The Dead Dog Archive

The Dead Dog Archive

<previous: A Rock in the Stream

Archive number nine  did not take long to record. There are twenty two large paintings in this group plus a couple of sketches. These paintings are all from the late 1970’s, and early 80’s. There are some beautiful pieces here. Now, too, I have a handle on what remains to be completed.

 There are four more boxes of paintings to be photographed and catalogued. After that there is a box of large framed works, still at the storage. The total will come to fifteen archives. 

That isn’t to say we’re anywhere near done. There are three big archives of Lost Canyon, and Lost Era paintings. I can’t guess at how many individual pictures remain. Most of these paintings are done on paper, so the stacks have dozens more pieces, than if they were all on matboard. There is some absolutely wonderful stuff in these old boxes, but it’s going to take a while to get it all  properly recorded.  There is also a curious collection that seems to be the beginnings of a show. The Box is entitled “Bygone Oilfields”. 

So, before we dive into the  last of the very old archives, we’ll have a look at some of these larger works from Pete’s collection.. I’m nick-naming this collection “The Dead Dog Archive”.

 Show you why later.

Jeff Goslowsky joined my wife and me for Easter. It gave us an opportunity to sit down for a good old fashion BS session, and, of course, we spent a good deal of time trading stories about Pete.

 I put the arm on Jeff for some written recollections, and Jeff came through.

We’ll see another strand, another connection in the peculiar web of coincidences that surrounds this project.

This, from Jeff Goslowsky:

“I knew him probably as well as anyone outside of his family. I think you have to discern the difference between being childlike and childish and yet muddy the two somewhat. I liked speaking with Pete because he had an enthusiasm for understanding the physical world we live in. We used to discuss Meteorology, Astronomy, Geology, and Paleontology.

He particularly was fascinated by the Carboniferous Period when there were insects and scorpions as big as cats and dogs and even cars. I think these may have influenced his nightmare dream sequences of paintings with huge bug-like monsters.

When I read this, from Jeff I was immediately reminded of this passage from Pete’s notebook, “Script to Lost Era & Lost Canyon Trip 1963-63”

Pete Hampton wrote:

I had a choice of two roads while little. I loved math and nature study. I used to make books of numbers going up into the thousands until I ran out of paper. Arithmetic was so fascinating that I used to arise at five o’clock in the morning to continue my fancy figures, 3538, 3539, 3540 on up. Also I loved long addition problems at only seven years old. I had a choice between these two roads and up into a junior at El Rancho High, I did excellent in math. Then from there on I chose the road of science and nature and became developed in it as I fell in math. I learned that more one learns about a subject the more there is to learn and the dumber I find I am.”

“for use after Christ’s crucifixion in background”

Few people saw this side of Pete. Or perhaps, it would be better said, few people realized that along with Pete’s love of beauty there was deep knowledge, and  a passion to further learn everything he could about the natural order that underlay the hills he loved.

Next week we’ll see some more of the larger works, and perhaps get a look into the “Bygone Oilfields” archive.

Oh yeah.  Why “The Dead Dog Archive?” Pete did have a strange love for the macabre…

 

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