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!