TEXAS-Stories of the Land Reception Photo Gallery

The staff at J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art would like to thank everyone who joined us for the reception of Jay Hester's TEXAS-Stories of the Land.  View our photo gallery from the event:  CLICK HERE .

Mr. Mooney speaks to the crowd.

Tonkawa Reprisal by Jay Hester

"Tonkawa Reprisal", by Jay Hester, 24" x 36", oil on Canvas, $9,900.00

Call 830-816-5106 to inquire about purchasing.

 

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

 

Preparing for Jay Hester's show: TEXAS-Stories of the Land

The staff at J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art works diligently to prepare for the upcoming exhibition for Boerne artist Jay Hester. TEXAS-Stories of the Land opens tomorrow at J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art in Boerne. The reception is Saturday October 8 from 4-8pm. Catering provided by The Helene House and The Boerne Wine Company. Please join us as we share the works of this celebrated artist.

Bare walls



Gallery director Gabriel Delgado on the move





Boerne Staff

TEXAS-Stories of the Land to Open at J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art

Celebrated artist Jay Hester weaves tales of western romanticism surrounding legends of the Texas Hill Country in his upcoming solo exhibition: “TEXAS: Stories of the Land.” Hester, a prolific painter with a long career steeped in traditional landscapes and western themes, has created commissioned works for Texas Tech University, USAA in San Antonio, the Zaragosa Theater at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and the Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, to name a few.  This exhibition, scheduled for October at the JR Mooney Gallery of Fine Arts in Boerne, is the artist’s first solo show in almost twenty years. For this show the affectionately known “Godfather” of the Boerne art scene applies his skills to the histories, legends and characters that helped shape the Hill Country of today.

Hester’s exploration of Western Romanticism is set against an unsure, sometimes violent backdrop of natives, pioneers, and rangers in “TEXAS-Stories of the Land”.  His storyboard includes raids, battles, and surgeries with characters such as one of Boerne’s founding fathers, Dr. Ferdinand Herff, and Texas Ranger John Coffee “Jack” Hayes. Hester used historical sources to corroborate with his artistic vision. He is aware of the discrepancies and contradictions that usually come up in historical research. He has many stories to choose from, and Hester tells them in his style using beautiful lighting and tough looking characters. He blends them into paintings that highlight moments of peace and courage during tense times.

The strongest example of the artist’s vision is the show’s center piece, “The Healer.” The painting shows Dr. Ferdinand Herff’s pioneering cataract surgery on a Comanche chief.  Dr. Herff was a German doctor for the Prussian army who eventually settled in Texas. He helped start the Bettina colonies as well as Boerne. This revolutionary surgery, possibly the first in the country, was performed in the 1840’s outdoors and without anesthesia. Needless to say, the event created a bond between the Comanche band and Herff‘s group which resulted in some peace.  Herff would go on to become the chief medical examiner for San Antonio, pioneering more surgeries and medical practice. He was one of the most sought after practitioners of his day. “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.

 Another example of western romanticism inspired by legends about Boerne is Hester’s painting of the white arrow. By the 1880’s most surviving Native Americans lived on reservations. Quanah Parker had already surrendered and the Texas Indian Wars were over. However, there were still small resistance groups of Lipan Apache eking out their existence in the Hill Country. Legend has it that sometime during the 1880’s an elder Dr. Herff took his family to their Boerne homestead for a vacation from the busy city life in San Antonio. At the same time one of those groups of Lipan Apaches raided Boerne. The Herffs quickly boarded up their home and took shelter for the night, able to hear the sounds of pillaging in town. The next morning one of Herff’s sons went outside to survey the damage. To his surprise, their lands were untouched. There was a white feathered arrow shot into the homestead fence post.  This type of arrow was a Lipan Apache sign to the raiders to leave the homestead in peace.  It was said to have been shot by a Lipan Apache warrior who remembered the doctor had helped his family. Hester’s painting shows the dramatic moment raiding warriors arrive at the Herff homestead. The bold setting sun is surrounded by the dark storm clouds and the white feathered arrow stands out against the darker palette.  Hester captures the climactic moment when the leading raider, weapon drawn, turns away.  

Other paintings in “TEXAS: Stories of the Land” depict serene scenes that highlight the peaceful achievement of the communities. One showcases the unlikely friendship between Texas Ranger John (Jack) Coffee Hayes and Lipan-Apache chief, Flacco the Younger. Flacco would accompany Hayes on expeditions serving as a guide. The two became close and traveled together until Flacco was murdered, possibly by white settlers. Hester chose to reflect on happier times. The painting shows them riding through quiet, serene Joshua Creek.  The steep walls of the limestone cliffs reflect the warm afternoon light and the still creek.  Hester’s colorful foliage indicates it is fall and the two ride at a casual pace probably enjoying the nice weather. A sense of companionship permeates the canvas and far away is the fighting that preoccupied much of these men’s time.

Perhaps the most serene of the group, ”Lasting Friendship”  depicts the Meusebach Peace Treaty, which was also immortalized by Hester in bronze at the Markt Platz on the main square in Fredericksburg. The painting depicts chief Buffalo Hump offering the peace pipe to John Meusebach. The chief sits calmly with his legs crossed and Meusebach accepts the pipe on bended knee. The Comanche warriors and elders surround him in anticipation. What is of note is that the Comanche treaties were specifically with the Germans. The Comanche considered them displaced people. The tribe did not make peace with Mexico, Texas or the United States.

Finally, the painting “Lena’s Legend” represents hope. Pioneer times in Texas were rough and too often families were torn apart. Even once a settlement was established there was no guarantee it would prosper, let alone survive. There was disease, hunger and the constant fear of raids. No one living there was immune and it was common practice for Comanche to take prisoners of war, or slaves after battles or raids. Lena was a Mexican child living with the Comanche under these circumstances. As a gesture of friendship, she joined the settlers in Bettina colony shortly after Dr. Herff’s cataract surgery on the chief. Although she was not reunited with her biological family, Lena adopted a new one at the German colony. She learned the language and found her place in the community.  She married Hermann Spiess, a prominent settler, and had a family of her own proving that a person could survive and prosper in the wild, dangerous country.  

“TEXAS-Stories of the Land” runs through November 5th, 2016 at J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art in Boerne. More information for this exhibition can be found at www.jrmooneygalleries.com. Please join us for the opening reception at JR Mooney Galleries of Fine Art in Boerne on Saturday October 8 from 4-8pm.

by: Gina Martinez, art and framing consultant for J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art-Boerne. Originally published in The Dominion Magazine, October 2016

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