The WildArt Mongolia Expedition 2013

Mongolia Pre-departure Odds And Ends

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Takhiin Tal Staliion oil 18x24" one of the dozen paintings I'll be showing during the WildArt Mongolia Expedition group art exhibition
Takhiin Tal Staliion oil 18×24″ one of the dozen paintings I’ll be showing during the WildArt Mongolia Expedition group art exhibition

A week from today I leave for eight weeks in Mongolia, my ninth trip in ten years. Good friends to see and places to go, especially the second WildArt Mongolia Expedition to the northeastern mountains and steppes to see cranes and Mongolian gazelles. They’ll be eight of us, myself, Mongol artist Tugsoyun Sodnom who went last year and six artists and photographers from Australia. We’ll be traveling in comfort this time in Land Cruisers, but still getting to camp in the countryside.

Painting of lama's retreat by Tugsoyun Sodnom
Painting of lama’s retreat by Tugsoyun Sodnom; one of her works that will be in the group exhibition

Two other important events that I’m either a part of or will attend:

Tugsoyun, myself and Oidoviin Magvandorj (the other Mongol artist who went last year) will be having a three-person exhibition of paintings inspired by the Expedition to the Gobi. It will be at the Union of Mongolian Artists Gallery in Ulaanbaatar from June 27 to July 8. There will be an opening ceremony on the 27th at 1900hr/7pm and is open to the public.

Dalanjargalan Soum, the community where the women’s felt craft collective that I support is located, is celebrating its 90th anniversary on July 23-24 and I plan to attend. I’m so looking forward to sharing this special event with the friends that I’ve made there since I first met the collective ladies in 2009.

Otherwise, I’m planning some short trips to the countryside to do as much painting and sketching as I can. I should have wifi when I’m in Ulaanbaatar and will post updates when I can.

Daraa uulzii (See you later!)

 

The WildArt Mongolia Expedition, Part 2: Location Painting And A Special Naadam At Arburd Sands, Bayan-Onjuul Soum

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Perfect start to a great day!
Perfect start to a great day!

You can read Part 1 here. The Expedition schedule was planned to coincide with the naadam (festival) that is held at Arburd Sands ger camp every year to celebrate the camp’s anniversary. Since we were going out to a part of Mongolia, the far western Gobi, where there were very few herders I knew this was the perfect opportunity for the participants to get a taste of Mongol culture and just have a fun time, which we certainly did!

We set up camp the afternoon before, having driven about five hours from Ulaanbaatar.

Camp Central at Arburd Sands, cook tent on the right, dining tent on the left
Camp Central at Arburd Sands, cook tent on the right, dining tent on the left
Was this a great campsite or what?
Was this a great campsite or what?

