Tales of the Riverbank

The San Antonio River originates from springs in midtown San Antonio, Texas, and feeds into the Guadalupe River, about 10 miles from the San Antonio Bay, in the Gulf of Mexico.  Although used by Native Americans for centuries, the river was officially documented by Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca during his expolrations in 1535.  There are 5 major missions that were lined along its course during the Spanish reign, so it has witnessed major Texas historical events such as the Battle of the Alamo, in 1836.  Today, the Bishop Jones Center is located in the Northeast riverbank area in the city of San Antonio.  That's where the Cathedral House Gallery is located, which was the main inspiration for this post.

Bishop Jones Center's Cathedral Park Walkway
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

My first art piece is a postcard tag that I illustrated and designed for Tag Tuesday - Tales of the Riverbank.  I used a Strathmore watercolor blank postcard base, and painted some waves using a Winsor & Newton navy blue watercolor.  When it was dry, I used a pencil to sketch the man's bust, the lettering, and the organic forms.  Then, I inked everything with Sharpie fine and medium pens.  Next, I rounded the corners to form a tag shape and punched a teardrop hole between them.  As an embellishment, I created a tassel using blue raffia strands, which I knotted with a scrap of off white twine.  I added 3 black and blue polymer clay beads that I handmade a while back to three of the raffia strands.  This was a fun postcard tag to make!  Since it fits the themes, I am also submitting this piece to Sunday Post Card - Nature and to the Play Date Cafe Challenge #137, because I focused on black, white and blue.


Flower Bed at the Bishop Jones Center
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012

My second Art piece is actually an art journal page composition that I've titled "The Secret Garden."  I began by painting part of the Gulf Fritillary butterfly scene in the photograph above for my Twenty Minute Challenge entry on a Ranger canvas artist trading card.  This was harder than my Camping entry last week, since I had to switch between a pencil, various Sharpie fabric markers, and Tulip brown dye.  To be honest, I added the black lines in the background after the 20 minutes were over, which took me about 3 more minutes.  (Did you notice I used pink instead of lavender for my lantana flowers?  I have pink ones in my garden, so I guess I grabbed the wrong color unconsciously in my rush to finish.  LOL!)  Anyway, I used a K&Company Smash pad sheet to write the quote from Cecil F. Alexander's hymn, ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL.  Then, I stamped a Stampabilities key on a couple of Art-C yellow paper scraps.  I also combined an Art-C orange flower portion with a flower I punched using the hydrangea Martha Stewart punch.  I put them together with a Tim Holtz mini attacher.  I distressed all the pieces, arranged them on my page, and glued them down.  I am also submitting this piece to Simon Says - Depth of Distress, Simon Says - Anything But a Card, Take a Word Challenge - Insects, and Collage Obsession - Yellow.

Grow
11x14" Mixed Media
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
Rejoice
11x14" Collage
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
In the Garden
24x36" Acrylic
© Arnoldo L. Romero 2012
Last, but not least, are the 3 art pieces that I currently have on exhibit at the Cathedral House Gallery's "In the Garden" art show.  The first two, "Grow" and "Rejoice," I completed a couple of years ago.  "In the Garden" is the piece I completed last Saturday, which was truly inspired by Charles Austin Miles' hymn.  As I was painting it, I could hear the chorus, "And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own; and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known."  I used 3 Celtic Spirals, as well as a Celtic knot, as symbols of the Holy Trinity.  The seven stars stand for the importance of this number in the Bible, which appears from the Seven Days of Creation to the Seven Seals of Revelation.  Of course, my main character is Jesus Christ, who is giving its viewers a blessing from His garden.  It took me quite a while to prepare for and complete this painting, but I feel it was worth it.  The gallery, which is open to the public, is located at 111 Torcido Drive, San Antonio, TX 78209, and is open Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM, Central Time.  I am submitting this painting to Paint Party Friday - Week #15, Word Art Wednesday Challenge, and Artist's Play Room #15.

I hope you enjoyed my "Tales of the Riverbank" in San Antonio, as much as I did going through them in my creative endeavors.  Thank you for your visit, and know that you are cordially invited to leave a comment and add your name to my list of followers.  Blessings!

Comments

What amazing art pieces!! Thanks for sharing your gift with us! ~ Blessings

http://gracescraps.blogspot.com/
Just amazing, as always. Of course, i ask myself - "WHY isn't he linking all these great projects at WAW"? I love seeing your amazing art. Bring it on!
Praise God who inspires your creative process.
I love seeing it all.
Blessings,
Karen L
Word Art Wednesday
Stacy said…
Way cool tag, thanks for playing along with us at The Play Date Cafe!
Marcea said…
What a great collection of creations. So nice to see you enter our challenge this week on Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog
-x-
Dan said…
A great range of pieces on show here! Thanks so much for joining us in this week's Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge!
Tenia Nelson said…
LOVE your artwork!!!
Gabrielle said…
Gosh, your art is beautiful! Thank you for stopping by my blog and letting me know the SSS news! What a lovely way to find out and to find such a talented person in the process x
Lorraine A said…
Gorgeous creations :-) all of them are fabulous :-)

thanks for joining us on the Simon Says Stamp Challenge :-)
luv
Lols x x x
Jingle said…
Beautiful art pieces!
Your art is fantastic, Arnoldo. YOu must be so proud to have it on display at that gallery!

