4urWorld

Cadillac Ranch

The Cadillac Ranch - Another famous attraction in Amarillo, Texas, on Route 66. It is a public art installation and sculpture.  It was created in 1974 by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels, who were a part of the art group “Ant Farm Group” and was sponsored by Stanley Marsh 3, an artist, philanthropist and prankster from Amarillo, Texas. 

In Pop Culture -  A tribute to the “Cadillac Ranch” was featured in the Walt Disney and Pixar film “Cars” , a movie about the Mother Road “Route 66″.  The fictional town of Radiator Springs, which sits at the edge of an area referenced on a map as the “Cadillac Range”, and throughout the movie, rock formations shaped like the cars, buried in the ground, can be seen as a horizon backdrop.

“Cadillac Ranch” is the name of a Bruce Springsteen song on his 1980 album “The River”. There is also a song called “Cadillac Ranch” by the late John Stewart, on his album “Rough Sketches“, which is about Route 66. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band also has a song called “Cadillac Ranch” in which the iconic Cadillac is praised.

In 2008, Cadillac Ranch can be seen in the musical video for the song, “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked” by The Caged Elephant. All outdoor shots in the 2009 video of Brooks and Dunn’s song “Honky Tonk Stomp” were filmed at the Cadillac Ranch.

The cars are forever changing, as people are encouraged to bring their own cans of spray paint and add their mark to the Iconic piece of art.  The cars are right in the middle of a wheat field, south of the Interstate 40 (Route 66) Just west of Amarillo.

The above picture is of my pencil sketch of the ranch.  I have in the works a painting of the ranch from a different angle, which I will post as soon as I am finished. 

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magnolia gasoline pump

2nd in Series of Route 66 paintings.

Magnolia Gasoline Pump Located at the Museum in Shamrock, Texas.

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I am continuing my journey in my artwork, and I couldn’t think of a better gift for my Husband, than something to hang in his office.  My Husband, Mark, works for Cimarex Energy, and he loves his job, so I hope that this will really mean something to him.

Love you Mark, Happy Birthday!

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For the longest time I have been trying to get my groove back.

I wanted to do something I was passionate about, something that I do that makes me feel good.  I know what it is and I just needed to start.  I kept procrastinating, finding something else to do, watch TV, play solitaire, anything to keep me from starting something, I hope I still got it in me.

Today was the day of just going for it, I started PAINTING today.  I am duplicating a painting I did in college, many people told me they loved it, the original is very small and on a kind of canvas paper.

The object I am drawing is a bit challenging, It is a drink being poured into a glass with ice in it.  This can be a little difficult with the lights and the shadows, and making it actually look real.

Now I am going to show you what I have reproduced so far.  It will look a lot better after I get it finished.

I should video my painting process, and share parts of it with you.  Well wish me luck in getting my groove back!

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Yesterday I went with my daughter to the art school at Texas Tech, and listened to a speaker, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr., a printer who specialized in Print Press Posters.  There was a documentary done about Mr. Kennedy, and the name of the documentary was “Proceed and be Bold”.

Listening to Mr. Kennedy, was so inspirational to me.  Mr. Kennedy has not always been a printer, he worked in the corporate world for several years.  He has been making prints for the past 7 years in a small town in Georgia.

One thing that really hit home to me, is he said you don’t have to be in a big city like New York to be a successful artist.  You can create your art where ever you are.  Since I am also from a very small town, this made me realize that the possibilities of being a successful artist isn’t out of my reach.

I have been wanting to get back into creating art,  The poster, and the documentary about Mr. Kennedy, has given the inspiration I need to “Proceed and be Bold”.

Not only did Mr. Kennedy inspire me, but he made me think a lot about life.  I really liked his philosophy about life.  When he spoke about thinking outside the box, he gave some examples of maybe thinking what your favorite song would look like as a poster.  Maybe not necessarily just putting the words on there totally, but making an art piece out of it.

I have always heard the statement “Think outside the box” but I never really knew how to do it.  Mr. Kennedy gave us several examples that made me realize what all can be done.

I just want to say :

“ǝɟı1 ʎɯ ǝbuɐɥɔ ǝɯ buıd1ǝɥ ǝ1qıssod puɐ sǝʎǝ ʎɯ buıuǝdo” ɹoɟ ʎpǝuuǝʞ .ɹɯ noʎ ʞuɐɥʇ

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