On the Road trip - Eames

Underemployed during the Depression in 1933, Charles left his young kid and wife for Mexico with some art supplies and very little money. Charles went to Mexico to find himself and restart his life. In his own words, it was his ten month “On the Road trip”. 

He drove as far south as he could before ditching his car for a horse before finally trekking by foot to the most remote villages. He had no camera. Instead he documented his travels by making watercolors inspired by Spanish impressionist Joaquin Sorolla. Trading manual labor, sketches and paintings for food and shelter Charles’ itinerary was improvised. Sometimes he would go to bed hungry. Despite moving place to place and working when possible, Charles was always learning. With no money and unable to speak the language, he was arrested a couple times. First in monterrey because a local thought his painting depicted the place in an unfavorable light. Eames’ second stint in jail occurred in Linares when locals found he was carrying a book of mexican archaeological treasures showing the country in a bad light. Eames’ grandson recounts, “Another close call for Charles was being rounded up with the citizens of a village for an involuntary smallpox vaccination and watching the dirty needle get closer and closer as it was used over and over again. He got the shot, and fortunately, he and the other recipients were lucky not to have suffered anything worse than a sore arm.”

When he came home, his daughter Lucia remembered Eames coming back with boxes of fabric, folk art, paper mache dolls, and a metal cane with a handle carved in the likeness of satan.

According to his grandson, “When he returned to St. Louis, he was no longer mired in the frustrations of St. Louis but instead seemed to be seeking a way to transcend them and take himself to a new level. .. it was the beginning of a process of taking stock of and ultimately changing his approach and situation in life.

Visiting Mexico during the depression was eye-opening. He realized people literally had nothing, but they had richer cultural and spiritual lives. It was at that point that he decided to stop using the excuse of making a living as an excuse for doing things he didn’t believe him. It totally transformed his approach. He made a commitment to do things of value even if it was to do with fun, or pleasure, or entertaining a few grandkids, but it was real.”

After his trip, Charles said, “At least, damn it, you’re not afraid to be broke! I would never be suckered into a mistake I did not make myself.”

Julian Blaustein, film producer friend of Charles said following the trip, “Charles knew who he was. And that’s a tough assignment right there. I don’t know about you, but I think as you go through life, you’ll suddenly become aware that not many people know who they are, what they are about. They aren’t in touch with themselves. Maybe I’m wrong, but I know I find it very difficult among the people I know to find many who can answer that, who can live up to that criteria of personal behavior. I think Charles knew who he was.”

click here to see Eames documentary.

eames watercolor

eames watercolor

eames watercolor

sorolla watercolor