The scorching Texas sun is bearing down, driving me inside where this page awaits my update. I might be able to escape the heat, but my homework assignment is always taunting me. Feeling the cool tile beneath my bare feet as I write this helps to soothe the senses and coax the phrases from my sluggish brain. Time’s a’wastin’!!
Beginning the year with its usual air of eager anticipation, the Safari Club conventions in January did not disappoint us. It always surprises me when the beauties of the Christmas season can be eclipsed by the fun of our first two shows of the year. The Dallas Safari Club Show and Convention was suffused with traditional Texas hospitality and filled with friends. This show is morphing into one of the finest of its kind in the world as it strives to constantly refine its selection of exhibitors without overwhelming the senses with quantity.
Next, Reno beckoned with the Safari Club International Convention. Beginning with a two-step and ending on a high note of great sales and great camaraderie, the miles sang beneath our wheels as we headed back home. You might think the exhaustion of four intense days on our feet (where is that cool tile when we need it?) would have worn us into numbness. Quite the contrary……we left on a natural high after reuniting with our friends/collectors from years past.
The following shows; the Texas Indian and Southwest Art Market, Cottonwood Art Festival (Richardson, TX) and the Texas Arts and Crafts Festival (Kerrville, TX) continued the trend. We feel absolutely blessed by each of you when you stop by our booth to chat. Despite the cost of travel, you continue to bear testimony to the adage that mankind must have art to enrich the spirit. Thank you.
“Heart of a Giant”
Jerry Ray, Sherry, Chancellor Victor Boschini, Christi Hoban,
Dir. Of Alumni Relations and Betty Ray
Texas Christian University was presented “Heart of a Giant” as a gift from alumni Jerry Ray. Known as the Horned Frogs, TCU’s fondness for these special little reptiles is renowned. Taking it one step further, our friend and TCU benefactor, Jerry, is donating his entire collection of Horned Lizard pieces to be placed on display in the TCU Student Union. The original of my rendering, “Heart of a Giant”, will eventually reside in the Office of the Chancellor. Shown here, Chancellor Victor Boschini is accepting the gift on behalf of TCU.
Chimney Rock, Nebraska
Who’s Your Mamma?
A wonderful bonus awaited us at the end of the Spring ‘show season’. Although checking on our Longhorns on the Durnal Ranch in Bayard, Nebraska has become a reward in itself, this time we were able to participate in our first branding. Founded on necessity, this time-honored institution is filled with many of the principles on which our lives should be based. Teamwork, watching out for your neighbor, efficient and careful handling of the livestock and sharing the load based on personal responsibility, were evident at every turn.
A classic branding in every way, men, women and children alike participated as we rounded up the longhorns, roped, inoculated, and branded approximately 200 calves. Included at every stage, the youngsters learned the skills from their mentors that will become the underpinning of their lives. And yes, the Cowgirls were impressive. Confident and skillful astride their horses, they quietly went about the business of cutting the calves from the herd and roping them for the branding teams. In the truest traditions of the West, they worked without drama or ugly words, giving the guys a bit of serious competition that really kept them on their toes.
In the shadow of Chimney Rock National Landmark we confirmed that the traditions of the West are alive and well, safe in the hands of ranchers like our friend Judy Durnal.
Upcoming Shows:
Our schedule for the remainder of the year is changing slightly as we adapt to changing market conditions. Constantly trying to evolve as the art world changes, my foremost guideline will always be the wildlife that “presents” itself to me. It is an awesome and sometimes intimidating responsibility.
New Works
“Cause For Alarm”
Silently slipping out of the brush in front of us, the female leopard materialized out of the shadows. The perfect camouflage of her spots became a glimmering pattern as the sunlight struck her side. Astonishingly, she not only seemed unafraid of us, she began to respond to my best imitation of a leopard’s call. Gliding past the side of our open vehicle, her eyes would nearly close as she echoed me with a low, throaty rumble. As she paused directly beneath the rear of the vehicle, I climbed over the back seat where I could lean out to photograph her. Neither she, nor I, felt a sense of threat or fear as she gazed up at me. There was only a silent connection between us.
Turning around, she retraced her footsteps and selected a proper patch of ground in front of us. Casually, as though she were in the company of old friends, she began the fastidious process of grooming her splendid coat. Crisp white whiskers flashed in the light as she primped in the classic feline manner, giving me time to sketch her beauty. Every sinuous movement became etched into my memory……if only I could capture it quickly in my sketchbook.
Suddenly, a veil dropped over her luminous eyes. Face drawing tight with apprehension, the menacing sound of an approaching vehicle revealed the source of her alarm. As it rolled up beside us, I was transfixed with the transformation taking place in “my” leopard. Her eyes now smoldered with a suspicious glint and the instinct to flee flowed through her, replacing the soft reclining form with one of agitated steel. She was gone. As quickly and silently as she had come.
Finding it impossible to choose between the attitudes divulged during our private audience with this royalty of Africa, I have chosen to first share three of her most memorable moods. Moving from right to left, you can easily see the progression from a willing accomplice to that of a wary and dangerous creature. With her image burned into my mind, this is my initial effort to depict a privileged moment with the most exquisite of Africa’s gems. Enjoy!
Work in Progress:
Lesser BushBabies
“Pixies of the Night”—Lesser Bush Babies
While in Zimbabwe last summer we were guests in the home of silver sculptor Patrick Mavros. Of the many adventures we experienced on our trip, most of them paled to the delightful encounter we had each evening when the family’s pair of pet Lesser Bush Babies joined us during the cocktail hour. Fondly referred to as “Pookies”, these tiny elf-like creatures sprung around the room like ping pong balls. From shoulder to chandelier and back again, going 8-10 feet in a single leap, they were totally captivating. The smallest of primates, they have enormous reddish eyes, big ears, fur that feels like chinchilla and legs built with an extra joint for leaping. Inquisitively prying under curtains or walking about on their hind legs, looking all the world like Yoda, their intelligence was apparent.
Still underway, it is a delight to find these little pixies waiting for me on my drawing table every morning. Not a delight are the tens of thousands of dots gradually filling in the nighttime background. It is a good thing I don’t put in the eyes until the very last, or I would have been outta here 5 weeks ago. It will be a day to celebrate when their little eyes light up the page. Stay tuned…..
Sherry Steele-A New Beginning
“A New Beginning”
This one surprised even me when it demanded to be the next image coming off my drawing table. Trying to fathom why I may have been impelled to draw a baby camel, other than the fact that they are adorable, left me very puzzled. Sighting this small Bactrian bull calf at the St. Louis Zoo, with his little humps still flat and legs spradled for balance, struck a chord in me. It may have been concern over my son’s deployment to Iraq that subconsciously triggered the connection. Perhaps this fellow can be an omen for better, more peaceful times in a part of the world that has never known peace.
PRINTS ON LEATHER
We are excited to be offering some of my images printed on leather as a new option to my collectors. Signed and numbered, these pieces can be used as throws, stitched into pillows or framed for a totally different look. Look for them at my next shows.