October Western Mini

For Octobers Western Mini I am calling this one “Cow Beam.” thought it would be fun to add in aliens for the spooky seasons so we have our little cow getting beamed up to the spacecraft.

Quick note this will be 3rd to the last of the western minis. Last one will be Dec 2026. I am planing to start a print club Jan 2027 where I can send out small (like 4×6 or 5×7 size) prints of larger works. As much as I love being able to do originals and I love the idea of making original art available to every price point I am not getting my larger pieces done since I’m spending way too much time on these little guys and I really don’t make anything off of them. For those of you who are subscribed you will NOT be auto put in the print club. there are some other things in the works but I will announce them if they happen and in that case the print club will be put on hold but that’s a slim chance. anyway hope y’all enjoy this months western mini.

MERC

Fallout a Desert Getaway - Free Fan Art

This is the second piece of free Fallout fan art I’ve put together, and it’s unofficially part of my Desert Getaway series. I’m using that same 1960s National Parks poster inspired look with my own style mixed in. With name suggestions from, “Oh Fuck” to “Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit!” this is clearly your usual peaceful wasteland vacation scene.

The saguaro cactus are there for a reason, too. This is the Sonoran Desert, not the Mojave, so this isn’t a New Vegas reference. I wanted to give this piece its own little place in the Fallout world while still keeping it connected to the desert landscapes I’m already exploring in my art.

A Little Thank You to the Fallout Community

The Fallout community has been incredibly supportive of my Western art, even from people who don’t necessarily care for Western aesthetics themselves. The fact that you’ve continued to support my work and follow along with my art journey means a lot to me. So, as a little thank you, I’m making this piece available as a free download for personal use.

You can download the image and make your own prints or personal products with it. Want to put it on your wall? Go for it. Want to make something for yourself? That’s what it’s there for.

All I ask is that you don’t sell the artwork or products made with it, and please give me credit as the artist. I’d love to see what you make so feel free to tag me if you use it!

Download Fallout a Desert Getaway

Image size: 15” × 11”, including the border (updated Sept 26, 2026)

Resolution: 300 DPI

If you missed the first fanart piece you can find it here: Fallout Nuka Girl

What’s Coming with Desert Getaway?

I’m still working on the rest of my Desert Getaway series, and I’m going to start sharing the finished pieces soon. There will be more desert landscapes, more of that vintage travel poster inspiration, and plenty of my own Western flavor worked into the series.

Thanks again for following along, supporting my art, and giving me an excuse to make Fallout fan art. I hope you enjoy this one!

MERC

September Western Mini

Haven’t done a silhouette as a mini painting for a minute so thought that could be fun. All paintings were from the same view of the sunrise so this on is named “Saguaro Sunrise” and then 1-4 for these ones here. Now the Saguaro are easy to identify but the small cactus on the left is a Fishhook or Devils Tongue cactus. Directly to the right of the larger, and closer, Saguaro is a Jumping Cholla. This is a sunrise I could wakeup to every morning.

If you would like one of these mini painting you can find them here under the Western Minis. You can buy them as a one time thing or do the once a month subscription both are only $6. This has been a fun project making original art affordable to all price points but sadly I’m only continuing thru December 2026. I have found I have not had as much time for my bigger pieces because these take a surprisingly large amount of time so at that point I will be canceling the subscription and moving to a lager print mail club. and by larger I mean 5×7” no longer 2.5×3.5” and now I kinda want to make them postcards but I think my love of vintage may be coming in there.

I’ll think on it,

MERC

The Rough Rider - Other Artist

I got a new piece of art for my collection. This particular piece was drawn by my friend Jimmy Worthington, and it is a recreation of a classic American traditional tattoo design called The Rough Rider. Jimmy works in pen and ink recreating traditional flash designs as well as creating his own in this same style. I have a soft spot for that kind of work and if fits my pop art western home ascetic well. Before I get into Jimmy, though, this particular skull has a surprisingly deep history.

The Rough Rider

The design is commonly known today as the Rough Rider skull. Although a skull in a cowboy had is not a new idea and you can find images starting to emerge not long after the 1865 creation of the cowboy hat by John B. Stetson the name “The Rough Rider” probably came from an 1899 calendar image titled “A Rough Rider,” attributed to illustrator Louis Crusius. It depicts a skeleton dressed as a cowboy, connecting the skeleton, Western imagery, and the name “Rough Rider” more than a century ago although it looked nothing like this skull in a cowboy hat. 

This specific cowboy skull composition that became famous in tattooing appears in another piece of popular American illustration: the cover of “Death on a Dude Ranch,” a 1937 crime novel by Francis Bonnamy. With the art originally created by illustrator Walter Frame. However this may not be the first.

Tom Berg also has this flash design that looks remarkably like the book cover skull that is dated 1910 making it the oldest known if the date is correct.

I believe the original was from Tom Berg but have no way to verify that and clearly this is an image a lot of people recreated.

And then came Tony Polito. Polito began tattooing in Brooklyn in 1959 his version of the cowboy skull became particularly recognizable, and Polito himself referred to it as the Rough Rider. As far as I can find this is where the name came from.

It’s also been calld “Crazy Sal” after Salvatore DeSarno, “Crazy Sal,” was photographed after being arrested. He had a large version of the rough rider tattooed across his chest. So if that’s what you know it as that’s why.

Jimmy Worthington

[JIMMY’S INSTAGRAM]

Jimmy and I have known each other for about twenty years.

