New Works by Margie Barker

 



Margie Barker has several new cactus paintings available now at JR Mooney Galleries of Fine Art in Boerne. She has released three small 6” x 8” and three 8” x 6” artworks that showcase her traditional subject matter, the beautiful prickly pear cactus that surrounds her Hill Country home. These pieces depict the cacti close up and with blooms. The blooms range from the usual red and yellow to deep purple and combinations of colors.




 The new small works are affordable, and at $235 framed, they will sell out as quickly as previously released sets.

detail from Cactus Wren


 In addition to the cacti paintings, Barker has a rare gem available. Her habitat painting, Cactus Wren, is a unique depiction of the bird and its nest. Birds are rare subject matter for Barker; she has only painted one other in her career.  Barbs and Bobs, made in the 1980’s, showed three quail birds nesting among yellow blossom prickly pear cacti.



Cactus Wren is an 18” x 24” framed original acrylic painting by Margie Barker available at JR Mooney Galleries of Fine Art for $1014.00. Reasonably priced, it is an opportunity for a sharp-eyed collector to acquire an original Barker with unique subject matter. It is overall a lovely painting.  Set among prickly pear cacti, the tightly coiled twigs and stems form the bird’s home. The wren, which Barker depicts with detailed accuracy, is perched on the cactus pad, poised to settle inside the nest. What is also unique about the works is Barker’s uses of a darker color palette to render her skies and shadows. Typically, her cacti scenes show the bright blue Texas sky with or without clouds. By contrast, in these paintings she explores hues of grey and dark blues that she attributes to the stormy skies present when she captured her images and while she worked on the paintings.

 Call or come by the gallery in Boerne to view and pick up an early holiday gift or make an addition to a collection.

These prized works will not be around for long!

