There are times along the trail that it seems we have lost our focus. That can happen due to being in an area where there is just not much on our list or the target sites are just not as billed. Sometimes when we have spent a lot of time in a big city, even if we've seen museums or art, the city chaos can overwhelm our goals. Well there is nothing that gets us back up more quickly than a visit with an outsider artist or stumbling upon the wonderful and unexpected. Today had both of those happenstances.
After leaving Elaine and Ocean City, we wandered back highways via scenic routes through some very small towns and sprawling farms. There were far off islands and glorious farmhouses aplenty. Below are a few sights from both a day that serves each of us as our "first time in Delaware."
1. On this trip we have come upon many old structures from, museums to commercial buildings, hospitals/asylum and many impressive homes. The oldest house so far was built 1710. In the town of Odessa, DE there was a whole row of pre-Revolutionary through the early 1800's houses still occupied as private residences. Seen below is one of the many relic abodes we have found.
2. In what could only be called "a fleeting glimpse", out of the corner of my eye between some trees (there are a lot of friggin' trees out here) and down a narrow road, I thought I saw a helicopter -- seemingly in flight. This compelled us to do one of our famous/infamous tourist turn-arounds. In a pasture that apparently serves as a meeting grounds for a local motorcycle club, there is a Vietnam era chopper suspended in a flying pose. The military machine is now a memorial shrine to a veteran named L.Z. "Knucklehead" who passed away in 2007.
3. "Holy S#@*! Look at the size of that mother!" -- In Newcastle just outside of Wilmington we found the Mother of all Marys. In a Catholic Church yard there is a gargantuan stainless steel sculpture of that oh so popular housewife of note. She must surely be well over 50 feet tall; truly impressive and surprisingly beautiful. Check out some of the photos we got....cool!
4. "The Hagens" -- the highlight of the day was this outsider art yard, gallery and workshop. Found on detourart.com this site is not as well known as many others we have visited. Lou does the welding and Judy does the painting and the collaborate on the designs. Their work is all whimsical with quite the range of subject matter. There are flowers, dragons, fish and people. We think the people are the best. Judy saw us in the yard and came out with a gentle smile and a welcoming wave. She gave us the background info and tour. We were glad to have finally met our first female outsider artist. This is due, in part, to the nature of most of the sites being outdoor environments and large steel. We see the work of other women artists in the museums but most are confined to indoor studios and, thusly, harder to see works in progress. Well Judy was an absolute delight. She is shy but open. She is enthusiastic and a very hard worker. One thing that truly endeared her to us is that she has such a wonderful sense of humor and she is willing to fight for what she believes. This is how we have come to call her "The Nipple Warrior". She has a few pieces in which the nipple makes a prominent appearance. She refuses to kowtow to the wimpy puritanical ideals of the close minded-humorless-can't mind their own business so called art critics that she finds on occasion. It was great to hear this gentle soul stand up for her female protuberances. You will see what we're talking about in three pieces: "Slutty Sally" -- the bathing woman on the studio table soon to be put in her tub,and "Dolly" -- the Harley babe which just happens to be on it's way to the Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore and the Daryl Hannah-ish "Mermaid. Note: Breasts and the accompanying nipples were once smudge pots Judy found and just knew she had to use in a sculpture some day. Judy is also one of the few outsider artists that is aware of other artists of a similar ilk. She beamed about her visiting Vollis Simpson. You see, Lou and Judy are long haul over the road semi-truck drivers. On one such trek, they were in Lucama. While their truck was being loaded with pickles, they went to Vollis' workshop and met him; a framed photo of them sits prominently on her gallery entrance table. Our time with Judy was a treat. This diminutive and seemingly ordinary little woman is anything but average. She recharged our Oddasee hearts and eyes.
The best goes blissfully on,
Love and steel nipples,
Rodney and Susan
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