The left-handed gun

Before he left for bayou country, Sson hung several paintings, prints and other pictures to make new home feel more like my home. Here's one of my favorites -- and its story, at least as much as I know. When we moved into Prescott from Wilhoit in the mid 80s, we had plenty of room, and large white expanses of wall. Time to think about art. At that time, there was a gallery in the St. Michael Alley two doors down from Ernie's Hotel California. A young artist guy showed up who needed fast money to finance his more serious work. He had whipped out several hand-colored wood block prints with a western theme (always a best seller in Arizona.) The catch was that the prints were based upon Hollywood studio b&w publicity photos. This particular picture was a promotion for The Left-Handed Gun, a major production about Billy the Kid, with Paul Newman playing The Kid. And, yes, though I generally don't buy into the self-conscious Western Art meme, I had to have this print. I leave it to you to figure out which of the guys is Newman.

The grunge primitives

Meet this year's crop of dolls from the Grunge Goddess, on display at the Victorian Holiday Boutique this weekend. One of the big Raggedy Ann lookalikes was spirited away right after I snapped this shot. What can I say except that I love these guys. All of 'em.

I'm lucky enough to have this cat, Eunice by name, in my kitchen. It was given me, as a complete surprise, by neighbors involved in the first of the Victorian boutiques, way back in 2007.

I think you should take a closer look at the dolls, especially the clowns to the right, suitable for Dia Las Muertes. The Grunge Goddess, BTW, is one Norine Centofante.

Isn't the cow splendid?
More clowns.

Assorted dolls plus another cow or similar ruminant.

Last year's boutique ladies...

...and three new beauties for 2009. I'd bet the pair below are possibly Spanish: that is what their costumes plus roses in the hair insist. I'd like to have every one of them, if I were not already inundated in Stuff!

White hands

The hands of the human easel provide a neat counterpoint to the hand in the art work. Couldn't help catching my eye at the Prescott College art auction Saturday night.

More professional decor

Prescott has more than its share of galleries and museums. Then there are the periodic weekend arts and crafts shows at the Square. However, I find that the small collections in offices and businesses around town are yet another albeit quieter venue for quality arts and crafts.

Today I visited one of my doctors who has been in his present quarters for a short time, hence there are only a few pieces. However, here is a horse that I would love to have. I'm sure that the Granddotter who is into horsies big time would also covet the painting.

Above is an attractive, smallish vase sitting on a waiting room table, hemmed in by medical brochures.

But truly outstanding is this tall vase -- about 3-1/2" to 4" tall. It stands by itself, as is proper. Furthermore, it is R.E.D. I want it.

Linkage for the day: While on the subject of arts/crafts, Tombo, who knows how to find graffiti, visited Flagstaff, where he found a splendid collection. Foolsewoode was also in Northern Arizona recently, but she focused her camera on the old Route 66 Wigwam Motel. There's a fabulous hi-res picture of a Martian crater at this UAriz site; click on the blog link to locate poster-size color PDFs from Mars.

Elephants? In Prescott?

Well, of course. If a subject can be turned into any form of pop art or kitsch, it will show up in one or another local shop, such as the piece above at Tuesday Morning. Or it may even appear on someone's deck staircase (below). Thoroughly cutsie; recent remarks I made about the dignity of lions apply to elephants, as well.

A picture from the outdoor elephant department over at WalMart West (above) and a resale shop (below).

And a pair of carved elephants at one of the McCormick Street antiqueries.

Linkage: I'm quite taken by surprise; it turns out that Susie of Arabia lived in Prescott at one time. You'll find her visit to a rose water factory an interesting sidelight on the Kingdom. Boonie ponders just what one of Tolstoy's characters would say about Wall Street's abashed bright boys, while Tombo meets up with GIs who ferry those wicked looking choppers across the country; seems they often pop into Love Field for a hamburger.

A very local art scene

It helps to have interesting neighbors. As I go out for a walk, I frequently hear the Zzzap-buzz of an arc welder. Angie, working in the garage next door.

The great thing about being a metal worker -- it's a perfect excuse for collecting all manner of strange, orphaned objects. No need to visit Kuhles (unless you are looking for images of unexpected large salvaged Stuff.)

Recently, Angie has been very much into objects that combine function with form -- in the shape of lamps. Above, a lamp in process; below, the finished item as displayed at a small showing held yesterday in the neighborhood.

A visitor to the show looks at Angie's light fixtures.

Even if the nekkid gent above is merely watching his TV, I found this smaller piece quite disturbing; the front view would explain why I'd call it "Extreme Revenge." Not quite sure about the impaled heads below, either.

And while I quite like this ship-looking sculpt, I'm wrong -- those masts are actually modeled after utility poles...

The exhibit also included photography by Kristen; like many young photographers, she's rediscovering the abstract possibilities of black & white. I'm not quite sure if she's reverted to film for some of her images. (Myself, I'm old and impatient -- quite caught up in digital photography. I had it with darkroom work many years ago.)

The third feature of the event was a poetry reading by Caitie Moore. For the record, the other artists are Angie Terry and Kristen Densmore.

Art on casino hill

It was at the library that I first saw this bronze miniature, wondering, at the time, just where the large scale sculpture was located. I should have guessed -- it is at the entrance to the Prescott Resort and Casino, owned by the local Yavapai Indian tribe.

In the real world, the miniature gives one a much better picture of the piece than is possible on the ground, where the the lighting is absolutely dreadful. I had to really use the magic of PhotoShop to bring out the detail below; the original shot consisted of a dark object.

The companion bronze is in the lobby -- a far better place to catch an image of the basketry lesson.

Quite new in the lobby is an installation of objects from Yavapai life -- plants, baskets, bowls -- all rendered in glass by artist Jim Antonius.

Titled Emergence, the work represents a genesis story of the Yavapai, according to a description in the Courier. The shields above are based upon designs by Viola Jimulla, late chieftess of the tribe and a master weaver. As for the sun below, I don't recall exactly where it was located vis a vis the Antonius work; however, it is a cool piece. (Besides, I always like to include any suns that are hanging around just for my dotter up in darkest Alaska.)

It was hard not to notice the art deco lighting fixtures throughout the lobby area. Each was finished off with a huge quartz crystal, probably like those PrescottStyle found over in the Copper Basin recently.

A collection of crosses

No doubt there is a story for each of these many crosses that grace the back wall of the parlor seating at the American Lutheran Church. I'm fascinated at the different forms that the ruud can take, both simple and complex. Take a look:

I shouldn't have been surprised when I saw that church display; I have friends -- a couple -- who spent at least a year creating a great variety of crosses, many of which are hanging on their walls.