DON'T MISS THIS

J.R. Mooney Galleries and Texas Artist, Jay Hester are proud to announce that all the paintings in the "TEXAS- Stories of the Land" exhibition will be available in limited edition signed and numbered giclee reproductions. These high quality reproductions are available now at pre-sale and will also be on sale the night of the opening, October 8, 2016.  These wonderful paintings will only be available in limited editions of 10.   Call 830-816-5106 to reserve your copy! The Healer Oil on canvas 48” x 60” $40,000.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 24” x 30” gicleé reproductions available at $900.00 24” x 30” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,200.00  "As I researched this exceptional man, his persona captured my attention. I felt he was deserving of a special tribute which I hope is conveyed in the detail in this piece.” – Jay Hester "TEXAS- Stories of the Land" Reproductions Available   Lena’s Legend Oil on canvas 20” x 30” $6,900.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 20” x 30” gicleé reproductions available at $900.00 20” x 30” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,200.00 After Dr. Herff restored the eyesight of an Indian chief in the late 1840’s, the grateful man promised to return with a gift.  Six months later, apologizing for the delay, he appeared with his gift, a young Mexican servant girl.  The girl, accepted by Herff and adopted by the community, worked in the galley as she became familiar with her new home.  Later she married Hermann Spiess, one of the German pioneers, a friend of Herff and the successor of John Meusebach as commissioner of Adlesverein – the colonization of the Fisher-Miller Land Grant in the U.S. state of Texas.   "The legend of the young Mexican girl, gifted by a grateful chief and her ultimate acceptance into this German settlement, is a compelling Cinderella story.” – Jay Hester   White Feather Oil on canvas 36” x 48”  $19,800.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 30” x 40” gicleé reproductions available at $1,075.00 30” x 40” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,375.00 In 1888, Dr. Herff performed a cataract removal procedure on an Apache chieftain. Later, when the Lipan Apache Indians were on a rampage, many ranches and farms near Boerne were raided. The noise was heard by the Herff family however, the Herff property was spared. The next day the family discovered a lone arrow embedded in their gatepost with a white feather attached- a symbol to leave the doctor and his family in peace.   "Respect is the theme I took from this story of Dr. Herff and his relationship with the Indian people. This was a dramatic event and I wanted to convey that drama in my interpretation of it.” – Jay Hester     Lasting Friendship Oil on canvas 30” x 40” $13,800.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 30” x 40” gicleé reproductions available at $1,075.00 30” x 40” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,375.00 This painting symbolizes the treaty made between the Comanche Indians and the German settlers on the banks of the San Saba River north of Fredericksburg, Texas in 1847.  John Meusebach's lack of prejudice toward the Indians and his fair treatment gained him respect among the Comanche.  This treaty was not made by the United States, but by the German settlers of the area and was said to be the only pact between whites and Native Americans that was never broken. Jay memorialized this event with his sculpting of three heroic size pieces, by the same name, for the city of Fredericksburg.  These can be viewed at the Markt Platz in Fredericksburg and were unveiled on the 150th anniversary of the city in 1997.   "I paid careful attention to what I believe had to have been the facial expressions of these leaders and participants during this momentous exchange.” – Jay Hester   Leaving No Trail Oil on canvas 24” x 36” $9,900.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 24” x 36” gicleé reproductions available at $950.00 24” x 36” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,250.00 Flacco taught early Texas Ranger Hays about the Texas frontier and about Indian battle tactics.  He watched Hays closely and was with him during many battles with the Comanche from 1840-1842.  He is said to have saved Hays life on more than one occasion.  Friendships develop in unusual circumstances and in difficult situations.  These men of diverse backgrounds traveled together, learned from one another, and formed a bond of trust as they helped protect the new settlers in their rugged Texas surroundings.   "The bond of friendship and the beauty of the Joshua Creek location were what I wanted to capture on canvas.” – Jay Hester   Sacred Ground Oil on canvas 18” x 24”  $4,900.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 18” x 24” gicleé reproductions available at $800.00 18” x 24” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,110.00 As legend goes; Texas Ranger Jay Hays' first law of fighting was to never back down.  