Description | Size | Price |
Oil on Linen |
24 x 36 in (61 x 91.4 cm) | Sold |
Giclée Print | 24 x 36 in (61 x 91.4 cm) | inquire |
Giclée Print: (Artist's Proof) | 24 x 36 in (61 x 91.4 cm) | inquire |
Custom sizes and formats available contact: rgeoffrey@rgeoffrey.com
"Bryce Canyon"
"This was the first painting commissioned by the legendary adventurer, balloonist and mining magnate, Maxie Anderson. Maxie was the Owner and CEO of Rancher's Exploration and Development Corporation of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I met Maxie through his chief geologist Dave Fitch. I had proposed a parcel of mining claims to Ranchers and Dave was sent to check out the geology. Actually, Dave and I had several such encounters and on one of these, having found out that I also was an artist, he mentioned that Maxie had an amazing art collection at the Ranchers headquarters. Dave arranged for me to meet Maxie who was sufficiently impressed to commission this Bryce Canyon painting.
Subsequently, Maxie purchased
"Red Canyons" and had me do another commission of one of
his uranium properties at
Temple Mountain.
Maxie was best known for being the leader of the three man
team who were first to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a balloon
(the Double Eagle II in 1978). He had previously attempted a
crossing and crashed in the ocean. ( I also did a painting
of his crashing balloon, Double Eagle). The Bryce Canyon
piece was created in 1977, before Maxie made his first
attempt at the crossing. He was an amazing man and I really
enjoyed our conversations about art and mining. Tragically,
Maxie and his team mate Don Ida were killed in a balloon
race in Europe in 1983. Dave Fitch and I became good friends
bumping around the Moab outback together looking at uranium
properties and have continued our friendship to this day. He
and my late and very dear friend Bob Norman of Moab (also a
geologist and General Manager of Buttes Gas and Oil) were
the inspiration for my insistence on geological accuracy in
all my red rock paintings. Interestingly, I never did get
Maxie to buy any of my uranium properties, only my art. Same
thing with Bob: yes on the art, no on the uranium property."
R. Geoffrey Blackburn