If you know Jimmy or even just look at his username you probably already know he was a Marine, but after being medically discharged, he set his sights on tattooing. He went through an apprenticeship and began working at a tattoo studio in the PNW. Eventually, though, a seizure disorder made tattooing something he could no longer safely do. Yes, I know how familiar this sounds. I have an deep knowledge on how particularly hard this is to lose when you have spent years learning a craft and building your identity around the idea of doing it.

But Jimmy didn’t stop making art. To help with depression he continued drawing.

Some of what he creates are original designs. Some are recreations of traditional flash like the one I bought. Some are his own interpretations of old imagery. And lately, he’s started selling the pieces he makes.

If you like tradition tattoo design and want to support a good artist go check out is art. I put a like under his name, If you see a piece you want don’t be afraid to message him. as of now he doesn’t have a shop set up but I’m working on it with hm.

Love ya’ll and see you Monday

MERC

Southern Arizona or Western Washington State

After the Tucson trip I settled into being home until July. We spent the 4th in Kansas in Derby where my husband helped with their fireworks display and then we headed to Washington to see family. It was wonderful to stay with my old cowboy of a Grandfather ensuring we got the most time possible with him. The horse that each of my kids first rides were on is still kickin at 30years old and Pokey is still a good boy although living out his retirement now. We got to see my dad and my older cousin came over and we were all able to walk down to the river I played at as a kid. With my mom we went to Fort Casey and explored the ruins. And we got to visit with my Granny and I got to hear more stories of her wilder days. All in all a wonderful visit and I miss my family so much.

BUT and hinted at by the title we are now trying to decide if we want to move to Southern AZ or Western WA. It’s not a rush Alex still has a few years in the Army but I’m a planner. So Pros and Cons.

Arizona Pros: Cactus and I love cactus, mountains and huge sky, dramatic light twice a day, mild winters, desert landscape, my favorite landscape to paint, the storms in monsoon season, great hiking, western lifestyle, kiva fireplaces, great environment for photography, arty culture, good weather ¾ the year.

Washington Pros: Beautiful green landscape, moss, great mountain hiking, perfect summers, long summer daylight, Good temperatures all year, near the ocean, gardening is easy, the fall colors, it’s my childhood home, cascade pizza, Ivers clam chowder, my family, some of my husbands family, I still have friends there, I already know other artist

Arizona Cons: Hot summer, no friends or family, can’t walk outside barefoot, little water

Washington Cons: Any family drama, almost no cactus, mold, very expensive, logger over cowboy style, hikes are full of people, traffic

I don’t know

MERC

Day 5 ??? Goodbye Tucson

So I kinda forgot to post more… so let’s get caught up. My last day started before sunrise I was able to go out and do a boudoir shoot for myself at sun rise and it made me fall back in love with the style again. I then did a photoshoot of my husband as painting references for myself as wall as possible future album art for him.

After that we headed out. Got a great breakfast in town and stopped in a little town in the Gila mountains to check out an antique shop. I wish I could remember any of the names. Anyway we ended up getting a hotel on Route 66 in Tucumcari NM. That’s about it we got home the next day and it was so good to be with my dogs again.

I’ll be back tomorrow to talk about the rest of summer,

MERC

Day 4: Sunrises, Saguaros, and Tombstone

I am absolutely exhausted, which probably means this is going to be a little rambly. Today started with one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. I woke up, opened my eyes, and immediately noticed the sky outside our window was pink. Not just a little pink either. The whole sky looked like it was on fire. I grabbed a camera and ran outside before I was even fully awake. The clouds caught every color imaginable. Yellow, orange, blue, purple, even deep maroon. With the saguaros silhouetted against all of it, it looked almost unreal. Sometimes you take a photo because you want to remember a place. Sometimes you take a photo because you’re not entirely convinced what you’re looking at is real. This was the second kind.

After breakfast, we headed over to the east side of Saguaro National Park and walked the Mica View Trail. Compared to Wasson Peak yesterday, this was a very easy stroll. It’s only about two miles and flat. You could push a stroller on all of it and a lot of locals were walking their dogs here. One thing that stood out about both sides of the park was there was NO garbage. I was really impressed and I assume it is the locals picking up trash because other areas of the country have proven to me that a lot of tourist are trash themselves for the way they don’t pick up after themselves.

Okay back to the walk. I can’t call this one a hike. The cholla seemed to be blooming everywhere. Some were covered in orange flowers, others pink. I also got to see a fishhook barrel cactus, sometimes called a devil’s tongue, with its yellow fruit still hanging on it. I’d love to try one someday, you know somewhere that harvesting one isn’t illegal.

One thing that really caught my attention was a large crested saguaro near the trail. Yesterday was the first time I’d seen one in person, and today I learned a little more about how those unusual growth patterns form. They’re fascinating. I already know at least one crested saguaro is going to end up in a future painting.

After the trail we stopped at a large rock formation within the park so I could take more photos. A lot of the desert views are relatively flat with mountains in the distance. Beautiful, but different than the dramatic rock formations I tend to gravitate toward when painting. This spot had exactly the kind of weathered stone and texture that I love incorporating into artwork. Unfortunately, I also discovered that jumping cholla are not just creatively named. I put my hand in the wrong place and ended up with a segment buried pretty deep into my little finger. The cactus won that round. I got it out without too much trouble, though my finger disagrees.

After that, we pointed the truck toward Tombstone. We did make a quick stop in Benson at The Cowboy Way to buy me a dress. The one I brought despite being washed in cold water and line dried shrunk and I had no intention of giving anyone a peep show. I don’t mind showing a long bit of leg but I would like my booty fully covered.

