This is our first ‘On the Couch’ book reading. Our new Bottle couch is a very special addition to the museum and we are very happy to accommodate Steve and his creative writing talent. This won’t be the only reading or talk happening here at the museum as our 2026/27 season begins. Stay tuned!
Following the dedication of Michelle Graves’ new public art bench, local author and artist Steve Dudrow will share an excerpt from his newest novel, The Blue Between the Notes.
The reading comes from a chapter set at the Goldwell Open Air Museum near Rhyolite, Nevada, where the novel’s protagonist, Sam, wanders among sculptures in the Mojave Desert and begins thinking about the relationship between art, landscape, light, color, absence, and time.
In the passage, Sam realizes that outdoor art is never quite finished. The desert itself becomes part of the work, sunlight changes it, wind moves through it, dust settles upon it, and shadows come and go. As Sam observes, “Tomorrow the same sculpture would be a different sculpture simply because the light had moved.”
This is going to be magical!
Steve Dudrow - Stories. Curiosity. Wonder.
Duration: 30 mins
Maximum Group size: N/A
Start/End Point: Museum’s Visitors Center
Conditions: The terrain is rough and undulating and NOT wheelchair accessible. Please wear a hat and closed toe shoes and bring your own supply of water. You visit the museum at your own risk.
Restrooms: Restrooms can be found at the old Rhyolite Train Depot approximately a 10–15 minute walk away (2-minute drive)
Location: 1 Golden St, Beatty, NV 89003.
5 miles outside Beatty on highway 374 heading towards the Eastern entrance to Death Valley National Park. Turn right on to Rhyolite Rd and then left onto the gravel road that leads to the Visitors Center that is visible from the road.
Las Vegas: 129 Miles Pahrump: 78 Miles Beatty: 5 Miles
Parking: Plentiful