When preparing to scout alone near Enchanted Rock, Hays knew the Comanche would not tolerate his intrusion on what they considered sacred land. Before heading out that morning, Hays was overheard speaking to his guns, "I may not need you, but if I do, I will need you mighty bad." It proved to be true that day on Enchanted Rock. When he was discovered the Indians attacked, however with his two Paterson Colt five-shooters and a rifle, he was much better armed than those men attacking him.  The Comanche lost the confrontation with this fearless and spirited man.   "In this piece, the importance of the Colt in winning the West was a focal point.” – Jay Hester   The Discovery Oil on canvas 24” x 30” $8,300.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 24” x 30” gicleé reproductions available at $900.00 24” x 30” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,200.00 The secluded area known as Edge Falls is locally famous.  Jay's interpretation is that of a band of Indians were scouting the area and were the first to behold the beauty below.  Jay had the privilege to tour and photograph the land several years ago for a fundraising event for the Cibolo Nature Center.  Today the land is not accessible to the public.   "Visiting this beautiful place years ago, I imagined this unique waterfall and surroundings were revered by the Native American people.”  – Jay Hester   Tonkawa Reprisal Oil on canvas 24” x 36 $9,900.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 24” x 36” gicleé reproductions available at $950.00 24” x 36” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,250.00 After the 1840 Comanche raid at the Linnville, TX warehouses, the Indians adorned themselves and their horses in ribbons of calico and silk, as well as hats and other assorted clothing they confiscated.  Texas Rangers and local settlers formed a battle ready militia near Plum Creek to ambush the returning Comanche, recover the loot and punish them for their raid. Settlers also recruited members of the Tonkawa tribe to act as scouts and report the location of the Linnville Looters as they traveled northward.  The scouts were told to tie white strips of cloth to their arms or head to identify them as allies. The Comanche may have had no fiercer enemy than the Tonkawa.   "I resolved some of my interpretive matters with the story by having a Tonkawa scout observing the Comanche looters from a hiding place.  I had dreams about the position of the observer".   – Jay Hester Frontier Code Oil on canvas 20” x 30” $6,900.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 20” x 30” gicleé reproductions available at $900.00 20” x 30” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,200.00 Alfred Giles, a recently arrived architect from England, along with three frontiersmen, were traveling north through the countryside in what is now Kendall County.  From their high ground location they saw six Indians approaching.  The savvy frontiersmen told Giles to ensure his gun was loaded, point it straight upward and to position the horses facing in the cardinal directions.  This was regarded as Indian sign language - "If the Indians wanted to fight, the men were ready, but they would not start anything".  The Comanche respected bravery and rode around the men in a circle before giving a loud whoop and galloping away toward Boerne.   “This acknowledged ‘sign language’ of rifles pointed upward and horses specifically positioned was a new element in my understanding of the development of settler/Native relationships. I believe telling that story will assist others in understanding the intricacies of settling the Texas frontier.” – Jay Hester   Palo Duro Refuge Oil on canvas 24” x 40” $11,000.00 Gicleé Reproductions/ Signed and Numbered limited editions of 10 24” x 40” gicleé reproductions available at $1,000.00 24” x 40” embellished gicleé reproductions available at $1,300.00 Many of the Plains Indians camped in the protection of Palo Duro Canyon, where a Kiowa shaman promised they would be safe.  However, after a time, they were trapped in their refuge by the United States Cavalry and largely with the efforts of the Tonkawa in 1874.   "I appreciate the beauty of this canyon in Texas, the second largest in the United States, and I always find winter landscapes appealing.” – Jay Hester     Be sure to check out the latest edition of Boerne Business Monthly. In the September 2016 edition of "Mooney Makes Sense" column, we explore aspects of Western Romanticism and how it applies to contemporary elements of today's western art genre. READ NOW Western Romanticism A Term for this Generation   By: Gabriel Diego Delgado Writer, Peter Cowey, once published a statement about the western art genre and how portrayers often emulate the “...mythic vision of the plains and deserts of the American West."  Yes this is true.  As a collective consciousness for nostalgic moments, authors, artists, musicians and the like often portray the turn of the century western identities with cowboys fighting Native Americans back dropped by the mysterious and vast expanses of the desert plains.  Art writer, Arnold Hauser, goes on to talk about the divisions within the ideals of romanticism, the negative connotations and well as the progressive.  His credence is geared toward restoration and reaction to historical allegories.  But, let’s examine the term within the context of modern-day art discussions. Much is documented, discerned and debated on historical battles and the events of the push for expansion during the early formative years of the United States.  