I have mixed feelings about Tombstone. Before anyone gets upset, I enjoyed it. I just think I went in expecting more history and less tourism. In reality, Tombstone is very much a place where you’re going to spend money while learning some history along the way. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I actually think Alex got more immediate inspiration out of it than I did. Since he writes Western Americana music, I could practically see song ideas forming while we walked around. Though I have to admit, the story of Gold Dollar and Margarita has been rattling around in my brain all afternoon. I could absolutely see that becoming a painting someday.

When we first arrived, we watched a comedy gunfight show. It was fun, family friendly, and well done. The blanks are loud enough that very young kids might not appreciate it, but otherwise it was a good time. I had hoped to visit the local art gallery afterward, but unfortunately it was closed. I did, however, finally find a hat that fits me. This may not sound exciting to most people, but I have been looking for years. The last hat that fit me this well was the bowler hat I wore in high school.

The real highlight of Tombstone for me ended up being the Bird Cage Theatre. If you’re interested in history, this is the place I’d tell you not to skip. The theater earned its name because of the small private boxes attached to the walls above the main floor resembled bird cages hanging along the interior. There is local lore that the name came from the first performer there who danced in a golden birdcage and although I love that story the design of the theater is the one historians talk about. The building itself is remarkable because it survived when much of old Tombstone did not. Fires destroyed many of the town’s original structures over the years, but the Bird Cage remains one of the most intact original buildings left standing due to the adobe and brick construction. Walking through it feels very different from walking through a reconstruction.

What surprised me most were the little details. The hand painted wallpaper is still visible in many places and is absolutely beautiful. You can tell tremendous effort has gone into preserving what remains. I also learned that the women working there had to purchase permits to work in each establishment, costing $7.50 per month. Considering some of them were reportedly charging only 25 cents per customer, that fee seems incredibly steep. There are dozens of stories scattered throughout the building. Some are tragic, some strange, some funny. One involves a horse drawn hearse and a young boy who is said to remain attached to it in spirit. His grave is located at Boot Hill Cemetery, and the staff asks visitors not to leave candy on the hearse because it attracts rodents. Whether you believe the ghost stories or not, the Bird Cage is full of fascinating history. I could have spent even longer there reading everything.

The rest of Tombstone was a bit more hit and miss for me. We wandered through souvenir shops, and while a few were interesting, most seemed to be selling the same polyester costumes and tourist trinkets. One shop did have handmade soaps and perfume oils. Alex and I both picked out scents. I am still searching for someone capable of bottling the smell of desert rain. I want sagebrush, petrichor, and maybe a little cactus flower mixed in. Apparently nobody has created the perfect desert thunderstorm perfume yet.

I was also disappointed by the amount of AI generated artwork being sold. Surely there are local artists who would love the opportunity to sell prints in these shops. It felt strange seeing artificial images in a place built around preserving history and local culture.

Lunch was at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon. The food was excellent. I completely forgot I had planned to take Alex to the local brewery, but completely forgot in the moment. After lunch we watched the gunfight performance at the O.K. Corral. One thing I appreciated was that while the show encourages you to cheer for the “good guys” and boo the “bad guys,” it also makes it clear that history is more complicated than that. Nobody involved was entirely good, and nobody was entirely evil. I like that approach. Afterward we explored the exhibits and photographs taken by local photographers from the period. As much as I enjoyed the gunfight, I think I spent more time studying the photographs.

Then we headed over to Boot Hill Cemetery. The pamphlet they hand out was excellent. It identifies the known graves and even discusses people who are believed to be buried there but whose exact grave locations have been lost to time and marked as unknown. Of course, everyone wants to see Lester Moore’s grave. Surprisingly it wasn’t the most interesting one there.

The thing that inspired me the most all day wasn’t a grave at all it was seeing some of the old photographs, especially the vintage boudoir portraits. Those images are probably going to influence future paintings far more than any cowboy shootout.

One thing I would tell anyone planning a trip here is bring spending money. Every attraction costs somewhere between six and twenty dollars per person, and tipping performers is encouraged. Nothing is outrageously expensive, but it adds up quickly and it’s handy to have actual cash.

By the time we left Tombstone, we were ready for a quieter evening. We drove back toward Tucson and ended up passing through the park around sunset. The light was incredible again. Saguaros glowing gold, mountains turning purple, long shadows stretching across the desert. Arizona just keeps showing off.

Now I’m sitting here trying to stay awake long enough to finish writing this. Tomorrow will start before sunrise again. I’ve been inspired to shoot boudoir again and I want to be up for those sunrise shots.

Goodnight Y’all,

MERC

Day 3: Saguaros, Sunburns, and Questionable Camera Decisions

I woke up just before 5:00 this morning, but thanks to the time difference it felt like sleeping in. We started the day slowly on our little patio at the Joshua Tree House. I had a cup of prickly pear tea while Alex drank black coffee. I miss coffee. A lot. We also finished off the tacos we’d brought back from El Charro the night before while watching the sun come up over the desert. Not a bad way to start a day.

Our original plan was to stop by the visitor center at Saguaro National Park before hiking, but when we got there they weren’t open yet. We ended up buying a seven day vehicle pass because we thought we needed something displayed in the truck. Later we found out our America the Beautiful pass would have worked just fine and we just needed to have it with us. Apparently you’re not really supposed to leave anything in your vehicle. Oh well. We’ll call it a donation to the park.

From there we headed out on the Sendero Esperanza Trail toward Wasson Peak. The hike ended up being right around eight miles round trip, and it was absolutely beautiful.

