircase. It was astonishing and unbelievable. The silence and solemnity of the beautiful, ornate little chapel was awe-inspiring. The staircase was made of some of the most beautiful wood I had ever seen. It wound up and up into the choir loft as gently as an angel ascends to heaven. The staircase has no center support and almost looks as if it were floating on air. Since it was the Christmas season, it was decorated with festive ribbons and bows which made it seem even more special. Even though I am not of the Catholic religion, I said a small prayer for my little brother, who was. It was a wonderful, peaceful, moving experience.
After leaving the chapel and heading back to our jeep, the wind began to pick up and it was getting more frigid by the minute. We headed for a Starbucks to get something to warm up our innards! It was late afternoon and we were headed for Las Vegas, NM.
Having never been in this part of New Mexico, we wanted to be sure and drive there in the daytime so that we could see the area as we went. Nearing our exit, we noticed a large rock outcropping with the sun beaming down on it and making it glow with a golden brilliance. We decided then and there that we would find this area if at all possible. After looking at our maps, I determined that if we went northwest on Hwy. 65, we could find it. We checked into our motel and I inquired on the fastest way to this highway. We headed out toward the Armand Hammer United World College and came to a road that said “no center line for next 10 miles”. Of course, we went there. As we climbed up and up on this narrow, twisting road we could see for many miles as the sun began to set. After reaching the top and beginning the slow descent into the next valley, we finally saw the “rock mountain”. It was beautiful with the sun shining on it warmly. In the end, we had to turn back because of the time. We have made a pact to come back to Gallinas Canyon and do much more exploring in the future.
Having never been in this part of New Mexico, we wanted to be sure and drive there in the daytime so that we could see the area as we went. Nearing our exit, we noticed a large rock outcropping with the sun beaming down on it and making it glow with a golden brilliance. We decided then and there that we would find this area if at all possible. After looking at our maps, I determined that if we went northwest on Hwy. 65, we could find it. We checked into our motel and I inquired on the fastest way to this highway. We headed out toward the Armand Hammer United World College and came to a road that said “no center line for next 10 miles”. Of course, we went there. As we climbed up and up on this narrow, twisting road we could see for many miles as the sun began to set. After reaching the top and beginning the slow descent into the next valley, we finally saw the “rock mountain”. It was beautiful with the sun shining on it warmly. In the end, we had to turn back because of the time. We have made a pact to come back to Gallinas Canyon and do much more exploring in the future.
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