In case anyone would like to see how I've misspent the weekend, here's the evidence. They're two small-format paintings (8 x 10 on panel). The first is a view of Cathedral Mountain Southeast of Marfa. The yucca in the foreground was the sort of thing that appears in some of the surveyors field notes from the 1880's as a bearing object.
The second is the Indian Lodge near Fort Davis, a 1930's-era hotel built as public works project at Davis Mountains State Park.
:good: :good: :good:
I'm really digging that second painting. I think I could easily find a spot for it here at my abode...
Hardly misspent
As usual, very nice work
Why do I get the feeling that Kent could take a folding chair and a card table to the end of his driveway, set up his paintings on some easels and make MUCH MORE money that he does as a surveyor?
Sitting under an umbrella, in an easy chair and sipping on a cold adult beverage would certainly beat the heck out of cutting line and crossing streams full of hipless wonders!!
It's good to have something to fall back on. 😉
Another West Texas (Painting)
Well, here's one more from the weekend's effort. This is a scene at Fort Davis near where the Old Overland Trail entered the grounds of the Army post.
Another West Texas (Painting)
This is the best of the three!
Another West Texas (Painting)
> This is the best of the three!
Thanks. These are basically souvenir paintings that will go out to a gallery in Fort Davis. The secret is that I found a bunch of fairly decent 8 x 10 frames for sale cheap and so decided to paint to the frame format. The next in the series will be one of the McDonald Observatory, probably under a night sky.
Another West Texas (Painting)
I really like the one of the Yucca.
Another West Texas (Painting)
> I really like the one of the Yucca.
Yes, that's probably my favorite of the three as well. It has a real Maynard Dixon quality (Maynard Dixon typically painted very flat and with minimal painted marks) and captures the constant presence of distant blue mountains everywhere in Presidio County.
My particular favorite about that panel is how Cathedral Mountain is rendered so roughly that you can see the bristle marks, but it still comes across as that thing seen through miles of desert air.
Souvenir size, now I get it.
I thought all along why weren't these larger in size especially from a Texan where everything is supposed to be big. That is why I made the "sofa size" jest recently. You know your market by going small.
I knew someone who was more of a con artist than artist who use to paint French Quater scenes like patios etched on old Frenh Quarter roofing slates. He got an "artist license" to sell at Jackson Squade and made a living off of it even though he had no artistic talent. He just looked like an artist and was an "official" French Quater artist.
But your work is very nice. Well done!
If you want them to sell like crazy,;-) paint in some Texas Longhorn skulls I'm the scenes. I think they will fly out of the door of the gallery.
Another West Texas (Painting)
All three are beautiful. How much $ to buy one?
Another West Texas (Painting)
> All three are beautiful. How much $ to buy one?
I'm going to price them at $500 with frames and see if I get some takers. I'll keep scans of the panels and will probably have prints made of some of them.
Another West Texas (Painting)
There used to be a place in Alpine that sold paintings, poems, short stories, etc.. from artists that represented the area. It has been about 8 years since I was there, but back then, they were selling like hot cakes. I think the family and friends of the Sul-Ross students were their largest clientele base.
Great work. You have made this Texas Native homesick.
Another West Texas (Painting)
> There used to be a place in Alpine that sold paintings, poems, short stories, etc.. from artists that represented the area.
Yes, there are several galleries in Alpine and more in Marfa. Marathon, with the Gage Hotel, turns out to be a pretty good location to sell stuff to tourists. These are going to Fort Davis.
Wait a Minute!
I've seen that wagon before.
It's very nice, but I also prefer the yucca, for the colors primarily.
Are you familiar with the work of Alexandre Hogue. I just recently discovered him.
Don
Another West Texas (Painting)
Last time I was in Fort Davis (Christmas a year ago), Kent had quite the showing at one of the local art gallery/business places. I think I knew about it but it was a bit of a shock to be browsing in the shop and look up to a wall of McMillan paintings.
Wait a Minute!
> Are you familiar with the work of Alexandre Hogue. I just recently discovered him.
I wasn't until you mentioned him. His stuff reminds me of a Texas Dust Bowl version of Thomas Hart Benton's.
Wait a Minute!
> Are you familiar with the work of Alexandre Hogue. I just recently discovered him.
At least Hogue's surveyors didn't set their instruments up too low 😉
Houston Ship Channel – Early History” by Alexandre Hogue, 1941
