Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon
The North Country Roadtrip
A lot happens in a month alone on the road, when there’s 60plus hours of driving time, and countless more on trails, around campsites, and in my case- art making in nature. The mind gets this rare kind of space to take in new surroundings externally and new sensations internally. For those that want true insight on nomad life- the mental space is the most complex part. For the Restless, the distance and freedom of solitude in nature is relieving and restorative, while also jarring at times, knowing the edges of your sanity will get pushed throughout the process. The constant changing environments, the daily cascade of basic survival decisions & safety checks does get tiring. However, in consistent adjusting and attuning to nature’s rhythms, one becomes a part of the places, not merely a visitor, so I grew to rarely feel alone.
I bring my art along when I travel to use it as a tool to explore, understand, and connect with nature in a visible way; the art becomes a physical translation of what I experience. This is most apparent to me of course, as the one first hand being there, but I hope the feeling of what I create comes across, without only words. I hope it is felt. I hope it tugs at people’s spirits, and asks them to come alive too.
***
I just returned back to Oklahoma at the start of August; my body never fails to forget the degree of humidity this air holds, although it is an oddly comforting sensation, like a hug that encompasses every part of the body. My road trip was 6 weeks in total with somewhere over 6,200 miles covered. Since the last update, I drove from the Grand Tetons in Wyoming to Glacier National Park in Montana, then across Washington and down to Oregon before returning back to Oklahoma. I mainly car camped in my newly built wooden platform of my Chevy Sonic hatchback, but was lucky to get to camp with and stay at various friends’ houses along the way. It was a nice balance of solitude and catching up with some incredible people. Being in so many different places back to back made this trip feel like a book of short stories. Filled with new characters, adventures, art in progress, personal insights, absolutely stunning nature views…each place and experience unique. Each I gained value from. Needless to say, this blog will be a full one, and there is still so much more I will create from this.
***
I have some exciting upcoming art opportunities & commissions in progress in Oklahoma, but my body of work is slightly shifting, ready for new, more focused territory. On this trip I didn’t have a set plan for what I would use these pieces for, or what process I wanted to paint the nature I came across. But I didn’t want to put too much pressure on it, instead I wanted to see how traveling and spending the majority of my time outside would affect what I created naturally. I craved art without expectation. I wish I would have gotten to this dreamy rationalization beforehand- but frankly, May and June were hectic, I didn’t quite know what I wanted to create, I just needed to get on the road. But that became the point ultimately- to not know, to not give the outcome so much weight, to truly explore. I quickly grabbed a random sized piece of oil paper from home and bought some blank wood panel canvases along the way and just went with it.
Allowing myself to create in new and beautiful places without overthinking it, or worrying about deadlines was so fun and freeing. Of course it can help to have a plan for what you’re doing in an art project, but something special happens when the artist bravely follows her curiosity and trusts her skills. It was exciting, just like turning corner after corner on a new trail. It gave me room for experimentation and finding alternative ways of how I enjoy making art.
I didn’t paint or draw every day though. Some days I hiked, rode horseback, or took it easy at camp reading and journaling. Due to the heat, even as far north as Glacier NP, I found myself near water most days- swimming and rafting in glacial waters, setting up my hammock on shorelines. For me, all of these different ways to spend time outdoors and connect to the land are important to both my process as a nature artist and simply to who I am outside of that. Living like this brought out an interesting and pure form of art making. I lived with nature and searched for what gave me pleasure, then let that guide my paintbrush and drawing tools.
I ended up creating simple underpaintings in neutral earth toned colors, adding the charcoal from different campfires to some. I made drawings from the same kind of charcoal, along with pen, pencil, and colored pencil. The places I created were not the iconic spots, they were random, tucked away areas that simply caught my attention along the way and provided a quiet space. They were stunning though; rainforest campsites overgrown with Jurassic Park-like ferns and mossy trees in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, pink wildflower prairies in front of blue mountains off the path in grizzly country of Montana (don’t worry I painted by my car on the side of the dirt road), emerald/turquoise waters of the Flathead River, softly changing lighting on trunks of trees growing from a dormant volcano in the middle of Portland. I had no idea I would come across these exact locations, and I wouldn’t change any of them.
Largely on this trip I learned to move slower, breath fully, and trust my intuition. I let the enjoyment of the Explore, Connect & Create in nature process sink in deeper. My previous mentality seemed to be “the more information, the better, the more hours spent, the more work being shown, the more valuable it must be”. I learned the beauty of simple lighting, of how a few marks can emphasize what needs to be seen…I learned not to rush, how I don’t need to do it all at once. I began drawing the details of one tree, one reflection in the water versus capturing the entire scene. In this I experienced a much deeper connection to nature, and to my Self. Of all I uncovered on this journey I believe this will be the biggest influence in my work going forward.
As I conclude…another impactful part of this trip was seeing firsthand the repercussions of our shifting climate…driving miles and miles across land dense with smoke, in just about every state I went to. I was shown how low water levels in the North Fork River in Glacier NP have rapidly dropped from just the month before. My travel routes and dates changed due to temperatures that were unsafe to drive long distance in, and flash flooding I was eerie of putting my car though. Seeing and experiencing this viscerally was sobering. These places I love to get to know are changing, and I feel a heaviness not knowing how long they will even be in these forms.
It can easily feel helpless, but I ask that we keep the reality and state of our earth in mind, and do what we can to support its’ healing.
