A HISTORY

The idea for the State of Art was hatched, like a golden egg, in the middle of the night on or about (most likely about) I can’t remember. It was sometime in 1990. The formal but unauthorized declaration occurred at a dramatic and historical event June 18, 1990 at Cedar Breaks, Utah, attended by the document’s signatories: Jon R. Pittman, Sabin Mroz, Robert W. Schneider and myself. The four minute video of the unrehearsed phenomenon remains a classic of historical understatement but profound importance. Simply stated, the State of Utah was declared to be the State of Art.

Subsequently, residents of Utah made it quite clear a state name change would be impossible. So....Declaration II, signed by thirteen hearty pioneers on August 10, 1991 at Dog Breath Beach in Baja Norte, California, declared that Arizona, Utah and the United States Government would donate a reasonable amount of public lands for the State of Art.

Because Art’s flag was a combination of the flags of Utah and Arizona, the location of the fifty-first state had to be on their shared state line. Two adjoining towns, an airport and paved roads were additional requirements. A careful examination of a Utah road map revealed the obvious location for Art, a point between Kanab, Utah and Fredonia, Arizona, with  Art’s boundary being “as far as the eye can see.”

Meanwhile, A.R.T.?* (A Rabelaisian Tantalizement) was written and published, 250 numbered and initialed booklets describing Art and containing reproductions of the Declaration and Constitution II, Symbols of the Great State of Art, a flag decal, an Art/Visitor’s Guide, Places to Visit Within 50 and 75 Miles, a map and important correspondence.

Addendums to the symbols section are:

(1) Lyrics to Slim Gaillard’s Cement Mixer, Putty, Putty on page eight.

Cement mixer, putty putty
Cement mixer, putty putty
Cement mixer, putty putty
Cement mixer, putty putty
Cement mixer, putty putty
A puddle o’ vooty, a puddle o’ gooty,
A puddle o’ scooby, a puddle o’ veet concrete.
First you get some gravel, pour it on the vout
To mix a mess o’ mortar
You add cement and water
See the mellow roony
Come out slurp slurp slurp.

(2) The State of Art’s  transport device (submitted by David
Richardson)...the 1946 Vespa Motor Scooter.

(3) a candidate for Census Taker and Registrar of Voters: “The Grand Lady” from the Fashion & Intimate Apparel Boutique,  from Dr. Alan Rosenas.

(4) The State Anthem, submitted by Sue Tyler and Al Pagano, is “Unity” by Raymond Jones, from the CD “State of Art” by Columbia Records.

The official but unauthorized statehood ceremonies for Old Art took place June 13th, 1992 at a beautiful site located five miles east of Fredonia. Four brilliant neon pieces designed by Byron Keener were placed on a slope near the site which provided intense red, orange, blue and turquoise light which could be seen for miles. Curious and incredulous residents from Fredonia taverns rushed out to the site, expecting to see a U.F.O. landing.

A week before the ceremony, a revelation came to me that the State of Art should move to a new location. Therefore, the ceremony’s script called for the state flag to be driven into the sacred ground with the exclamation “THIS WAS THE PLACE!” and followed by: “But...and I quote: ‘in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate...we cannot consecrate...we cannot hallow...this ground.’ So......at this momentous and memorable event of June 13th, 1992, I now declare the New State of Art and its new location....which is....576 square miles surrounding Escalante and Boulder, Utah.

May 1, 1993, encouraged by a sense of good old 19th century American “Manifest Destiny”,  Art gerrymandered its state lines and added about 8,000 square miles to its territory.

In addition to inviting artists to do ephemeral outdoor landscape art in Art and possibly permanent works, the New State of Art volunteered to assist the Escalante Public Library in the acquisition of additional books and organize art exhibits for their gallery.

In August of 1993 Art sponsored a landscape painting class for local residents with London landscape painter Sir John Bull Francis as leader and master. Not one resident showed.

Art produced a documentary film commemorating the 1879-80 Hole-in-the-Rock Expedition from Cedar City to Bluff, Utah titled "Why! Are You a Mormon?"

October 14, 1995, from 9am to noon, a champagne and root beer reception happened at Devil’s Garden State Monument, 16 miles east of Escalante, for the exhibition of five X-LARGE rockscape paintings called “Satan’s Rocks”, work by your Gran Director. A second exhibition of five additional paintings took place in April of 1997, no formal reception. A short video is available.

Visitors to the State of Art have witnessed many UFO sightings. Flying saucers were seen at the First Annual Bicknell (Art) International Film Festival July 27-28, 1996, organized by filmmaker Trent Harris (“Rubin & Ed”) and Lory Smith from the Utah Film Commission.

