Oklahoma Twilight

Some days on the road feel like accomplishment. Yesterday, I put aside a few demons from dark days past and hopped on the city bus for the first time.  The goal for the day was the Blanton Art Museum, which sits on the University of Texas campus. I got there early so I walked around and explored. It's a beautiful campus, with the highlight being the Darrell K Royal football stadium which sits right on campus.  Fall here must be magical. It was a thrill to just peek inside the stadium from a gate by the end zone.

The last couple of days I came across two pieces of art that really inspired me.  The first is called Parsonage Garden, by Vincent Van Gogh.  I have been so enamored with the painters of Paris from the early part of the 20th century, I have not really taken the time to look at Van Gogh.  I found a big coffee table book full of his incredible art, sat in a big comfy chair and soaked in the magic. 


The second is a piece I discovered at the Blanton by J.Jay McVicker, titled "Oklahoma Twilight"  Both pieces have a dark, monochrome tenor and captivated me with there stark lines and shadow and highlights.  Both are beautiful, rich and dark.


I've decided my artistic goal for this trip is to draw 100 faces in pencil.  Nothing fancy, just little faces with the basics, shape of the head, eyes (two) and a nose and mouth.  At the Blanton I sat and drew faces from paintings and from the Greek statues.  I have a long way to go, but hopefully I'm on my way.