Well, the first eye surgery was such a success I have decided to have the other eye done this week. And, I may have a third eye done next month! (jes' foolin')

But the main update is the wonderful reception hosted by Cameron and Rick Pratt at the Port A Gallery for the dedication of the new museum in Port Aransas and the celebration of the centennial of the naming of the city. The hall of the museum was beautiful in its' finery and the gallery crowded with lookers. All went so well that Cameron and Rick are trying to devise ways to make the October Paint-Out larger in scope and invite more nationally known artists to participate. I wish them the best, and vow to help in any way possible.

 

Well, an artist knows he is in trouble when a gallery he respects tells him to get his eyes fixed, so when Cameron and Rick at the Port A Gallery made that request after many complaints on my part that my vision was blurry, I took their sage advice and have had cataracts removed. What a difference it made, not only in color but in discerning values!  I look forward to the next Port A paint out with new eyes!

And speaking of Port A Paint out, this years' was very entertaining and productive, but was really painful in some respects. The red tide had invaded coastal waters, and the wind picked the heinous stuff up and made our eyes water, our noses run, and made breathing difficult on Thursday. However, Friday morning a cold front blew in and the misery index turned pleasureable. Beautiful weather prevailed. 

Thanks once again to Cameron and Rick Pratt and Linda Morgan.  

The comings and goings of your favorite artist! The latest news from this corner of the world is that I was selected as "Artist of the Month" for June at the New Braunfels Art League. High honor, as only twelve artists a year are so selected (now how did I figure that out?)

And this past weekend I participated in the first annual Arts in the Heart of Uvalde outdoor show in Uvalde. Beautiful location for a show. Green grassy lawn under huge pecan trees. Very nice. I hope to do it again!

And the folks at Port A Gallery, Cameron, Linda, and Rick, have graciously invited me to be in their Port Aransas Coastal Paint out again this Fall. Last years was a blast. Thanks for the invitation, guys.

Few places on this earth hold the fascination for me that the Big Bend area of Texas does. From Big Bend National Park and it's neighbor, Big Bend Ranch State Park, to the high points of the Davis Mountains and the Guadalupe Mountains, the big bend in the Rio Grande encompasses an area of Texas that is surrealistically vast, awe-inspiring, and simultaneously an artists' dream and worst nightmare. No two dimensional work can  hope to convey the grandeur of the Big Bend, but we, for some reason, keep on trying in the hope of capturing a bit of the essence of the place.

I shall keep on trying.

The rivers of Texas, at least those in the Hill Country, drain the Edwards Plateau and generally flow from springs  through limestone hills and become clear, clean, and cool. Their banks are typically lined with large cypress trees and are home to many species of birds and animals. They are the life blood of the Texas Hill Country.

Many rivers drain the flat, level plain called the Edwards Plateau. These rivers cut through the limestone to form vast valleys and steep canyons throughout an area referred to as the Hill Country. The area is covered by live oak forests, and fed by clear streams flowing over limestone ledges. Huge cypress trees line the banks of the clear streams. Deer and turkey abound throughout the region.

Texas is blessed with hundreds of miles of coastline with the Gulf of Mexico, all interesting in their own way. From the swampy areas on the Louisiana border to the bright dunes of South Padre Island and the Mexican border, the coast is mostly protected by a series of barrier islands, inhabited by wonderful sights and people. As the rivers of Texas drain the land, they supply the bays and estuaries of the coast with nurtients and fresh water. These, in turn, provide artists and fishermen ( of which I am both ) with subjects to be painted and eaten!! The life on the coast is abundant and very, very beautiful.

The brush country of south Texas is a world all of its' own. Near Del Rio, it merges with the Chihuahuan Desert and shares many flora and fauna with its' western neighbor. On its' northern reaches, it rises to become the Texas Hill country.

The brush country is characterized by low, thorny scrub, mesquite thickets, and cactus of various types (all of whom have more thorns than the traveler would like), hard soil, and wildlife of all kinds. Beautiful country, but hard on humans. The scrub is low but the sunlight and heat are high and shade fugitive.