Matthew 26:34

My family and I have been on a road trip since yesterday morning to the Big Bend area, and are currently staying in Marfa, Texas.  We are staying at the Hotel Paisano, which was opened in 1930 primarily for cattlemen to conduct business meetings where they bought and sold herds.  It was also, and still is, a prime location for major social events such as weddings and proms.  In 1955, Warner Brothers filmed the epic movie GIANT, here in Marfa, so James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and other cast members made this hotel their headquarters.  It is a beautiful historic hotel, in an artsy and quaint town, that I highly recommend.

Our first stop was at Langtry, Texas, home of Judge Roy Bean's Park.
Water mills helped conquer the wild West.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

Our second stop was at Marathon, Texas, at the Gage Hotel.
This is VERY Texas decor - I even have a rams' skull in my studio!
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

My family and I went out for dinner at a marvelous restaurant.
©Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

I love encountering reminders of Christ everywhere I go.
This is a very Tex-Mex type of artwork.
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

I took this picture when we came back to our hotel in Marfa, our third stop.
©Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

As usual, I always carry art supplies with me.  Therefore, this evening, I'm posting an ATC and Art Journal page for submission to the Chickens and Roosters challenge at Inspiration Avenue; to Word Art Wednesday because I'm using Matthew 26:34; and to Paint Party Friday because I used a watercolor resist technique on the ATC.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

I did my rooster head on a 2x3" piece of watercolor paper, the official size for Artist Trading Cards (ATC).  I began by sketching the rooster using a pencil.  Next, I used oil pastels to highlight several areas, before going over them with several layers of watercolor.  To finish defining the image, I went over some areas with the oil pastels again.  For the background, I dabbed various cool colors to create some depth.  Finally, I placed the ATC in a protective acetate sleeve.

© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

The rooster is a symbol of Peter's denial of Christ after he was captured.  I believe we all may be deniers through our actions sometimes.  However, because of God's grace, we are restored.  Therefore, I decided to incorporate my ATC into an art journal entry, by using Matthew 26:34.  I used various odds and ends that I had in my travel art kit to compose my entry.  The latter included a scrap of paper from a church bulletin, a couple of K&Company corners and a vintage stamp, a stamp from an ArtC ATC kit. and a twine knot.  The bulletin reminds me that this is part of the Gospel; the number "1's" on the stamps remind me that God is my number 1; and the knot reminds me of how my relationship with God should be - tight as a knot.  After I was pleased with my composition, I glued everything down and wrote the scripture.

It was great escaping into my little art world for a couple of hours this evening.  I hope you enjoy my late night posting.  Please let me know what you think and/or follow my blog.  And now, I'm going to bed, because I have a long day tomorrow on the mountain trails.  Blessings!

PS - I edited my entry this morning, because I was so tired last night, I left several things out.  I'm off to have breakfast with the family.  Have a great day!