Tuesday, January 19, 2016

A Deja vu Sighting At An Historical Church in the Country


                       A Deja vu Sighting At An Historical Church in the Country



We had an interesting drive through the country today. We had an unplanned visit to a couple of painted churches in central Texas, built in the nineteenth century. One was at High Hill, outside of Schulenburg, Texas. The church from the outside "does not clue you in on what is in the inside". http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/st-marys-church-high-hill-schulenburg?select=rg3nPfMmnBl1ddqyTqQZ_A It has hand painted art all over the walls and ceiling, hence, to which all the painted churches in Fayette county are referred. The alter, cabinets, and wood work are beautifully carved and constructed at the St. Mary's Church at High Hill. http://www.texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsSouth/HighHillTexas/High-Hill-Texas-St-Marys-Catholic-Church.htm

The churches were created by 19th century immigrants from Austria and Germany. But the art is said to have been painted by itinerant artists later around the turn of the century, who advertised in the San Antonio paper.  The other beautifully painted church, St. Mary of the Assumption, we visited is at Praha, outside of Flatonia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary%27s_Church_of_the_Assumption_(Praha,_Texas)

 It was Deja vu when I spotted a rock grotto, https://www.tripadvisor.co.il/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g56640-d2460464-i141062937-Painted_Churches_Tour-Schulenburg_Texas.html,  https://www.tripadvisor.co.il/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g56640-on the grounds, outside the Praha church.  St. Mary of  the Assumption's rock grotto that's on the left of the church in front, is a replica of one I sketched out on my canvass, to paint next. The grotto, I'm going to paint is to be next to the sketch of the oldest church in U.S.,San Miguel. It's in Taos, New Mexico, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecKXVHwkFJs The grotto outside the painted church is positioned in the same place, as the one in my sketch. I was just trying to fill in some space(an artist privilege) on my canvass. It was spooky because I had never seen it or planned it that way. I use the image of San Miguel church to fit my Hispanic southwest themes. The Taos church will serve as a background to other images in my painting. I am most attracted to the Spanish Colonial history and its art.

 Now, I'm beginning to think I better paint another picture of the church at Praha to have an authentic image of the Grotto and what I saw today. I don't want to get into trouble with any ghosts who may have been hanging around the Grottos that I saw today.  And I'm looking forward to visiting the other painted churches in Fayette County on other day trips. http://www.texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsSouth/PaintedChurchesTour.htm

Yes, it was a beautiful day.