"NEW ABERDEEN"

This is the No. 66 painting in my 365/2010 series
Title: "NEW ABERDEEN"
Size: 7 1/2X9 1/2 inches
Medium: watercolor on 140lb. DeArches cold press paper.
This little town in Northeast Mississippi, never ceases to amaze me.
From the first time I sat foot in this town, the summer of 1964, I fell in love with it. I was already in love with one of it's natives and had come to the place to convince her to marry me and go back to the Chicago are with me. Didn't Happen, I mean the going back home with me. BUT we did get married the next year. I did not return to my home till 5 years later. I got a room and stayed in Aberdeen.
You have seen a lot of the things and places that I have painted in this series of the OLD ABERDEEN. This Is the NEW Aberdeen. This scene is on the West side of the Dam. It is tucked back and a lot of the old timers don't even know it's there. Take "Little Matubby", North Meridian St. or Coon Tail Road, (by the way these are all the same street leading north out of downtown. When you get to the entrance into the Dam, go to the next turn to the right and it will take you about a mile around to where these lake dwelling are. There is some amazing looking Cape Cod type houses out there.
Many of them are just summer homes for people, who just like me came to Aberdeen, Many of them by boat, or to came at the campgrounds by the lake and decided to stay.
I will be visiting Aberdeen to explore it again with my two oldest grandsons next week.
Looking forward to seeing a lot of old friends, and that road out of town also leads to the Friendship House. That's my Catfish place. Meet me!
I do hope you like what I do.
Comments and or remarks are greatly appreciated.

"HONORING MICHELANGELO'S 535TH BIRTHDAY"

This is the No. 65 painting in my 365/2010 series,
Title: "HONORING MICHELANGELO'S 535TH. BIRTHDAY"
Size: 22X30 inches
Medium" Watercolor and ink on 140lb. DeArches cold press paper.
This is the 2ND of my series within a series paying tribute to those very famous artist that have had a big influence in what I do. This painting pays tribute to one of the greatest artist that ever has worked as an artist. Michelangelo Bunnarotti would have been 535 years old had he lived to this day. Undoubtedly the greatest sculptor ever, a great architect and one of the best painters ever. In this painting I try to pay tribute to his architecture in the dome he work on at St. Peter's in Rome, tribute to his sculpture is found in the David and the Pieta. and of course his painting in his creation scene from the Sistine Chapel.
This painting is done in Paynes Gray and Black. No brush was used in painting this picture. I used the spray nozzle from my kitchen sink and my work work and a spray bottle for re wetting. I used rubber cement and maskoid. eye droppers and q-tips to move the ink around.
The black and white and the textures, I wanted to use to reflect the stone quality of his major works. the fine lines in the picture are done with a quill pen.
I do hope you like my tributes to my favorite artists as well as all I'm trying to do.
Comments and/or remarks are greatly appreciated.

"NEBUCHADNEZZAR-2 KINGS"

This is the No. 64 painting in my 365/2010 series
Title: "NEBUCHADNEZZAR - 11 KINGS"
Size: image size 11X14 inches
Medium: Encaustic, Melted wax crayons.
This is the 7th piece in my Biblical series within a series. It from the book of 2 Kings in the Old Testament. It is the story of Nebuchadnezzar, This is when he first came into Jerusalem with his foes in 2 kings chapter 25. His accomplishments and defeats are all shadowed by, the handwriting on the wall.
You won't want to miss tomorrow post for several reasons, honoring perhaps one of the greatest biblical story telling artist of all times. Can you guess who?
I do hope you enjoy what I do.
Comments and/or remarks are appreciated.

"OAKDALE SCHOOL"

This is the No. 63 painting of my 365/2010 series.

Title: "OAKDALE SCHOOL"

Size: 10 1/4x 13 inches

Medium: Watercolor on 90 lb. paper

This is the What I believe the second building built to house the Oakdale School. This is painted using a photo with the date 1915 underneath the name Oakdale and two other photos showing particial corner of the building known as Oakdale School. I say2nd. building because I have reference form an old newspaper article about the time of this building that say that Men are coming next week to take plow under the old building and take it away.

