Monday, August 22, 2011

20th Regiment Texas Volunteers in Paris, Texas

The 20th Regiment Texas Volunteers, a Confederate re-enactment group, were in Paris, Saturday, August 20th.  Gosh, I felt so sorry for them in their wool uniforms and long gingham dresses.  But, they put on a really nice demonstration of what it must have been like during the Civil War years.  To the left are a few of the pictures I took.  It was so very hot and humid, I didn't stay too very long.  I scooted off to the 21st century and air conditioning.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Myrtle Vance and the Lynching in Paris Texas

Paris has a sad history of lynchings.  Local historian, Skipper Steely will be publishing a book in late October or November 2011 about the lynchings that have occurred in Paris, Lamar County.  The pictures included to the left are the grave site of a little girl of 3 named Myrtle Vance who was murdered in the summer of 1893.  Skipper told me that she was found dead in a pasture near the old Gibbon's House on 6th Street.  A black man named Henry Smith was accused of her murder and was brutally lynched at a site near the railway tracks and the old Rogers and Wade building.  Skipper tells the story so much better than I so you will want to read the account in his book.  One of the saddest facts he told me about Myrtle's murder was that her mother lost 3 children in 1 year and her husband died not long after Myrtle.  The statute on Myrtle's grave is located on Lily Lane in Evergreen Cemetery, Paris, Texas.

A friend and a poet from Paris has written two poems about Myrtle.  One of her poems follows.  Aubry, Sherry's daughter went with us this morning to visit Myrtle's grave.  We spent time in the early morning light and August heat taking pictures of Myrtle's resting place.  We are planning to take more next Saturday.  So, hopefully we will have more pictures and another poem to share with you next week.  By the way, Sherry Scott is the founder of the Paris Poetry Society.  They meet once a month at venues all across Paris.


Where She Lives
by S. L. Margaret

Myrtle lives on Lily Lane
I once found her sitting on
a clump of rock
beneath the elms.

I didn’t know her story
the findings in the field
the fear and terror unleashed
that darkened the town and
stained the ground.

Only, that she sits gently
with a lily at her feet
stares down at her clasp hands
where the rain water collects in
her arms
and remains forever three
on Lily Lane.






Saturday, August 13, 2011

Awkward Space Artist: August Hunt


August Hunt was one of three artists showing at Awkward Spaces show August 4th through the 6th at The Gallery on 1st.The three Hunt siblings, Rainer, August and Harper put on a remarkable showing of their creative talent. The collection of work was titled "Awkward Space". Their artwork is perspective driven, by themselves, their subjects, and audience. They provoke the space in which young artists lie, a space between the novice artist and the established, the awkward space. This gap allows flexibility as a creator, encouraging participation in different art forms and pushing the exploration of the unfamiliar, all of which August, Rainer, and Harper are accomplishing. In addition, they are taking this moment in time to collaborate together and produce a work of art that is expressive of their lives and their collective creativity.

Name: August Hunt
Age: 16
School Attending: The Kildonan School

August grew up in Paris, Texas. He is sixteen years old and a student at The Kildonan School in Amenia, New York. He will be returning as a junior this fall.

August studied photography for four terms at Paris Junior College under the guidance of Marvin Gorley where his focus was digital photography. He has continued to navigate his way thru the study of photography at Kildonan branching into analog photography and the darkroom. He finished his sophomore year with a panoramic installation. He built an 8' x 11' enclosed structure that once entered provided a 360° virtual experience of the corner of Broom St. and Crosby St. in New York City.

At The Gallery on 1st exhibted a collection of portraits titled "First Impression" that were taken on the Sarah Lawrence College campus in September 2010. The portraits have been enlarged to a 4' x 6' x format. August did amazing for his first gallery showing.







Awkward Space Artist: Harper Hunt

Harper Hunt was one of three artists showing at Awkward Spaces show August 4th through the 6th at The Gallery on 1st.