We had time the next morning to get in some painting and sketching…

View from the dunes
View from the dunes
Magvandorj working on a landscape
Magvandorj working on a landscape
Tugs-oyun added the camels to her piece
Tugs-oyun added the camels to her piece
Sharon Schafer worked on recording the various plants in her sketchbook
Sharon Schafer worked on recording the various plants in her sketchbook
Time to go to the naadam!
Time to go to the naadam!
Our drivers had been helping with the set-up, including putting up a ger
Some of us helped with the set-up, including putting up a ger
We took a few minutes to get a group shot
We took a few minutes to get a group shot
The local people had started to arrive, many on their horse. Here's an example of Mongol leatherwork.
The local people had started to arrive, many on their horses. Here’s an example of Mongol leatherwork.
Magvandorj and I sketched the horses
Magvandorj and I sketched the horses
Our drivers, Batmaa and Sendag, helped with the real Mongolian BBQ....khorhog (mutton or goat cooked in the metal containers)
Our drivers, Batmaa and Sendag, helped with the real Mongolian BBQ….khorhog (mutton or goat cooked with extremely hot rocks in the metal containers)
The tails of the horses who will be racing are wrapped part way down.
The tails of the horses who will be racing are wrapped part way down.
The centerpiece of the naadam site....a big maikhan (summer tent)
The centerpiece of the naadam site….a big maikhan (summer tent)
The opening festivities included a performance by a morin khuur (horsehead fiddle) player and a long singer, who had a wonderful voice
The opening festivities included a performance by a morin khuur (horsehead fiddle) player and a long singer who had a wonderful voice; and their brocade del were spectacular
I'm presenting a painting I did of our host's father some years ago; I had brought it back to Mongolia for my exhibition at the National Museum of Mongolia and decided that it needed to stay in the country and with the family
I’m presenting a painting I did of our host’s father some years ago. I had brought it to Mongolia for my exhibition at the National Museum of Mongolia and decided that it needed to stay in the country and with the family, which has shown me great kindness and hospitality over the years
The procession that starts the horse race
The procession that starts the horse race. The jockeys are all singing a song to their horses that tells them that soon they will get to run and run and run.
Three of the jockeys were young girls
Three of the jockeys were young girls
Heading out to the starting point
Heading out to the starting point
In the meantime, the anklebone shooting competition had gotten under way
In the meantime, the anklebone shooting competition had gotten under way
The target...stacked sheep's anklebones; if hit they fall off the back into the box
The target…stacked sheep’s anklebones; if hit they fall off the back into the box
The competitors holding the piece of wood from which they launch an anklebone. You do not want to get hit by one
The competitors holding the piece of wood from which they launch an anklebone. You do not want to get hit by one if it goes off-line
At last the horses and riders come back into view
At last the horses and riders came back into view
Racing to the finish line
Racing to the finish line
The youngest riders were accompanied by at least one adult the whole way
The youngest riders were accompanied by at least one adult the whole way
One of the girl jockeys. She exuded determination and seriousness
One of the girl jockeys. She exuded determination and seriousness
The after race feast...khorhog, salads and various dairy products like aruul (dried curds)
The after-race feast…khorhog, salads and various dairy products like cheese, aruul (dried curds) and…
The legendary mare's milk of Mongolia....airag
The legendary mare’s milk of Mongolia….airag
Then it was time for the wrestling, Mongol bokh. He's doing the traditional Eagle Dance before a bout.
Then it was time for the wrestling, Mongol bokh. He’s doing the traditional Eagle Dance before a bout.
And this youngster did a great job doing his own version.
And this youngster did a great job with his own version.
The wrestlers in the traditional garb are more experienced and have probably earned rankings in the soum or aimag. Any local guy can enter and see what he can do.
The wrestlers in the traditional garb are more experienced and have probably earned rankings in the soum or aimag. Any local guy can enter and see what he can do, but the highest ranked wrestlers get to pick their opponent, so the odds aren’t good. There is no weight division. It’s everyone against everyone. The rules are very simple. First part of the body to touch the ground other than the feet means you lose. Within that simplicity is an infinite complexity of tactics and mind games. I’ve really become a fan.
I had to make a really tough choice. I wanted to watch the wrestling, but a demonstration of catching and riding young horses had begun. The horses won out because I really needed more reference of riders using the urga (the long catchpole)
I found myself making a tough choice. I wanted to watch the wrestling, but a demonstration of catching and riding young horses had begun. The horses won out because I really needed more reference of riders using the urga (the long catchpole)
We saw how 2 year olds are caught and ridden for the first time. It was a rodeo. This horse is feeling a bridle for the first time
We saw how 2 year olds are caught and ridden for the first time. It was a rodeo. This good-looking sturdy horse is feeling a bridle for the first time and he’s pretty sure he doesn’t like it
He really would rather not
He really would rather not
The punctuation point
The punctuation point and a moment later the bridle fell off, but all to no avail
Protesting in vain. As you can see, we could get as close to the action as we wanted
Protesting in vain. As you can see, we could get as close to the action as we wanted. Some were a little too close, but no one was hurt
Maybe not so bad after all
Maybe not so bad after all
Just love this photo of a young Mongol girl
Just love this photo of a young Mongol girl, totally at home on her horse and in her “nutag”, the land where she was born
One of my favorite catch photos. The horsemanship we saw that afternoon was jaw-dropping, but nothing special for people put on a horse at age three
One of my favorite catch photos. The horsemanship we saw that afternoon was jaw-dropping, but nothing special for people put on a horse at age three. They ride like we walk.
The winner of the horse race
The winner of the horse race