These insights into history are pieced together like a conceptual puzzle of who was where and when.  Yet, sometimes these acknowledged circumstances from over 100 years ago are inevitably crisscrossed with historical inaccuracies, created by an individual addressing events long before their time.  History is so often recorded by those that won, resulting in biased accounts that are seemingly one sided.  This we know. However, the time is now to re-coin the notion of “western romanticism” in such a way that it encapsulates all consensual understandings in debatable history.  Now is the time to feel free to cling to sensibilities of nostalgic comfort.  Collectively, we are allowed to arrive at conclusions that balance the “truth,” historical narratives and events perceived through our own concepts of history.  All of us can acknowledge the fact that yes, indeed, maybe some things did not happen the way in which certain scholarly events are taught, but sentiment-wise these perceptions are construed in our collective minds, so let’s agree that we each can investigate historical inaccuracies further and accept the possibility of different, yet logical conclusions of certain accounts. Illustrative art is no different.  From a pre-Remington art era to Howard Terpning to the Cowboy Artists of America, a significant number of cowboy and western artists, both living and dead, all have continued to paint timeless masterpieces reclaiming history in their own unique artistic voices.  They paint with passion, driving toward a need for an enriched visual aesthetic but fed by history.  From this artistic vision, the reevaluation of western romanticism is welcome and refreshing and can be found as a thriving genre of fine art.  The smaller art community of Boerne can be included in this conversation as well.  Jay Hester, the “Godfather” of the Boerne art scene, has been diligently pressing ahead in the creation of a new body of artwork for his forthcoming solo exhibition titled, “TEXAS – Stories of the Land.”  In this selection of masterpieces he reveals legends, stories, and western ballads that are rooted deep in the old archives of rural mythology; historical depictions of tales pertinent to Boerne, Texas and the southern United States. In the exhibition, “TEXAS - Stories of the Land,” Hester unveils a mix of nine new dramatic masterpieces that tell the story of his beloved Texas.  The subjects of his paintings range from the mystical Edge Falls waterhole in Kendalia; the raid at Linnville, Texas and ambush in Lockhart; Texas Ranger Jack Hays at Enchanted Rock; the scout, Flacco the Younger, and Hays on Big Josh Creek; the infamous cataract surgery performed by Dr. Herff on the Comanche Chief in 1847; the Meusebach treaty with John O. Meusebach and Chief Buffalo Hump;  a Comanche Chief and captive, Lena, at the Bettina settlement in 1847/1848; Texas Rangers with Alford Giles surveying land south of Fredericksburg to the renegade Apache Indians shooting the white feathered arrow onto the fence post of the Herff Ranch in 1888. All of these paintings by Jay Hester have been well researched by the artist and his wife to arrive at a debated conclusion of how these events, scenes, and portraits might have looked and are coupled with Hester’s signature serene nostalgic warmness.  “TEXAS – Stories of the Land” is Hester’s accumulation his understanding of these happenings arranged in his own sense of western romanticism. Join the J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art - Boerne on Saturday, October 8th, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for an exciting evening of western fine art honoring our great state of Texas in Jay Hester: “TEXAS - Stories of the Land,” a blockbuster exhibition in which Hester draws on historical happenings to give an artistic voice to stories long forgotten.  In his first solo exhibition in almost 20 years, J.R. Mooney Galleries in Boerne allows Hester to dominate and demonstrate as to why he is regarded as the “Godfather” of Boerne.  “TEXAS - Stories of the Land” is a dynamic Western and Native American art exhibition hosted by the oldest gallery in Texas, J.R. Mooney Galleries. For more information contact J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art- Boerne at (830) 816-5106 or email the Gallery Director at gabrield@jrmooneygalleries.com J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art is proud to partner with the Cibolo Nature Center and Ranch for their annual luncheon gala. We are very excited to announce that this year, J.R. Mooney will be displaying "The Healer", by Jay Hester in front of Dr. Herff's homestead in Boerne. A wonderful juxtaposition of eras. Be sure to buy your tickets today for this wonderful nonprofit and land conservancy endeavor. www.cibolo.org "The Healer", Jay Hester, oil on canvas, 48" x 60", $40,000, 2016 Copyright © 2016 JR Mooney Galleries, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because we like to send you news about J.R. Mooney Galleries and the Texas art community. Our mailing address is: JR Mooney Galleries 8302 Broadway San Antonio, Tx 78209 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

