Tripp Painting at Waxahachie
Every artist has a central story to tell, and the difficulty, the impossible task, is trying to present that story in pictures.
Gregory Crewdson, photographer
I just finished a challenging week, painting daily, trying to record watercolor images of settings and subjects that resonate with my corner of this world, hoping viewers and buyers would find my work worthwhile. I joined thirty-nine other plein air painters in this enterprise, and all of us sweated out the same challenge. Today, we could see the weariness in one another’s faces. It was a long week.
The 2013 Paint Historic Waxhachie plein air event is now in the books, and I am delighted to be home again, and resting. At the close of the day, I was informed that I won the People’s Choice Award as favorite artist, and was presented with a nice check. In addition to this good news, I learned that I set a new personal record, with six of my eight paintings selling this time. This plein air event has always been good to me. Forty artists participated this year, and ECAA had logged over $4500 in sales of paintings early this afternoon. The Waxahachie crowd certainly produces a great number of art patrons every year, and the Gingerbread Homes Tour brings hundreds of people through the Chautauqua Auditorium to view and purchase paintings.
Besides being physically exhausted from the schedule I kept all week, I had the misfortune of smashing my forehead into a partially lowered wooden gate entrance at the rear of the Chatauqua Auditorium early this afternoon. Someone had failed to raise the gate all the way, and with the bright sun, my broad-brimmed hat, and lowered eyes, I never saw the lowered beam and rammed my head flush into it. The beam managed to etch three abrasions into my forehead, through the hat, and I suffered a pretty severe whiplash. The Tylenol is helping a little, at this point. I think I feel more stupid than injured. At any rate, I’ll look terrific when I walk into classes tomorrow.
Recollections 54 The Art of David Tripp 
June 2, 2013 at 6:45 pm |
Congratulations on your award! From the paintings you’ve shown here on your blog, it was well deserved.
Take care of that forehead!
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June 3, 2013 at 7:50 am |
Thank you! I apprecate so much that you looked, and wrote what you did. And I’m ecstatic that the public voted the way they did.
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June 2, 2013 at 7:44 pm |
Wow! Congratulations! Im with the ‘people’ on that one 🙂 i wish you a speedy recovery and continued success!
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June 3, 2013 at 7:49 am |
Thank you so much. The affirmation from them, and you, has touched me profoundly.
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June 2, 2013 at 7:48 pm |
I agree – well-deserved! The People’s Choice is always a special honor. Congratulations on all of the sales as well!
Sorry, but I chuckled about your little accident; doors are quite low in Latin America, and tall people often forget to duck, while the shorter people swish in and out with no problem. sometimes even the limbs over a sidewalk are too low, and one has to duck to walk beneath certain areas!
If you arrive at school with two black eyes, your students will most likely be impressed!
Sleep well!
z
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June 3, 2013 at 7:48 am |
Some of my students are looking at me today the way a calf looks at a new gate. I’m offering no explanations. I guess I would be decapitated by now if I lived in Latin America. Thank you so much for the congratulations. A “people’s choice” really touched me, my first time. (I can’t seem to get the attention of professional judges lately 🙂
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June 3, 2013 at 11:12 am
let your students wonder. i was bitten by a dog in costa rica, and my friend ed wrote about it in his little ‘gazette.’ i warned him not to write anything that might upset my friends/family, so he said that i had been bitten by an alligator!!!! they when people asked, he and i both assured them that i had not been bitten by an alligator – alligators don’t even live in central america – crocodiles do!
i remember getting a people’s choice at catahoula lake festival in louisiana. a friend was standing by me that sunday afternoon, and a group of ladies walked up. one looked at me and stated, ‘you’re the artist.’ i remember being dumbfounded! how could she tell. my friend and i were dressed similar – there was no real difference… but yes, people can tell, can’t they?!
don’t let the other judging bother you.. you should know that by now – it’s just like what looks interesting on a varied menu.. one will order shrimp, one chicken, one veal, one strictly vegetarian.. it all depends on the tastes of the person making the decision.
i credit competing in shows as one of the main reasons why i have such an easy attitude… it’s not that my work was bad – it’s just that they liked another more… i’ve had works that did not place in one show that won best in show in another. that helped as well…. create for the joy of creating, and if others like your work, that’s the icing on the cake.. and i think you got enough egg money to buy lots of ingredients for future cakes!!!
yes, make your students wonder! or tell them that big foot slammed you with his club!
z
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June 3, 2013 at 7:48 pm
The alligator line is fabulous! Funny, I don’t think people recognize my demeanor as an artist. I think I come across as an insurance salesman.
