May 5, 2008
Had a very productive day yesterday. Finished the painting "Powhattan Clarke Pulls Iron," at about ten, then shifted gears and got out my oil paints and attacked "Ambush At Stagecoach Pass." Here's the Powhattan piece:



And here's the big oil painting I have been working on in the breezeway:



I finally realized I need to be able to draw In-din anatomy with my eyes closed, as opposed to say Hulk anatomy or Batman anatomy. In-dins, in the 1880s were very lean and mean, not muscular superheroes (which ironically is how graphic novel artists draw them today and I hate it, so false). Here are several attempts to capture the Apache physique:



Borrowed Robert Ray's camera this morning and went home to shoot the "Ambush" painting and on the way back saw this Cave Creek street scened and shot it right out the window. It shows three things that make CC great: palo verdes in bloom, a huge sale sign, and an even bigger American flag. It doesn't get much better than this in our little town.



Here's another shot of palo verdes in bloom along Cave Creek Road. This is at the top of the hill going into Carefree:



Last night I drove down to Tempe to hear Johnny Waters' group The Average White Haired Band. They were playing at Macayo's on the patio as part of a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Met Bill and Corene Jordan, oldtime Kingman friends along with Johnny's wife and related friends of the band. Deena and Frank, along with Patricia and Justin, showed up with Kathy and we ate dinner and listened to the band. Really enjoyed them as they played all of my faves (Eagles' "Take It Easy", Eddie Money, Marshall Tucker). Johnny asked me if I wanted to set in on drums and I thanked him but declined. Some of the crowd must not have liked me very much because they began looking at me and chanting, "Gator! Gator! Gator!"

Just kidding.