The Explore Magazine and other treats

We would like to thank the Explore Magazine and SMV Publishing for the wonderful article on Jay Hester in the current edition of September 2016 Explore Magazine. Please take a moment to read the great two page spread written by Gallery Director, Gabriel Delgado. The insightful curatorial essay helps bring an insider perspective to Jay Hester's upcoming solo exhibition, which opens October 8, 2016.   READ NOW READ NOW ***(As published in the Sept. 2016 edition of The Explore Magazine)*** History Told Through the Artistic Lens An essay exploring the curatorial theme and historical aspects of Jay Hester: “TEXAS – Stories of the Land” -Gabriel Diego Delgado  “There is history that is based on hard, documented fact; history that is colored with rumor, speculation, or falsehood; and history that exists in what might be termed the hinterlands of the imagination.”  - S.C. Gwynne In S.C. Gwynne’s Empire of the Summer Moon, a book on the rise and fall of the Comanche tribe, the nonfiction writer pens a simplistic sentence that encapsulates a complementing narrative to the preceding introduction of the upcoming solo exhibition by Boerne artist, Jay Hester, at J.R. Mooney Galleries.  The statement addresses the chronological irregularities of scholarly history in which we draw historical conclusions based on writers, historians, and deemed academics’ biased or unbiased judgement of events that shaped these great lands. In Jay Hester: “TEXAS – Stories of the Land,” a solo art exhibition at the J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art in Boerne, opening October 8, 2016, the artist visually pieces together a multitude of historic ‘stories’: encounters between the Texas Rangers and the Comanche and Apache tribes; raids and battles in Linnville and Plum Creek, Texas; stoic pioneering personas; and monumental peace treaty signings. Historians have spent years, decades and centuries putting together accounts of famous and not so famous encounters, battles, raids, and ambushes of the Native American tribes on western migratory settlers and European immigrants as they built homesteads, colonies and compounds to fulfill their need for a place to call home.  As an artist, Jay Hester deeply commits himself to preserving the historical value of these narratives of heartache and triumph.  In the new artworks, Hester is influenced by the early era of Texas independence, its seceding mentalities, the Texas Rangers, Native American tribes, cultural skirmishes, pioneering visions, religious and political freedoms, harsh realities and the people that lived and died in the frontier lines of Comancheria.  “This show gives me a perfect opportunity to retell these stories and other historical events in the only way I know...through my art,” he says. By sharing their ‘stories’ through his artistic talent and signature western genre of painting, Hester strives to be true to the city he calls home, the families he respects, and the heroes and antiheroes he holds in high esteem.  In an article in the September/October, 2016 edition of Cowboys & Indians Magazine, writer Dana Joseph quotes Hester as stating, “I developed Texas stories through the colorful characters of the times.”  This is an accurate description of his newest visual selections that give remembrance, credence, and reverence to an era wrought with swift justice, vigilante mobs, vast armies and the unforgiving principles of manifest destiny.  Not always culturally sensitive, empathy driven or politically correct, these ‘stories’ are, however, important to remember and Hester dives deep to accomplish summarized compositional renditions for the gallery.   The largest artwork in the exhibition is a masterful piece titled The Healer.  This 48” x 60” oil on canvas painting has Hester elegantly leading the audience through Dr. Herff’s pioneering cataract surgery in the 1800’s that saved a Comanche Chief’s eyesight.  Derived from online research, published accounts, passages from Early Texas Physicians, 1830-1915: Innovative, Intrepid, Independent by the Texas Surgical Society, as well as a rewarding conversation with Juanita Herff Chipman, a direct descendant of Dr. Herff, Hester was able to piece together a panoramic view of how the surgery actually occurred.  He alludes to the fact that the surgery laid the groundwork for a mutual understanding between some of the Native Americans and the early settlers of Boerne.  "Dr. Herff became a larger than life figure in our area with all he accomplished as a young doctor in this uncertain country.  His fair treatment of all people gained him respect by many tribes of Indians, as well as the rugged settlers of this part of Texas,” says Hester.   Hester also references this medical driven truce in other paintings in the “Stories of the Land” exhibition, as he walks through the days, months, and years that followed that memorable operation.   We learn of the Mexican girl that was gifted to the Herff family as a sign of gratitude for the doctor’s care, her rise within the Herff family and her fairytale-like marriage into an astute and reputable German family.  