When we started just after sunrise, most of the cactus flowers were still closed. As the morning went on, we got to watch them gradually open up. By the time we reached the peak, the desert looked completely different than it had when we started. I love the way saguaros wear a crown of flowers. The early morning light was incredible too. The long shadows stretching across the desert made everything feel dramatic. I took far more photos on the way up than I did on the way down because the light was just so much better. I also completely fell in love with the palo verde trees. Their green bark almost glows in the morning sun. Honestly, I think everything out here is beautiful.

At some point yesterday I introduced Alex to the Seek app, which identifies plants and wildlife. He became our designated plant expert for the day. I stopped looking things up myself because he’d identify something and then spend the next few minutes telling me everything he learned about it. He was having a great time and that allowed me to focus on take more photos.

One of the nicest parts of the hike was how quiet it was. We didn’t see another person until we were getting close to the peak and they had used a different trail to get there. On the way back down we passed a few hikers, but for most of the morning it felt like we had the mountain to ourselves. I’m sure it gets busier later in the day and probably much busier on weekends, but starting at sunrise definitely paid off.

Our biggest mistake of the day was sunscreen. Or rather, the complete lack of sunscreen. I had put some on my face during my morning routine, but somehow we both assumed the other person had packed the sunscreen. By the time we figured that out, the damage had already been done. Even though we finished the hike around 11:00 a.m., we both managed to get pretty thoroughly roasted. In our defense, we spent nearly five hours on the trail because we stopped every few minutes to take photos. I regret nothing.

The farther we climbed, the more the flowers opened. Hummingbirds appeared everywhere, darting between blossoms. Some of the blooming cactus we surrounded by bees and it made me so happy to see. We also saw several tarantula hawks. After looking them up later, I’m very happy none of them decided to sting us. The ones we saw were actually beautiful with metallic blue bodies with bright orange wings. Later, when we visited the visitor center, we saw preserved specimens and they weren’t nearly as impressive as the living ones.

We also discovered a cactus called Graham’s nipple. As soon as I learned that was a real cactus name, I immediately thought of Fallout 76. I promise the free Fallout inspired painting I’m planning for this trip will not feature Graham the Super Mutant with cactus nipples. No promises beyond that.

Today was also the first time I’ve seen crested saguaros in person. They’re so fascinating. They look like somebody melted the top of the cactus and let it harden into a wave. I’ve seen photos before, but seeing one in real life is entirely different.

Speaking of things that didn’t go according to plan, my film cameras have officially entered the “we’ll see what happens” stage. I discovered that one of my 35mm cameras wasn’t loaded correctly. I fixed it, but then started having trouble advancing the film. My second 35mm camera decided to act like the brand new batteries I put in it were already dead. At this point I think the universe is trying to tell me it’s time to buy different film cameras. The rolls that come back from this trip may contain masterpieces or absolutely nothing. It’ll be a surprise for all of us.

After finishing the hike, we drove over to Signal Hill to see the petroglyphs. I’d never seen petroglyphs in person before. It was incredible standing there looking at artwork that has survived for centuries. A few of the designs immediately started giving me ideas for future paintings.

Once we got back to the Joshua Tree House, I took another much needed shower and grabbed a few more self portraits in the room and private patio. Then I spent some time at the pool. The water was actually a really comfortable temperature, but because I was sunburned it felt much colder than it probably was. I only stayed in for about half an hour, but the pool itself is gorgeous. It looks less like a swimming pool and more like a natural desert rock formation. I cannot stress enough how much I love this property.

For a late lunch and early dinner, we headed over to Bashful Bandit Barbecue. We both ordered brisket. Now, our friend Steve is a competition brisket smoker, so restaurant brisket is always fighting an uphill battle with me. That said, it was excellent. Better than most restaurant brisket I’ve had in Texas, and I generally prefer Texas barbecue over barbecue from anywhere else. I’d absolutely eat there again.

At this point I’m struggling to keep my eyes open while Alex streams Bonanza.

Good night y’all,

MERC

Day 2: Cholla Blooms and First Impressions of Tucson

We woke up in Moriarty, New Mexico, surprisingly well rested after a night sleeping in the back of the truck. As it turns out, a mattress in the truck bed is a lot more comfortable than it probably has any right to be.

After Alex grabbed a coffee and I got my water, we headed west again.

The drive through the Gila National Forest ended up being one of the most beautiful stretches of road I’ve ever driven. We climbed higher into the mountains, winding through incredible rock formations and stopping at what felt like every turnout we could find. Every time I thought I had taken enough photos, another view would appear around the next corner.

Near the Black Range and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness, we stopped at an overlook and watched rain move across the landscape below us. From where we were standing, you could see sunlight hitting one section of the mountains while curtains of rain drifted across another. I hate that no photos can really do it justice.

This was also where I started seeing cholla cactus in bloom. I’d seen photos before, but they were even prettier in person. The purple looking cholla seemed to be covered in yellow flowers, while the greener plants were blooming pink. I immediately found myself trying to figure out the differences between tree cholla and jumping cholla, which led to a rabbit hole of cactus research that I’m sure will continue for the rest of this trip.

The farther south we traveled, the more desert plants appeared. I saw what I believe were century plants sending up enormous flower stalks, towering over everything around them. They looked almost prehistoric. I also discovered ocotillo for the first time. Somehow I had never paid much attention to them before, but seeing them covered in bright blooms completely changed that. Between the cholla, the agaves, and the ocotillo, I was already finding enough inspiration for a dozen paintings.

