FACES AND PLACES

Watercolor sketch by Martha Slavin

I like to paint faces. I also look for accidental faces in objects that I see on a walk. These kinds of faces, made up of dials, scratches, machinery, and stones, make me smile. Last weekend I found the ultimate accidental face.

I went to Manitou Springs, Colorado, for our niece's wedding. While wandering around the historic downtown, I stopped at Raye's Art Gallery located on a side street. Raye Fickes Miller is a photographer, but her gallery at the moment is filled with the black and white photos of Larry Hulst, a 6 foot 4 inch photographer who towers over the crowds at music concerts. His photos capture the joy on the faces of rock, punk, blues, and country western music performers. (Take a look at Hulst's website to see many familiar faces.)

Walking out of the gallery, I stopped at a wall lined with gas meters and pipes. I saw a large face within the placement of the metal boxes. Then I looked closer. You can see what I found. 

A face within a face.

The old part of Manitou Springs, which is just below Pikes Peak, is part tourist attraction and part art and crafts galleries. Some of the side streets have murals decorating the bare walls.

Murals on one side street

In Manitou,you can leaf through the botanical paintings by Helen Smithwick at Commonweal Artist Coop or buy a cowboy hat around the corner.

Or you can savor an ice cream at one of the many ice cream shops.

Or treat yourself to a corn dog near the penny arcade.

Ha. Another face.

Good things to do in Manitou Springs, Colorado:

Hike through the Garden of the Gods

and see if you can find more faces -- real ones this time.


Visit art galleries in Manitou Springs

https://www.rayeimages.com

https://www.larryhulst.com

https://www.smithwickbotanicals.com  See her paintings at Commonweal Art Coop

https://www.commonwheel.com

http://www.manitouartcenter.org

https://farebellagallery.com next to Raye's Gallery on Ruxton

https://piramidenf.com/index.html  no cowboy hats, but batik clothing

Two good places to stay in Manitou Springs:

https://www.avenuehotelbandb.com

https://www.thecliffhouse.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=business_listing&utm_campaign=gmb