Karista Spring Springwatercolor

 The most ferruginous or iron rich spring of the springs in Saratoga Springs, is the Karista Spring in the Spa State Park. Not only is it the most ferruginous in the park, but also the most iron rich water IN THE WORLD. Karista gets it's name, aptly so, from the Iroquois term for iron. In 1915, when the state took over the property, it was simply named Flat Well #2, by the company that owned the property. 

photo of Flat Well #2 from Spa State Park archive

 In 1925, a fountain was made, and a pavilion was built over it. It has recently been renovated and I read more renovations are to come! It sits along the west side of the Geyser Creek in the park, in what is now a picnic area. This a sweet place to go for lunch, and this spring is an added treat, make sure it's a part of your visit!

  In the 1930's the state searched the property for the best mud to use for mud baths at the bath houses. They found the area around Karista to be the perfect mud, for the low laying valley had held an abundance of decomposed leaf matter that melded with the iron rich dirt, and seemed to work wonders for the skin. I dug around for this dirt, and found some nice red clay-like action! 

To get a good idea of it's iron rich properties, here's a photo of the Karista dirt, next to potting soil in my garden... 

The mineral deposit has a few shades of red, from orange to maroon, and worked great in my watercolor. 

The fountain seems to dry heave, then, blasts and gurgles, then dry heaves again, repeatedly. Though it's random, it's blasts of the closest thing to earth's blood, will fill the jug quite quickly. 

And finally, after being Boy Scout prepared and remembering to wear deet free bug spray, I fought armies of young and hungry mosquitos to render the latest in the series.....

Karista Spring

Old Red Spring Springwatercolor

Old Red Spring is one of the oldest springs of the chain of springs in Saratoga Springs. In 1784 a bath house was erected at this site, making it the first bath house in America.

The water has been known for centuries to cure skin ailments. Along with curing skin ailments, it has these other redeeming qualities, it cures- gout, heartburn, kidney difficulties, inflamed eyes and/or mucous membranes, it revitalizes blood circulation, and stimulates appetite. There was such a demand for the water at one point, there was a bottling plant built on the property. I found a bottle on Ebay for sale, from back before it was just a young "Red" greenhorn, and not so "Old" I guess....

Anyway, I heard the mineral content is not the same as it used to be, here's an old breakdown of the old recipe...

 I have read that about 200 years ago, the old Sadler Cemetery used to be up the hill from the Old Red Spring, (now the Roohan's property) until they dug up the graves and moved them to Greenridge Cemetery, that must have produced some nice runoff. 

  Also, back in the early 90's I was in high school or whatever, and we had a class called PIG (Precipitation In Government or something) and we had to go to City Council meetings. NiMo had spent our bill money on polluting our local area, including where we get our drinking water. They are still cleaning it up to this day, and high school was forever ago!!! I remember sitting in on this one, and thinking, I ain't drinking that one past High Rock, on that goofy 3 way corner!

  

 Coupled with that random brick public works utility looking building that emits sewage smell, Starks and Bardino's, it's hard to believe that Old Red stuff is good to ingest. 

  

  I went to see if there is any mineral deposit, or if it's just tap water like some of our other springs seem to be, and lo and behold, it is actual mineral water folks! 

So, I used the mineral deposit for my painting, along with the Old Red Springwater, I hope you like it! 

Check out my other blog posts, under archive, right hand column, and go to my art show opening Sunday May 1st at Putnam Den, 4:30 pm-6 pm!!!!

High Rock Springwatercolor 2016

  I am proud to announce that the culmination of my quest to watercolor paint a painting of each of the springs of Saratoga, using each spring's water and mineral deposit, in it's respective painting, has led to an art show-
 Opening this coming SUNDAY MAY1st at 4:30 pm at the Putnam Den, downtown Saratoga!!!!! 
 My wife and I will be making pizzas with pizza dough made from various springs, and serving spring water, you must not miss this!!!!!!!

  Last year I made my first High Rock Springwatercolor, along with it's history post, 
http://briefingsfromaspacitymetalhead.blogspot.com/2015/11/high-rock-spring-water-color.html  once you've checked out my long winded detail of the spring, gather 'round and take a gander at my latest effort, I hope you dig it!

 It seems to me, for I could not find any to paint with, but, there is absolutely zero mineral deposit at High Rock, the water is crystal clear, and quite tasty. The pizza dough made from it, tastes great too!!!!