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June 2, 2013 at 8:04 pm |
How wonderful that you received the People’s favorite artist award! your art is expressing your story & it strikes a cord in us….we’re hooked. take care of your head…what bad luck.
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June 3, 2013 at 7:47 am |
Thank you for such a warm word, I really appreciate it. I want my work to resonate with others, and feel very satisfied, knowing it sometimes does. Thank you again.
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June 2, 2013 at 10:03 pm |
Your award was certainly deserved. You were a pleasure to meet and a master watercolor artist. Congratulations!
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June 3, 2013 at 7:52 am |
Thank you, Lucy. It’s a beautiful thing, meeting other artistic spirits, and I enjoyed so much all the camaraderie that was offered us throughout this past week.
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June 3, 2013 at 9:03 am
Yes, it was my first show and I met such nice people. The art work was beautiful and I learned a lot from you, Tina, Linda, Maren, and Ramona. There were too many to meet everyone at once. 🙂
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June 3, 2013 at 9:12 am
Thank you for such a gracious comment. Your very first “plein air” show? Wow, what a start! This Waxahachie event is the best one I attend. And yes, the painters are extraordinary, and so giving. You really need to know Ted Clemons from Sachse. It’s unfortunate that he has to drive so far, and works a full-time job at home. He can only come out a couple of times, but every single year takes Best of Show or First Place. And he is an amazing thinker and theorist, besides being an extraordinary painter. And very giving in conversation. Tina Bohlman has also been a tremendous hellp and encouragement to me over the years.
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June 3, 2013 at 10:03 am
My son had a great conversation about scouting with Ted Clemons, whose sons are Eagle Scouts and now servicemen. He is an encouraging person.
I hope to join the ECAA and learn more.
It was a great first “plein air” show.
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June 3, 2013 at 7:46 pm
I’m glad you’re joining us. We need more artistic spirits such as yourself.
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June 4, 2013 at 10:09 am
Thanks David. I look forward to the next meeting.
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June 2, 2013 at 11:32 pm |
Congratulations, again, on the award and the sales. It’s wonderful feed back to be so appreciated. Hope your injury heals quickly.
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June 3, 2013 at 7:46 am |
Thank you! The head is ugly, but doesn’t hurt anymore. Thank you for the good word.
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June 3, 2013 at 1:15 am |
Well done! and well deserved. Sorry about the crack on the head – it’s a case of “Duck or grouse!” Tony
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June 3, 2013 at 7:45 am |
Thank you. Yes, I’m grousing today. I have quite a display on my forehead!
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June 3, 2013 at 2:01 am |
Congratulations!
You are not alone in the head-bashing. I rammed into a door frame and had the most lovely decor on my right eye for over a week even though it was the forehead I injured.
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June 3, 2013 at 7:45 am |
Sorry about the black eye! I managed to awaken this morning with no blackened eyes, but I do have considerable forehead tattoos. Thank you for the good word!
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June 3, 2013 at 11:05 am |
Congratulations on the People’s Award…and well deserved! Happy for you and also for all the sales! What an awarding time it must have been. Ouch on the head, though! I’d sail right under!…being a “shorty”! Have a good week!
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June 3, 2013 at 7:42 pm |
Thank you, BJR. I feel good from the week, grueling yes, but it had great reward. I’m very grateful. Best to you in your endeavors these days!
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June 4, 2013 at 11:39 am
I just finished a ink drawing…and hope I can continue as I have 3 more to do before the the first part of July. They’ll be ink…with some watercolor added. BTW…I believe your students wonder what in the world happened!!
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June 3, 2013 at 7:37 pm |
David it was good seeing you and your paintings this week. I’m still recovering from it, but I have to say it is one of my favorite weeks of the year.
Doug
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June 3, 2013 at 7:43 pm |
Thank you, Doug. It’s always a pleasure seeing you and painting with your fabulous group. And thank you for all the times you’ve included me in the Fort Worth plein air gatherings. I’m exhausted from what we’ve been through, but it is my favorite annual event, and I would not miss it. Now we just have to nail down the rest of this school year!
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June 8, 2013 at 6:52 am |
Congrats!! You deserve many more awards, your work is outstanding.
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June 8, 2013 at 11:39 am |
I’m really touched by that, thank you.
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