Spring Edition
The New Year didn’t wait to get off to a roaring start. With barely time to put away the Christmas decorations, the glitter of the Season gave way to the rush of our first shows of the year. We let the warm afterglow of the Holidays light the road ahead of us with anticipation.
The Dallas Safari Club Convention created a winning combination for everyone with its spacious venue and welcoming Texas attitude. The record breaking 39,000 attendees savored the exhibits, while the exhibitors themselves reveled in the crowd and the camaraderie of renewing old friendships. Taking advantage of my expanded booth, there was space to showcase more of my works in Chuck’s elegant framing. We also presented our first offering of “When There Were Giants Among Us” and “Ready To Rumble” as oversized Giclée prints on canvas. They truly made a statement to the crowd.
Still kicking up our heels (are people supposed to have this much fun?), we headed to the Safari Club International Convention. Usually held in Reno, NV, this year it was held in the neon lights of Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Oversized and divided into separate showrooms, we tried to quiet our misgivings about the venue. Not to worry! Even in our distant corner of the convention our loyal patrons searched us out for a hug and to swap news, while many new customers chanced upon our booth. The spirit of discovery shared with each new collector, and the fond reunions with the old, filled our conversation on the long road home.
A stop at Truth or Consequences, NM to visit with friends did more than just break up the drive back to Austin. I was offered the opportunity to join the Women’s Auxiliary of the local American Legion as they packed boxes for our troops in Afghanistan. Having packed more than 5,700 boxes for troops from New Mexico, this is far more than just an annual event for these dedicated women. Committed to meeting monthly until our troops return home, each box was filled with a carefully selected list of items that brought a bit of comfort and home (yes, that included cans of hot salsa) with it. Each box carried a note of appreciation for the selfless sacrifice of our troops as they defend our Nation and our Freedom far from home. Recognized nationally for their effort, it was a privilege to work alongside these loyal ladies.
On My Drawing Table
Greeting me and my pens every morning on my drawing table is the portrait of a Desert Mule Deer. Many of you saw me in the first stages of this piece at the safari club shows. Rimed with an early winter snow, the veil of falling snow flakes is transforming the Buck into a frosted apparition. Even his courtly crown is embellished with the delicate lacework of snow caught in the ridges of its antlers. As yet unnamed and still ghostly without his eyes (my final touch and reward), his completion and printing is set for early April.
New Events
“my unfinished Mule Deer”
As if we our plate wasn’t already full enough, we have added 2 new events to the schedule. For the first time in many years, in March we will be exhibiting at a show in Austin. A brand new outdoor art event, this will be the first of its kind at the exclusive DOMAIN. Shoppers will be able to stroll among the tents of elite artists as they wind along the rows of top retailers. Keeping me out of Neiman Marcus and in my booth may be a challenge.
Keeping the roads hot, we will participate for the first time in the Omaha Summer Arts Festival. Located in downtown Omaha, NE, in early June, it will be a wonderful opportunity to meet a new group of collectors. Details can be found at www.summerarts.org. Please stop by and introduce yourself if you are in the area.