The loneliest and most isolated spot in the lower 49 states is in the State of Art just off the Hole-in-the-Rock road on top of theKaiparowits Plateau. The location is 37 degrees, 24 minutes, 49.5 seconds north, 111 degrees, 16 minutes, 47.03 seconds west, which is about 30.4 miles southeast of Escalante, 30 miles northeast of Big Water and about 30 miles west of Hall’s Crossing on Lake Powell.

To celebrate Declaration of Art Day June 18, 1996, Art’s territory was expanded to include Hanksville and Goblin Valley. Hanksville (I first visited there in 1955) is known for Paul Taylor’s “Butch Cassidy Monster Mountain Museum” at the Desert Inn Motel, where visitors can see more than 200 metal dinosaurs Paul made from recycled materials. Goblin Valley is known for its wonderful goblins and devils.

Art’s Rainbow Arch, the largest in the world and the seventh wonder thereof, has been discovered to be a holy place by the Navajos. Tuba City medicine man Frank Goldtooth states that Rainbow Arch was created when a “shooting worm” - an inchworm caterpillar - stretched itself across the canyon to provide a bridge to the Navajo Twins, a pair of hero gods. Since the location of Nonnezoshe or “rainbow turned to stone” is secret, there will be no need to require visitors who walk under the arch to say a prayer.

Mark Austin is suing the city of Boulder for blocking his attempt to serve wine in his restaurant.

Paria Canyon - Photo courtesy of Harry Baldwin

My son David and I observed two very naked and lovely nymphs  sunning themselves near the swimming holes on top of the Upper Calf Creek Falls.

On a 1996 spring back-pack to Davis Gulch, your Director and Declaration of Art signatory Sabin Mroz visited the last known camp site of Everett Ruess, the young artist/writer/wanderer who disappeared there in 1934. Mark Austin claims Everet’s bones were discovered recently but then stolen from a warehouse.

In March of 1998 the base of operations for the State of Art was officially moved to a secret location in the Coyote Buttes area in the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness area after Sabin Mroz sacrificed life, limb and happiness driving the official state vehicle, Mooneywagen 6414Q, from San Diego to the State of Art landing strip at Marble Canyon, Arizona. John Doyle Lee, infamous founder of Lee’s Ferry and possibly the scapegoat for the Mountain Meadows Massacre, in December of 1871 hiked down the forty-mile, twisting canyon floor of the Paria River to its convergence with the Colorado River.

Driving to Page on Hwy. 89 with Dan Funderburk in early 1999, we were pulled over by a sheriff for speeding, no brake light, having the State of Art license plate on the rear of the VW and no proof of insurance. Making sure we were not a militia force and a threat to Page peace, and after learning about the State of Art, officers Campbell and Bell let us go without a citation.

The State of Art  borders within Utah and Arizona, with the exception of the small area around Cedar Breaks where the original declaration was made, was  circumnavigated, circumcised and exorcised April 6th and 9th, 2000, in the State of Art aircraft Mooney 6414Q, piloted by Bob Matheny and co-piloted by the devil. The new project is called “The Circumnavigation, Circumcision  and Border Exorcism Project” and is dedicated to Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) and the Oomoto Foundation in Kyoto, Japan.

January 3, 2001, the real Millennium was celebrated at the State of Art Capitol (in a secret location near the Wave) in Coyote Buttes. Champagne and a Cuban cigar were enjoyed by citizens Armando, Muñoz, David Covey, Tom Forsythe and Werner and Linda from Austria. The 1967 VW is now located at the Kanab Airport.

Also in 2001, an 80 minute documentary film “The Great State of Art” was produced, which covered the history of the state since 1990. Copies are available if you’re interested.

Palette Painting with Cigar and Thumb 10 feet x 20 feet on unstretched canvas.  detail

The record shattering one hour reception and exhibition of the world's largest* palette, cigar and thumb paintings, aberated itself more or less, on March 13, 2004, at the State of Art's natural outdoor gallery on the surface of the incredible Coyote Buttes landscape in the gorgeous states of Art, Arizona and Utah.

There once was an artist named Bob,
Who invited a rather large mob,
To the grand State of Art,
Where they found they can’t part…
They’re so taken with Beauty they sob.

A photographer friend we’ll call Dave,
Took us to a gallery shaped like a cave.
We gave a great shout,
And drank Guinness stout.
Now we’re leaving, so everyone “Wave”.

by Barton Ward alias Charles Atlas

*an unauthorized, unacceptable, unadulterated and uncertified Guiness World's Record.