Tons more to come, stop in this weekend MAY 1st, at 4:30- 6 and check out my SARATOGA SPRINGWATERCOLOR SERIES!!!!!

Orenda Spring Watercolor #2

Orenda Spring at the Saratoga Spa State Park, painted with the fart water that is Orenda. The water also works as a laxative, so it comes out the other end smelling the same! I made a blog post and watercolor featuring Orenda last year, check it out http://briefingsfromaspacitymetalhead.blogspot.com/2015/07/springwater-colors.html 
  
  I was able to peel off the mineral deposit and use it for the brown in the painting. Hope ya dig it. 

 Come to my art opening on Sunday May 1st 5pm, Putnam Den Saratoga !!! I will be offering free pizza with doughs made from various spring waters!!! 

Saratoga Springwatercolor Art Opening May 1st Putnam Den!

 Hey! Come check out my Saratoga Springwatercolor Series official art opening SUNDAY MAY 1st at the PUTNAM DEN 5pm!!! I will be there, selling my paintings, and serving FREE PIZZA WITH DOUGH MADE FROM THE SPRINGWATER! YES! EACH PIZZA WILL REPRESENT A DIFFERENT SPRING!!!!! SUNDAY MAY 1st 5pm. 

After that, I have the 20th anniversary party for my radio show, The Full Metal Racket Show!!!! Myself, known as George Burnz (with zero grace) and my co-host, the Metal Pig aka The Pied Piper of the Apocalypse, have a killer night in store for you!!!

 We have Ventura, California's Night Demon, along with Visigoth from  S.L.C., Utah, Neutron Rats from Ballston Spa, and Foaming at the Mouth from the Spa City! All in good taste, and just downright good wholesome fun! An evening you cannot afford to miss!!!

Anyway....Dang! A polar vortex that kicked off spring, was like playing a Led Zep record backwards, and summoning the dark lord known as hewhoshallremaincoldashell! So, now that the sun has shown it's shiny face, I got off my tuchus and rendered some repeats, to test my agile progression and fine tuning of the art of watercoloring, ha!.... 

 To some readers unaware of what I am currently undertaking, I am rendering a watercolor representation of each spring I find tasteful (!), using it's respective spring water that it emits. I have since painted almost 20 fountains, and established a fluid bond with our town's surname. 

 To follow up on my last post, the Rosemary spring,

 https://www.facebook.com/thecrystalspasaratoga/posts/752478231518748 I was contacted by the husband of the grand daughter of Rosemary, and I sold him the painting. I couldn't have asked for a better home. Come down to my art opening, I'll chat history, water, heavy metal, whatever floats yer boat! I promise, the art looks better in person!

 So, here's Columbian Spring, where, I heard it stopped flowing so, now it's just piped in Saratoga tap water, but shhh keep it under your hat for now... here, read this 

http://briefingsfromaspacitymetalhead.blogspot.com/2015/07/saratoga-springwatercolors-continued.html

I met a burmese python while painting the Columbian Spring, he even got a drink! 

Then I walked down a few pink steps, to the Congress Spring!

I omitted the background - a gargantuan condo that overshadows our city park....

I'll end on a nice note, read my archive, it's on the right column, it might 'learn ya a thing er twoo'

Springwater Watercolor of The Rosemary Spring

One of the lesser known springs in Saratoga Springs, is the youngest of the springs in Saratoga, the Rosemary Spring. The Rosemary Spring sits on the property of the Grand Union Motel on South Broadway, behind the Crystal Spa. 

 James Benton built the Grand Union Motel in 1953, the same year the world famous Grand Union Hotel was razed. Later, in 1960, James Benton served as mayor of Saratoga, and served for four years, replacing Addison Mallery, a mayor who held the office for 25 years. James drilled the spring in 1964, and he named it after his wife, Rosemary. Rosemary was the proud mother of 12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls. The Six Sisters Bed and Breakfast on Union Ave is reference to the six Benton sisters, with sister Kate Benton being the proprietor. 

  Just as the State's Roosevelt and Lincoln baths utilized the natural healing waters of the springs, in 1988, the Bentons built a spa/bath house, and piped their private spring, the Rosemary Spring, into what they named ''The Crystal Spa'', and it is used for their baths to this day. One of the 6 daughters, Agatha, ran the spa for the family.

