Monday, July 07, 2014

Daily Whipout: Billy Is Da Bomb

July 7, 2014
   Came into the office early to fix a Maxwell house-Fort Sumner map problem in the September Classic Gunfight feature. Leaving at 8:30 for a recording session with Hans Olson and Mike Torres.

   Worked most of yesterday on cataloging and compiling artwork in the garage and in the studio. Came up with 15 categories and now I just need to put everything into their proper place. Fortunately, I have a neighbor, Cal Nelson, who has offered to help me tag everything by date, title, where it ran, etc. Going to take some time.

   Meanwhile, I found several, semi-worked paintings that I couldn't resist "finishing." Like this one:

 
Daily Whipout: "Billy Is Da Bomb"

   This was inspired by the hispanic dude who rode with Billy the Kid in the Lincoln County War, then lived long enough to witness (or, at least see the light coming over the mountains) the first atomic bomb test at the Trinity Site, almost due west of Lincoln. As I say in the first edition of Billy, "from Billy the Kid to atomic bombs, not a bad stretch for one lifetime. . ."

   I actually worked on a half dozen others (it's relaxing to me), and the verdict is still out on most of them, but I did finish another one, with a similar theme:

 
Daily Whipout: "El Jefe"

   This is from a photo of a Mexican revolutionary dude I have somewhere in my "Vaquero File." I started it at least ten years ago, but when I saw it yesterday I thought to myself, "I think I can finish this guy off."

"I like men to behave like men—strong and childish."
—Francoise Sagan