The three Hunt siblings, Rainer, August and Harper put on a remarkable showing of their creative talent. The collection of work was titled "Awkward Space". Their artwork is perspective driven, by themselves, their subjects, and audience. They provoke the space in which young artists lie, a space between the novice artist and the established, the awkward space. This gap allows flexibility as a creator, encouraging participation in different art forms and pushing the exploration of the unfamiliar, all of which August, Rainer, and Harper are accomplishing. In addition, they are taking this moment in time to collaborate together and produce a work of art that is expressive of their lives and their collective creativity.

Name: Harper Hunt
Age: 20
School Attending: Sarah Lawrence College

Harper Hunt, resident of Paris, Texas, attends Sarah Lawrence College in New York. In 2007 he held his first solo art show in Paris where he questioned the defining properties of art. Since then he has furthered his art interest in the film medium, and exercised his abilities through internships in-office and on set.

At Sarah Lawrence this past year he engaged in the art of screenwriting and perfecting the color photograph. His film background soon collided with photography and resulted in his ongoing body of work titled "Portable Objects". This project juxtaposes three elements: six props, a photograph of each prop, and a film that incorporates the same props. This comparison is meant to encourage the viewer to consider the movie prop as something more than just a portable object, in addition to, learning how to appreciate the inanimate. This project was inspired by the discovery of his uncle's, Dr. Harold E Hunt Sr's, opthalmology equipment, as well as the artwork he will display at The Gallery on 1st.

Harper displayed a series of images that were taken alongside his ongoing project, "Portable Objects". The digital images blend a contemporary perspective with the antiquated objects, ophthalmology instruments. Harper can't wait to bring a piece of history back to the Paris community with a modern perspective







Awkward Space Artist: Rainer Hunt

Rainer Hunt was one of three artists showing at Awkward Spaces show August 4th through the 6th at The Gallery on 1st.
The three Hunt siblings, Rainer, August and Harper put on a remarkable showing of their creative talent. The collection of work was titled "Awkward Space". Their artwork is perspective driven, by themselves, their subjects, and audience. They provoke the space in which young artists lie, a space between the novice artist and the established, the awkward space. This gap allows flexibility as a creator, encouraging participation in different art forms and pushing the exploration of the unfamiliar, all of which August, Rainer, and Harper are accomplishing. In addition, they are taking this moment in time to collaborate together and produce a work of art that is expressive of their lives and their collective creativity.

Name: Rainer Hunt
Age: 20
School Attending: Bennington College

Rainer Hunt grew up in Paris, Texas along with her twin brother, Harper, and youngest brother, August. After graduating from Paris High School in 2009 she began studying at Bennington College in Vermont. She is a rising junior with a continuing focus on "Media for Social Change and Public Action".

During the past two terms Rainer's film professor has challenged her to edit films using multi-channel. As described by her professor Julie Talen, multi-channel is a narrative told "through a symphony of constantly shifting pictures and borders''. Rainer will be showing Different Perspectives, a twenty-four minute video installation that stemmed from her studies in multi-channel. She decided to incorporate this project into the art show because of her plans to use the artwork in her junior review. She looks forward to seeing how the audience in Paris will react opposed to others who have previously had the chance to witness Different Perspectives.









Monday, August 8, 2011

Paris Texas Rodeo 2011


It was a rodeo kind of weekend.  Man, was it ever hot, sweaty and dusty. 

My camera equipment seemed to choose Saturday night to malfunction at the Paris rodeo.  It was frustrating to say the least!


My focus for the evening was to continue trying to capture the rodeo using a very slow shutter speed and a wide open aperture.  This is much harder than it sounds.    I'm thinking I may try some stop motion at the Sulphur Springs rodeo next weekend.


Wolfe City Rodeo 2011

Friday night at the Wolfe City Rodeo was awesome!  My intent was to try and capture some images using a very slow shutter speed showing lots of movement.  I don't know if you've ever seen some of the rodeo pictures that Vaughn Wascovich has taken using this technique or not but they are candy to the eye.  I didn't quite get the images that I was hoping for but I feel as if I learned a lot.






Copyrighted Pictures

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