In another painting we see the white feathered arrow that was shot into the fence post of the Herff family ranch (currently the Cibolo Nature Center and Farm) years later by raiding Native Americans, a visual indication of “peace” to this property, a signal that spared the Herff homestead during their pillaging, looting and attacks on settlers in the Boerne area.  Through Hester we can witness the discovery of Edge Falls by the Comanche Nation.  This mystical waterfall and swimming hole on the border of Boerne and Bergheim, Texas later became a sacred watering ground for several of the tribes that roamed these southern lands. Balancing the narrative between Native American portrayals and the “white man’s” western expansion, Hester relies on his formulaic teeter tottering of serene imagery.  For Hester, Texas Ranger John “Jack Coffee” Hays plays an intrinsic role in Texas history and is present in several of his new artworks.  With his trusted scout Flacco, Hays and their horses trot through Joshua Creek, creating a picturesque landscape painting complete with the majestic limestone quarries, cliffs, and bends of the riverbed that runs perpendicular to Interstate 10 West outside Comfort, Texas.  In another, Hester places the audience in a tense shoot-out with Hays and a Comanche party in a crevice at Enchanted Rock.  In this painting the artist visually references the role that the new five-shooter Paterson Colt played in Hays’s survival; an often-deliberated fact trundled in Texas folklore. Sometimes history is too jumbled to be believed, where ‘truth is stranger than fiction.’  Case in point, Hester indulges us with his unique perspective of the Linnville raiding war party on their way to Plum Creek (now Lockhart, Texas).  We see the incoming party silhouetted with their looted bounty of stovepipe hats, parasols, long pigeon-tailed coats and ribbons.  Tonkawa Indians served as Hays’s scouts, outfitted with white armbands and headbands to serve as visual indicators to separate them from the incoming aggressors.  Hester delivers a composition that sets the audience behind the front line of Tonkawa scouts; we are, in essence, Hays’s Ranger outfit, poised for battle. Rounding out the exhibition is a painting titled “Lasting Friendship” with a subject matter more familiar to Hester, the Meusebach Peace Treaty of Fredericksburg, Texas.  In 1996, Hester created a monumental bronze sculpture of John O. Meusebach and Chief Buffalo Hump sharing a tobacco peace pipe; a visual depiction of the treaty signing between the Comanche Indians and the German settlers that was unveiled on the 150th anniversary of the city of Fredericksburg, and is currently installed at Fredericksburg’s Markt Platz. When asked about the “Lasting Friendship” painting, Hester states, “Once again, learning about the German influence and the relationship with the Comanche tribes that roamed the Hill Country…gave me inspiration for my artistic creations." Jay Hester: “TEXAS – Stories of the Land” runs through November 5, 2016 at J. R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art in Boerne.  More information for this exhibition can be found on the gallery’s website at www.jrmooneygalleries.com and the artist’s website at www.jhestergallery.com. J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art is a full service fine art retail gallery, specializing in Texas vintage, local & regional, and contemporary art and is coupled with a world-renowned custom frame shop.  Locations are 305 S. Main St. in Boerne, Texas (830-816-5106) and 8302 Broadway in San Antonio, Texas  (210-828-8214).  Gallery Hours:  San Antonio – Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; Boerne – Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. -----Disclosure:  Gabriel Diego Delgado is the Gallery Director of J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art- Boerne and the acting curator of Jay Hester: “TEXAS – Stories of the Land”   J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art is proud to partner with the Cibolo Nature Center and Ranch for their annual luncheon gala. We are very excited to announce that this year, J.R. Mooney will be displaying "The Healer", by Jay Hester in front of Dr. Herff's homestead in Boerne. A wonderful juxtaposition of eras. Be sure to buy your tickets today for this wonderful nonprofit and land conservancy endeavor. "The Healer", Jay Hester, oil on canvas, 48" x 60", $40,000, 2016 ***Breaking News*** Jay Hester and J.R. Mooney Galleries  are featured in the new edition of ART OF THE WEST magazine!! Thank you to Tom Tierney for making this happen! J.R. Mooney Galleries would also like to thank Dana Joseph at COWBOYS & INDIANS Magazine for the great article she wrote on Jay Hester,  leading into his solo exhibition. Mrs. Joseph was captivated by Hester's career and his research on the historical significance of his subjects. This article can be found in the new edition of COWBOYS & INDIANS. http://www.cowboysindians.com/     Copyright © 2016 JR Mooney Galleries, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because we like to send you news about J.R. Mooney Galleries and the Texas art community. Our mailing address is: JR Mooney Galleries 8302 Broadway San Antonio, Tx 78209 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list