Hot Summer ‘26
The heat these past few months is something I think many people will remember about 2026, and I am no exception! It’s been a fast, hot summer.
Our adventures started in May with a big trip to France with family, to see family. It was Mark’s first trip to the country, and a memorable one for sure. We spent time reconnecting with my uncle and cousins—who are originally from Denver, but now live in Kansas City and France—and getting to know their younger kids. The primary reason for the timing of the trip was to be there for the Baptism and First Eucharist of two of the French kiddos, and I’m so glad we could attend and represent my side of the family. We stayed in Marseille and visited the surrounding coast. Everything was beautiful, filled with history and character; the ocean was clear and cold (“delicious” as the French say), the food was out of this world, and the heat was already turned on, even in May. I think some of my favorite experiences (besides being able to eat anything because European food and flour is generally fresh and not overprocessed) were just window shopping and seeing the diversity of fresh spices, foods, and artisanal products, the subtle smells of colognes and perfumes (my goodness everyone smells so good!) and the chance to share it all with Mark for the first time. My cousin and his wife really spoiled us with fabulous meals at their home, dinners and lunches out while they took us touring, and yes, the classic southern French apéritif, Pastis!
In June, we participated in back-to-back art festivals in the Denver area, which is always a treat because we get to stay with our daughter and her bossy little cat at their apartment. We enjoyed the festivals as we always do: lots of physical work, great conversations with new customers, and catching up with old friends and fellow artists. The heat nearly cooked us out of our booth the first weekend. At one point, Mark sent me to the truck to turn on the A/C and cool off, but I was so overheated I had to stop halfway to the parking area just to rest! That was a tough day to be on asphalt.
July brought our hottest experience yet as we ventured to Iowa for the 53rd annual RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) with our son, his girlfriend, her parents, and their family friend. After Mark’s health troubles late last year—a broken ankle, prostate cancer, and two surgeries—he hadn’t ridden his bike much, but still managed to ride four of the seven days (one more than planned!) with relative ease. His first day on the route happened to be the hottest of the week, with a heat index reaching 117. We will all remember the end of that day: hundreds of riders crowded nearly shoulder-to-shoulder in Guthrie Center’s outdoor pool, trying not to think about how dirty the water was getting with so many sweaty, sunscreen and road grit-covered bodies. It didn't matter to anyone; it was the absolute best relief after a scorching day. Our new friend Jules referred to the pool as a “sea of diphtheria,” and we are still laughing about that. No worries, we all showered after and no one got sick.
Iowa is great. I drove our van during the day while everyone was riding the bike route, and that gave me the opportunity to explore small towns, surprise our riders along the route when they didn’t expect me, and yes, have a/c in the van. I hadn’t been to Iowa in quite a few years, and I’d forgotten how friendly the people are, how patriotic the towns are, and I discovered that Iowa is very art-centric! Every town I went through had a massive city hall building, murals, sculptures or history displays of some kind, a war or veteran’s memorial and a Casey’s.
Now we’re in the middle of August, and between my time at the gallery, participating in the Cheyenne Arts Celebration on August 8, Mark’s weekly stays at his mom’s in Laramie, and the regular bustle of summer, fall feels right around the corner—though there's no end to the heat quite yet!
Grover After the Rain, third place winner
Artistically, I’ve delved further into oil painting over the summer, re-learning forgotten concepts and picking up new ones through books, YouTube, and critiques. At first, I was embarrassed by some of the small paintings I produced, but now I recognize them as visual stepping stones. The future me will look back and say, "Wow, look how much you've improved." I know I'll get better, and I'm working hard at it. I’ll share some projects soon. I also won a third place ribbon at the Festival of the Arts in Saratoga over the July 4 weekend. That was unexpected and fun!
Bullet Holes & Sunbeams, currently on display in Trinidad, CO
I brought my camera to both France and Iowa and loved capturing snippets of our trips. My time was limited for the focused, wandering photography I enjoy most, but the snapshots I took are wonderful memories nonetheless. While I haven’t entered many shows lately, I currently have pieces in a couple of local exhibitions, as well as work for sale at Works of Wyoming in Laramie and ART321 in Casper. I was also thrilled to have a piece selected for an all-woman show at the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art in Trinidad, CO—a real honor. Looking ahead, I have a few new ideas I'd like to experiment with my camera. Stay tuned!
Finally, I’ll be part of a small autumn show at the gallery called Double Vision with Laramie photographer Barbara Bogart. Barbara is having a solo show and invited me to collaborate using six of my own pieces that mirror her own. We discovered we share similar styles and perspectives, and have visited many of the same Wyoming locations, yet our interpretation of the subjects are different. Interpretation differences are a wonderful paradox and an often overlooked aspect of photography! Mark September 11 on your calendar if you’re in the Cheyenne area for ArtWalk at our gallery and the official opening for both Barbara’s show and Double Vision at Open Door Studio and Gallery (1609 Central Ave, Cheyenne WY).