Geoff Frost's leg. Geoff is an artist who makes didgeridoo instruments from agave and gourds. Originally from Connecticut he now lives in Tustin, California.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The Leg
Geoff Frost's leg. Geoff is an artist who makes didgeridoo instruments from agave and gourds. Originally from Connecticut he now lives in Tustin, California.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
The Vagabond Miner
Shaggy Linkin of Vagabond Mining has been living on the road for six years now. He's a fellow dealer here.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Escondido Babe
High school science and math teacher Denise from the San Diego area on her sixth trip to Quartzsite. The woman has style.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
One of the Big Boys
A gem among the dealers congregated here, Bradley Davis is an antique dealer and importer from Maryland. He's patiently awaited the arrival of three containers worth of goods as the show goes on. His transportation company was one of the worst, delivering the goods two weeks late and literally throwing his merchandise in piles in the back of the semi-trailers. Brad's here with his family which includes his wife and three kids, two of whom are on winter break from college.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
The All American Living the Airstream Life
Journalist, publisher, businessman, father, and husband Rich Luhr pauses in front of Carrie and Jay's 1966 Airstream Overlander. Rich is the creator and publisher of the outstanding magazine Airstream Life. Subscribe today at http://www.airstreamlife.com/. Also don't miss Rich's blog where he cronicles his life as a full time Airstreamer. See the "Tour of America" link on the right side of this page.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
N.Joy
Designer Nina Joy enjoys her day in Quartzsite. A New York native she's lived in Arizona for eleven years.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Homebuilder
Homebuilder Vince Fillet makes his fourth trip to Quartzsite--a day trip from Gilbert, Arizona near Phoenix.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Windsurfers Stop in Q
Geologists Ken and Marcia Jewitt are on the road for three months, escaping Alberta's coldest weather. They're from a small town near Calgary and are in Quartzsite for a week. They're headed to South Padre Island for some windsurfing. The Jewitt's travel light and tight in their 10.5 foot long Bigfoot camper which they've used for eight years. (This might be a truck camper that rides on the back of a pickup.)The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Jerry Drinnon
Jerrry Drinnon runs Family Treasures with his partner Ed. If you want ancient artifacts, high quality gems, or just good rocks, these are your guys. They have a shop at 107 1/2 Evers Street in Plant City, Florida. Jerry is an animal lover, jewelry designer, and great guy.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Ed Odell
The other half of the Ed and Jerry team. Ed is an expert antique and gem dealer. For 18 years he worked as a cardiac nurse. He's been a full time dealer for over 10 years. We met Ed initially in Bloomington, Indiana and did two more shows together last year: at Marietta, Georgia and Franklin, North Carolina.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Matt the Carpenter
A talented carpenter, Matt is extended Airstream family. He's Carrie's brother and has been camped next to her 1966 Airstream while working for Quartzsite's biggest rock dealer: Village Originals.The Portraits of Quartzsite series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Designer Derek Ivan
Photographed in his Volkwagen van--which he's owned since 1977--Derek Ivan is a talented artisan. He works with silver and gold. Derek showed his work for two days in Utahredrock's booth here in Quartzsite. He was introducing two new lines of jewelry he's been working on. One line employs handpicked marbles of all colors. The other is a wonderful line of jewelry simulating barbed wire and made of silver. Derek lives in a small town in the mountains above Palm Springs, California.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Hector of El Paso Based Gem Center USA
American Hector Carillo of Gem Center USA was born in to the rock business. His parents and many siblings mine and import rocks from Mexico. Hector has leveraged his education, personal charm, and work ethic, to take the family business boldy into new markets and endeavors. Through his efforts, and the efforts of the entire family, the business is going strong and growing. Hector is my neighbor here in Quartzsite and is one of the nicest people you could ever meet.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Barry Balonick
Meteorite customer Barry Balonick shows off his purchase. Barry is a clothing manufacturer based in Los Angeles. His current lines include Luna Chix, E*Dolls, Bia Girl, Semi Sweet, Born in America, and Wild Lizard Clothing Co.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Ali of Moroccan Imports
A giant in the industry, Ali Hmani imports at least 60 tons of material each year to the United States from Morocco. By weight almost all of this is fossils, however, Ali is also a top meteorite dealer. He occupies half of a warehouse here in Quartzsite across from Utahredrock's tent.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Ohio Barb
Barb proudly modeling her new meteorite pendant. This meteorite, found in the Saharan Desert, is over 4.5 billion years old. For six months a year Ohioan Barb and her husband Dave live and travel in their class A motorhome. Those are the big ones, and their's is 35 feet long with two pop outs. They're the first fellow Buckeyes we've met in Quartzsite (Jim of Utahredrock is an Ohio native). Texas is their next stop.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Gold Prospector Forrest Gibson
Gold prospector Forrest Gibson calls Quartzsite home for two months every winter. He prospects in California and Oregon in the warmer months and does some work each winter as a mechanic. He lives full-time in his 1958 fourteen foot Shasta travel trailer with his girlfriend Shirley. They pull the trailer with his 1983 Ford van. The Ford is going strong with 341,000 miles on it, a testament to his strengths as a mechanic.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Quartzsite's Best Wire Wrappers
Wire wrapping is a form of jewelry making popular in rock clubs across America. It's also a style not favored by Utahredrock. New England natives Geoff and Tayra have taken wire wrapping to a new level creating beautiful pieces of jewelry and giving us a whole new view of this technique. They're vendors at the nearby Desert Gardens show. After Quartzsite they plan to spend some time in Costa Rica.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Julie the Full-timer, Formerly of Beverly Hills
Retired from her position as an administrator for a top Beverly Hills law firm, Julie and her partner full-time in a fifth wheel RV with their Jack Russell Ms. Omega and three cats. They have a 37 foot trailer with five pop outs. They pull their rig with a full ton Dodge diesel dually. They began their new life as full timers in May of 2007, one month after Utahredrock hit the road.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Artist Mike Duncan
Artist Mike Duncan is a master silversmith creating intricate designs in silver primarily inspired by Celtic art.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Ronnie
Visible on the left (Ronnie's right arm) is evidence of a recent wound inflicted by a dog who sunk his teeth deep into Ronnie's arm last week. Ronnie works for a nearby dealer and is a traveling kid. A nice guy and a musician, he's lived on the streets since he was 14. A New Jersey native, he's 20.The Portraits of Quartzsite Series by Utahredrock, 2008.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Our January Home
Here's our Airstream at Quartzsite. The tan tent in front of the trailer is our store here. This photo was taken on a typically clear morning just before opening.
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