The WildArt Mongolia Expedition, Part 1: Departure and Our First Camp

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Expedition members and staff, from left to right: Oidoviin Magvandorj (Mongol artist), Sendag (driver), Odna Idevkhen (Mongol photographer), Tugsoyun Sodnom (Mongol artist), Susan Fox (American artist), Batmaa (driver), Tseegii (guide), Sharon K. Schafer (American artist); photo by Soyoloo our great cook
Expedition members and staff, from left to right: Oidoviin Magvandorj (Mongol artist), Sendag (driver), Odna (Mongol photographer), Tugsoyun Sodnom (Mongol artist), Susan Fox (American artist), Batmaa (driver), Tseegii (guide), Sharon K. Schafer (American artist); photo by Soyoloo our great cook

Two years of planning all came together on August 23, 2013 when the first WildArt Mongolia Expedition departed from Ulaanbaatar in two Russian fergon vans, heading south and then west for a nineteen day adventure that combined art, endangered wildlife, Mongol culture and spectacular scenery.

We began in this:

View looking south from my 12th floor room at the Bayangol Hotel
View looking south to Bogd Khan Uul from my 12th floor room at the Bayangol Hotel

And within a few hours, found ourselves traveling through this:

Heading south into the steppe-Gobi transition zone
Heading south into the steppe-Gobi transition zone
Just one of those things you encounter on the road in Mongolia, local livestock
Just one of those things you encounter on the road in Mongolia, local livestock

I had in mind a very special place for our first camp…But first we needed to fill our water barrel from a local well. We also got lots of great horse photos.

Getting water
Getting water with assistance from local herders and a generator

Then it was on to our campsite…near my favorite sacred mountain, Zorgul Hairhan Uul.

Zorgol Hairhan Uul
Zorgol Hairhan Uul

Once camp was set up, we relaxed and had afternoon tea in the maikhan (Mongol summer tent).

Chatting in the maikhan
Chatting in the maikhan; from left to right: Guide Tseegii, artist Tugsoyun, artist Magvandorj, artist Sharon Schafer, photographer Odna

The next morning we were up in time to catch the first light on the mountain.

First Light
First Light

Magvandorj set up his easel and went to work.

Magvandorj painting on location
Magvandorj painting on location

There was a small lake at the foot of the mountain, which we explored that morning.

Morning light on the small lake
Morning light on the small lake

Odna, Sharon and I took lots of photos.

Odna and Sharon taking photos
Odna and Sharon

There was a white stupa at the base of the mountain.

The white stupa
The white stupa backed by a great rock formation

And a sacred spring on the backside, set about with prayer wheels and trees festooned with colorful khadag (offering scarves).

Khadag and prayer wheels
Khadag and prayer wheels

This is what our camps looked like during the Expedition.

The view from camp looking away from the mountain
The view from camp looking away from the mountain

By late morning we were packed up and on our way to our next stop, Arburd Sands ger camp and a very special event.

Arburd Sands ger camp
Arburd Sands ger camp

Ch-ch-changes (And My First Animal Studies From The WildArt Mongolia Expedition)

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Saiga antelope, Sharga, Mongolia, Sept. 2013
Saiga antelope, Sharga, Mongolia, Sept. 2013

My eighth trip to Mongolia this year was the busiest ever. Not only did I have the WildArt Mongolia Expedition, but also the solo exhibition of my paintings at the National Museum of Mongolia. Before, after and in and around those was my yearly trip to Ikh Nart to meet with the women’s felt craft collective and visit the reserve, a quick weekend trip to Hustai, lunches and dinners with friends and, to top it off, gaining gallery representation at Mazaalai Art Gallery in Ulaanbaatar.

So not only do I have the WildArt Mongolia Expedition group exhibition next June or July to prepare for, but also the juried shows that I enter and creating new work for my gallery. All to say that after today, I will be doing one main post a week, not two, with the intention of posting every Wednesday. In between I’ll be doing shorter informal posts as interesting things come up.

I finally got back into the studio today after resting and catching up last week. Jet lag wasn’t bad, but I was tired, not surprisingly, since I’ve been going non-stop since June. Physically, I’m fine. Three plus weeks of remote travel on the earth roads of south-western Mongolia didn’t bother me at all. What seems to wear me down by the end of a trip is what I’ve come to think of as “decision fatigue”. Staying in Ulaanbaatar and traveling the way that I do in Mongolia is, in some ways, one long stretch of decisions,particularly since I’m often working and traveling with people from a different culture -the Mongols- and trying to function appropriately and correctly within that culture as much as possible. I reach a point where I need to park my brain in neutral for awhile. The prospect of 10-11 hours on a plane coming home becomes quite appealing. The only decision is which entree to have for dinner. Otherwise, I can mentally just flake out. Getting back into the home routine is nice, too, since the decision requirements are minimal.

