The Duke of Dust: Pipeline Rider

August 13, 2012
   Back from Santa Fe. Got up this morning at 5:30 and whipped out a little study I call "Pipeline Rider."

"The Duke of Dust is back."
—Old Kingman Saying

Thom Ross At Home In His Own Personal Alamo

August 12, 2012

Ever sit around and wonder what the wild and crazy artist Thom Ross looks like at his Lamy, New Mexico Alamo compound? Well, wonder no more.

My Mary Ann Belt

August 12, 2012
Got to Santa Fe last Thursday night. Drove over with Ken Amorosano. Forgot my pants, my boots and a belt. Borrowed a pair of pants and a pair of boots. On Friday morning Thom Ross took me downtown and I bought a belt from Mary Ann who has a store two doors down from Due West Gallery. Here I am with Mary Ann and Thom showing off my new Mary Ann belt.

"Yes, Thom is looking at her cleavage. Hey, he's an artist."
—BBB, defending his lewd compadre

Arizona's Capitol On Wheels

August 9, 2012

   Working hard to finish up all my work before we hit the road for Santa Fe tomorrow morning. Worked for about an hour at my desk this afternoon to finish an ambitious "Capitol On Wheels" illustration for a new True West Moment.





Yes, I was channeling Heinrich Kley here. In fact, the guy at left is almost a flat out poach, but I'll deny it in court.



"Der Taschendieb"

—German for The Pickpocket (and also the name of a Heinrich Kley drawing)

Pearl Hart PG?

August 9, 2012

   Had a blood test this morning and had to fast until nine. Not fun, but kept busy and tried not to think of coffee or food. Actually accomplished quite a bit and wonder if I did this every other day, how much more successful I would be. Nah. Slightly irritating that doctors don't do blood tests anymore, at least the ones I go to. They farm it out to a company called Sonoran Labs, a specialty lab that has boo-koo offices around the Valley and you have to go THERE to get the damn test, which they charge me extra for and then send the reports to my doctor who charges me to look at them. But hey, there's nothing wrong with our health care system that triple charging can't cure.



   Got to the office at 9:30 and whipped out a black and white of Pearl Hart receiving a payoff from the governor to leave the state.





Of course, this may look familiar. It is, of course, poached from my color version of the same scene which I did for our TV show Outrageous Arizona:





I realized this morning I have done the Lady Bandit a couple of times. Here is my first take on her, done about seven years ago:







And here is my black and white version which ran in True West Moments:





And here is an actress portraying Pearl in our TV show Outrageous Arizona:





Posed her in the back of the True West World Headquarters. I guess you could say I have certainly beat this topic to death. Ha.



Also, reworked my Wyatt Earp character for our upcoming graphic cinema:





This is me doing more blocks of black. Not too bad.



"You can't make this stuff up."

—Kelly McCullough, KAET general manager, describing our show

The Last Baby Boomer

August 9, 2012

I've been very busy this summer. In June I took Los Famdamos on the Bell Legacy Tour (The BLT tour as we called it) to the family farm in Iowa. Spent some major money (wrecked $5 grand) but had a great time and showed my kids where I came from.



In July we filmed the pilot for Outrageous Arizona, a co-production between Channel EIGHT, PBS Phoenix and True West magazine, which will premiere a week from tonight. I also did all of the artwork for the show and finally finished that on Monday.



Tomorrow, Ken Amorosano and I drive to Santa Fe for the Arizona-New Mexico Centennial Art Show at Due West Gallery on Saturday night. And next weekend I fly to Durango for the First Annual True West Railfest AND tape some new True West Moments for the Westerns Channel while i'm there. In fact, we're sharing a tent with Jeff Hildebrandt and the Encore Westerns crew. Paul Andrew Hutton and I are giving a talk on Wyatt Earp in Hollywood at the Strater Hotel in Saturday night. Looking forward to that.



But the good news is most of the work for all of the above is done, in the can, so I can get back to my pet project "The Last Baby Boomer Speaks". Cleaned and reorganized this morning in my studio to get ready for the final push. I have made a commitment to master colorist Brett Smith that we will knock out at least two episodes to run in True West. Here is my desk this morning with the vital tools needed to finish:





From top to bottom, my friend Ron Carlson gave me the four steps to completion (in red), my notes from April sum up my quest ("I want the truth"), the original cartoon is a reminder to keep the lines clean and the drawing of Metallica, juxtapositioned with a scowling Wyatt Earp is the theme.



Wish me luck. So, I have the tools, but I need one more thing. Here's what a certain coach says I need:



"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."

