GULF COAST SPLASH 30" x 30" Oil on Canvas This painting is the result of my sitting on a sea wall at a friend's house located on the intercoastal canal in Port Aransas, Texas. Staring at the splashes against the rocks is hypnotizing. Like snow flakes, no two splashes are alike. As a result of a trip to the west coast many years ago and watching the waves break on the beach, I painted a wave. This painting reminded me of that similar experience. Toni, do you remember buying that wave for your son's wedding gift? The colors on our Texas Gulf Coast can't compare with the incredible blue of the Pacific Ocean, but I borrowed a little of that color for my Texas splash. Artist'd Privilege! MUSEUM SHOW: At the GETTY CENTER in Los Angeles until February 28 is "Rembrandt and His Pupils: Telling the Difference". If you can't make the trip, do as I did. The interactive on the Getty's web site allows zooming in on the images. You can test yourself b...
WHAT DO YOU KNOW about Spanish Texas? It is believed that the shoreline from Florida to Texas was first viewed by a Spaniard as early as 1519. Spanish explorers came long before the English settled the Atlantic Coast of North America______ Strong, proud Spain struggled to persuade its own citizens to colonize the vast and remote lands in North America, so in 1820, it opened up Texas to Anglo Americans. After Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821, sparsely populated Texas became part of the Mexican Nation. Both Mexicans and U. S. citizens, wanting inexpensive land to farm and ranch, flocked to Tejas. This accounts for the myriad of Spanish names for towns, counties, rivers and creeks, mountains and islands.______ Spaniards brought horses. Many became wild, multiplied and were acquired and tamed by Indians. Spanish laws had established land ownership, water rights, community property and inheritance by daughters and widows. Crops were brought and irrigation was implemented. Pre...
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT Antonia’s leap off Mt. Bonnell? Note: Don’t miss Michael Barnes’ Think Texas columns every Tuesday in the Austin Statesman. He recommends a book by Noah Smithwick, The Revolution of a State. Barnes claims that Smithwick is the best story teller about the period 1830-1860; the “Old 300”was Stephen f. Austin’s first colony. __________________________________________________________________ Now, I have two tales to tell. (1) A frequently told legend and (2) A personal story about the descendant of a former president of Mexico. __________________________________________________________________ 1. The Legend: Mt. Bonnell is a favorite tourist site and a fine place to picnic while viewing Lake Austin. It was well known by the central Texas tribes of Indians as well as early settlers. Antonia was a Spanish maiden living in an early San Antonio mission. A Comanche chief kidnaped the beautiful Antonia. Her fian...
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