“My husband and I are Mystic travelers – “Mystic” because our home lies far out on the edge of what most would call civilization, a pinpoint on the South Dakota map call Mystic; “travelers” because for work or pure pleasure, we go to places that are remote and beautiful, seeking newness, adventure and inspiration. Teetering on the edge of distant and unknown places is a style of living that comes naturally to Jon Crane, but for me it has been an acquired taste.”
These are the opening lines of the introduction to Mystic Travelers – Images from the Edge, a memoir and travelogue written by Gail Crane. Her book features her husband, Jon Crane’s, photography and her accounts of their lives and travel adventures together over the past thirty-two years.
The largest section of the book and of this talk is devoted to travels in Baja, Mexico. Beginning in 1991, the Cranes started an annual winter trek from South Dakota down across the Mexican border into the far reaches of the Baja peninsula. Stories of their adventures along the Pacific Ocean, through the arid desert, and down the narrow roads to the Sea of Cortez are accompanied by Jon’s masterful photography. They will share stories of the land, the culture, and of their treasured friendships which have developed over the years. Be prepared to fall in love with Cosme the cat, their constant traveling companion from Baja.
About Jon and Gail:
Jon Crane has spent his forty-nine-year career as an artist documenting historic landscapes of rural America in transparent watercolor. His style is highly detailed and attempts to show his audience the beauty of what is real. Known as Art That Takes You Home, Crane’s artwork evokes feelings of familiarity, belonging, and nostalgia. His highest awards include the South Dakota Governor’s Award for Distinction in Creative Achievement as well as his induction into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. Like his great-great grandfather, Alfred Waud, and his great-grandfather, Milton Burns, Jon Crane’s art has flourished due to his sense of adventure and love of travel.
In 1985, Crane exhibited his art at a festival in Dallas, Texas, where he met a Spanish and English teacher from nearby Arlington. Gail James was raised in Midland, Texas, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Texas in Austin. What started as a long-distance relationship developed into a lifetime together.
Gail James became Gail Crane in 1993, and eventually became the director of Jon Crane Watercolors, Inc. Together they opened the Jon Crane Gallery in Hill City, South Dakota, built a home at Mystic, and have shared a life of travel, creativity, and generosity.
They open their hearts to many charitable causes, especially those that support children in need. Favorite pastimes include gardening, fly-fishing, kayaking, hiking, and searching for out-of-the-way places that will provide inspiration for Jon’s next watercolor painting.
Jon and Gail spend several months each winter camping in a pick-up camper on a remote beach in Baja, Mexico, where they have become deeply involved with the local Mexican communities. Their constant companion is Cosme, the orange and white tabby from Baja who won their hearts and adopted them on the beach in 2015.
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