Blog

My New Mexico

Well, it's not all mine but sometimes I feel like I know the secret places to find the best views, food and photo opportunities that make it so.
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A typical day's adventure to Ruidoso is a good example. Heading east on highway 70 out of Las Cruces, my home base, takes you over Saint Augustine Pass with a 100 mile view of the White Sands Missile Range Headquarters below and the magnificent Organ Mountains off to your right.
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About 40 miles further east, just past the highway check point is the entrance to White Sands National Monument, one of my favorite places to go for a quick cleansing of the city noise, politics and other goop that makes up part of living in a small city.
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Past White Sands, Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, Tularosa and Mescalero you start climbing Apache Summit and upon cresting the top you see the great white expanse of Mt. Serra Blanco, home to Ski Apache. Breathtaking!
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Easing down the northeastern route of highway 70 you come into Ruidoso (Noisy water) and Ruidoso Downs. (Home to the nations famous quarter horse races) I love the slogan the Ruidoso Chamber of Commerce has bestowed on Ruidoso; “Seasoned Just Right”
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One of the most famous landmarks of Ruidoso is the Bolin Mill and it's historic contribution to the history of Lincoln County, Billy the Kid and Sheriff Pat Garrett. (More on this and the Lincoln County Range Wars at a later date)
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The Mill's waterwheel was the only structure left standing after a fire destroyed the original mill's building and gift shop this past summer. Last time I was up that way the owners were rebuilding the gift shop and restoring it to it's original condition.
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Ruidoso is about 110 miles from Las Cruces and takes but a couple of hours to get there. Just one of MY favorite places in New Mexico.
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Artwork by the author.
www.jackpumphreyarts.com

RED RIGHT RETURNING, PART TWO

We made it through The Hole In The Wall and slowed to trolling speed into Neah bay where after getting permission from the dockmaster, took on 210 gallons of fuel at the Makah Indian Reservation's marine docks. Topped off and relaxed, swinging on the anchor after completing day two of our 4 day expedition. Now it's time to drop our crab pots over the side to harvest a few Dungeness Crab to have with the Chinook Salmon we caught coming into the fuel docks.
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Early the next morning with a fresh cup of coffee and a mind full of the latest weather reports we pull anchor and motored quietly out of Neah Bay and into the Straights of Juan de Fuca. The visibility was clear, you could see all the way into the blue horizon of the west coast of Canada's British Columbia.
…...We cruised north for about two miles then turned right with our next check point of Port Angeles on our starboard. WE picked 6 A M as our departure because that would put low tide at the mouth of the Straights right on 5:30 AM. We also had a following sea with winds out of the south-west at 10 gusting to 20 mph. This combination of the push from the incoming tide and wind off our starboard stern added close to 3 knots to our over the bottom speed of 14 knots. Not bad. We predicted Port Angeles by 0930 and Point-no-Point by noon.
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We had an uneventful voyage to Point-no-Point and turned right into Kingston for fuel and lunch. After an unscheduled trip to an auto parts store for a couple of fuel filters (All that slow twisting roller coaster trip east on the Straights stirred up some years old sediment from the 1965 Chris Craft's fuel tanks.) ....Filters and a couple of cold beer's installed we decided to spend the night at the guest docks and do the final run into Gig Harbor in the morning.
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Well, once again we timed it just right and caught the turn of the tide after breakfast and with Bainbridge Island on our right headed south to Gig Harbor. Once past Winslow's busy harbor and playing “Dodge-the-Ferry” game we entered Colvos Passage for our final run to the Light at the entrance to Gig Harbor.
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Sue was waiting at our reserved slip on the end-tie at Harborview Marina, our home port for the next 7 years. “What took you so long, sailor?” she shouted while taking the bow line and securing it so I could swing the stern in against the same south-westerly wind that had helped us down the straights.
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On April 25th, 1992, Sue and I were married on the aft deck of “TERIFIC” Our priest was Captain Pete Darrah, skipper of the sailing schooner “Christine” and owner, at the time of Captain Pete's Nautical Antiques, just up the dock from our moorage.
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The marriage ceremony's guests included many of our boating friends from the Gig Harbor and Port Orchard Yacht Clubs' as well as a few of our commercial fishing buddies. They arrived in their own yachts and salmon trawlers and moored in a “Wagon-Wheel” raft up. The reception lasted 21 hours, the memories are still with me 26 years later.
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Remind me to tell you the stories of our boat cat, “Harry” and his buddy, Captain Kirk of the yacht “Enterprise” perhaps another time.

PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTWORK BY THE AUTHOR
jackscarart@gmail.com

A LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR

So, here I am, 82 years old and still acting like an artist just starting out on his career.
I get excited every time I get a new assignment to draw or paint an old car. Now, don’t get me wrong, when I say “Excited” it’s not like I felt when I met Sue, my late wife & close friend.
I’m talking about genuine affection for the look & feel of those old swooping fenders, the massive chrome grills and those sexy wire wheels.
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Take my 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado; well, don’t take it, just look at those curves and lines. I touch it when I walk by “Her” parked in my garage. I’ve seen this silent ritual take place at car shows………….not by the owner so much as the spectator who’s there to admire the same thing we do showing our cars. The public is encouraged not to touch the cars unless with the permission of the owner.
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When that happens it’s like a baptismal or a sacred ritual of mutual tenderness and love. Just look at that 1932 Stutz Bearcat. Even better, go up to the owner and ask if you can see the motor. “Can you start ‘er up, please?”………Varooooom, Varooooom, Purrrrrrr, ’Died & gone to heaven’.
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My good friend, Andy, of Tucson just finished a yearlong restoration and re-powering his 1952 Chevrolet Bel Air. Andy has owned this car all of his adult life and watched in frustration while the desert pack rats ate his electrical system until there was nothing but shreds of copper wire and ruined fuel lines rendering the old Chevy a basket case. The sun turned the Chevy’s two-tone paint job into an unrecognizable blend of raw metal, faded marron and patches of peeling paint.
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Most would have had it towed to the crusher. Not Andy. Look close at the custom dark green paint with devilish ghost flames of light blue faded to off-white. A masterpiece. Check out the upholstery, that dark green leather with strategically placed lime accents is brilliant! A love affair? You bet! The pack rats? Andy keeps a sophisticated electrical strobe light in the engine compartment. Drives the rat’s nuts!
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The love affair that has grown men cheating on their wife’s and girlfriends is epidemic. “Honey, when will you be coming in for dinner?” “It’s getting cold and the kids miss you”
Travel to any part of our country; no, the world and where you see groups of boys in men’s clothing huddled around a 1931 Chrysler or a classic 1935 Hispano-Suiza K-6 Cabriolet you’ll see what I mean. Disgusting!