My first task when I get home (besides unpacking and laundry), because I can’t really start to relax until I do, is to download all my photos (over 8300 this time) into Aperture on a local vault (Apple-speak for an external hard drive) and then back them up to a separate hard drive (a remote vault) that is kept in a different building, our detached garage. After that they need to be categorized, which usually takes a couple of days. Then I can really see what I’ve got.

And what I’ve got that I honestly didn’t expect to get was useable, paintable reference of the critically endangered Mongolian saiga antelope. They are all from quite a distance (see photo at top) and I will need to do research and call on the people I met in Darvi soum who protect them to help ensure that what I’m doing is accurate, but I got some great action shots of both males and females and some closer-in standing shots. I’ve done three pages of first studies to get a feel for what a saiga looks like. They are done on Strathmore vellum bristol with a Wolff’s 4B carbon pencil.

Saiga studies 1
Saiga studies 1
Saiga studies 2
Saiga studies 2
Saiga studies 3
Saiga studies 3

The WildArt Mongolia Expedition Has Returned From the Gobi!

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The members of the Expedition

I’m in Ulaanbaatar for a couple more days, then heading for home. The Expedition departed on August 23 and returned on September 10. It was a great adventure that occasionally verged on the epic, was filled with days of great natural beauty, took us to places no artists have ever been and accomplished every goal that I set.

Nomadic Journeys sent us out with a great team who were reliable, professional and fun to be with. It quickly became their Expedition, too. So, really, it was all nine of us together sharing wonderful sights and experiences.

From left to right above: Oidoviin Magvandorj (Mongol artist), Sendag (driver), Odna Idevkhen (Mongol photographer), Tugsoyun Sodnom (Mongol artist), Susan Fox (Expedition organizer and American artist), Batmaa (driver), Tseegii (guide), Sharon K. Schafer (American artist). Photo taken by our cook Soyoloo, who is pictured below at Darvi Nuur.

Expedition cook Soyoloo at Darvi Nuur
Expedition cook Soyoloo at Darvi Nuur

Mongolia Monday- Mongol Photographer Joins The WildArt Mongolia Expedition! Meet Odna Idevkhten

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Odna profileOdna Idevkhten is a native Mongolian who has been working in the New York area for the past 10+ years  for various financial companies.  She received her BS in business from Brigham Young University and her MBA in finance from the University of Chicago.  She loves traveling with her camera to interesting places around the world and to keepsake the memories of unique sights and scenes through her camera.  She is also an avid art enthusiast and supporter of visual and performing arts.  She has attended numerous art galleries and museums, classical music concerts, opera, ballet, and theatrical plays and musicals at leading venues around the world.

IMG_8411_webBetween her love for traveling and arts, she has found a happy medium to express her artistic side – photography, especially of nature and wild animals.  She is a passionate photographer and shares her photos of wildlife and nature through her Facebook photography page, “I.Odna Photography” (www.facebook.com/i.odnaphotography).

IMG_8209_ed_webShe has photographed wildlife and nature in North America, South America, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, and Europe.  According to Odna, “one can be very original, creative and artistic when dealing with nature and wildlife”.

IMG_4754_web

IMG_8612_ed_web

The WildArt Mongolia Expedition, Introducing The Mongol Artists: Oidoviin Magvandorj

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Magvandorj O PhotoOIDOVIIN MAGVANDORJ

Magvandorj was born in 1952 in Tsagaan Khairkhan, Uvs Aimag.

He attended/graduated from the State Pedalogical University in 1980

From 1972 to 1976 he was an member of the Union of Mongolian Artists branch in Uvs Aimag

From 1980 to 1990 he was an artist at the Musical Drama Theater, Uvs Aimag

Since 1990 he has been a freelance artist and a member of the Union of Mongolian Artists in Ulaanbaatar since 2000.

Great Empire of Mongolia

Great Empire of Mongolia

He has exhibited his work since 1977, both in Mongolia and internationally, participating in exhibitions in Paris and Mexico. His work has been in Union of Mongolian Artists exhibitions since 2005.

