 |
| Border Inn Motel, Slots, Café oil on canvas 16 1/2 x 21 1/4 inches |
This painting can be seen at William Havu Gallery in Denver, Colorado.
The Border Inn lies on the Utah-Nevada between Delta and
Ely, Nevada. It is a welcomed sight for those not noticing the sign that read
NEXT SERVICES 83 MILES back in Hinckley, Utah. That is a long haul without any
habitation. The course of the highway and the signs that remind you to watch
for deer, cattle and falling rock lie in brush and stubble. Because of the
beautiful nature of desolation, bullet holed trashcan pullovers pass by in
silence.
If the border tied into traffic from Salt Lake City, it
would be like Wendover and Mesquite crawling with Mormons on gentile retreats
for the weekend. The alpine peaks of Great Basin National Park are not much of
a draw. Before the park, nobody knew what was there. As it is, most of the
time, you can have much of the park to yourself.
On many Nevada highway borders, there are places like the
inn proudly displaying gambling signs. This is too small for anything more than
a few slot machines. Still it is small town Nevada away from the industrialized
gambling of Reno and Las Vegas. The West survives in these towns along the
highway due to isolating wind, heat, cold and snow. Because of the lack of
water, farming was never really an option. When the ore played out, many towns
vanished in the sage. Part of what kept these hanging on was vacant highway.
You’ll probably have to stop at two or three of these for a hamburger and
gasoline. Nevada takes openness for granted. NEXT SERVICES 83 MIILES was a
courtesy of Utah. Nevada goes on the assumption that you are not going to
gamble on the accuracy of a fuel gauge as you leave Ely for Eureka or Lages
Station.
 |
| Handmade booklet for painting 4 9/16 x 3 1/8 x 3/8 inches |
No comments:
Post a Comment