Pawnee Morning Star Ritual

Cold Crescent__11x14 oil on linen___available at Act I Gallery, Taos, NM next week.

A few days ago I posted a study I did on my Amtrak trip of The Morning star. An artist buddy quickly wrote to me about The Morning Star ceremony of the Pawnee Indians -a ritual sacrifice of a young girl in the spring. It's a shame that such a beautiful phenomena is associated with such a terrible ritual. I prefer the Bible reference to "The Bright and Morning Star" as a special name/description for Jesus.
Michael Ome Untiedt , a great artist and friend told me all about it and sent me some info. He also mentioned that there is a place in Ireland where there is evidence that their ancient peoples followed the movement of Venus, (actually a planet and NOT a star). They followed its very course in the solar system, and studies indicate that they had to keep track of this for some 400 years, handing down their observations to the next generation without the benefit of WRITING...So fascinating that I caught myself "wikipedia-ing" for part of my morning and had to hustle myself back to the Plains....

I decided today to make a larger version of the Amtrak study, and altered it a bit...can you tell how???

My workshop in Rockport this weekend has been postponed. They are expecting BAD WINTER WEATHER there for the next day or two. We are pushing it forward to next week, so NOW YOU CAN plan to come! It might be Monday, Feb 7...maybe Friday Feb 11. I will know the new date on Thursday.

PLEASE e-mail me if you are interested...maybe you can caravan with those of us going down from the Austin area. vvaughan8@yahoo.com

Morning Star-East of Rugby

Morning Star East of Rugby, ND___6x8 oil on linen___for Passing America ...exhibit opens in October 2011

I took the Amtrak Empire Builder train from St. Paul, MN to Shelby MT last week and after a night of beautiful full moon views, we had a spectacular sunrise! I painted in a fury, doing small canvas sketches, putting down "color notes". After 2 or 3 of these I realized that the light was staying very consistent, and the sun didn't seem to move! First, the clouds helped, by keeping the sun out of my eyes. But I noticed that the sun never really came UP in the sky! My friend, Sarah described it well: "In the winter, the sun stays at "eye level" all day!" TRUE! In the south (where I live) the sun comes up at a lower angle in the winter, but it still comes up. In Montana last week, though, It stays low and runs across the sky, rather than "up". THIS WAS GREAT for me, the artist, who enjoys long, strong shadows. The reds and golden colors lasted longer, it seemed to me!
For the next two weekends, I will be in Rockport, TX, teaching some of my "quick-draw" techniques! JOIN US!...info below

***WORKSHOP in Rockport! ***
Here are the basics, but email me if you want more info...this is an intensive one-day study workshop to equip you to move forward...(plus optional Saturday am paintout)
Sketching and Pushing Color from Dawn til Dark
FRIDAY, Feb 4 (with an optional Saturday morning paint-out)
7am at Cove Harbour til albout noon, and 4:30 – 7 pm
also, Sat 7am at Charlotte Plummers
Seeing and sketching fast…with pencils, sketchbooks, brush on panels,
$100 for members, $125 for non