—Vince Lombardi

Lone Ranger Update

August 9, 2012

   Over the weekend in Prescott I talked with a crew member on the new Lone Ranger movie and he brought me up to speed on the Monument Valley shoot. According to the grip they had very bad dust storms and couldn't film in John Ford-ville (this after bad forest fires near Creede, Colorado, in June, which dogged their train climax sequence with heavy smoke). So, in a pinch, the production moved to Canyon de Chelly where Johnny Depp had a trailer in the canyon and held court with the Navajos who trekked from across the reservation to see him).





The shoot is supposed to last until the end of this month. They have spent a ton of money on this and I'm rooting for them. I hope it all ends up on the screen as they say in the biz.



"In this business there's a fine line between trying hard and letting go."

—David Duchovny, in Time

True West Wins Western Legends Award

IAugust 8, 2012

   Yesterday at two, I finally finished the artwork coverage for our TV show Outrageous Arizona (airs a week from tomorrow). Got up this morning and whipped out three studies, the first I would call "The Palette Cleanser".



I

t felt nice to just move paint around and not care about what it was supposed to represent. For my next piece I whipped out this little study of a sunset I witnessed at Marv Kaiser's house in Williamson Valley last weekend. This is "Cloud Study #52":





And then I finished a little study I call "Lake Mead In The Distance":



When you round the corner on the approach to Boulder City, you look back and see this spectacular lake and mountains. This was done from memory.



True West magazine won the Western Legends Award at the Wild West History Association convention in Prescott last weekend. Presenting the award is Julie Ann Ream.





Here we are onstage. I'm introducing and thanking my staff, including Marshall Trimble, Meghan Saar, Greg Carrol, Ken Amorosano and Dan The Man Harshberger. We've come a long ways in the last 13 years. Not sure where we're going from here, but I trust it will not be boring. Besides. . .



"The idea of knowing exactly where you're going is overrated."

—Sarah Sze

Santa Fe Centennial Show This Weekend

August 8, 2012
   Rusty York came by the True West World Headquarters yesterday morning at six to pick up a dozen BBB paintings and drive them to Santa Fe for the big Arizona-New Mexico Centennial Art Show this weekend at Due West Art Gallery. Ken Amorosano and I are driving over on Friday, show is on Saturday night. This is one of the paintings in the show:

This is "Skull Valley Cowgirl". Yesterday afternoon the staff helped me pick five images from the Outrageous Arizona TV show for a series of notecards. They will not include this one, which unfortunately fell through the cracks.

But it will be in the art show, however. I asked the staff to vote on their favorites and this one didn't make the cut for the note cards. Gee, I wonder what ol' Moliere has to say about this?

"On is easily fooled by that which one loves."
—Moliere

Camels Bye Bye, Ashfork Ham

YeAugust 7, 2012

Went home for lunch and finished the last painting for Outrageous Arizona. This is for the segment on Red Ghost and how mules responded when they got around camels. Actually, not quite fair to the camels but this is how the army rank and file viewed Captain Beale's "secret weapon".





Big clouds rolling in this afternoon. Shot these thunderheads over Ratcliff Ridge on the way back into work.





Yesterday afternoon I captured this horsehead thunderhead over Continental Mountain.





Spent some time in Prescott with that historian from Ashfork. Great guy but can't remember his name.



"


Work in the gap between art and life."

—Robert Rauschenberg

The Haunting of Wyatt Earp

August 7, 2012

   Been working for some time on a Wyatt Earp story about an old geezer who claims to have driven to Vegas with Earp way back in the 1980s. The geezer is in an assisted living home and surrounded by precious items from his younger days including a Hopalong Cassidy clock:





This little beauty is a BBB drawing of my clock and then colored by master comic book colorist Brett Smith. Now that is haunting.



"The past does not haunt us. We haunt the past."

—Augusten Burroughs

Kid Krazy Posse

August 5, 2012

So I'm in the Palace Saloon on Whiskey Row last Saturday and I meet two of the most passionate Billy the Kid afficionados I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Meet my new Kid Krazy posse members, Loca Leenda from New Mexico and Shoot'em Shel from Montana. These two make me proud to be into history.





Actually, talking to them was an eye opener to me. I have met other females who are into the Kid and I always assumed it was a romantic fantasy attraction, the bad boy attraction, the handsome, suave boy outlaw. These two women are as obsessed with Billy as I am but the difference is they don't imagine being his sweetheart, they, well, they feel like they are him, or have been him. It's an extraterrestrial, past lives deal and I can't pretend to understand it, but I finally get it. The bottom line is that the boy bandit still has some powers

I was in Prescott for the Wild West History Association conference and it was a ton of fun as was the History meets Hollywood event put on by Rob Bandhauer at the Hassayampa Inn on Saturday. Michael Blake of Dances With Wolves was there as was the mayor, etc. Lots of stories to tell tomorrow.