And then, finally, we started seeing saguaros. Not just one or two, but entire hillsides covered in them. I may have gotten a little too excited.

After months of planning and years of wanting to visit this part of Arizona, actually seeing saguaros standing across the landscape felt surreal. We reached the outskirts of Tucson around four in the afternoon and knew that once we got checked into the Joshua Tree House, neither of us would want to get back in the truck for the evening.

So before heading to our lodging, we stopped for dinner at El Charro. Founded in 1922, El Charro is one of Tucson’s most famous restaurants and is recognized as the oldest Mexican restaurant continuously operated by the same family in the United States. I ordered the taco sampler and absolutely loved it. The plate was far larger than I expected so Alex ended up helping me finish it. We enjoyed it so much that we ordered extra tacos to go, figuring we’d probably want a snack later that evening. They would eventually become breakfast.

After dinner, we finally made it to the Joshua Tree House. The Tucson property blends desert architecture, natural materials, vintage furnishings, and a simplicity that feels perfectly suited to the Sonoran Desert. The entire place just made me slow down and enjoy each moment. From the time we arrived, it felt less like a hotel and more like being invited into a thoughtfully designed desert home. After a much appreciated shower, I spent some time taking self portraits while Alex got cleaned up. Once we were both settled in, we headed outside to explore the property.

The sunset that evening was incredible. The desert glowed gold, then orange, then deep shades of pink as the light faded. We wandered around taking photos and immediately started talking about paintings. I already know several of those images are going to end up on canvas/paper when I get home and I suspect I’ll be painting scenes from this property for a long time. If we were able to be here longer I would have done a live painting on the property for sure.

The main building itself is just as beautiful as the grounds. Every room seems to reveal another thoughtful detail, another corner worth photographing, another spot where you want to sit with a cup of coffee or tea and stay awhile. That first night was incredibly quiet. We only saw one other couple, and they slipped into their room without more than a nod.

Alex had brought his guitar with him, but there was also one available at the property. As the sun disappeared and the evening cooled off, he sat in the outdoor dining area and quietly played for a while. It was the perfect way to end the day.

Music, desert air, and the saguaros.

MERC

Day 1: Cadillac Ranch and a Night in New Mexico

Today was our first day on the road, and after a slightly earlier start than planned, we finally headed west.

We ended up leaving home around 10:00 a.m. after realizing the truck needed an oil change before tackling a 2,500 mile drive. It's one of those things that's much better to discover in the driveway than halfway across the Texas Panhandle.

Once that was taken care of, we pointed the truck toward Arizona or Texas anyway.

The drive itself was pretty uneventful, which honestly isn't a bad thing. We spent most of the day following Highway 54 through a string of small towns as the landscape gradually became more interesting the further west we went. There were areas even in Kansas I had not been to before and seeing the country makes road trips enjoyable.

One town that stood out was Kiowa, Kansas. With a population of only a few hundred people, it's the kind of place you could easily drive through without noticing if you blinked at the wrong moment. But it has a surprisingly impressive sculpture downtown that caught my attention enough to make me take a second look. Small towns often end up being some of my favorite parts of a road trip because they have character that you don't find along the interstate.

My husband drove the entire day, which was a nice change for me. Usually I'm alone so behind the wheel, but this time I got to sit back and watch the scenery roll by enjoying the trip without worrying about traffic or navigation.

Our main stop for the day was Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo.

Alex, my husband, had never been there before, so it was fun getting to share one of those classic roadside attractions with him. We took photos, added a little spray paint to the ever changing artwork, and wandered around for a while. It had started a very light sprinkle by then, but that didn't seem to discourage anyone. Even with the weather, there were probably a hundred people cycling through during the half hour we were there. I had hoped to be here at sunset and we were a little to early but the sunset wasn't that dramatic tonight so I’m fin with missing is. Also re found out my vintage polaroids flash doesn't work so a little disappointing but it’s fine. I do really wish Herington the town I live in now would have something like this where people could spray paint an old train or something as public art.

Afterward we headed into Amarillo for dinner. Unfortunately, every place we specifically wanted to try seemed to be closed by the time we got there. We briefly considered stopping at The Big Texan, but the hour long wait without reservations convinced us otherwise. Several people have told us it's something everyone should do at least once, and maybe someday we will. But after a long day on the road, standing around waiting for a table wasn't very appealing. I did, however, get a photo of a giant Godzilla wearing cowboy boots, which feels like a perfectly reasonable thing to encounter in Texas.

From Amarillo we kept driving west until we reached Moriarty, New Mexico. Rather than getting a hotel, we set up in the back of the truck for the night. We have a mattress back there, and I have to admit it was surprisingly comfortable. Sometimes simple solutions work better than expected.

The final memorable moment of the day came at a gas station near the rest area where we stopped for the night. As I walked inside, an alien themed fortune machine lit up and announced, "This is the face I make when I probe you." I was not prepared for that sentence. I’m sure the grin I had when I told Alex about it was ear to ear. It was such a bizarre and perfectly New Mexico moment that I ended up filming some of its other saying to send to friends. Sadly the prob quote didn't come up again in the short time I was willing to stand there.

And with that, Day 1 has come to a close.

About 600 miles down, a lot more to go, and Arizona getting a little closer with every mile.

MERC

Heading to the Southwest

Tomorrow I point the truck south west and start the long drive to Arizona.

