Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Enchanted Rock


12x16 oil on stretched cotton canvas
$500 (email me if interested)

The Rock is a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome, that rises 425 feet above ground, 1825 feet above sea level, and covers 640 acres. It is one of the largest batholiths (underground rock formation uncovered by erosion) in the United States.
Tonkawa Indians believed ghost fires flickered at the top, and they heard weird creaking and groaning, which geologists now say resulted from the rock's heating by day and contracting in the cool night. A conquistador captured by the Tonkawa described how he escaped by losing himself in the rock area, giving rise to an Indian legend of a "pale man swallowed by a rock and reborn as one of their own." The Indians believed he wove enchantments on the area, but he explained that the rock wove the spells. "When I was swallowed by the rock, I joined the many spirits who enchant this place." Jim and I climbed to the top a couple of weekends ago. I took lots of pictures to paint.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Winter on the Guadalupe River


12x16 oil on stretched cotton canvas
$600 (email me if interested)

This view of the river is behind our house. I think winter is just as beautiful on the river. I love the golden hues against the green water. We have not had any rain to speak of in the last 9 months. The river is so dry in some spots it has just a trickle. The bank on the left of the painting is usually under water. I think my favorite part of the painting is the two small patches of cerulean blue reflecting in the water. I saved that for the very last thing to brush on. All along the river bed are huge cottonwoods and cypress trees. The lot next to us has a cottonwood that the owners wanted to have measured and registered it is so big. We have lived here for 15 years and have seen the river dried up and two floods, one a hundred year flood.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Texas Ranch Road


8x10 oil on stretched linen canvas
$250 (email me if interested)
Jim and I drove around this weekend so I could take some pictures. We turned off onto this road that was one lane with cattle guards. We went for a couple of miles until it ended at the Guadalupe River. Even though it is a public road I am sure it is used mostly by the rancher that is on both sides of the road. This is one of the few places left here that hasn't been touched by developers. So sad.