Camping

After a couple of days of visiting various sites and towns in Southwest Texas, we made it to Big Bend National Park, by Study Butte - Terlingua, Texas.  The park's climate is extreme, but a wide variety of temperatures and moisture levels may occur due to the range in elevations from approximately 1.800 feet (550 m) to 7,832 feet (2,387 m).  Its Spring and Summer days are often dry with temperatures exceeding 100 ℉ (38℃) in the lower areas.  Fall and Winters are usually mild, but sub-freezing temperatures may occur occasionally.  Therefore, there are a variety of ecosystems with 1,200 species of plants, over 450 bird species, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals found in the park.  Evidence of dinosaurs, as well as archaic natives, has been found in the park so it's a true playground for paleontologists and archeologists.  It's truly a fascinating place to visit.

This is the camper my family and I are staying in.  We love it!  It's smaller than my home studio, but it's private and comfortable.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
As you walk in the front door, you find my daughters' bunks to the right.  LOL!
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
A little kitchen, master bedroom, and bathroom can be seen to the left.  (My wife and I had coffee in solo cups this morning.  LOL!)
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
This is the Rio Grande, known as Río Bravo in Mexico.  I used this picture for a sketch when I got back to the camper.  You'll see it below.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
This type of flowering cactus is a nopal - isn't it glorious?  The nopal leaf is used in several Mexican dishes.  The fruit is also edible.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
This is me at the beautiful Cattail Falls in Big Bend.  It was truly a little piece of Heaven after walking up the mountain in the heat of the day.
    © Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
After a long hike with the family, I was inspired to work on my artwork.  I used the table in the camper as my "studio" with my traveling art kit.  I'm submitting this to What's On your Workdesk? Wednesday 158.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
The first art project I designed was this tag for Tag Tuesday - Camping.  I used a Smash pocket with a bird, a tab, a piece of twine, and scraps of paper from an ArtC ATC kit.  I cut all the cacti, flowers and skull by hand.  I also lettered the tab by hand.  Since I covered part of the "Look please" phrase that was already on the pocket with my collage, I went over it with a sharpie pen.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
This is the back of the pocket.  I will use it to store pictures from my family trip (These are just flyer cut outs).  Fun, right?
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
I incorporated my tag into a page in my art journal.  I will substitute the flyer pic cutouts with real family trip pictures when I get home.  I am submitting this to Word Art Wedneday Challenge #32.  I used some Smash tape to hold my tag in place and hand lettered the verse.  Big Bend is such a blessed place, that all I can do is rejoice.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
I sketched this landscape of the Rio Grande in my art journal using a pencil and a couple of black Sharpie pens.  I sketched it in 20 minutes, so it's definitely not a finished piece.  I am submitting this to the Twenty Minute Challenge and Artist's Play Room #14 - Monochromatic.  It was a TRUE challenge for me to work this quickly and with only one color.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
I had a blast working on these art projects.  Hope you enjoy them too and are led to leaving a comment and/or follow my blog.  Blessings!

Comments

Wow, amazing photo and art journal entries!! I can't believe you created that gorgeous sketch in just 20 minutes. What talent the Lord has given you!! ~ Blessings

http://gracescraps.blogspot.com/
WOW this looks amazing, It is so fantastic that you can sketch the things you like so good! Have fun over there!!