Doing black & white art of cars has not only overwhelmed my studio but, has caused me to raise prices in order to control production. This is not a hobby but my main source of income. Sure, it's fun and I work at home but, if it wasn't, I would not do it. Another up side to doing cheap art is the upgrades to color and doing more then just car art. Lately I have shipped several works in color and a couple of non car art jobs of home renderings.

Wood or Metal Print

Is that a question? What do you mean, wood or metal print?
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It's O K to think "Paper" when your're contemplating a print but have you ever considered something else instead of paper?
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Now, you can order prints on just about anything; wood, metal, acrylic, canvas, shower curtain plastic, bed spreads, tote bags, pillows and of course, high quality paper framed or shipped rolled in a tube.
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What's really great is you can order confident that if you don't like it, return it. Every order has a 30 day gaurantee !!!
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So, what's holding you back?
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Please don't tell me you've run out of wall space; there's always your ceiling!
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Call me if you have questions, 575-525-8298
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Jack
 

With summer almost over and vacations over except for
the billions of cell phone shots, makes me wonder how
many found their island in time?
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Was it one of those little green-treed islands of the American
San Juan�s with no name? The one you �found� as if it had
gone missing?
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Or was it the �Big Island� that you flew to and took tours
complete with rum drinks with fruity-salty-umbrelled rims?
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My island, for part of this year, was my comfortable, air
conditioned car seat, travelling to the northwest and southern
California where I said goodbye to brother, John.
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The rest of my summer was spent on our patio, only comfortable
after we lit off the citronella to keep the no-seeums at bay.
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For some of us the vacation never ends, life is that good. For
others, not so good. The old, sick, and those alone in hospitals
and nursing homes need vacations, too.
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For those that vacations don�t seem to matter I say, �Don�t
despair, there is a life where there�s no work, hardship or
tears� �There is a place where politics simply don�t matter, too!�
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Look around at the beauty of your friends. Listen
to their wisdom no matter how old or young; soak up the
smells of burning leaves or the season�s first fire in the
fireplace. Pet the dog, marvel at the changing light at dawn,
live life, enjoy, most of it is free!
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Just when you think things are going to hell in a tote bag
you can always tune in your own personal & private
�Island Time�

Word Meanings P.O.S.H,
. smart, stylish, fancy, high-class, fashionable, chic, luxurious, luxury, deluxe, exclusive, opulent, lavish,
grand, showy, upscale, upmarket.
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1915-20; of obscure origin; compare posh a dandy
(recorded as British slang in 1890); the popular notion
that the word is an acronym from port out(ward), starboard home,
said to be the preferred accommodation
on ships traveling between England and India, is without foundation.
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often said to be an acronym of the phrase port out, starboard
home, the most desirable location for a cabin in British ships
sailing to and from the East, being the north-facing or shaded
side; but more likely to be a development of obsolete slang
posh a dandy.
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The cavalryman, far more than the infantryman, makes a
point of wearing "posh" clothing on every possible occasion
"posh" being a term used to designate superior clothing,
or articles of attire other than those issued by and strictly
conforming to the regulations, very attractive, expensive,
and popular, typical of people who have high social status.
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For a classic artistic experience browse my 90 plus galleries for a wide variety of P O S H subjects

Depending on the shift of the calendar, the summer
solstice occurs sometime between June 20 and June 22
in the northern hemisphere and between December 20
and December 23 each year in the southern hemisphere.

In southern New Mexico, car show aficionado�s get tuned
up starting in early spring and we don�t get tired of it all
until late fall

We have already been to several great shows.The first
of the season show is the Wheels of Dreams sponsored
by the Las Cruces RodRunners car club.

Then we took the Toronado to the Smokin Oldies show in Deming, NM where the Toronado was awarded 1st place in the 1970-79
original class.

Las month we escaped the heat of Las Cruces and attended the �Make-A-Wish� charity show in Ruidoso.

Next up is the Kiwanis Kars for Kids show on the 18th of
June.This is always a well-attended show held at Young
Park, a city owned and well maintained ideal place for a
car show. Lots of shade trees and grassy meadows to shine up your pride & joy.
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The Kiwanis volunteers put on a pancake breakfast
In the large, covered open air gazebo which offers
protection from the sun and occasional monsoon of summer.

So, save the date, June 18th, see you there.

Jack




jack-pumphrey.fineartamerica.com

Here are a few of the projects we recently shipped; a nice mix of watercolor art, pen & ink and photography. They just happen to be mostly little British Cars.
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The Austin-Healey Sprite, introduced for 1959, continued the collaboration between Austin and The Donald Healey Motor Company and took further advantage of the massive British Motor Corporation parts bin. Although it was aimed at the very bottom of the sports car market, the Sprite used a modern unibody and offered precise handling
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The Triumph TR6 is beloved of British sports car fans. The TR6 was certainly antique in many ways when it was introduced in late 1968. A narrow cockpit, separate body and chassis and a bouncy ride courtesy of its rather crude independent rear suspension made it seem in many ways to be little advanced from the TR4 of 1962 or even the TR2.
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The Bentley Sports Sedan was the epitome of a classic British Gentleman�s preferred conveyance; elegant but very fast and great handling.
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The late Spring & early Summer cruising is starting along with the car shows. Most of the car shows benefit local charities so thank you for participating.
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Jack
inkyarts@comcast.net
575-525-8298

Consequence of one�s actions.

