A memo
(From a voice memo.)
To get to Austin from LA, one can take a train, bus, plane or automobile. I suppose one could walk, run (like not-real Forrest Gump), hitchhike, ride a bike, motorcycle or a horse, rollerblade, or one could skateboard the 1200 or so miles. I chose motorized vehicle, hence my turning onto “the 10”. My instruments for half-crossing the North American continent included a Toyota, a gas card (Exxon/Mobile), clothing, and a few odds and ends, including cameras, gear for art making and samples for art showing. The itinerary was LA, Flagstaff, Santa Fe, Austin, and, maybe, Marfa. As for Marfa, I had phoned Chinati Foundation, leaving a message. One needs a reservation to see the collection there, so I tentatively asked if I could have one, still unsure whether I wanted to commit to the extra driving, lodging and food costs the trek to Marfa would entail. Nick Terry, Chinati’s Coordinator for Education and Public Affairs, returned my call promptly the next morning. I made the reservation and mentioned sheepishly that I had been interested in applying for a Chinati residency for probably four years, told him a little about what I do, and asked him whether he thought it was a good idea to toss my hat in the ring. He turned a bit mystic on me, offering a response something like “Come down here and see how it feels. You’ll figure out whether it’s a fit.” I couldn’t tell you exactly what Nick’s reply, word-for-word was. I wasn’t taking notes, because at that point writing an article about Marfa had never entered my mind. Something about that conversation, though, tweaked my Muse antennae.