Love from The Netherlands,
Leintje*
Jackie Rockwell said…
Love your photos! Great camper looks comfy!!! Your sketch is beautiful to.
Blessings to you and Happy Father's Day! Love your post and that's a great sketch. I like using envelopes and tags of all sizes in my work.
Rita said…
Wow, what beautiful pictures. I feel at home, as most of them look quite like Scotland, especially the wonderful sketch. Thankyou for sharing such a wonderful holiday. Hugs from Scotland. Rita xx
Trish Munoz said…
Very Nice! I love that your family is camping together! Making memories.
TwinkleToes2day said…
Greetings :) Like Rita, I too am in Scotland and agree with her about the views are so like here. Beautiful of course. We are so lucky to live in such lush surroundings.
Loving your tag and thank you for your kind comments on mine.
Hope you're enjoying a Happy Father's Day :0)
Pam Rod said…
looks like you are having a fun and productive holiday, good for you safe journey.
This looks like a great trip, Arnoldo. You've taken "journaling" a trip to a whole new level, and you've recorded it in art. This is just beautiful, and I'm sure will be a treasured memory for your family to last a lifetime. Thanks for sharing from your heart, and making such beautiful art to share with the world. It's such a blessing!!
Karen L
Word Art Wednesday
P.S. I've got blog candy
www.karen-mycuprunnethover.blogspot.com
Alice said…
your trip pix are amazing - looks like a wonderful time you all are having! and what a great way to document it. your rio grande sketch will surely remind you of the majesty in the sites you've seen on this trip!
Jan Marie said…
Beautiful work! Love your journal and your customized camp trailer, too! Thanks for sharing a bit of our journey, and the beautiful pics of your family, too!! Blessings!
Barb Cady said…
Your camper and your art are amazing, have a safe trip and enjoy!
Hi Arnoldo - your tags are now being enjoyed on Tag Tuesday. Hope you and your family enjoy the rest of your road trip

Best wishes
Carolyn
TAG TUESDAY
http://tagtuesday.blogspot.co.uk/
Laurie said…
Your landscape is wonderful, and I could only hope to do that well. It was a huge challenge to only use one color for me also.
I have been yearning for a camper just like the one you are in now!! I hope to run across one similar someday soon. Happy camping, and thank you for sharing your sketch.
Jennifer McLean said…
thanks for joining this week's APR, your vacation sketch is good, I can feel the craggy landscape and trees. I also love your picture envelope, very creative.
Best,
Jenn
Victoria said…
Super gorgeous post..wonderful photos..inspiring art and creations..shine on!
Victoria
Nora MacPhail said…
What a great camper. We used to go camping when I was young. That looks like so much fun!!
Neesie said…
It looks and sounds like an amazing trip. The photos are fantastic as is your artwork.
How wonderful that you captured it in just 20 minutes!
I've never been camping...I KNOW...but it's never appealed to me before but you're trip sounds like I may be missing something.
Enjoy your treasured memories with your family and have a safe trip ;D
Mark Willis said…
Thanks for visiting Mark's Veg Plot! I can see that we have some common ground in our interests.
I once did a trip round the Pacific NW in a camper-van, some years ago. It was a great way to explore.
irinapictures said…
What a joy to find your photos and travel journal. Blogging gives us amazing opportunities to see the creativity of people around us. Thank you so much for your visit and comment in my blog, good luck in your trip!
Dragon said…
Woo that looks SO appealing and your work is fabulous.... interesting you say you are a gifted and talented specialist cos I am too - or was until I retired.. Thanks for your lovely comments and how did you find my blog???!!!
Frankie
xx
Lynn Cohen said…
I love drawing while traveling. All of your art done so is such fun to see. Glad you made it over to the TMC and thanks for heads up to so many other weekly challenges.

I will revisit your blog. Looks like a friendly place to be.
Darla said…
Enjoyed the peek at your camping trip. Looks like fun.

The sketch is perfect for the monochrome challenge. I think sketches are my favorite kind of art.

Darla
Tracy said…
Wow Arnoldo, for a quick sketch it's pretty amazing! I find it a challenge to work in one color also unless I'm doing photography. :) Warmly Tracy (from Artist's Play Room #13)
VonnyK said…
Love your amazing sketches and the tags. What a great photo, thanks for letting us see your camping trip. It's great to spend time together as a family.
Have a great week.
Von #28 and from APR
Bridget Larsen said…
Travelling and crafting, how exciting, that waterfall looks so inviting. What a beautiful family. Will travel vicariously with you all via WOYWW
Bridget #3
Bridget Larsen said…
hahhaa the secret is to take the photo of you food as soon as you plate it up, who knows one day it will appear on the food network
Bridget #3
Tracey FK said…
Thanks for sharing those holiday pics with us and your sketch is just gorgeous... I can totally understand how you would be inspired to create things like that in that environment..xx
Borqna said…
Arnoldo Greetings!
Me and my son, we read together this publication. Fantastic trip! So much information! The whole post is very interesting!
/ We have never been camping.
We will travel in August. My husband refuses to take the computer with us! So we will have more time for walking. /
I am glad that you keep working hard.
Your art journal is great!
Have a great week!