Jimmy, the last mechanic who touched my
car after a recent oil change was having a bad
day.
�..
His girlfriend, Betty Jean, over cooked his fried
baloney and used old, crusty mustard on his
moldy sandwich which in turn caused Jimmy to
get the runs.
�..
Part of Jimmy�s job is to write down the projected
mileage when my next oil change was due. Usually,
3000 miles from the actual mileage shown on my
van�s speedometer.
�..
OK, a normal, routine job. Simple, no-brainer, right?
Not in Jimmy�s case; having a bad day, worrying
about if he can make it to the john before everything
lets loose, was the 1st thing on his mind, not jotting
down my next oil change mileage.
�..
So, having to do the math, find a pen, find the
windshield sticker, write down the numbers, stick
it on the inside of the windshield, well, this was just
too much writing, sticking, reaching for Jimmy
to do while concentrating on something else,
�..
Like where�s the bathroom, far more important then
whether or not the necessary oil change reminder
got stuck in the right place let alone if you (me)
could even make out what was on the reminder
sticker�������..well, the consequence of
Jimmy�s inattention to the real job at hand caused
my distraction from MY JOB, keeping control of the
van while doing 77 miles an hour on the 10, while
passing several 18 wheelers, here I am wondering
about my next oil change?
�..
I pulled off at the next rest stop, took several deep
breaths and realized I could not read the sticker
because all I could see was a faint smear after the
first 3 numbers����.which should have been six.
�..
Not funny. I could have crashed into the rear of a
long haul rig or, blown up my trusty V-6 because
I waited too long to have my oil changed.
�..
All because of the consequences of someone�s
inattention to the simple job of writing down a
reminder for my next oil change.

Sixty one years ago, going around topless without a driving permit
would get you a stiff fine, maybe even a day or a night in jail.
�.Now-a-days you don�t see this activity going on, at least not on any streets or lanes near our house.
�..I remember noticing it a lot when I was I kid but, nowadays, it takes more than a gorgeous, curvy body to turn my head.
�.Well, if you added a little chrome accent it might help.
�.Factor in a sweet & low rumbling sound and you definitely have my attention.
�.I�m talking slow cruising convertibles here, the kind that let you experience the pleasant aromas of spring flowers and views of the sun setting after you
pulled over at the top of the hill.
�.I suppose there�s a world like that somewhere; certainly not on the 10 or the 25. Slow down on one of these concrete raceways and you�ll get flattened so quick you�ll wonder what happened to the butter & syrup!
�.My son and I were on our way to El Paso the other day, driving a little over the 65 posted limit heading south-east where the lane narrows, merging onto the eastbound 10. I alertly glanced in my rear view mirror making sure I was OK to merge when all of a sudden my view was replaced by huge white & aluminum blinds. I could even read with scary clarity the blind maker�s logo htrowneK!
�.Blaugger, Blaugger! GET OUT OF MY WAY! It was trying to get my attention. It was working!
�.So, naturally, I did the smartest thing, in total driving school defense, that I could think of. I tapped my brakes several times, a nice signal to the crazy idiot behind me to back-off. Worthless thing to do since there was no way the driver of the aluminum blind big-rig could see my little Odyssey over his long & towering hood, let alone my blinking stop lights.
�.�IT� swung over my right lane to inching onto my right-quarter panel and started blasting �IT�s� Blaugger horn again, obviously not getting my well-intentioned request.
�.The lane ahead cleared and I took off, now in the 75 MPH lane doing �slightly� over 75, toying with the �Traffic fines double zone�, hell, man I was ready to pay anything to out distance the big-rig�s self-imposed right of way & lane ownership.
�.Boy, do I ever miss those lazy, laid back days cruising slowly through the country side in my little topless convertible back in 1955.

Disclaimer: 99.5 % of all of the professional big rig drivers I encounter are just that; pros, due my respect for putting up with the .05 % of the other psychopaths out there.

The Chevrolet Corvette �Blue Flame� inline 6 was Chevrolet's sole engine from 1929, when it replaced their first 4-cylinder engine, the 171-cubic-inch four, through 1954, and was the base engine for the 1954, 1st generation Corvette. In 1955 they added the small block V8 to the lineup. The �Blue Flame Six� had finally been completely phased out by 1990 in North America.
��But, this tale is not about the Corvette�s engine, it is about a �Blue Flame� of another source and, flavor.
�..When I was in the United States Air Force in the mid 1950�s my job was to disassemble and inspect the electrical components of the war ending weapon known as the �FAT MAN�
�..The FAT MAN was a nuclear weapon that ended WW II in July of 1945. Now, leap forward 12 years to the cold-war era of the late 1950�s and early 1960�s. I was a member of a 5 crew task force that did the necessary maintenance on the FAT MAN class of weapons. It was our job, following intricate step by step manuals, to check the detonators that fired the conventional outer sphere of explosives that when lite off, caused a nuclear chain reaction resulting in an xx kiloton atomic explosion. We checked the electrical resistance of the wires in the fist-sized detonators to make sure they would do their job when called upon.
�..It was during one of these routine tests that one of our crew, a guy called �Lucky�, experienced a major gastronomical implosion and released a large amount of methane gas. This lighter-than-air invisible gaseous cloud drifted over to one of the electrical panels that, in those pre-OSHA days, had open, sparking contacts that not only made a clicking sound as the rectifiers powered up and down, but created visible electrical tiny bolts of sparks.
�..Ultimately, Lucky�s gas, as it was later widely labeled, came in contact with the electrical shorting-sparks and ignited into BLUE FLAME ! This ghostly, translucent blue flame quickly covered the floor of our maintenance bay, the same area where we five young tech�s were removing the detonators that were as delicate as live hand grenades!
�..Holy Crap one of us said; Oh Crapola, Lucky moaned, as he grimaced in pain from rolling into a FAT MAN support beam, now realizing that his Olympian wind breaking had also turned liquid, as happens sometimes.
�..Whoosh! As soon as it happened it was over. Bill, tech # 3 experienced singed eyebrows. My hair smelled like burnt pork, probably a leftover undigested morsel from Lucky�s late night diner, the catalyst that set the whole BLUIE FLAME incident in motion. Our commanding officer, Captain Mann, did his compulsorily write-up resulting in the installation of heavy duty mercury switches that did away with the testy crackling and snapping of the old style electric switches.
�..Our crew applied for a commendation ribbon, having survived a potential nuclear melt-down of the mushroom cloud style. The higher-ups said no.
�..Lucky?, Well he was discharged with a medical disability that resulted with him having to wear camo-intends for the rest of his life.
�..I got the mopping up detail and the other members of our crack-tech-bomb-crew did the counting of detonators that were strewn around the work area like golden oranges. Captain Mann went out and bought a 1st Gen Corvette!

