Tom Lovell: Storyteller With a Brush Page: 54
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er leaning on its knees as it climbed a steep trail. Mr.
Abell's reply stated, "The rock (igneous basalt) is darker in
many portions, both in sun and shade, with a purplish
cast. Enclosed are colored prints of these formations, taken
with my Instamatic."
While incorporating Mr. Abell's suggestions on color,
Lovell debated on the direction of the characters. Since
the Coronado and Comanche paintings showed caval-
cades moving left to right, he thought the action in this
painting should move from right to left. "However, (now
that the hazy day allows a completely different color
scheme)," Lovell wrote, "I would prefer to hold to the true
representation of the country as seen in the color photo.
That is to say, both sketches should be reversed and the
action move from left to right in the final painting. This
camel subject is interesting and not easily simplified."
His May 1971 letter to Mr. Abell summarized the
lengthy time he had spent on the camel painting, inter-
rupted by research and sketches on the subject of Captain
Pope. "Having been on the camel painting this long I am
more certain than ever that having the foreground in the
shadow of the rock was the proper solution," Lovell said.
"As always, it is part of my task
to simplify, and minimize multi-
plicity wherever possible. Four
mules, seven camels and 11
men are seen in action on the
ledge. Among other things, 66
legs are involved - imagine allthese casting their own shadows if it was in sunlight. The
burst water barrel (and spillage from the upper one) has
turned out to be very useful pictorially. The idea of water
and how precious it was to these people is now a major
focal point. The water as it splashes darkly on the dusty
rock and stains down over the ledge makes the entrance
point of the picture.
"A thick patch of lechuguilla backstage in the ledge
adds to their discomfort and explains why they are tra-
versing out in the open near the brink. The small shapes
of men and animals trail away in the distance on the
open valley floor. In effect, the middle distance has
become the 'restful area' so necessary to any picture, and
particularly this one with its 'busy' foreground, and yon-
der its broken shapes of distant palisades."
The final sketch arrived in Mr. Abell's office in June
1971, and prompted a quick reply:
Dear Tom:
G.T.A. "MARVELOUS! It's simply MARVELOUS!"
My Sec. "It's WONDERFUL!"
G.T.A. "I wonder if there is any critical comment we
can make??"
My Sec. "Yes, hurry with the painting."54
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Kelton, Elmer. Tom Lovell: Storyteller With a Brush, book, 2005; Midland, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1127711/m1/60/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, Library and Hall of Fame.