Sept 1st I flew into Austin TX from Santa Rosa California. The temperature was 104F or 42C.
A week before that I was in England.
A smack in the face for my cool-climate northern blood. My remedy was to head for Barton Springs, SW of the city where natural water was 68F. My daughter drove me there. I wasn’t capable of making any decision in such heat.
It’s Ocober 1st and temps are now averaging 90F or 36C.
It’s sub tropical with cicadas buzzing and sightings of monarch butterflies, road runners (birds) and cardinals. It’s also the migratory path of monarch butterflies as they come down from S. Canada and central US to winter in Mexico. That happens any day now apparently.
A slice of Geo….Geology of this area is karst, mostly limestone. Landscape design and hillsides make this evident as i see huge boulders of satiny whitish rock sitting around.
Unlike the California coast tectonic plates which is a STRIKE-SLIP; Austin was created by the Llano Uplift millions of years ago when coastal plains to the east bent downward while the more stable central Texas interior remained relatively stable. This fault episode created this hill country where i now find myself.
Yep driving along these hills can feel like being on a roller coaster too!
If this all sounds rather technical it’s because it is one of the topics I research when landing somewhere completely dfifferent. I think it has something to do with a need to know if the land under my feet will be more stable than my uprooted self! Importantly it fuels my art vocabulary.
The people I meet are super friendly and welcoming. Most everyone I meet is from elsewhere in USA or other countries. That is a huge plus, I value diversity of all kinds.
Relocating has an excitement factor mixed with a longing to be back in the familiar places amongst friends and community I love; with the roads I know the destination of; the supplies I know how and where to source and really good bread, and baked goods.etc.
Until a studio becomes available I will be focusing on promoting my prints of original artwork, developing works on paper and exploring new materials.
A paving stone of local limestone with my fav colour palette!
landscape sample