Old Pick-up trucks & dogs

I don�t know what it is about old pickups and dogs, just good buddies, I suppose.
An order came in a few days ago from a customer in Georgia sayin�, Will ya draw my old pick up with my god buddy �Boy� sittin in �er ?
������Sure will, I wrote back. Look to your left for the results.
������Then, along comes an order to draw, in pen & ink a black and white drawing of �Tango von Rotenfuhr� an AKC registered German Shephard ex- service-dog. The regency and pride just quivers by the look and stance.
������Must be getting closer to Spring then we thought. Time to go walk the dog!

Jack

www.jackpumphreyarts.com

A GIFT FOR JIM
..... My neighbor, Jim Kilcrease, walks his chow-mix �Woofy� a couple of times a day making a short up & down loop of our quiet little street called San Acacio, here in the old country club area of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
..... Jim, 88, has macular degeneration and wears those black wrap-a-round glasses that make it hard for him to recognize his friends in passing cars. Jim and Woofy always stay the course close to the edge of the road, walking against oncoming traffic so he can at least hear approaching cars. We, of the neighborhood and Jim�s/Woofy�s friends, try and stop and chat; bring each other up to date and in general, block traffic as locals who do �own� their turf!
.....A couple of days ago I was on my way to the market and I spot Jim & Woofy coming up the street. I pulled over and said �morning, Jim, that old dog of yours is starting to get a little grey around the edges� �Hell�s-fire, man, aren�t we all?� Then he ask about our roof repair (Our close-knit neighborhood got slammed with a catastrophic hail storm last October 1st, giving all of us something in common to talk about)
..... �Fine, I said, when you having yours done?� �Don�t have a time-line, whenever my contractor-son can get to �er�. �well, if you need the number of the guy who did mine, let me know, he did a swell job �
..... I was parked near his home, window down on the passenger side with Jim leaning in trying to see me clearly through those �Star-Trek� glasses. �Ya know, Jack, ya�l ought a come over and visit sometimes and we�ll have some coffee with a drup of whisky� There was a pause, and I could imagine Jim tearing-up behind those black glasses. He lost his wife a couple of years ago, can�t drive anymore and his walking with Woofy is just about the extent of his social life.
..... He�s in good company in our older part of Upper San Acacio Street. Were all �greying� and becoming a partner of one, slowly, house by loving home.
..... �Hey, Jim, gotta go now, anything I can get you from the store?� �Naw, I�m OK; but, next time you�re driving by take a picture of my old Ford truck� �I�d like you to do a nice pen & ink of her to add to my collection of your art � ( I did a pen & ink of Woofy years ago and another one of his Son�s Saint Bernard, Bailey, too)

......Jack�����Happiest of Holidays

NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT
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Tee�s in regular sizes up to XXL
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Regular � Premium � Women�s � V-Neck � Slim fit �
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Junior V�s � Youth

Buy just one or, buy enough for the whole crew!

Priced from $ 23.00���buy just ONE or, hundreds with a firm quote.

Your design or mine���.Photographs OK, your art or mine.

If I have done your art and have it on file you can have it on a Tee-Shirt
If you want new art and want it framed, or on canvas � or, metal �
Even on a shower curtain � YES! A freaking SHOWER CURTAIN!

If it�s one of the 1,275 images on our Fine Art America website,
We can �Shirt-It� for you.

Want a cute slogan?���..you got it!
Want to irritate someone?........you can get it!
Make a statement?...........sure, why not?

All orders guaranteed for 30 days, unheard of!

Call me or e-mail and we�ll get you dressed for the show!

I thought I knew the answer to that burning question but, I'm finding out it's far more complicated.

For example; last year was a good year for my sales. Not only with print sales through Fine Art America but also original, new commissions from "word of mouth" referrals and from long time friends and repeat orders.

This year? Might as well go off to a nice quiet place and catch up on my reading. Sure have time for it!

I've tried special sales, lowered my commission rate on print sales and have come close to being a pain in most everyone's ass with my crying and complaining about the "dismal art market"

One of my customer's, a multi-time-repeat buyer told me his business was down 25% over last year's. Another complained about the general mood of frustration that exists in his community of friends & business associates.

Not very reassuring but, a little comforting in a macabre sort of way.

So, what to do about forces you have no control?...........

Keep on drawing and painting, feeding the efforts to the galleries that fit and keep up a positive attitude.

Stay in touch with old friends and follow the doctors advice about keeping healthy.

Thanks for allowing me to bend your ear and don't forget, I have a one-man-show called "Artistry in Chrome" opening June 5th at the Rio Grande Theater art Gallery here in Las Cruces.

E-mail for details at : inkyarts@comcast.net

It was a dark, rainy, slick and stormy night and I�m on my way to the SF international Airport to pick up my red headed girlfriend, Paula, a TWA Stewardess. I was in a hurry; we hadn�t seen each other in about a week.

So, I was really getting it on, doing about 84 in my little 1956 blue Porsche 356 A. I had just cleaned and waxed the shiny coupe; wanting to impress you know who.

