Art of All Sorts
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Day 23: July 1, 2011 Art of All Sorts |
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Last night a Facebook post that mentioned I was in Albuquerque drew a
response that said "Don't forget
to checkout Tinkertown". I didn't even know it was there to forget. A
web search quickly confirmed that this was something I didn't want to miss
and I headed directly there when I checked out of the hotel this morning.
From Tinkertown's Facebook page I knew it was open and half
knew to expect a sign like this. Tinkertown is in the general area north
of Albuquerque where forest fires are currently burning. The road is
actually closed off about a mile beyond the museum. The sign is quite a
ways before the museum. Officials say the sign is proper and I've no doubt
that it is. But it's not doing anything good for Tinkertown and two hand
written signs stating that the museum is reachable have disappeared. I
went on because I knew I wasn't thru. I was just getting started.
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You can seen some of it by just looking around but you enter the world of
Ross Ward by walking between bottle & rock walls. Then, after paying
your admission, you're handed back a quarter so you can fire up the
display that's right around the corner. It's a great preview of what is to
come: music, motion, phrases on little placards, and detail on top of
detail. Ross Ward worked as a carnival painter. He created
Tinkertown in his
spare time. As he was fond of saying, "I did this while you were
watching TV." Ross succumbed to Alzheimer's in 2002. He was artistic
and creative. He was also very wise.
The first part of the museum contains a lot of three dimensional scenes; dioramas, I guess. Some offer buttons, like the one for Emily that add some motion. All offer details to study or to miss completely and discover on your next visit. At a cutaway big top, there is an invitation from Ross to "Sit down for a few moments and imagine...". I accepted. |
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There is something of a break in the Ross Ward creations with a walkway
that encircles something that Ross did not build. Ross did make the signs
that explain that the boat was built in England in
1936 and was the home of Fritz Damler for ten years starting in 1981.
"So he traded them both for a sturdy old boat |
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Then it's on to more music, more art, more advice, and more walls made of
lumber from bottle trees.
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The fellow who tipped me off to being in Tinkertown's neighborhood has his
own folk art based roadside attraction in western Kentucky.
Apple Valley Toyland isn't as big as Tinkertown but it
has its own charms and is
well worth a stop. I made my only visit there around Christmas of
2009 and
need to make it over that way again.
The lady is Ross Ward's wife, Carla. I learned that on the way in. I also learned that she often visits her brother during the museum's off season. On the way out I learned that the brother is Fritz Damler; The guy who sailed the Theodora R for ten years. He's living on land now but not all that much of it. Fritz now lives on an out of the way island in the Bahamas. The last picture is of a sign that appeared early in my walk through the museum. It quotes two great American philosophers. Although I probably wouldn't support the law that Will Rogers suggests, I certainly agree with the sentiment that prompted his comment. In fact, I see it as something that not only applies to "...this country" but to this state (whatever it is), this county (whatever it is), and this community (whatever it is). I like seeing stuff in New Mexico but I know I have stuff to see in my home state and so does everybody else. |
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I again drove the I-40 Business Loop through Glenrio and found no more
business than last time.
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The Boot Hill
Saloon & Grill was still a few weeks from opening when I stopped
here in 2007. I
met the owner and got a tour but no meal. Today I got friendly smiles from
Melissa and Audrey and some tasty ribs from the kitchen. These are
chef/owner Rory Schepisi's "Fork 'N' Ribs" that have appeared on
the cover of Bon Appetit. Rory wasn't here today but whoever was running
the kitchen did a fine job.
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Next stop was at the Galleries at Sunset Center in Amarillo to say hi to
roadie & artist "Crocodile" Lile. "Croc" is one of
several artists with galleries in the Center and tonight was July's First
Friday Art Walk. The place wasn't packed but there was a goodly amount of
traffic. This looks like a real class operation and
Croc's gallery
certain is. Guess I should have got some more pictures of that.
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The end of day stop was at one of my favorite
Route 66 motels in McLean, Texas. The Cactus Inn changed hands a couple of
years ago when the previous owners retired -- for real this time. The
place seemed just as good as ever to me. Owners Ben & Mindy Reeves are
nearby and managers Peggy & Duwain Baer are on site. 806-779-2346
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