I’ve wanted to see saguaro cactus in bloom for years, and now I’m finally heading into the heart of saguaro country at exactly the right time. Most people probably have a favorite flower or a favorite tree. Mine are cactus flowers. There’s something about saguaro that feels almost unreal standing out in the desert like giant alien trees on a red planet. I’m hoping to see plenty of blooms while I’m there, but I’m also excited to learn more about some of the other local cactus species. I know a lot about prickly pear but cholla and barrel cactus aren’t ones I saw all the time in Texas. Here’s a whole desert ecosystem that I am very interested in learning more about.

As always, I’ll be documenting as much of the trip as possible on film. My vintage Polaroid 600 is coming along, along with a small camera that lives in my bag and shoots 110 film. I’m also bringing two different 35mm cameras loaded with Kodak Gold. Digital photography is convenient, but there’s something about film that can’t be replicated post process. Every frame is intentional, and I think a landscape like the Sonoran Desert deserves that kind of attention.

One thing that’s going to feel strange is leaving the dogs behind. I take them almost everywhere, so traveling without them feels a little unnatural. This time it’ll just be me, my husband and a lot of highway. But I have friends staying with them so they’ll still have lots of attention and I won’t have to worry about them in the heat.

I’ll be staying at the Joshua Treehouse in Tucson, specifically in the Cholla Room. I have to admit, I’m a little apprehensive about not having a private restroom and shower. That’s definitely outside my comfort zone. But after looking through all the rooms, the Cholla Room was still my favorite, and sometimes part of traveling is accepting a little discomfort in exchange for a unique experience.

The drive itself is no small undertaking at roughly 1,200 miles one way. This isn’t a particularly long vacation, but it already feels luxurious compared to the quick overnight trips I’ve been making lately to Texas and Oklahoma. Those trips are always more driving than actually being there.

One thing I’m especially looking forward to is the route. Instead of spending the entire trip on major interstates, I mapped out a path that keeps me mostly on highways through smaller towns. It may not be the fastest way to get there, but it’s definitely the way I prefer to travel. I like seeing the places in between. The old gas stations, the local diners, the grain elevators, the forgotten main streets, and the landscapes that slowly change mile by mile. The journey is part of the adventure.

For now, the cameras are packed, the route is loaded, and tomorrow the adventure begins.

Short Texas Road Trip

This was one of those quick runs that doesn’t feel like it should count as a “trip” even though the odometer would strongly disagree. About 1,200 miles in two days, a blur of highway, weather, coffee stops, and the dog sleeping around in the backseat. For this trip only Bronya came with me.

On the way down, I stopped again in Guthrie, Oklahoma. I’ve passed through there enough times that it usually ends up being a quick stretch and go stop, but this time I finally got to hit a coffee shop that’s never been open when I’ve driven through before. It had a really nice atmosphere. Hoboken coffee rosters was one of those places that makes you wish you had more time to sit and actually take it in. Storms were rolling in while I was there. Lightning and thunder rolling across the sky. I’m so thankful my dogs are chill with thunder. But with the rain I didn’t stay long so what was going to be a long stop was just a small pause in the middle of the long road.

From there, the drive stretched out longer than expected because of the weather. Slower traffic, heavier skies, and several wrecks. Eventually, I made it down to my best friend’s ranch.

It was good just to be there. No big plans, nothing structured just catching up after not seeing her since last year. She has a screened-in porch she recently put in, and it ended up being the perfect place to sit while storms moved through the area. We stayed out there for a while just talking and watching the weather roll in and out across the landscape.

At sunset, everything shifted into a strange purple light to the east. A rainbow stretched across it. that’s two things I had never seen before a full purple sky and a rainbow at sunset. I turned around and the opposite direction was completely different. The sunset breaking through on the western horizon was all orange and gold. It was bright enough to feel like a different day was happening in that direction.

The next morning, I went out and took a few photos of my best friend on an old Chevy truck sitting out in her pasture. It ended up being the closest thing to a birthday gift I could manage since I had missed the actual day. Well, not exactly missed it, just managed to forget what month it was when I was thinking about it. It was still a good morning for it. Simple and quiet, just taking photos and letting the day start slowly.

After that, I grabbed some Texas jalapeño sausage kolaches form Moody Donuts and headed north again and picked up my daughter in Dallas. From there we made one more stop in Norman, Oklahoma at Bison Witches. It’s a sandwich shop during the day and turns into a bar with live music at night. Good food, good energy, and another solid pause before getting back on the road.

By the time we were heading back into Kansas, the storms were still following us with big cloud systems rolling across the sky. We finally made it home later that night.

Just a short Texas trip. Just over 1,200 miles in two days. A few good stops and a lot of weather.

MERC

Southbound

There’s something about leaving before sunrise that makes even an ordinary trip feel a little cinematic.

Bronya and I are getting ready to be somewhere southbound with a thermos between us and a camera bag riding shotgun. No dramatic cross country adventure this time. Just twelve hundred miles, two days, a husky with no concept of personal space and a long stretch of highway between Kansas and Texas.

I’ll be heading out before sunrise while everything is still dark and quiet. Bronya will probably spend the first hour staring suspiciously out the window before collapsing across the back seat like he owns the truck.

First stop is gas in Wichita, then south into Oklahoma toward Guthrie.

Guthrie is one of those towns I can never fully pass through without stopping. Old brick storefronts, faded painted signs, western architecture, antique stores that may or may not actually be open depending on the mood of the universe. Bronya and I will stretch our legs there before getting back on the road. I’m hoping to grab a few photos of him in front of some of the older buildings too. He photographs beautifully against the old textures around the downtown area. Ok he’s gorgeous and would photography beautifully anywhere

That’s probably what this whole trip will look like through my lens. My dog, my best friend on her ranch, cattle, storms and lot of dusty old buildings.