"Remember down in Tularosa you bought one. . .Billy why you runnin' so hard?"

—Bob Dylan



"

Wayward Travelers

August 2, 2012

   Just heard from my road warriors, Thomas and Pattarapan. They stayed in Tucumcari, New Mexico last night at the Route 66 Motel (this is added proof he is my son). Pattarapan found the motel on smart phone after looking at the other alternatives. Evidently, an old couple (someone my age) bought the place and renovated the old motel and they charge something like $39 a night. They are also refurbishing a classic coffee shop next door and the kids had breakfast there as Tommy put it, "In The Texas tradition of loading up on cholesterol before you hit the road." They are in Oklahoma this morning and are making good time.



   Speaking of wayward travelers, finished another painting for the Diltche segment of Outrageous Arizona. After successfully crossing the Colorado River on her 1,000 mile journey, Diltche joined two other Native American women going up the Gila River. The trio was doomed however as they were attacked by Yavapais and the two women with Diltche were killed.





"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world and the best that we can find in our travels is an honest friend."

—Robert Louis Stevenson

Sinnk of Swim

August 1, 2012

   Thomas Charles and his lovely bride Pattarapan packed up all their worldly goods yesterday and packed it in a Budget Rental truck. Came out last night for one last meal and took off this morning at eight for the east coast and a new life.





Took T. 15 minutes to turn that truck and trailer around in the driveway:





Finished two paintings this morning. One of Diltche talking to an old Mexican sheepherder who told her where she could cross the Colorado River (she couldn't swim):







And here is Diltche crossing at the point the old man told her about, utilzing a sand bar in the turn of the river to make it safely across.





I believe the account mentions that she almost went under (she had to wade into the fast moving stream at some point) but she made it safely across. She then fell in with two other In-din women to help her navigate up the Gila, but they were attacked by Yavapais and the two women were killed. That painting is next.



"Sink or swim."

—Old Vaquero Saying

A Bridge Too Far?

July 31, 2012

   AC went out in the studio yesterday. Got to work early at five this morning, but it was already 85. Gutted it out and finished a Gila River flood painting for out Outrageous Arizona coverage.



This is the 1885 flood that marooned the Old Pueblo legislators from getting to the state capital in Prescott in a timely manner (they had to go to Los Angeles on the Southern Pacific, then back to Kingman and Ashfork and down to Prescott that way). They arrived several days too late and lost out on all the pork (they wanted the insane asylum but got the university instead). Had some very good photo reference of early day floods in Arizona. Tempted to call this:



• A Bridge Under Troubled Water



Got a dash warning on my new Ford Flex saying "tire pressure low". This happened last Saturday during a rain storm, coming back from Grandma Betty's, but the tires still look fine. Checked them several times and trying to determine if the warning is a fluke, or if I've picked up a nail. Got Eric from 24-Hour-Car-Care coming to the office this morning. Meeting the AC guy at the house at noon. Tommy and Pattarapan are coming out this afternoon in a rental truck, hauling all there stuff back to Maryland. T. is going to grad school there.



"It's always something."

—Emily Litella, Gilda Radner character on Saturday Night Live

Tomas Takes Off

August 1, 2012
Thomas Charles and Pattarapan are starting a new life and they took off from the old homestead this morning for the east coast. Took them a few minutes to back that big puppy around.

The Real Budge Ruffner

July 30, 2012

   Trying to finish all the coverage for Outrageous Arizona this week. Knocked out four this weekend, including this one "The Vigilantes":





Hard to imagine being part of a vigilante group and hanging someone. I'm sure the emotions ran the gamut from glee to remorse.



Also finished Pearl Hart getting a one-way ticket out of Arizona:





And I finally finished the Tucson mob that threw rotten fruit and a dead cat at the returning legislators in 1886:





And I finished a scene of Sheriff Budge Ruffner collaring outlaw Sandy King:





Nice fade there if I don't say so myself. Got about five more scenes to do this week. Been fun. I'm on a roll.



Someone asked me why I named a recent painting "The Mother of All Whores". The essence was why would I ruin a "beautiful painting" with such an ugly title?





