The Mast/White House, 1925-Lubbock, Texas

The Mast/White Home, 2301 Broadway, was orginially located at 2219 13th St. It was constructed in 1925 for C.S. Mast, a member of the original faculty at Texas Tech.

It was purchased by L.O. “Pop” and Ercil “Mom” White in 1948. The Whites, who were active in youth work, were instrumental in founding the Baptist Student Union for Tech students.

The home was acquired by First Baptist Church in 1978 and donated to the Lubbock Heritage Society for relocation. It was moved to its Broadway location in 1981.  

This sketch was done on location with Lamy Safari and Platinum Carbon Ink. Watercolor added later.

Robert Bruno's Steel Sculpture/House

“Robert Bruno began his sculptural home in 1973, with a very fluid and organic plan. Trained as a sculpture, he moved to Lubbock from Mexico to teach at Texas Tech. A bit dismayed by the flat local landscape, he soon discovered an anomaly at Ransom Canyon. Even as you near the canyon, you can't truly see it, as it is carved into the flat landscape. But here you will find a vista with more drama, while keeping all of the incredible vast Texan sky. This proved to be a perfect setting for his home. Over the years, the look and structure of Robert's home has changed dramatically. Originally intended to be 1 story, he kept adding on, carving away, adjusting walls, etc. All of the walls in the home are either welded metal, or original glass/stained glass creations. All designed to optimize light and his visual experience. Walls were removed to increase visual vistas, stained glass added to create contrast to the rusted metal (with a subtle nod to his love of catholic iconography and visual language, as well as the old churches of Mexico). Not limited to expressions in glass and metal, Robert also created a beautiful wooden entry table of fluid lines and delicate grace. And he does it all himself, setting this home apart from a typical architectural project with other draftsmen and craftsmen contributing.”  Excerpted from:

http://www.artificialowl.net/2008/05/robert-bruno-steel-house-ransom-canyon_15.html

For additional photos, visit Mr. Bruno’s website:

http://www.robertbruno.com/

First sketch of the new year!

Spent a few hours today in the northwest part of the Texas panhandle.  This is the first of a couple of sketches that I did on location at the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge.  The area is home to migrating sandhill cranes.  They begin arriving in december and will remain until March....then they begin their migration to their summer breeding grounds 2500 miles away in northern Canada.  Amazing and beautiful bird...not bad eatin' either!

Fort Barrancas Cannon

Another view of one of the old cannons at the fort. 

 

I'm a sucker for any scene with a flag in it!

Hastily sketched on location, tidied up and watercolor back home.

Old Ft. Barrancas at the entrance to Pensacola Bay, Florida

Fort Barrancas is a historic United States military fort in the area of Pensacola, Florida, located physically on Naval Air Station Pensacola.  The hill-top fort, connected to a sea-level water battery, overlooks Pensacola Bay, from what is now Naval Air Station Pensacola.  Spanning a multi-century history, the U.S. Army deactivated Fort Barrancas on April 15, 1947.  Designated a National Historic Site  in 1960, control of the site was transferred to the National Park Service in 1971. After extensive restoration during 1971-1980, Fort Barrancas was opened to the public.  The site was first occupied as a fort in 1698 by the Spanish.  It has been

occupied and rebuilt by five different governments; Spanish, French, British, Confederate and finally, American.

During the American and Confederate years the fort was home to 19 cannons like the one I've sketched here.   If you're ever in the neighborhood, it is well worth a visit!

Pioneer Hotel-Downtown Lubbock, Texas...a grand ole gal coming back to life!

The landmark Pioneer Hotel, which opened as The Lubbock Hotel, was built in two stages.  The building stood six stories when it first opened in 1929. The remaining five stories were added in the early 1930s.

The 83-year-old maiden - who still casts a large shadow in downtown Lubbock - has proven again that age-old adage they don't build them like the used to.

Inside this 11-story structure, where tons of structural steel meet even more concrete, construction workers toil away - framing dozens of luxury condominiums while working to preserve and restore the Pioneer's memory-filled ballroom, lobby and historical mortar artwork.  On the third floor, work crews have been busy restoring the original ballroom that will contain both a banquet area and service facility.

Restoration efforts are also taking place on the ground lobby floor area, where an original staircase leading to the ballroom will be given a makeover and where new retail space will be opened.  "There are just some incredible views since we opened this up with nice ceiling heights and solid concrete between the floors," said Mike McDougal of McDougal Properties about the $10 million-plus project.

McDougal eventually intends to construct three - three-bedroom units; 20 - two bedroom units; and four - one-bedroom units ranging in size from 900 square feet up an eye-popping penthouse measuring 2,800 square feet.

Lubbock Area Veterans War Memorial

The Lubbock Area Veterans War Memorial was dedicated in 2003.  It is the largest veterans war memorial in the United States outside of Washington, DC.   It was built by a dedicated group of volunteers and it's construction cost of over a million and a half dollars was raised through the sale of engraved bricks and private donations.  My dad and uncle's bricks are in the panel to the far right....

The sketch was done on location with pen and ink with watercolor.