Essays

Moseying: Living La Vida Llanero

Art show at the Scharborough-Linebery House
June 2, 2004

The Scarborough/Linebery House is having an art show June 5th at 6 p.m. The artists are all regional – several are from Midland, but others come from Sonora, Odessa, Roswell, Ft. Davis, San Angelo, Andrews, Abilene, Seminole, and Lamesa. I am hoping to see (and maybe purchase if I get a check in the mail for a magazine story or a biological survey) paintings that connect me emotionally with our regional landscape and way of life.

Artists are hardworking people that spend “a heck of a lot of time alone.” Most spend hours and hours of study of other artists’ work, and then spend thousands of hours creating. Creating an artwork is physical – I have heard artists talk of realizing different rhythms within their movements at the easel. At times they reach an “altered consciousness” wherein their creation becomes collaboration with spiritual forces. Artists are interpreters of human subconscious reactions to the world – of our culture, place, and time.

Art is often the victim of pretension. Critics, otherwise naysayers, are often thwarted social arbiters that have finally found a niche for their misanthropic egos. Art is for the individual that views it – if it means something to you, you react to it emotionally. The artist seeks to create what we feel in our hearts and souls. Art is another form of celebrating God – artists and all of us create as a celebration of the joy and blessings of life. Do not ever say “I don’t know anything about art” – for that is saying you know nothing about yourself. If someone is derogatory about what you like – ignore them, they are not you. Besides, it is just their ego wanting to demonstrate “superiority” and such people are tiresome!

Everybody is an artist – anybody that takes time to do a job right is a craftsman, and a job done so well the individuality of the worker can be recognized becomes art. I love “folk art,” created by people not well-indoctrinated with “schools of art.” I love “domestic art” – quilting, home decorating, gardening, cooking – such things become art when a person loves to do the activity, and does it well. Artists are always pushing to learn.

“How can this light be captured? How can the depth of field be better delineated? Are the shadows blue or green?” Painters dissect how humans see space to better be able to create what they see and interpret. Sometimes their interpretation comes out in abstract form.

As a west Texas regionalist, I am interested in observing interpretations of west Texas. We have excellent artists in the region that have portrayed historical scenes, ranch scenes, ranch houses. Such “western art” is now a “genre.” Thousands of “western artists” are scattered in almost every little “tourist town.” Marfa, Sante Fe, Bisbee, and other towns throughout the west have “artistic communities” that transcend genres. Do we have regional artists that portray our small town life? Oilfield life? Social life?

I want to go to the art show to survey the subjects of the artists – I know one regional artist who paints wood-sided houses to look like rock houses, and paints rocks on canvas, too! I know another regional artist that likes classic cars of the 1950s and to paint street scenes of suburbia, as well as our wide-open skies dwarfing the plains. I know another regional artist that specializes in painting scenes on buffalo gourds that can be used as Christmas ornaments or strung in strings as window treatments.

Historian Joe Pickle of Big Spring wrote (about the little known West Texan H.W. Caylor of the 1890s - 1920s) “popularity of the artist is determined by the fact that the art remains the cherished possessions of succeeding generations of the original owner.” Art becomes part of the owner’s life story, how the owner defines himself or herself. Art becomes part of our shared collective story of our local region. Art shows such as the one on June 5th is one of the few ways this collective story is told. (I wish that someone would create a website for west Texas art where images created regionally since Captain Marcy’s lithographer could be seen!)

I have met three of the artists that will be at the show. I remember getting into a discussion with one of them about little-known beautiful places in west Texas. It devolved into sharing stories about camp-cooking and critters visiting the camp. What sticks with me is the sense of his emotional connection to the experiences while in the field painting. Artists only make small movements at the easel, so the natural world relaxes and resumes normal activity. An artist can see the “secret life” of animals that are not scared.

The art show is a “backyard supper,” with music. It is a relaxed affair, so a person can take time and chat – and “connect.” Take the time to see all the paintings on a first viewing, and then go back and look at your favorites and then stand and “enter” the paintings… let your mind go blank and let the painting “talk” to you. There are stories within paintings! Then chat with the artist. Prices are “affordable,” from $50 and up to $5000!

Celebrate west Texas! Declare your pride at being a Llanero! Support the artistic endeavors of our fellow citizens!