Here's how I got there: I wanted to do something cave painting symbolic regarding the Southwest. What one symbol would encapsulate the last 100 years. I've been working on Kissing Jennie and Pearl Hart (allegedly paid to leave the state because she got pregnant in the Yuma Pen!) and so that was on my mind. Then there's Tules in Santa Fe and from there I went to a certain talking head on Cable and especially the History Channel (he's been featured on history docs more than 250 times) and I kid him about being a "media whore," but then I have no room to talk, and believe me, he gives it right back to me. And then I thought about how both New Mexico and Arizona had to compromise and clean up their act in order to get statehood and it all came together as "The Mother of All Whores." And, by the way, the above mentioned media whore hates the title. Ha.



"You must begin to trust yourself sometime."

—Old Vaquero Saying

PG Pearl Hart

July 30, 2012

   Got some big rain last night. Very humid out this morning. Tommy and Pattarapan are back from their world globe trotting tour. Had a 24-hour flight from Bangkok. Picked them up at Terminal 3 on Saturday at 2 then sped over to La Frontera for street tacos, then out to Grandma Betty's where Debbie had made homemade green chile. Now THAT'S The way to return from a world tour my son beamed.



   Painted all weekend, plus created a safe haven for Peckasso in the chicken coop. He got out during the rain storm and I went out this morning to see him running for his life from the big, fat bitches. Finally got tired of the chicken shit. Took me half a day to clean out his mess.



   Between mopping and disinfecting, I did manage to paint a few pictures, including this one of a very pregnant Pearl Hart being paid off with a one-way ticket out of Arizona.





This was not known until the 1950s when, I believe, a secretary to the governor confessed the truth about Pearl's mysterious pardon from the Yuma Pen.



"Man who go through turnstile sideways is going to Bangkok."

—Old Confucius saying

How Rabid Are Tucsonians?

July 27, 2012

Spent most of the day wrestling with a set piece for Outrageous Arizona. This is a scene of the returning state legislators to the Old Pueblo (1885). Legend says they were pelted with rotten fruit and a dead cat. Rounded up my reference materials and laid in part of the figures at about eight this morning:





I had some stills I shot off a silent German movie (that's the blue pics at top). The sketches are from Google ("mobs throwing rocks"). The only problem being I had to change them from Arabs to Victorian old West types.





Had fun penciling in Tucson types (isn't that old man Ronstadt?) and got it done in about 30 minutes. Then put in a light sky wash:





And then added a sepia wash on the main characters:





Added more foreground definition:





And then pushed everything together, adding rotten fruit (went over and cleaned out the refrigerator):





Got a solid rotten tomato and a slice of bad watermelon, even got the gutted cat (way back, just above skyline). Went a little crazy on the rabid guy's mustache at right (should have stopped at first pass), but it's getting there. Need to finish train, Tucson sign and building. Hope to finish in the morning. Have ten more to do. Going to be tight.



Came into the office at 1:30 just in time to meet Captain Jim McClary a law officer from Columbia, South Carolina and he bought a hardbound of my Wyatt Earp book and I signed it to him.



Going out to dinner tonight to celebrate 33 years of marriage. Pretty amazing. Not sure exactly how I accomplished this. Ha.



"You can tell the character of every man when you see how he gives and receives praise."

—Seneca

Don't Mess With Zuni Girls

July 26, 2012

   Whipped out another scratchboard this morning of Esteban, the former slave who was such a big hit with the In-din women of the Southwest (this was the Swinging 1500s) until he got out ahead of himself and hit on some Zuni girls and the Zuni men hit back, killing him. Esteban was part of the Marcos de Niza expedition of 1539. I'm dong this for a new True West Moment that will run in the Arizona Republic.



 I wanted to illustrate Esteban with some accuracy in terms of dress. So for that I referenced the master Spanish painter Diego Velazquez who was painting not long after Esteban's demise and since both are from Spain, I thought the clothing styles might be applicable (although I have to admit the stretch from 1539 to 1609 is possibly similar to the difference between the styles of 1939 and 2009). Still, I thought it was a better reference than twentieth century artistic interpretations. Anyway, that led me to "Juan de Pareja" a Valasquez painting of the artist's mulatto servant and friend.



Love the afro and the white collar as a contrast to the dark, skin tones. Another Velasquez shows a Spanish dude in a wide hat, so I borrowed that as well and gave it to our Southwestern Lothario.



And I realize the facial tattoo is more Mojave than Zuni, but I wanted to give her a little attitude, or menace ("Hey, you shouldn't be messing with those girls, ese.")



Speaking of The Conquest Of Women. . .

For what it's worth, I just read that Mick Jagger has allegedly bedded 4,000 women and counting. Among his conquests, Farrah Fawcett, Angelina Jolie and Ruth Buzzi. At one point I thought I would give him a run for his money but I kind of stalled out at a baker's dozen.



"Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings."

—Samuel Johnson