It was October, 1964 and her 707 International was early coming in from Johannesburg S A; I was running late, we were both looking forward to seeing each other; when you�re 26-28 years old it was a lot more than just �seeing� each other.

I noticed a red glow from the dash and instantly I was engulfed in an awful, smoky stench with brown haze behind me, and then came a screechy sound of grinding metal. Pistons trying to swap sleeves, valves screaming for some cool air. Crank shaft self-destructing.

Seems those little, flat 4 cylinder rear engined air-cooled motors needed lots & lots of air, not old wipe rags full of cleaning wax stuffed in the air intake box. Ka-blooy! There were bits & shards of hot metal everywhere, Cars heading south behind me on the old Nimitz Blood & Guts freeway (101) were slipping & sliding all over.

I managed to steer off onto the right shoulder near the Cow Palace and flag a cab to the TWA hangers.

After the long and silent tow back to Pacific Heights, we dropped the sick little car off at my German mechanics� shop on O�Farrell. Somehow, our late date turned out to be memorable experience, a real classic. Must have been the left over aroma of danger adding spice to the Irish Coffees?

Back to the Porsche. It took a whopping $ 375.00 repair and a vow to get something a little bigger (A brand new seafoam green �65 Buick Riviera GS) was in order to keep up my relationship with Paula who clearly enjoyed a more comfy ride.

I sold the Porsche a few days after it was fixed for the staggering sum of $ 3,500.00. About $1,000.00 less than the new green Buick.

Now, almost 50 years later, I hear they're going for upwards of $ 200.000.00 Oh, well, there�s hardly anything left over after 50 years that I still own, let alone a collectable like the 356 A except the painting I did of her a few years ago.

Paula? Last I heard she was seen hopping aboard a brand new 747-400 to Singapore with a guy named Howard.

Seriously, man, WHO KNEW?

Jack Pumphrey

inkyarts@comcast.net

One invention to surface during this time would become a fixture on millions of cars between 1913 and the early 1930�s. It came about due to the need of internal combustion engines to maintain a coolant water temperature of just below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, which was essential to the engines� proper functioning and longevity.

One man, Harrison Hurlburt Boyce, had a simple solution for helping make sure that the engine stayed at the proper temperature. By 1913, Boyce had received a patent for his device and had partnered with George H. Townsend, who was the president of the Moto Meter Company of New York.

The Moto Meter Company began manufacturing �Boyce Moto Meters� by the thousands, and thanks to the numerous patents the company owned, Boyce meters soon dominated the market. This however did not take place without a fight. During the early 1910�s the company sued several competitors, including Stewart-Warner, for patent infringement. The Moto Meter Company successfully won these suits, and many of its competitors were forced to stop manufacturing their own products. Even those competitor companies that did make their own similar devices never even came close to really competing with the �Boyce Moto Meter�. By the early 1920�s, Boyce Moto meters were standard equipment on over 50 of America�s foremost automobiles, including Packard and Stutz.

As more and more manufactures put gauges on their dash boards, the need for the visible MotoMeter went away. This left an empty place on the hood that cried out for some kind of stylish decoration........the ornate & lavish Mascots were the answer. Some were an extention to the car's branding, others were a statement of the car's owner. My favorite is the "hunter" identifying the Pierce-Arrow automobile from the teens through the late 30s.

By 1927, ads for the �Boyce Moto Meter� boasted, �Today over 10,000,000 Boyce Moto Meters stand guard over motors throughout the civilized world.� The company employed over 1,800 people in six different countries. Despite the sheer numbers and popularity of the Boyce meters, sales of the items began to wane as more and more automobile manufacturers went to temperature gauges that were located on the dash.

Fortunately, George Townsend had the foresight to know what was coming and sold the Moto Meter Company for several million dollars in 1929 just before the Wall Street crash forced thousands of businesses around the country into bankruptcy.

Prints of the MotoMeter & Mascots are available for your private collector car garage on metal, acrylic, canvas and paper.

MIXED BAG OF ART

What does a 1950 Buick Special Convertible,
a Snowy White Yellow Eyed Owl,
a 1930 Cadillac V-16 Dual Cowl Phaeton
and a poster with 9 Porsche Sports
cars all have in common?

Why, just a typical working weekend for this artist from Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The 1950 Buick was a commission order up-loaded to our Fine Art America site
this morning with the goal to sell a few note cards, a metal print or, a framed print
or two to a Buick aficionado in the future.

The Yellow-eyed owl was a piece I did on speculation that there are bird lovers
�out there� that must have a large sofa-sized print for their T.V. room. I saw a
photograph taken by a professional in a national photog magazine which I used
as my model.

The two-tone green 1930 Cadillac V-16 is another job done on �spec� in hopes
of impressing lovers of vintage Cadillac�s and enticing them into buying a framed
paper print for their collection of Cadillac art.

The poster with the nine Porsche Sports Cars is because sales of Porsche art
is hot right now. We sold a 6-Porsche poster a few days ago and what the
hell, I figured another one with 50% more cars would �Fly-off-the-shelve�

Of the 1200 + images on our site, over 60% are pieces I�ve done �On-Spec�,
in other words, art I�ve done that I hope someone will like well enough to
buy. We are in a tough market competing with over 200,000 other artists
who�s trying to sell mainly to the same collectors. We have tried to narrow
the field by concentrating on automotive art and pen & ink art of everything!

Our new 16 page catalog is ready to ship and for those of you who requested
one, they are in the mail. To reserve yours send an e-mail to:
inkyarts@comcast.net

It�s been an active and diversified summer of interesting
assignments. We produced a couple of versions of a 1953 Buick
Special Estate Wagon for a customer from New York. Then, the
same customer commissioned a portrait of his Cessna 310
twin-turbo, along with 5 other cars in his collection as well as
his L-39 Czechoslovakia jet trainer.

Then, we did another series of MGs as a poster and a portfolio
with 10 signed and numbered prints in a string and button
portfolio available in October -November.

