A Little Bit Custer, A Whole Lot of Jim Hatzell

August 9, 2011

Still too hot to walk in the mornings, unless I get out before sunrise and haven't been able to get my lazy butt up to do it. Supposed to get up to 106 today.

Finished a painting this morning "Rides Like Apache."

When U.S. troops were out on patrol in the 1870s and 80s they would sometimes see distant riders and wonder about their intentions. The Apache scouts with the troopers would comment, "Rides like Apache," meaning they could spot, even at great distance, the style of riding. I wonder if it still exists? That style of riding. I assume they rode with some abandon, perhaps, or with aggressive vigor. Not sure, but I can sort of envision what that would look like and that's the genesis of this painting.

Meanwhile, over the weekend attacked a dramatic lighting scene that is a little bit Custer and a whole lot of Jim Hatzell:

Grabbed a mailer for the 2011 Artist's Ride that Jim Hatzell puts on. There is a mug shot of Jim and I extrapolated between that and a dramatic noir face off the web for a new TV show Killer Elite, that I sketched in my daytimer:

Not sure I got what I was after, but then I don't think Custer did either.

"Bring packs (of poaches). Be quick!"
—Jim Hatzell as Custer