PALETTE TALK
Talkin' about watercolor, art, & life

Hot Springs is an interesting place to visit and Ernie and I had the opportunity to be there last week.  The South Central Region of the National Resource & Conservation Services invited us to come to their annual meeting for an awards luncheon.  My painting, Touch the Earth, has been selected from among other paintings by Indian Artists throughout the United States for the 2008 American Indian Heritage Month Poster.  This year the theme was Conservation - Our Heritage - Our Passion.  I was treated like a celebrity and met a lot of wonderful people.  My old farmer husband had a ball talking about the earth and tractors with many of the agriculturalists.  Representatives and directors were there from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.  In November 16,000 of the posters will be sent to all 50 states and Guam NRCS offices for distribution.  That's the largest print edition any of my paintings have ever seen!
It really is a great opportunity for American Indian artists to have their work seen in many areas of the country as conservation of the land and resources are promoted.
Each painting submitted was accompanied by narrative by the artist. Many people asked me about the model for the painting.  It was partially me standing by the mirror with shawl wrapped around my shoulders.  (Difficult to paint that way but one does what one must for art.) No, I don't have flowing grey hair and I'm not an ancient one yet!  I used my dad's features and aged them.  (My dad only lived to age 42.)  The background included elements that are found in Southeastern Oklahoma and probably many other parts of the United States.  Yes, the Indian Paintbrushes are out of season but they were included as symbolic of the sturdiness of the Indian, always surviving and thriving even in difficult "soil".

"The Choctaw people passionately love the earth.  The ancient ones walked barefoot, sat and lay on the ground because it was good to touch the earth.  The old Choctaw believed the Great Spirit created the earth and all the creatures that drink from her bounties and listen to her whispers.  The Choctaw's passion and kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water continues today.  The earth nourishes and provides for man.  Man must care for the earth and do it no harm.  If the earth dies, man dies."

I'd love to hear from you with thoughts and ideas.
Until next time keep talking about watercolor, art, and life.