Petroglyph Conundrum

ATC Ute Rider
by Phillip Hoyle

I've worked with many petroglyph designs over the past eleven years. I've sold quite a few paintings and a number of prints inspired by them: deer and bears, dancing shamans and mountain sheep, monsters and gods, dogs and cats (actually mountain lions), and abstracts beyond description. I've made many, many pieces of art related to these figures.

Early on in my fascination I made a number of collages and paintings from horse petroglyphs. They have been among my favorites. BUT I have never sold a single one of either a horse or a horse and rider. I was sure that out here in the west where people actually ride horses, there would be someone who couldn't resist owning one of these old designs.

The author back in 1981 with a favorite horse design.

This past week I made a small block cut of one of the most interesting horses, one with a rider. This one is located on the escarpment of Spring Mesa near the Ute Trail (as it has been called for well over 100 years) and near another petroglyph of a bear up a tree with a clear track of paw prints from a crack in the cliff wall to the tree. In the olden days the Ute bear dance was held on the vernal equinox announcing springtime's arrival and with it the emergence of bears from their winter slumber. Bear taught the Ute people to do the dance; that's what the old stories told.

Bear Dance
Acrylic washes on paper by Phillip Hoyle

On the cliff not far from the bear petroglyph is the horse. Beneath the horse and rider is a similar trail of hoof marks? That's how I see them. The bear dance was ancient. Horses didn't arrive in Ute country until the 17th century. All I really have are questions and suspect ideas related to the proximity of the two figures.  Still I like the relative positions of the two figures. And I really like the figure of the horse and rider.

On the Trail
Mixed media by Phillip Hoyle

I made my miniature ATC prints to offer for trade at the next swap I attend. Of course, maybe no one will want one just like no one has ever wanted to buy one of my horse paintings. Oh well. Perhaps I need to make up a story like how Utes were changing due to the first fast tracks made possible by their new transportation. Some folks were worried that the old ways might be forgotten. One of the concerned artists related the traditional bear dance to the new ways with these hoof prints that seemed to echo the nearby bear paw prints. Keep the old and new together, you know.

Well such a story would take lots of expansion and polishing. OR I could promise if you trade for one of these cards, I'll not tell you a story about them.


Denver, 2015

A Flight of Owls

I'm unsure of the traditional way to designate a group of owls. Perhaps they don't have such a designation. Other birds have rather fancy names attached to their groups. But I do know that the many owl Artist Trading Cards I made took flight. I had made twenty seven cards. Now I have none! 

I took three sheets of nine cards each. One sheet had nine drawings. One had nine prints. You may have seen them in last Monday's post. I also had one sheet of nine collages. Now I have none!

Maybe I'm bragging. I certainly am happy that I have twenty-seven new cards from the trade. (Actually quite a few more than that!) I'm happy that I got to see a number of artist friends Saturday at the trade. I'm happy that I got to see a fine installation of art at CORE New Art Space. I'm happy I spent the morning with my artist friend Sue. Oh, she got several cards.

Here are the collages for your inspection. Sorry I cannot trade them with you!

Owl collages with mixed media on paper
Phillip Hoyle

Denver, 2015

Owls to Trade

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

Coming up this Saturday 

Another card swap

at CORE New Art Space

in Santa Fe Art District

DENVER

Topic: OWLS

I've had many thoughts.
     When I was a kid we called Dad an owl.
     Bought him owl things.
          (So many adult males are difficult to buy presents for)
     So I have an owl in my background.
     Saw an owl on the neighbor's fence.
     Surprised by an owl that on a dark Kansas night
     Swooped up over our windshield.

     So I drew some owls last week.

These are my serious owls. I also drew some goofy ones but didn't
get a good photo.

     This weekend I cut blocks and printed some owls as a tribute to American Indians and far north Eskimos.

I enjoyed printing these on different kinds
of paper.

I still have a set of nine torn-paper collages to complete before next Saturday. I feel good about this group of OWLS. May my owls be as interesting as my Dad's music was accurate and beautiful.

Have fun with YOUR artwork this week.

Denver, 2015

Updating a Show

When I worked at the Colorado Mountain Art Gallery in Georgetown last week, I removed some paintings and prints from the display and added a couple of new paintings. I'm pleased with the show especially because it looks less cluttered and presents a painting I made several years ago but had never shown. 

I had been trying to figure out what changes to make that would make the display more attractive and believe I made good choices. I added an elk anthropomorphic painting next to another shaman dancer piece. The two paintings were made at the same time and match in size, colors, and frames. The horizontal painting with two petroglyphs on a mainly brown background surprised me! I had painted it to add colorful marks of the culture that made it. So a border that looks a bit like quill or beadwork suggests that not everything in western Colorado back in those old, old days was drab. As I moved the painting to the wall to measure for where to pound in the nail, I discovered that I had not installed any way to hang it.  Fortunately another painting I was removing had a long enough wire and strong enough eyelets to hang the new one. Anyway I'm pleased with the changes and am pleased to present new paintings to folk who stop by the gallery. 

Mixed media art by Phillip Hoyle

Things in Georgetown are pretty quiet these days. Gallery hours are shortened lasting from 11 to 4 daily. Still, with the mild days the trip up I-70 is pleasant, the food up there good, and wandering around an old silver mining town always a delight. Come on up and see the works. Besides mine, there are new displays from long-time members of the co-op and work from new members--pottery, photography, and paintings.

January 2015