Anyway, there is not very much history about the Witcher-Oak-Dale school available. I have done a lot of research and I know there was a school here on the present site before statehood.

I believe there was someone operating a "conscription school" in this area as early as the late 1860's early 1870's. There is no date listed for the beginning of Oakdale anywhere, but I do have a copy of a 1891 class card. listing all the students at that time.

I do hope you like what I do.

Comments and/or remarks are appreciated.

"LUCILLE'S"

This is the No. 62 painting in my 365/2010 series.
Title: "LUCILLE'S"
Size: 9 1/2x13 1/2 inches
Medium: Watercolor on 100% rag paper.
Lucille's was one of the favorite rest stops on the Mother road, Route 66, all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles. It was definitely the most popular spot in route 66 in Oklahoma, especially with the truck drivers. It is located west of Oklahoma between El Reno and Weatherford at the little town Hydro. This is the wet side of the building looking toward the east. Many documentaries have been done about route 66 and they all include Lucille's. It was still opened in the late 70's. I was in it at least twice in the 78-79 time. I did get to meet Lucille.
I hope you enjoy what I do.
Comments and or remarks are appreciated.

"THE HIGGINS HOUSE"

This is the No. 61 painting in my 365/2010 series
Title: "THE HIGGINS HOUSE"
Size: 6 1/4x8 1/4
Mediun: Watercolor on 140lb. DeArches paper.
This is the Higgins's house at the end of cottage and Barrell Street in Lincoln Village in Huntsville, Alabama. Growing up I was only in this house twice and I can remember how clean and neat it was.
In the east side of this house, lived 7 people in three rooms. Mr and Mrs. Higgins and their 5 children. I remember all their names. They were all older than me. Cut Deep stands out in my mind, wonder why?
In the west side of the house, three rooms Mr and Mrs. Thompson and their two children lived. I just recently reconnected with Tony Thompson on Facebook, and I can hardly wait to see him again in June. I have fond memories of when he lived in the house.
Billy Higgins lived in the house until about 2 years ago, and a friend of mine bought the house. He and I went through the house after he bought it and the family had not cleaned out his belonging. The house was immaculate, just as it was when I was in it over 50 years ago. I remembered some of the trinkets that were there the first time i was in it. It is the prettiest house still standing in the.
The house to the west in the picture is where the Mance lived. They had a son whose name I never knew exactly what it was. I heard him called Whacker and Jay Bird all my time there.
There is movement to remodel, perhaps reconstruct some of the houses in the village, Many are gone and lots are in a sad state of condemnation.
I hope they do completely keep the integrity of Barrell and Bennett Street.
I hope you like what I do/
Comments and remarks are greatly appreciated.

"GEORGE "WOOGIE" WATCHETAKER"

This is the No. 60 painting in my 365/2010 series
Title: GEORGE "WOOGIE" WATCHETAKER"
Size: 9x14 inches
Medium: Transparent watercolor done on 100% handmade paper.
George Woogie Watchetaker is a full blooded Comanche Native American. I saw Woogie , the first time at the 1976 Oklahoma State fair and could tell immediately that he was very SPECIAL.
I met Woogie in 1988, I was doing a Residence in Blair, Oklahoma and on my way to Blair I saw a sign that said Medicine Park so I had to go there. I met several Native American Indians there and on of then started talking about dancing. I had seen Woogie dancing several years before and they knew him. I had him on my list of 18 native American Artist that I wanted to do portraits of and they told me where he lived in Apache, Oklahoma. Not far from Blair. I looked him up and met him and his wife Eva. This is the third time I have painted his picture. He was the best Fancy Dancer on the National Native American dancing circuit. He was several time National Champion. The first portrait of him, a 22x30 inch painting won three best of show and two first places awards the 2 years it was edible for competition.
Woogie means HIDE-REAL-GOOD
Woogie died in 1993. His wife followed in death 5 days later.
I do hope you enjoy what I do.
Comment and/or remarks are appreciated.