 The water is comparable to the Old Red Spring, for it's skin healing qualities, and I have heard that the Old Red Spring doesn't contain the same properties it used to, making this the best in Saratoga for skin issues. A sweet Saratoga history tidbit, the Grand Union Motel and Crystal Spa's marble flooring is from the Grand Union Hotel.

 The property was recently sold by the Benton family, and then resold, to the person who is also developing the old Ellsworth Ice Cream plant property on Division St. 

 I really hope they retain that spring, it would be a waste to cap such amazing water. I noticed the mineral deposits had not hardened yet, and when I pinched some off the fountain, it stained my finger tips!!!! I got so excited, I knew for a fact this would transfer to paper or canvas, and sure enough, voila!!! It is about as a direct interpretation as I can get. I hope you dig it. This painting was done with Rosemary's Springwater, brown, orange and red, all color derived from mineral deposits. I am sooo stoked. All paintings by yours truly, George DeMers. 

Most spring's tufa has hardened, this was soft as butter. 

Got my "paint" ready!

Yeah, the clogged drain makes for a mess, but that new formed muck is a blessing for me! 

Check out that orange!!!! It works great!!!!!!

Thanks for checking me out! Read the rest of my blog, it rules!

Saratoga Geyser Water Bottle Watercolor

I must be getting old, ( I'm 40ish ) because for the last year, I have delved headlong into old timer hobbies, such things like local history and watercoloring. Look out for my crocheted model train geranium coming soon! Anyway, I started with what I know best, still life art, and I got the ball rolling with this water bottle watercolor post;

http://briefingsfromaspacitymetalhead.blogspot.com/2015/04/lately-ive-been-dabbling-with-water.html (Vichy, Geyser, Coesa bottles)

 This has led me on the trail to render a watercolor painting of each spring, in Saratoga Springs, using each spring's respective water. This will be a passion of mine and as long as I live or visit here in Saratoga Springs.
 I recently found (at a second hand store, I'll tell ya where, later, after I go back and buy the rest of 'em ) an unopened bottle of Saratoga Geyser Water, and I decided to crack open the 50? year old bottle and use it for watercoloring! 
 But first, let me tell you a story about Saratoga Geyser Water. 
I'll go back to 1907, when Dr. Strong had a spring for his sanitorium on Circular st.

postcard on ebay

The Hathorns had the Hathorn Spring down the hill  
 (see http://briefingsfromaspacitymetalhead.blogspot.com/2015/08/hathorn-and-hayes-spring-water-colors.html ) 

 Hathorn proved in court that Dr. Strong's pump on his spring affected the flow of the Hathorn Spring. This then, eventually led NY State to step in and ban the pumping of the springs of Saratoga.  Through means of eminent domain, The State began to purchase the springs and land around surrounding them. 

 In 1910, the State started bottling Saratoga Geyser Water. They leased it out to private business until 1933. That year, FDR, a victim of polio, submersed in the advocation of hydrotherapy and it's benefits, converted the land to what is now the Spa State Park. 1936, the Georgian Revival styled Bottling Plant was built, and it's said to have bottled and sold 50 million units, up until it's closing, in 1971.  With modern medicine taking charge, and a study released that found the spa springs to be radioactive, the spa saw a lack of funding from the state, and 1971 was the end of an era for Saratoga Vichy's only competition, NY State (well, there was Perrier) ....
 Saratoga Vichy, a company across Rt. 50, got sued by France, way back in the day, over the name Vichy, that'll be another story. But, I bring it up, because, Saratoga Vichy, who had been in operation since 1876, sued Saratoga Geyser over their name. 

In 1971, Saratoga Vichy tried to buy the defunded Saratoga Geyser, to no avail. The State couldn't sell it, because the state had it's hands tied in a court dispute with their distributors. Come 1979, NY State sells the business to Waters of Saratoga Inc. 
 Saratoga Vichy then sues NY State and Waters of Saratoga Inc., for a laundry list of accusations, namely trademark, unfair competition, etc. 
It was basically thrown out, because Vichy never claimed trademark foul for the last 60 years of Geyser's operation, and now that Geyser is no longer in operation, it's a moot point. The new Saratoga Geyser opened for a few months in 1980, and soon closed for unknown reasons. Ok, got that off my chest, here's the damn watercolor.....

In all it's glory...

 Cracking the 40+ year old bottle!

Getting the water ready, wearing Converse Timbers....

VOILA!~