Speaking of portfolios, I�m working on a series of pre-1948 classic
Lincolns, Cadillac�s and Packard�s which will be available in time
for the gift-giving season in November. You may buy just the
Lincoln, Cadillac or Packard or a jumbo-portfolio of all three.
Details to follow or call me at 575-525-8298. Each portfolio will
be signed & numbered with a certificate of authenticity in limited
runs of only 100 sets. Watch for my ads in the CCCA Bulletin, Cadillac
Self-Starter, Oldsmobile Journey and the AACA Speedster newsletters

We�re also working on a 5 car group-portrait of Camaro�s for a
customer from Missouri.

A combination Classic Chris-Craft yacht and Corvette portrait is also
in the lineup.

And, a predominately mid-50�s/60�s car collector from Santa Fe has
ask for a nine car group portrait done up as an enhanced photo
collage.

A direct mail campaign in July is providing several orders from customers
we haven�t heard from for a long time, over 11 years ago in one instance.

So, as a result of a lot of reaching out and keeping our friends up to date
we are creating a lot of new images of art that represents �Life On The Move�

We hope your summer has been as busy as ours and as productive.

Jack and Sue Pumphrey
575-525-8298
inkyarts@comcast.net

BLACK and WHITE FINE ART
Pen and ink drawing is one of the most visually varied art practices in history. Over the centuries, ink drawing has been used in many different types of art, from calligraphy to tattooing to art sketches and formal drawings. In modern times, ink drawings are used largely for illustration, whether for advertisements, editorial cartoons, or comics. The practice of drawing with ink unites artists through the use of many of the same ink drawing techniques including hatching, crosshatching, wash, and various forms of line.

Not surprisingly, when looked at with a magnifying glass, the scratchy lines and dots look messy, dirty and child-like.

However, when seen from a few feet away the art comes into focus by fooling the eye into thinking it�s one blended tone.

Drawing complex images using little dots of Ink, thin lines and solids is challenging but In the end, very rewarding.

Our new �Customer of the Month� feature, inaugurating with
this 45th issue of Jack�s FAA Newsletter, could be treading on
dangerous grounds.

�How come you didn�t pick us?� could be on the minds of a
lot of our other great customers. �What�s your criteria, JACK?�
others may demand. �How do I become your best customer?�
���������You know, I struggled with this potential
dilemma but came to the conclusion that ALL of our customers
qualify but, we can only talk about one at a time. Besides, it�s
my newsletter, so there :)

Julie & Cliff Peterson of Pleasant Prairie, WI were on the internet
a few weeks ago searching for a special jack (lifting device, not
a bachelorette party dancer) for one of their classic Corvettes,
when they came across �JACKSART� on the same page. Curious
about this, Julie clicked on the blue line and was directed to
my galleries page on www.jack-pumphrey.artistwebsite.com

After exploring the various galleries she made a decision to
contact me about a commission to �do� not only her Corvettes
but, �could you paint them in parked in front of Mel�s Diner?�
and, �could you make the car-hop look like me� And, �could
you add the moon and stars, too?� AND, �could you ship it
to us as a print on canvas?��..a BIG STRETCHED CANVAS
PRINT?.......�of course�, I said!

The finished results are shown to the right. Click on any of the
images to see them enlarged.

That was phase one of their order. Er, orders. Now I�m working
on a composition of Julie & Cliff�s Cadillac Escalades (one an EXT
and the other an Escalade) poised on their lawn with Cliff�s
R C controlled P-38 fighter between them. I�ll be posting this
cool painting when it�s finished, tune in to our web site around
the 6th or 7th of March.

Congratulations to Julie & Cliff Peterson, our �Customer of the
Month�����..Julie & Cliff will receive an order of Jack�s Cruz�n
Cards featuring their red Corvettes as our gift of appreciation.

What is it about our love affair with cars? Not just here in the US, but world-wide. Hells fire, we even follow the tracks of little red rover on Mars. Is that out of this world or, what?
Not that I've been in like & love with cars ever since I saw my reflection in the bumper of that 1941 Caddy back in Seymoure, Indiana. Guess that tells you how long I've been slobbering over these smelly, loud monsters (my mother's words, not mine) We go in debt over them and sadly, forgo clothes & food to buy the set of chrome wheels, just to fit in with those others nutty, must have at all costs, car aficionados? Ah, but that�s car love, for some.
We gladly slosh through the mud and stink of wrecking yards just to find a pristine piece of chrome to replace the one YOU let turn to rust. And, we'll pay extra for someone to park it and then we'll pay to have it washed, shampooed, dried and patted down so "It will last longer" yeah, right; so you'll look cooler tooling down the road, mister, so don't shit me on the longer life theory.
We join clubs, pay dues, mingle and rub shoulders with other waxy rag holding buddies and stick fire extinguishers behind the rear wheels to keep our little (big) lovie-dovies from rolling off into the sun set.
But, hey, it's valentines day and where else can you Indulge such one-sided affection without being scolded for buying the wrong candy or flowers?

Happy New Year!

Automotive posters are a cool way to share your
passions with your friends. Passions for rolling works
of art can be a little hard to explain but,
we car people know.

The car posters I�m doing incorporate my watercolor
art of cars coupled with a basic black �goes with
anything� background and description.

The automobile posters are available in everything
from a 5 x 7 note card to �sofa-sized� wall art.

Order prints on museum quality rag, framed in your
choice of metal or wood, printed with fade resistance
inks on metal and acrylic in sizes up to 72 inches.

We will be adding more art as time permits. The
process entails time consuming knocking out the
background so the image floats on the basic black
background.

Custom orders of your classic car? Absolutely!

Jack & Sue Pumphrey
575-525-8298
inkyarts@comcast.net
follow us on Twitter & Facebook
Jackpumphrey@Jackscarart

As most of you already know, the art & photography I post to
our Fine Arts America site comes from my background in the printing
and graphics arts industry.
Over the years I have had the benefit of hands on experience
of learning the ins & outs of how images are printed, not only
on paper but also the fine a d delicate science of screen printing
on fabric, metal, acrylic and vinyl wrap products.