I love the quote on the tag you hung in *our* gallery at the Play Date Cafe. Very thought-provoking, my friend. THanks for playing with us!
Gloria j Zucaro said…
Thank you for your comment on my blog. I really enjoyed your post. My mother lives in San Antonio out at the Armed Forces Retirement Center(ARC) NE of town. My father was in the Air force. All your design are beautiful, creative and well done. Your description of all the layers that went into the tag is so interesting. i have never done that type of art, so I was amazed at how much labor goes into it. I am glad for you that it is a labor of love!
Your artwork is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing it with us!
Barb Cady said…
I love your painting 'In the Garden' - shame I live a bit to far away to pop over and view the exhibition! Your work is done with love, I can tell! x
Karin said…
beautiful pieces of art!
Rika said…
Wonderful art work!
peggy aplSEEDS said…
so much to see in your post today! you sure have been creative! i specially love the rejoice piece. i would love to get a closer look! thank you for sharing!
hugs,
peggy aplSEEDS
HeARTworks said…
My favorite is "In the garden". You are so talented and prolific! Patsy from
HeARTworks
Meihsia Liu said…
Hi, I love your story of San Antonio Riverbank. Your creations are just fabulous. And thank you for leaving commnet on my blog... :)
Winnie said…
Love all your pieces. Your tag is amazing. (I love the way you knotted the twine...looks like a boyscout or marine knot!) Your watercoloring is lovely. Your garden piece with Jesus is very pretty and special.
Darla said…
The river walk looks so interesting. I really enjoyed all your art but the last piece was my favorite.

Darla
Chris said…
Hi Arnoldo, just stopping by to say how delightful your blog is. Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
http://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.ca/
I do like the butterfly page and inspiration. Shows me how to do a quick, colorful sketch. I like using markers sometimes too, and it reminds me of marker art.
Jennifer McLean said…
thanks for submitting this week, all your pieces are quite lovely and expressive, especially the one for APR.
Best,
Jenn
Alice said…
you have certainly been busy this week! i like the tassel you made for the postcard artpiece - pretty creative and a nice finishing touch! the butterfly journal page would come next. lovely, lovely work!
Tracey FK said…
That is a great week's worth of creativity and expression... I really love In The Garden and your photo of the path was very appealing... thanks for sharing it all with us... I am quite enjoying my virtual travels through your posts...xx
Lori Saul said…
Wonderful, inspirational art pieces! I visited San Antonio several years ago and found the river to be a place of story, and quiet remembrance (despite all of the hustle and bustle of the city and shops built along the banks). The Alamo and oldest Cathedral in Town were also highlights to see. A beautiful rich area not unlike an oasis!
Patrice said…
You are so talented - I just LOVE In the Garden! I hope you'll link up at 52 Card Pickup again this week!

http://www.oldbackporch.com/2012/06/52-card-pickup-week-26.html
Maggie said…
I especially love the art journal page and the photo you used for inspiration. I love lantana. We have to grow it as an annual here, but I always have some in my flower pots. It reminds me of verbena, but MUCH prettier and less problematic.

Your In the Garden painting is beautiful. I like all the symbolism you've incorporated.
Terrie said…
lots of yummy art goodness going on here! great journal page.....visiting from IA
Diane ~ said…
i totally LOVE your art journal page!It's so pretty! i haven't been very good doing the art journal thing, but you make it look so easy that i might give it another try.
Serena Lewis said…
I certainly did enjoy your Tales of the Riverbank post. So much beauty and I love the piece you chose for the Artist's Play Room group. The Celtic symbols are a great addition. I look forward to seeing more of your work. :)
I love your secret garden journal page and the quote. Very nice.
I am so in love with your painting
In the Garden ~ a truly stunning piece!
Your newest follower and looking forward to visiting your blog!

Kim
Gemiel said…
Arnoldo, I love all the projects you posted this week. My favs are Grow and In the Garden. Totally different and both stunning. I am blown away by all the symbolism in the elements in In the Garden and I am receiving my blessing from Jesus... Thanks so much for sharing your art with us at Word Art Wednesday.
Wendy Swenne said…
You've been quite busy! Love the projects you've made. Love the deeper meaning to it.

And wow, In the garden...... Stunning how you painted the person. Could learn a lot from that :D
Love the flowers too.

I feel so blessed that you keep sharing your weekly art with us on WAW!!!

Wendy
Borqna said…
These are the best "Tales of the Riverbank"! Thank you very much.
Here is presented an extraordinary collection of great works.
The butterfly is magic.
***
I really like that your posts reflect many themes and projects. This is very interesting to read. I think it's difficult to write. Congratulate you for your diligence and thank you!
Fantástico seus projetos!
imagens inspiradoras como borboleta!
Parabéns!!!