The truck is packed pretty simply this time. Camera gear, dog supplies, thermos, laptop, clothes packed in a 1970’s avocado green suitcase and a mattress in the back is all we really need this time around.

I couldn’t love it more.

Rescue in Ink

This piece was inspired by my daughter’s best friend and the mare she brought home from a local kill pen. When the horse first came into their hands, we believed she was pregnant. She had been advertised as bred, but whether it didn’t take, she lost the foal or had one before ending up there, nobody really knows and after being home a month or so she lost her big belly. Like a lot of horses that pass through these situations, parts of her story are missing. She is, however, a good horse.

Watching these two work together has been a reminder that good horses end up in bad circumstances more often than people realize. Kill pens are complicated and emotional places, and there’s plenty of debate surrounding them, but one thing I’ve seen firsthand is that great horses with many years left to them absolutely come through. Now these two are working hard together to be up to speed for rodeo season using gentle horsemanship techniques.

The artwork itself was done entirely in tattoo ink on watercolor paper. I chose a monochromatic black and gray so the piece will fit in any home our young rider has in her future. This piece isn’t really about perfection or polished riding. It’s about the beginning of trust between a girl and a horse that deserved another shot.

MERC

May Western Mini - Prickly Pear

I completely forgot to post what the new Western Mini is over here but I did post it on TikTok, so if you don’t follow me there too, you probably got to see it already. The first several have already gone out in the mail, but I still wanted to share this little piece properly here.

“Prickly Pear” is a 3 1/2” x 2 1/2” painting featuring a blooming prickly pear cactus with two saguaro standing in the background, backed by orange rocky hills beneath a deep red sun and bright blue sky. The sky especially leans into a strong mid-century modern feel with the cloud shapes and color blocking, while the prickly pear itself stays closer to my more traditional painting style.

This piece is also a bit of a preview of the direction I’m heading with my next series. It’s heavily inspired by the Sonoran Desert, Saguaro National Park, and honestly just my excitement over the cactus in my own front yard getting ready to bloom. Prickly pear flowers have always been my favorite, so this one felt especially fun to paint.

Thank you to everyone subscribed to the Monthly Western Mini and supporting these tiny paintings every month.

MERC

Fantasy Maps, Watercolor and TikTok

One of my favorite things about being an artist is finding other creative people who make you immediately want to sit down and create something. That’s exactly what happened when I came across @emmamadhatter on TikTok.

She creates fantasy maps in one of the coolest ways I’ve seen. Instead of sketching island shapes from scratch, she uses crystals, dice, and other objects to build the land masses first. She’ll scatter them across the paper, trace around the shapes to form coastlines, and then develop the map from there with ink and detail work. Every map ends up feeling organic and unpredictable, like a real place instead of something overly planned out.

We actually met through @dirtyoardice on TikTok. Every Friday he features artists in his Artist Spotlight of the Week, and we had both been featured there. After seeing her work, I messaged the group chat of featured artist because her maps genuinely made me want to try painting one myself. Instead of just talking about it, she suggested we collaborate on a piece together, and I immediately said yes.

Honestly, this ended up being a pretty meaningful project for me. I realized while working on it that this is the first collaboration I’ve done with another artist in about four years. Art can get surprisingly solitary sometimes, especially when you spend most of your time working alone in a studio or posting into the void online. There was something really refreshing about working on a piece that already had someone else’s imagination built into it before I ever touched a brush.

Once she finished the map itself, she mailed it to me to paint. I worked entirely in watercolor and focused on bringing atmosphere into the piece without losing the handmade fantasy-map feeling that made me love it in the first place. I added the compass rose at the bottom painted with the ocean and included the sea monster because every good fantasy map deserves at least one thing lurking offshore. All that’s needed now is Emmas signature.

MERC

Dreaming of a Return to College

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the possibility of returning to school specifically to study analog photography with darkroom development. When I first discovered that programs like this still exist I was genuinely thrilled. It feels like stepping back into a world I once knew so well. I realize how much I’ve forgotten over the past twenty years and would love to rehone that skill. I also really just miss being in a dark room watching my images come to life. This is to say nothing of the additional art classed that could only strengthen my painting skills.

Then reality hit. I’m not going to be in Kansas for the next four years. Even if I were I don’t have $53,000 to invest in something that won’t translate directly into income, but only personal growth. It’s disappointing but right now, it’s not something I can take on. The bright side is knowing that schools are still teaching analog photography and darkroom developing so the art is not lost yet. For now though, I’ll keep fumbling through relearning on my own. It won’t be the same as a formal program, but just about everything is on youtube so that’s enough to keep me moving forward. I am still sad to repost the gatekeeping within the photography community is still alive and well but I’ve never been one to engage with people of that mindset. Photography, painting or tattooing sharing your knowledge makes everyone better and improves the art form as a whole I promise you really are not making more coipition for yourself.

Kodachrome II

I wasn’t expecting to find anything like this.

We’ve been working on refurbishing a 1953 Spartan Spartette that had been sitting abandoned on my father-in-law’s property. The goal is to eventually live out of it, so most of what we’ve been doing has been practical like cleaning, gutting, figuring out what’s salvageable and what’s not.