In August, 2004, Le Gran Directeur made a brief visit to "Burning Man" in Nevada where he camped out at the airport and somehow survived the heat, dust storms and male nudity. The "World's Largest Thumb, Cigar and Palette Painting" was on B.M.'s bonafide list of art objects, but no one that i know of made the difficult trek to see it. Satan was my co-pilot.

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January 13-17, 2005, State of Art citizens Sabin Mroz, Dan Funderburk and Bob Matheny flew to Bluff, Utah, in the State of Art aircraft and sponsored Don Bragg's "Mad Adventure" balloon in Bluff's 8th or 9th annual balloon festival. Don, Sabin and Dan came close to being roasted on one of their flights, when the balloon landed briefly on a very difficult to see power line. The line did not break, but there were some sparks, and power was disrupted in southern Bluff and nearby Mexican Hat. One of the flights was in the Valley of the Gods (pictured below), a natural formation of sandstone located very near Monument Valley. The morning balloon assemblies, flights and disassemblies, were followed by delicious champagne brunches and party time in the parking lot of the Bluff Recreation Center. The crewing, flying, scenery and comradeship were outstanding.	Valley of the gods in Art. Photo by Don Brag
	Pilot Don Bragg on the left and his crew (State of Art citizens Sabin Mroz, Bob Matheny and Dan Funderburk in the center) Rusty Spillers on the right and Mrs. Bragg and Caryl Sharpe on top. Photo by Don Brag

From February 4th to February 25, 2006, "The Great State of Art Show" was imported and exhibited by Mario Uribe and the Backstreet Gallery in Santa Rosa, California. Many new citizens were added to Art's rolls, including an ambassador to Santa Rosa, the distinguished art patron Marlene Ballaine. A good time was had by all. Art Citizen Uribe suggested that there be an Art convention at Coyote Buttes in the spring of 2007. The Gran Director will pursue this task in due haste pronto.

Lucifer Eating Judas and Two Other Christians. 8x10 feet. c.1995

Team picture. March, 2007.

At an undetermined time in 2006, the Gran Directeur became an important San Diego philanthropist by providing funds for the shirts and sponsoring a team from the San Diego Senior Softball Association, named appropriately, The State of Art.

Appendix

Official and historic State of Art documents, letters, art and artifacts include eight State Paintings:

1.  “Formation of State Flags Flying Over Art”
2.  “Rainbow Arch, Art”
3.  “Art Temple, Art”
4.  “Beehive Monument, Monument Valley, Art”
5.  “Art’s Capitol, Art”
6.  “State of Art Flag”
7.  “Delicate Bridge, Art”

Miscellaneous State Artifacts include a 2x3 foot flag with a skep topped staff, a State of Art official button the Gran Director wears on special occasions like the Annual Western Governors’ Conferences, two custom designed State of Art T-shirts, a State of Art watch,  a custom made State of Art license plate for the Spirit of Santos-Dumont V, State of Art driver’s license and Art flag decals, passports and Art wings.

Documents include the original State Declarations and Constitutions I, II, III and IV, History of Art  and of course A.R.T.*?

Correspondence includes a letter from Utah’s governor rejecting my request to lease state land for Art for $1. a year, a letter from the Bureau of Land Management rejecting my request for a conditional use permit for public lands for the State of Art and letters to President Bush, Vice President Quail, Senator Alan Cranston and Fife Symington, the Governor of Arizona, all requesting their help for Art to acquire land.

A letter dated December 6, 1992, was received from Jeanne-Claude Christo, rejecting a proposal from the State of Art that Christo and Mrs. Christo consider the possibility of creating a work of art in the State of Art. See Letter 3.

Great State of Art vehicles: A 1967 Mooney airplane (The Spirit of Santos-Dumont I) and a 1967 Mooneyvagen (The Spirit of Santos-Dumon II). Photo courtesy of Hank Witkowski.

State of Art transportation is provided by a 1967 VW (a Mooneywagen named The Spirit of Santos-Dumont V) stationed at the State of Art airport at Kanab, Utah and a 1967 Mooney (The Spirit of Santos-Dumont IV) aircraft stationed in San Diego.

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Critical reviews:

“Artist Working to Form America’s 51st State”
Jeannie Hunt
Southern Utah News
Kanab, Utah
November 5, 1991

“Luminous Aspects of ‘91 - Having inspired fun”
Robert L. Pincus
San Diego Union
January 7, 1992

“Who in Hell Needs Artists Anyway?”
Henry Garfield
The Plain Speaker
February, 1992
Jacumba, California

“UTOPIA? Artists create State of Art on BLM lands”
Susan Lyman-Whitney
Deseret News
Salt Lake City, Utah
June 13, 1992

“Escalante Area Named New ‘State of Art’”
Katie Thomas
Garfield County News

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