As you know if you’ve been following me for very long, I like to get out and about, traveling hither and yon as they say. I keep it somewhat close to home, two or three days out a week at the most. I’ve got too much to do to be gone for very long.

What is particularly fun is to strike out for a couple of days in search of a painting. I love to discover a beautiful landscape that would yield a wealth of material for new paintings. A big bonus is to find a little town that is friendly, has a pretty good place or two to eat and maybe enjoy an adult beverage in after a long day out in the field. A comfortable bed in a cheap motel would be nice. Not too much to ask for.

I like to stroll the typical old Main Streets that most of these little rural towns have, discovering interesting shops and keeping an eye out for some appealing light cast upon an old building or store front. One can usually find something unique in every little town, with any number of paintings waiting to be made or photographs waiting to be taken. The joy of the search and the reward of the find.

I came across such a place earlier this winter. I just sort of took some time to look around and pay attention. Ignoring the “grass is always greener” syndrome. What I found was really very pleasing. I could say that the landscape surrounding this little burg is typical of what one might find in the Intermountain West which would be true. The local people however seem to be pretty proud of their view and rightly so. There is a lot of incredible scenery to paint near this little settlement. I could probably never go anywhere else and not live long enough to paint what is there.

The Main Street of this little town had everything an artist would want. There were a number of old very interesting buildings and in the right light they yielded some very good subject matter and true to my expectations I found a couple of really good places to eat. Everything from the quaint café/bakery eatery to a couple of fine dining establishments with unique menus. I found a local brewery making some pretty good beer too. The best part was that the local folks are very friendly and inviting. There was even a gallery or two to boot.

I began to realize that this is a place where I could stay and paint for the rest of my life. Welcome to Montrose, Colorado, my home town.

This column originally appeared in the Montrose Daily Press yesterday, Feb. 5 2010