***
People often ask me “what are you doing now?”, “what’s next”, or lately a careful “sooo..what are you doing again in life…?” which I often respond with a laugh now. I feel much better about not knowing that entire answer. Although I do finally have some next steps…and of course they still involve art, nature & traveling. However, throughout a lot of navigating, I decided to settle back into Tulsa a bit more as home base. I am excited to have an opportunity of living in a cozy house in a quiet, forested area, closer to the forest I volunteer at. I will still go on trips, perhaps just shorter ones until I get a more sustainable vehicle setup, and will return to share what I’ve gained with my community.
I am grateful I will be living in a place I can allow myself to open up to, although I don’t think I will ever fully be settled anywhere; I crave the mentality and freedom of a nomad, the peace of a nature-centered life, the culture of art gallery openings & unique restaurants, and the support of quality relationships. Not to mention my beautiful new niece was just born making me an Auntie for the first time! I have finally found comfort in this, in all parts of my Self. I will live in multiple worlds, my own unique world- where I find my own balances, how to be cozy in nature and wild at home. How to integrate my curious traveler’s spirit, my curatorial eye, my joy of cooking for people all into my day to day life, because in that kind of life, a life lived creatively and authentically, we transcend the mundane and become fully alive.
*
If anyone is traveling to any of these places and needs recommendations or a hype-woman for the push to take a journey, reach out! Happy to swap travel stories or give tips.
May we all find ways to EXPLORE (bravely be open, follow the mystery) + CONNECT (share love with ourselves, others & nature) each day.
Best wishes all!
-Liz
My ultimate favorite place to swim- the cold clear waters of Jackson Lake in Colter Bay of Glacier National Park.
(alsooo- I don’t often share my personal writing, but whenever I’m in nature beautiful thoughts come to me & I feel inclined now to be more open about them, so welcome to my internal world- hope these baby steps of vulnerability would make Brene Brown proud).
The combination of pink wildflowers & blue mountains were begging to be painted…Lone Pine Prairie in Polebridge, Montana. Underpainting in Iron Violet oil paint by Gamblin.
Other unseen parts of this experience: homemade (sadly not GF, but WORTH IT) Huckleberry Bear Claw pastry from the Polebridge Mercantile, “Clay Pigeons” -John Prine, cool overcast skies, the strange combination of feeling relaxed & content along w/ a heightened sense of being alone in grizzly territory.
North Fork of the Flathead River in Montana
ARTventures in full swing, in one of my happiest modes. It was WARM so this was a shorter painting session to be finished at home. Underpainting in Burnt Sienna Fast-Matte oil paint by Gamblin- it has a faster drying time so good for outdoor painting!
This painting was accompanied by a nice picnic lunch under a tree before, rafters waving as they floated the river (I would yell out to them to pose), “Lola” - The Kinks, “Breath” - Willie Nelson, “Morning Light” - Wilderado, and being so ready for a cold beverage & shade after.
There were many magical rainbows on this trip.
Near Polebridge, MT
Glacier National Park in all its glory- this is the Hidden Lake Trail Lookout after crossing the last remaining glacier in the park.
My growing collection of photos my friends take of me zoning out into nature. Haze is sadly from smoke blown in from nearby forest fires.
Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, MT
For those that know this about me…you bet I teared up because this forest was overwhelming in its beauty. I stood no chance in keeping it together in a place like this. Not ashamed.
Hoh Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington
3 refreshing days in my favorite campsite yet- in an actual rainforest near the mountains & ocean in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington.
This evening contained a good bottle of Pinot Noir, drawing with campfire charcoal, painting this lush forest, singing along to Sylvan Esso’s newest album, and later cooking very tasty Jackfruit & Pepita Sauce tacos.
One of my goals in life is to find ways to be adventurous at home and cozy in nature…so when camping out of my car and waking up in a rainforest, I excitedly adjusted to popping the hatch, making a fort of sorts, and getting COZY. The entire morning I stayed here, reading, writing, drinking coffee…one of the absolute best days.
Got more practice in stacking rocks, it’s been a while!
Ruby Beach, Olympic Peninsula, WA
Ancient Groves Trail near Port Angelos, Olympic Peninsula, WA
Spent some time in a lovely air-conditioned home of a long time friend in Portland, Oregon. Drew into the painting with more charcoal from the campsite in WA.
Favorite piece at the Portland Art Museum. Hassam, Childe. Nude in the Sunlit Wood. Oil on Canvas. 1905.
Stories from this trip to pick from if you want to know more…
-flipping in a class 3 rapid in freezing cold glacial waters
-THE tree
-roadside french press coffee tour in Glacier NP
-life talks w/ nomad Richard at tidepools of WA
-4th of July fireworks on top of an old school bus, blowing up a watermelon
-camp cooking recipes I made up
-Huckleberry whiskey
*OTHER ART UPDATES
-I will have a solo exhibition at NSU’s Broken Arrow Campus in the month of September
-I will be donating a painting of the Tulsa Boy’s Home campus for their Barbecue, Beer, & Cigars 2021 Fundraiser 8/12/21
-Eutierra (Woodward Park, Tulsa) is in the middle of it’s traveling exhibition with OVAC’s ‘24 Works on Paper’ and will be moving to the Spider Gallery in Talequah, OK next
-I have another opportunity for a solo exhibition that we are still confirming details, so stay tuned. Exciting things happening!
Links & information about all current & upcoming exhibitions are on my website (link below)
https://www.lizdueck.com/new-page
My painting Eutierra (Woodward Park, Tulsa, OK) (yellow, green, pink flowers on left) in the TAC gallery in Tulsa in the traveling “24 Works on Paper” Exhibition. During Aug-Oct it will be in Talequah.