Mule's Ears Winter

One of the pleasures of living in Texas is enjoying the geological differences in our state. We have the piney woods of East Texas, plains in the Panhandle, mountains in West Texas and hundreds of miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico.  I had been to all parts of the state except one: the Big Bend area of far West Texas. This summer, my wife and I and friends made the long drive from North Texas to West Texas to see the legendary area I've heard about for years. Big Bend sits in the western bend of Texas where the Rio Grande river separates Texas from Mexico. The river travels through beautiful canyons, over waterfalls and through remote deserts as it travels to the Gulf.  It's one of the least populated areas in Texas and is know by astronomers as one of the darkest skies in North America.  McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis is a popular place to star gaze and see the wonders of the universe.

"Mule's Ears Winter" is an 18x36 original oil on canvas.
$500 + shipping. Contact via email at rpm56roo@gmail.com.

The painting is a famous landmark in the national park called "Mule's Ears" and I think it's pretty obvious why.  I took pictures from the road because I wanted to capture the distance and vastness of the land.  I added the cowboy to give the painting life and perspective.  The landscape is depicted as a winter scene so that I could use different colors of the sky, dead plants, yellowing grasses and canyon walls.  I was surprised at how many grasses, trees and flowers grow in Big Bend.

I cannot properly describe the vastness of the land and the creativity of a majestic God.  After spending hours in the park, it has become one of my favorite get-aways in the state.  If you call yourself a true Texan, visiting Big Bend is necessary because there is no place like it.

Bluebonnets In Pasture

One of the coolest things for an artist is being commissioned to do a painting.  I recently completed a painting for a friend who I've known since sixth grade. We graduated from Killeen High School and went to Texas Tech together.  She's one of my dearest friends and it's always fun for me and Dedo to get together with her. 

Bluebonnets In Pasture
18 x 18 oil on canvas

Several months ago, she stopped in Grapevine to say hello and we met her in Downtown Grapevine for coffee. I mentioned that some of my art was sold in The Willow Cottage, so we walked down over to the shop to see the paintings.  I was surprised when she bought two paintings.  Then we started talking about bluebonnet paintings, which every Texas house should have one.  She asked me to do a bluebonnet painting for her and this is the result. 

Doing commission work is a lot of pressure, but I enjoyed the challenge and I am happy with the way it turned out.  More importantly, my friend loved it. It's like I gave her a part of myself as a gift.  That's the best thing we can do for our friends, isn't it?

Galveston Gull

Galveston Gull
16x20 oil on canvas

One of my favorite cities in Texas is Galveston.  No, it doen’t have the beaufiful beaches and clear blue water of Florida, but the city of Galveston is amazing.  It’s also a great place to get away during a hot Texas summer.  The old city of Galveston still bears the mark on the sides of the buildings where the water rose during the hurricane in 1900.  The city was wiped out and more than 8,000 people died in a storm that was as powerful as Katrina. 

Today, it's a beautiful and historic community that is a great place to visit.  I really enjoy the galleries and coffee shops in the city.  I captured this bird while having lunch on the beach. Sea gulls can be a little irritating, but they are also beautiful to watch fly.  The amazing thing about Texas is there is more than 600 miles of sparkling coastline making it one of the most diverse states in the U.S.  

God's creation is an amazing thing, especially when you consider the power of the ocean and the beauty of birds.  

Sunset In Young County

Sunsets in Texas are beautiful.  I'm sure every state has beautiful sunsets, but there's nothing quite like a Texas sunset. My wife's hometown of Graham is always a fun place to hang out in the rolling countryside and get away from the city.  About a year ago, we attended an outdoor wedding there. As we visited with folks, the sun began to sink in the west. I took a few random pics of the sunset and never thought much about it until I ran across them recently. 



Sunset In Young County
16x20 oil on canvas

I've never painted a sunset because it's difficult to do.  It's hard to capture the brightness of the sun and the glowing colors of the sky with a darkened foreground.. I gave it a try and I was pleased that it turned out better than I thought it would. I love the old wall snaking from a path running past a rusted water tank.
The sunset reminds me of how thankful I am God gave me another day because there are no guarantees I have another tomorrow.





This painting can be seen at The Willow Cottage in Downtown Grapevine at 326 S. Main St. Their website is www.willowcottagegrapevine.com.

Vintage Sports

Vintage Baseball

8” x 8” oil on canvas

$50.00

Over the past few months, I've been painting more art for children's rooms. Recently, I chose two of my favorite sports objects to paint; a football and baseball, glove and bat. I painted historic models because they are much more interesting in color and shape. I like to paint vintage items that remind people of the great memories of the past.  

There is nothing like the feel of an old baseball. The leather is smooth and the strings are worn. There are always unique colors on an old baseball. Green from the grass; browns and yellows from the bat; red from the dirt. The old glove has a unique feel and shape because of years of use. The wood bat is scratched, worn and faded, but it can still smack a baseball.

Vintage Football

8” x 8” oil on canvas

$50.00

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Like old baseballs, there is real beauty in old footballs.  The leather is usually smooth as glass and the laces are old and weathered with age.  But you can still play with it.

As i get more "vintage", I try to remember that as long as my mind is "young", I'll still be useful and active for many more years. If someone thinks you're ready to be stuck in a box in the attic, tell them you're not done yet. 

We need to stay in the game and take care of ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. This generation needs us. Besides, I've got grand kids still coming.

Red Flyer Wagon

Several months ago, Dedo's mom gave us the old Red Flyer wagon that Dedo and her brothers rolled around the yard. We looked forward to letting our grand kids use it.  The wagons today are good but they are plastic and have seat belts. A great wagon has to be metal and have an element of danger to it. The wagon has been a popular addition to our backyard where Weston loves to pull it himself or let me pull him.  I may be a little more reckless than some granddads because I want to go fast.  Fortunately, Dedo is there to yell at me when I'm going a little crazy.

Red Flyer Wagon
16x20 oil on canvas

As soon as we brought it home, I knew I wanted to paint it.  I was also trying to expand my painting landscape by doing something different.  I played around with painting the wagon as an Impressionistic work and I like the way it turned out.  It looks like a wagon, but it's not perfectly real.

The red wagon reminds me that none of us are perfectly real. We have flaws, nicks, cuts and a little rust in our lives. The Bible tells us that there was only one person who was perfectly real and His name is Jesus. Those of us who follow him are impressionistic masterpieces on His canvas. He loves us no matter how much we've messed up. As I was painting, I was thanking God that He gave me a do over through Jesus.

I hope all of you are having a great fall.  I'll have a new grandson in about 7 weeks, so we are counting down the days.

Balloon Bubbles

Balloon Bubbles
8"x8" oil on canvas

Recently, I decided to try painting different subjects. I love doing Texas landscapes, but it's been interesting to change my thought process about color and design.  It was hard to decide what to do until I did a painting for my grandson's room.  Since then, I've tried to paint balloons, wagons, cupcakes, toys, and other children's stuff. It's been a challenge because I feel a little silly painting kid's things. We'll see how it turns out.

Speaking of grandkids, Mallory and Presley are here for a month while David trains in Georgia. Dedo and I have both grandkids together and it's been great.  

We are so thankful for our family.  We have two wonderful daughters married to incredible men of God. We love our two grandchildren and can't wait for Reid to arrive late November. We're so proud of Cameron's call into ministry. I pray that Dedo and I leave a lasting legacy of God's love to our family. As I get older, I believe that's the most important thing I will ever do.