My company has maintained an excellent relationship with a
local screen printing company that has always kept several steps
ahead of the area�s competition by constantly upgrading its
equipment to meet the demanding needs of their customers.

We have formed an alliance that allows me to have my art
printed onto wearables like Tee-shirts, sweats and jackets. The
level of quality is as high as the quality expected from offset
printing or, the exceptional quality one always gets from
digital imaging here at Fine Arts America.

Additionally, we are able to offer exceptional results in
Embroidery in dazzling color spectrums utilizing my �FAT-LINE�
Broad tipped pen & ink work.

So, if you like my art and would like to use it as a basis for
an event Tee shirt or embroidered Polo let me know the event
dates and other important information and we�ll provide an
exact quote based on your quantities, sizes, garment colors
and the image locations.

This announcement about our screen printing and embroidery
capabilities does not involve Fine Arts America and must be
facilitated through JACK PUMPHREY ARTS.

The images shown here are examples of the quality expected
when utilizing our screen printing and embroidery services.

Contact Jack direct at 575-525-8298 and inkyarts@comcaqst.net
For an exact quote.

First Look Las Cruces and 1931 Cord L 29

After a long weekend in Tucson one of the vistas we look forward to seeing is the wide expansive view of Las Cruces, the city of crosses from the west Mesa overlooking the Mesilla Valley. It�s a visual treat day or night and always breathtaking.

Seeing those magnificent Organ Mountains 25 miles to the east is proof that was almost home.

This panoramic shot was taken from the rest stop just west of �Cruces which overlooks Las Cruces and La Mesilla. I took it with my ten year old Canon Rebel EOS 300D and a long telephoto lens. I had to do a little bracketing but through the miracle of Photoshop & Photomerge made it happen.

This shot along with other views of the New Mexico Southwest are available in large format prints up to 8 feet wide on metal, acrylic, stretched canvas of fine arts paper. There are hundreds of framing options too, all with a 30 day money back guarantee!

I�ve also posted some new art and one I�m especially proud of is the front view of a 1931 Cord L-29 Cabriolet. I like it because of the symmetrically mirror image; makes for an interesting graphic for all connoisseurs of classic automobiles.

Thanks for looking,

Jack

GREETING CARDS

It is getting to the time of year when we start to send out greeting, seasonal and holiday cards.
It�s almost a lost form of social communicating. It used to be one of the supreme forms� of a compliment;
Mailing a hand written note card with a pretty picture that acts as a reminder of something pleasant, our hobby or a favorite place for sharing.

I�ve placed images on this page that have been voted the most popular by other visitors and through recent sales.

There are hundreds more which can be found by going to the gallery representing a subject of interest.
Scenic photographs, automotive themed images, pets and birds, classic automobile art and a few cartoons, to name a few.

All note cards are 5� x 7� when folded and can have a message printed on the inside panels. They come with matching envelopes, too.

One of the special buys this week is a stretched canvas print of �Organ Mountain Sunrise� This would be a terrific addition over a fireplace, at the end of a hallway or anywhere you have a large space that needs color and scenic drama.

If you have a special request you can call me in Las Cruces at 575-525-8298

Thanks for looking at my art,

Jack

NEW ART ~ OLD ADVERTISING
Here�s something that may interest those of you who like or collect
older, classis cars.

I have hundreds of classic cars in my inventory of car paintings
& illustrations.

Many of them match the same old car illustrations found in
magazine advertisements from the 1920s, 30�s, 40�s and newer.

The examples shown here to the right are available in framed prints,
posters & note cards. Click on any of them to see the ads in detail.

Consider this; I could do a painting of your classic from your photos,
locate the matching magazine advertisement by year and combine
them in an interesting, period work of original art.

I keep my prices low because usually, I retain the copyrights.
This is always an optional choice for my customers and they
have the first right of keeping them for their own use.

If this is of interest to you please contact me through the web
site shown below or call 575-525-8298

Thanks for checking out this idea and please forward to your friends.

Jack Pumphrey

Posters are art, too
Do you know the difference between an open edition fine art print and an art poster?

An open edition fine art print is not identified on the print; anywhere.

An open edition fine art print that�s identified with a title is a poster.

OK, what�s an �Open Edition� ?
����.art reproductions that don�t have a pre-determined number of prints in any given print run.

What about limited editions?
�����.That�s when an artist orders an exact amount of prints, usually under his/her supervision and
when that number is reached he/she orders the press stopped and discards any prints that do not meet
the expectations of the artist. Those that don�t are tossed and �overs� are held back as �Artists Proofs�

Are print runs like this called �Signed & Numbered�
������Not until the artist inspects every print and then when satisfied with the quality, signs it in
pencil with a slash mark between the print number and the number of prints ordered��.55/250

The desirability/value level of artist prints in their order of importance is:
1. Signed/numbered/limited edition re-marquee
2. Artist Embellished
3. Signed/numbered/limited edition Artist proof
4. Signed/numbered/limited edition
5. Open edition�
6. Giclee artist print
7. Print on demand

It doesn�t stop here; there is the multitude of methods of printing, such as:
1. Litho stone/wet-stone
2. Hand-pulled wet press
3. Etched copper, hand set type
4. Wet ink screen printing
5. Hand etched copper, pressure pulled
6. Lithography, single color
7. Lithography, multi-colored
8. Laser etched on wood, metal, crystal, acrylic & granite
9. Digital, print on demand
10. Art prints from Fine Arts America, a terrific value based on quality and inspection control.

If you would like a detailed accounting of all of the types of artist prints available please contact me
and I�ll dazzle you with my expertise����..er, I�ll mail you a sheet that�s up to date or, Goggle
printing methods.