When we moved the Spartan down to Texas to start work on it, I started going through the cabinets and tucked away corners. That’s where I found two small, battered yellow boxes of Kodachrome II movie film. I was excited I love old things that’s why we were drawn to the spartan and that’s why I still shoot film I love the style and feel of it all. I actually have a film camera for this film. I put the film in a drawer to be inspected later. But life is never that easy. After we got the rat infested insulation out of the camper it was caught in a flood when the Lampasas River overflowed. One roll of film didn’t survive. The other one did… at least physically. The boxes are worn, water-stained, and fragile. But still intact. Still readable.

And stamped right on them: “Process before June 1963.”

What this film actually is

This is Kodachrome II color movie film made for 8mm roll cameras. The kind used in mid century home movies. The kind families used to capture everyday life. I even have some old films of my mom and uncle as kids in this kind of film from the 60’s. Kodachrome itself has a reputation for longevity when stored properly. But this film wasn’t stored properly. I was very much abused sitting in an abandoned camper for decades. It went through heat, cold, humidity swings. And then it went through a flood.

But could it still be used? Technically, yes. Realistically, no. Even without the flood damage, film that expired in 1963 is already well beyond its usable life. The light sensitive chemicals inside degrade over time. What that means in practice is you would get severe loss of sensitivity, heavy fogging, color shifts or complete color failure. So it would be dark with really low contrast or completely blank. Add in decades of uncontrolled storage and water exposure, and the likelihood of getting anything recognizable drops even further.

But there’s a bigger issue. Kodachrome required a very specific development process called K-14, and that process is no longer available anywhere in the world. Production of Kodachrome film ended in 2009, and with it, the ability to properly develop it. Even if I shot this roll and somehow managed to expose something on it, there’s no standard way to bring those images back. There are rare cases where people attempt black and white cross processing, but results are unpredictable at best and with film in this condition, unlikely to yield anything meaningful.

So What Now?

There’s a point where something stops being a usable material and becomes an object with its own history. This film has already outlived its intended purpose by decades. It survived abandonment in Washington. It survived a flood in Texas. It made it from a forgotten camper to a workbench in Kansas. Shooting it now would almost certainly destroy it for the sake of an experiment that won’t produce much in return. Leaving it as is preserves what it is. It’s a ruminate of an analog world I have a lot of nostalgia for. And now it fits perfectly alongside the camera it was meant for, my simple Kodak Brownie 8mm. I do plan on still using this home movie camera this summer I need to order film for it but sadly it won’t be Kodachrome II. I do have hope Kodachrome will come back as I’ve seen some interesting stories come out about Kodak recently and there seems to be a push back to and a interest in film photography from even younger generations who didn’t grow up with it. Here’s hoping to small film development stands becoming prevalent again just like those road side coffee stands.

MERC

Free Download: Fallout Nuka-Girl Unofficial Fan Art

I’ve had a lot of people ask if this piece would ever be available as a print and while I truly appreciate that, this one is a little different.

This artwork includes copyrighted characters and elements (including Nuka-Girl, Nuka-Cola, Red Rocket, Bottle, and Cappy), which I do not own. Because of that, I’m choosing to offer this as a free download for personal use only, rather than selling it.

Download Details

This file is formatted and ready to print at 9x12 inches at 300 DPI, which means you should be able to get a clean, high-quality print at that size (or smaller) at home or through a print service.

Personal Use License (Please Read)

By downloading this file, you agree to the following:

• This artwork is © 2026 Merc McDowell. All rights reserved.

• This is unofficial fan art and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the original rights holders.

• You are granted permission to:

  • Print this artwork for personal use only

  • Display it in your home or give it as a personal gift

• You may NOT:

  • Sell this artwork in any form (digital or physical)

  • Use it for commercial purposes

  • Upload, redistribute, or share the file for download elsewhere

  • Alter, edit, or use any part of the artwork to create new works for sale

I’ve put a lot of hours into this piece, and this is my way of letting people enjoy it while still respecting the original IP and the work that went into creating it.

A Little Backstory

If the pose feels familiar, that’s because it is.

Nuka-Girl’s pose in this piece is inspired by a Tank Girl comic cover which felt fitting, because I’ve loved Tank Girl about as long as I’ve loved the Fallout universe. My gamer tag, TankgirlMerc, actually comes from that.

So if you ever see me wandering the wasteland under that name… feel free to say hi.

I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I enjoyed making it. It means a lot to be able to share it like this.

-MERC

Aprils Western Mini

April’s Western Mini is an Appaloosa tearing through a town all done in a comic book style. I leaned heavily into a Silver Age influence for this piece, with stronger line work and a more graphic feel than my usual watercolor approach. It’s a style I sometimes visit though have not mastered, but I wanted to experiment and see how it would translate into something this small.

And that’s really the challenge with these minis.

At ACEO size (the size of a baseball card), every line has to count. There’s not much room for detail, so it becomes more about suggestion when trying to capture movement, energy, and just enough form to let your brain fill in the rest. That’s part of why I chose this subject. A running horse already has that builtin motion, and the comic style let me push that even further without getting bogged down in realism.

I’m not sure it lands perfectly in “Silver Age,” but I do think it carries the spirit of it. It’s bold, a little dramatic, and focused on action over polish. One of my biggest struggles as an artist is I try to push everything towards realism. And honestly, that’s part of the fun of these minis for me is making myself hold back. They’re a place to practice without having weeks of investment poured into them in the case they don’t work out.

These are original watercolor ACEOs, each one hand painted and one of a kind. I keep them affordable on purpose at $6 including shipping in the US so they’re easy to collect, gift, or just grab because you like it. No pressure, no big commitment, just a small piece of original art.

-MERC