His awards include:
1987- “Mongolian National Costumes”- First Prize
1987- “Concert of Many Nationalities”- Best Artist
1988- Festival of Raduga- Leading Prize
2008- Leading Cultural Worker, Ministry of Education and Science

Nomadic

Nomadic

Altan Argamj

Altan Argamj

The WildArt Mongolia Expedition-Introducing the Mongol Artists: Tugsoyun Sodnom

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It gives me great, great pleasure to introduce the two Mongol artists who will be going on the WildArt Mongolia Expedition! I met them when I was in Ulaanbaatar last year and am very excited that they have signed on. Them are well-known in Mongolia and deserve to be known in the United States too.

Today, I would like you to meet Tugsoyun Sodnom. Next will be Oidoviin Magvandorj.

S.Tugsoyun-orkhon

Tugsoyun was born in 1955.

She graduated from the Fine Art College, Ulaanbaatar in 1974 and from the Surikov Institute of Fine Art, Moscow, Russia, in 1980.

She has been exhibiting her work since 1974, both in Mongolia and internationally, participating in exhibitions in Bulgaria, Japan, Russia, Japan, India, Germany, Australia, Korea, the United States and London. Since 1974 she has participated in all of the Union of Mongolian Artists’ exhibitions.

Since 1974 she has designed and/or illustrated over 100 books.

Gobi Camels

Gobi Camels

Her awards include:
1985- Annual Prize of the Union of Mongolian Artists
1988- Honorary Diploma, International Exhibition, Bulgaria
1989- Mongolian Youth Federation’s Award
1993- “Honored Labor” medal, government of Mongolia
2003- “Pole Star” of Mongolia, which is the highest honor that the Mongolian government bestows on artists

Night of Otgontenger Mountain

Night of Otgontenger Mountain

Her paintings and graphic works are in the collections of:
Fine Art Museum of Mongolia
Mongolian Modern Art Gallery
Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan
Trade and Development Bank, Ulaanbaatar
Agricultural Bank, Ulaanbaatar
Mongolian Chamber of Trade and Industry
Undruul Hotel
Tsetseg Hotel
Soros Foundation, Ulaanbaatar
The Asia Foundation, San Francisco, USA
Private collections in Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Korea, China, Russia, USA

Ger District

Ger District; she is particularly known for her series of ger paintings

Horse and Rider

Horse and Rider; one of her book illustrations

Mongolia Monday- WildArt Mongolia Expedition Supporter ASSOCIATION GOVIIN KHULAN

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log goviin khulan I want to introduce you today to one of the supporters of the WildArt Mongolia Expedition, Association GOVIIN KHULAN, which is run by French khulan researcher Anne-Camille Souris. We’ve corresponded via Facebook for a couple of years and were able to meet and chat in person in Ulaanbaatar during my trip last year.

Anne-Camille also works with Mongol artists through her International Art for Conservation project.

International Art Goviin Khulan ©In the past she worked at Takhiin Tal, one of the destinations of the Expedition, studying takhi. Very few researchers were  carrying out research on khulan compared to takhi, so she switched species. There are also khulan at Takhiin Tal, which is in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area. She has offered to lend her expertise in both these wild equids, for which I am greatly appreciative.

You can find out more about khulan here. And below is the information Anne-Camille sent me about her organization and its work.

Khulans2008_2_A-C SOURIS_S.FOX_FB

“The Association GOVIIN KHULAN is a French non-profit organization that works in the southeast Gobi, Mongolia, to protect the endangered Mongolian Khulan (Equus hemionus hemionus) and its habitat in partnership with local rangers and communities.

The Mongolian Khulan – also known as Mongolian Wild Ass – is an endangered wild Equid and is one the 5 recognized sub-species of the Asiatic Wild Ass. The Mongolian Khulan represents the largest population of this species in the world. However, its population has known an important decrease by as much as 50% since the end of the 1990’s and about 15 000 individuals are now left in the wild.

The Association GOVIIN KHULAN has built a multidisciplinary approach to ensure protection of this endangered species on a long term: a) research, b) local and international information, education and awareness, c) involvement of local communities, d) partnership with local rangers,  e) technical and professional support to rangers and citizen conservationists/scientists, f) partnership with Buddhist monks, g) reinforcement of links between Mongolian culture and traditions with nature protection, and h) community development & animal and environment ethics (in progress).

Khulans2008_A-C SOURIS_S.FOX_FB