Week 19: I started my residency at Capulin Volcano National Monument!
Plus spectacular sunsets, the aurora and a comet!
Hi, friends! I’m super excited to report that I started my artist residency at Capulin Volcano National Monument! I scoured their website for info before applying since I’ve never been here before — but that didn’t prepare me for just how cool this place is —and to top it off, the volcano is surrounded by prairie!
Backing up a bit, I became a prairie girl after moving to Austin, Texas in 1996 and going on plant rescues. I learned that most of Texas used to be prairie, although you’d never guess that now because less than 1% of Texas tallgrass prairies remain. I got involved with the Native Prairies Association of Texas and have been doing their website since 2019.
It hurts my heart that more kids know about lions and tigers and the rainforest than know about prairies, so part of my mission here at the volcano will be to promote the prairie.
There’s just nothing like being out under a big sky surrounded by an sea of grass waving in the wind…and it’s even better when you’re standing on a volcano!
I can’t wait to paint it all!
Hiking Alllllll the Trails
One thing you should know about Capulin Volcano National Monument — it’s a small but mighty park! We did the Nature Trail loop Monday evening after we arrived, then drove up and hiked the Rim and Crater trails on Tuesday, and then Wednesday we hiked the Boca and Lava Flow trails. It will be so cool to hike them all over and over again and really get to know this special place.
The view from the top of the volcano is amazing — you can see for miles — and you can see the Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field (RCVF) — that means volcanoes all around!
At one stop on the trail you can see 4 states: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado — and Texas!
Nature Spots
On Wednesday Jason took the van into town for an oil change and I hiked the Boca and Lava Flow trails by myself. No worries, friends! I checked in at the Visitor Center first to let them know where I would be — and told them to send any interested parties my way!
I like to build what Maria from Art Toolkit calls a “palette of place” by doing nature spots. (Read more about this practice here.)
Nature spots help me form a connection to a place in a way that snapping a photo just can’t match.
Nature spots also help prepare me for larger paintings — I don’t have to think about what colors to use since I’ve already mixed them and it helps me stay in the flow.
I loved this view of Sierra Grande, a shield volcano near Capulin.
And the same colors are here from the top of Capulin Volcano at 8182 feet.
Aurora!
On Thursday, October 10th we were lucky enough to see the aurora over Capulin Volcano!
I zoomed outside and saw a pink glow in the sky with my naked eye — but the real show was revealed when I held up my cell phone. Even without taking the photo I could see more colors. I grabbed the little tripod that I use at my table in the van, Jason got our camp table to put it on, and I proceeded to take a gazillion photos.
Update: Several people asked what camera I used to take the photos, so here you go! Believe it or not, I just my iPhone! I donated my big SLR when we sold our house since there’s no room for it in the van. I looked up how to take night photos and played around with some settings. Here’s a good article if you want to read up! I plan to try to take photos of the Milky Way in the future using this technique, too.
Here are the best ones:
Around 8:30 pm there was a blast of green light right over the volcano. How cool is that?
Looking down the road you could see more colors dancing across the sky:
Pure magic.
As the moon got higher in the sky the prairie grasses seemed to glow — it was kind of unreal!
I kept thinking about how people all around the world were watching this together. Just so cool.
At one point two trucks drove in — they were looking for a lost wallet. Their tail lights turned the prairie red. At first I was kinda mad because I was sure it ruined the shot — but now I think I like it!
As the moon climbed higher in the sky the colors got washed out so we decided to pack it in around 10:30. Plus I was cold! I just had sandals because I rushed out without putting on shoes and socks and my feet were like ice LOL!
The photo above was one of the last ones I took — the trails are from airplanes, although they look like shooting stars, right?
What an unforgettable experience.
Leave me a comment below if you saw it and where you saw them — I’d love to hear!
Spectacular Sunsets
We’ve had a spectacular sunset every night we’ve been here! I always stop and run out to the end of the road to watch it unfold. Which one is your favorite?
So beautiful and peaceful.
Watercolor Demo
On Saturday I did a watercolor demo at the Visitor Center. I was having so much fun that I forgot to take pictures, doh! First I demo’d how to to paint the aurora, then I did some nature journaling. Just so much fun!
I was given a clicker to track the interactions that I had with visitors, and I ended up with 65 people stopping by!
I also gave away a bunch of mini aurora paintings. One family told me they were going to turn the painting into a Christmas ornament! What an honor.
And here’s a “small world” story for ya: a couple that I met was from Austin — and not just any part of Austin, but about 5 miles from where we lived! To top it off, the husband worked at Packard Electric in Warren, Ohio before moving to Austin. My Grandpa worked at Packard Electric. And my Dad worked in Warren! That’s not all — they went to Kent State University — J went to Kent State while he was in high school. Whoa! What a coincidence!
I also talked prairie with a lovely couple from Kansas — they had noticed the grasslands here too.
What a great day!
Nature Journaling Workshops
I’ll be teaching Nature Journaling workshops October 19th and 26th from 10-12 at the Visitor Center — if you’re in the area I’d love it if you stopped by!
Moonlight Hike
After my demo we got to go on a moonlight hike around the rim of the volcano with Ranger Rachel. The road to the top is usually closed at this time so this was a special treat!
There was a cozy group of 10 of us, and Ranger Rachel shared so many fun facts about the moon, geology, myths and more.
Some of the random facts that I learned: most Europeans see a man on the moon (I see a rabbit!), the far side of the moon has more craters, and the term “pareidolia” a term for when we humans see patterns in clouds and such — like the man in the moon!
Comet!
Tonight we got to see Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS ! According to NASA, the comet should be visible through early November, so if you missed it tonight you’ll still have another chance to see it! But then it won’t come around again for another 800 centuries! Whoa.
Just look to the horizon after sunset.
We had to wait for it to get dark to be able to see it — we could see it with our naked eye starting around 7:30 MST, but as it got closer to the horizon we needed binoculars.
This week was definitely out of this world!
See you back here next week as I continue my residency here at Capulin Volcano National Monument, New Mexico. Thanks so much for following along on our adventures! — Lisa & Jason
"Out of this world" is right! What glorious sights you had in a week! Wow! Enjoy your residency!
Your Aurora photographs are magnificent! Who makes those paints?!? I need the palette, for sure. Actually, i'm wondering what camera you've been using for your van travels. I meant to ask earlier, because i fell in love with Valles Caldera through your photos and art work, and you just sealed my budding love affair with the American Southwest with your AB photos. If you'd be willing to share equipment details, i'd love to know about your camera and, possibly, lenses. Thanks so much, as ever. -k.