It was a dark, rainy, slick and stormy night on my way to the SF international Airport to pick up my red headed girlfriend, Paula, a TWA Stew. I was in a hurry; we hadn�t seen each other in about a week.
So, I was really getting it on, doing about 84 in my little 1956 blue Porsche 356 B. I had just cleaned and waxed the shiny coupe; wanted to impress you know who.
It was October, 1964 and her 707 International was early coming in from Johannesburg S A; I was running late, we were both looking forward to seeing each other;
At 26-28 years old it was a lot more than just �seeing� each other
I noticed a red glow from the dash and instantly came an awful stench with smoke from behind me then a screechy sound of grinding metal. Pistons trying to swap sleeves, valves screaming for some cool air. Crank shaft self-destructing.
Seems those little, flat 4 cylinder rear engined air cooled motors needed lots & lots of air, not old wipe rags full of cleaning wax stuffed in the air intake box.
Ka-blooy! There were bits & shards of hot metal everywhere, Cars heading south behind me on the old Nimitz Blood & Guts freeway (101) were sliding all over. I managed to steer off onto the right shoulder near the Cow Palace and flag a cab to the TWA hangers.
After the long and silent tow back to Pacific Heights, we dropped the sick little car off at my German mechanics� shop on O�Farrell. Somehow, our late date turned out to be memorable experience, a real classic. Must have been the left over aroma of danger adding spice to the Irish Coffees?
Back to the Porsche. It took a whopping $ 375.00 repair and a vow to get something a little bigger (A seafoam green �65 Buick Riviera GS) was in order to keep up my relationship with Paula who clearly enjoyed a more comfy ride.
I sold the Porsche a few days after it was fixed for the staggering sum of $ 3,500.00.
About 1,000.00 less than the new green Buick.
Now, almost 50 years later I hear they're going for upwards of $ 200.000.00
Oh, well, there�s hardly anything left over after 50 years that I still own, let alone a collectable like the 356 B except the painting I did of her a few years ago.
Paula? Last I heard she was hopping aboard a brand new 747-400 to Singapore with a guy named Howard.

Seriously, man, WHO KNEW?

It's been between 95 and 105 for 41 days straight here in Las Cruces. That's O k if you're a lizard or a sun fanatic but for this old artist, it means being cooped up inside the house and studio. Hell, might as well be winter outside, come to think about it, a creamy hot buttered rum might not be too bad.
Have not had time to do any art for myself, just completing assignments (That's commissions to you dedicated Fine Arts people) Delivered a 1st generation 1954 Corvette on Monday and a 2007 C-6 Corvette today. There's a 1955 Packard Caribbean Convertible at the framers and I'm about ready to start on a Cessna 206 flying over the Outer Banks. Between those I squeezed in a line drawing of a 50' Sea Ray express Yacht; art that will wind up on a frosty glass of gin & tonic or a bloody mary. Been doing this "simple" line art for about 15 years now. The company that offers the bar-ware is Welcome Aboard, an on-line nautical catalog for the yachting crowd. We have drawn every possible kind of watercraft from houseboats to to catamarans, dinky sailboats to globe trotting 200 footers. Gotta run now, heard some thunder a while ago, could a little rain be far behind?

I remember simpler times when working on your car was easy; no special tools, just a spark plug wrench and a dry-off rag. The Ford flat head was the easist to "work" on. Those were simple times, oh, how I long for them now. I hardly know what's under my hood! The V-8 60's were cool to look at, too.

The Hackberry store in northern Arizona has several iconic images that are part of the total picture. The Flying Pegasus sign and the red Corvette. When photographing this historic treasure those two items much be part of the picture. When using the photograph as the model for a painting, historical accuracy dictates those two item be part of the picture. I think I have met those rules in this painting. The other three cars are a 1929 model A pick-up, a 1957 Thunderbird and a blue, un-named pick-up.
Jack Pumphrey
Las Cruces, New Mexico

I am trying something new..........well, new to me, that is, combining pen & ink art with a separate watercolor image. The contrast and effect is stunning. At lease I think so. I recently posted about 9 images that have this "dual-medium" look. Let me know what you think of it at inkyarts@comcast.net....Jack

Pen and ink art is understated as an art form because it
looks so simple & easy......like doodling?
Some uneducated buyers think pen & ink art should be
cheaper to buy but, they are simply uninformed.
Making shadows and dimension out of tiny dots and
thin lines of ink requires patience, concentration and a
steady hand.






An ink wash drawing is simply a modified pen & ink
drawing that uses an ink wash or, where an application
of shades of grey are applied with a watercolor brush.
This is high art and should be appreciated in the same
critique as a watercolor painting.
The challenge is to achieve the degree of contrast with-
out overdoing it.
One of the good things about this medium is, it's quick
and with practice, efficient.

Pen and ink art is understated as an art form because it
looks so simple & easy......like doodling?
Some uneducated buyers think pen & ink art should be
cheaper to buy but, they are simply uninformed.
Making shadows and dimension out of tiny dots and
thin lines of ink requires patience, concentration and a
steady hand.






An ink wash drawing is simply a modified pen & ink
drawing that uses an ink wash or, where an application
of shades of grey are applied with a watercolor brush.
This is high art and should be appreciated in the same
critique as a watercolor painting.
The challenge is to achieve the degree of contrast with-
out overdoing it.
One of the good things about this medium is, it's quick
and with practice, efficient.

Watercolor Art requires the same demands of pen and
ink and ink wash, combined. Pen & ink for areas of solid
black; grey wash for some shade areas & reflections and
blended colors to show shape and contrast without using
a black "cartoonish" line.
As in pen & ink & ink wash, there is no room for making
mistakes working with this demanding medium.
You screw up, you discard it and start over.
Watercolor Art requires the same demands of pen and
ink and ink wash, combined. Pen & ink for areas of solid
black; grey wash for some shade areas & reflections and
blended colors to show shape and contrast without using
a black "cartoonish" line.
As in pen & ink & ink wash, there is no room for making
mistakes working with this demanding medium.
You screw up, you discard it and start over.