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

Update

Today felt like a good time to reset the intention behind this space.

When I first started this blog, I always imagined it more as a journal than anything else, a place to document the day to day life behind the work. That’s why it’s called A Western Artist Journal in the first place. Going forward, expect more of the real everyday moments here, the work, the process and the life around it.

There are some big shifts happening behind the scenes that I’m really grateful for. My husband will be home from deployment soon, which means the weight of everything at home won’t be sitting solely on my shoulders anymore. At the same time, a long running house project of getting the floors finished is finally done. It’s hard to explain how much mental space that frees up, but it’s significant. For the first time in a while, it feels like I’ll be able to give more of myself back to my art.

I also realized I never properly shared the last couple of Western Mini pieces. February’s was a Milky Way over the Pacific Northwest painted from memory, from the way I remember the night skies as a kid. March’s piece focused on ranch rodeo: a cowboy on horseback mid-throw with his lasso. Both of those meant a lot to me in very different ways, and I hate that they slipped by without a proper mention here. I’ll be revealing April’s Western Mini within the next few days.

Outside of the studio, I’ve got some trips coming up that I’m really looking forward to. Partly for romance, partly to just reset and breathe a little. I’m hoping to come back with a lot of new reference material including fresh landscapes, new light, different stories to pull from. I’ll be sharing more about those as they get closer.

If you follow me over on TikTok (Merc McDowell Art @chaosinakiss), you might remember me talking about wanting to do a “365 in analogue” project this year. I’m going to start documenting that process here since I don’t really feel like it's right for my TikTok. Right now, it’s been… a little heartbreaking, honestly. A lot of my old cameras didn’t survive moves the way I thought they had. But I’m not giving up on it I’m figuring it out as I go repairing some myself but others I’m slowly taking in to a repair shop.

There are also a couple of quiet things in motion that I’m excited about. I’ve started conversations with another artist about collaborating on a few pieces. It’s still early, and these things take time, but it’s something I’m really looking forward to seeing develop.

For now, I’m settling into this new rhythm of more time, more space, and (hopefully) more consistency in showing up here.

MERC

January’s Western Mini: Calf by Pond

These small watercolor paintings of a calf drinking from a pond are examples of this month’s ACEOs for my Western Mini Series. If you’re new here, ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions & Originals) are small, collectible original artworks. They’re intimate pieces meant to be held, looked at closely, and lived with not just scrolled past on a screen.

For this month’s series, I focused on a quiet western moments. Decembers ended the year with a cow skull at sunset so to kick off the new year a sweet scene of new life was just the thing. A calf stopping to drink, reflected back in the water below is the an absulute dream to capture in photography and had to be painted.

I love painting these ACEOs, there’s no room to overwork a piece. Every brushstroke matters. Color choices matter. Composition matters. I can’t hide behind detail or size. And I like that they make original artwork affordable to all people. These minis let me focus on mood, movement, and light. In this case, that meant warm browns and soft greens, loose reflections in the water, and letting the paint do what watercolor does best bleed, soften, and suggest.

Each ACEO in the Western Mini Series is an original. No reproductions. No duplicates. Even when I work from the same reference or theme, every piece ends up slightly different. That’s part of the appeal. You’re not buying a copy of something you’re getting a one of a kind painting that exists exactly as it is.

The Western Mini Series is something I plan to continue building over time. Some months will lean more rodeo focused, some more ranch or livestock based, and some may be something that I want to experiment with. ACEOs will remain part of that series, even as I introduce more small to medium sized originals in the shop.

I will occasionally paint a few extras at the beginning of a the month so I can get them out immediately for new subscribers but once they’re gone, they’re gone. If you see one that speaks to you, don’t wait too long these small pieces tend to find homes quickly. Any leftover at the end of the month are sold at art shows.

As always, thank you for supporting my work and for appreciating the quieter moments of the west right alongside the bigger bolder ones,

MERC

Eyes on My Art

Social media can feel like a giant machine built for people who want to go viral, become influencers, or turn their life into content. That has never been my goal. I’m an artist. I paint the American West, dark Americana, skulls, cowboys, military subjects, and sometimes the odd armadillo in cowboy boots. My work crosses a few different lanes, and that’s exactly why I want the right people to find it but it’s not for everyone.

If one of my pieces ever takes off, I’m not going to complain. But I don’t build my entire process around chasing a viral moment. Viral posts don’t guarantee that the people seeing the art even like my style. Sometimes it’s just the algorithm doing its thing. What I want is long term visibility among people who actually enjoy Western themes, skulls, darker tones, military influence, or a blend of these.

I post consistently because consistency is how people find you. But I’m not trying to game the system. I’m trying to show up so the people who would genuinely enjoy my work can recognize it when they see it. I mostly post finished paintings but like to add work in progress shots, my photos I use as references as well as a small bit of my life as a western artist. Nothing fancy, over edited, or over planned. Just the real parts of how I create. This lets people see my style across subjects so they understand the bigger picture of what I do.

There’s a big difference between being an artist who uses social media and being a “content creator.” I’m not trying to build a brand around my daily life, tips, tutorials, or the behind the scenes of every moment. I just want to share my art in a way that helps people who like this kind of work actually find it. If people enjoy what I make, I want them to be able to find it easily. That’s it. Social media is just one tool to help that happen. I’m not chasing trends. I’m not chasing fame. I’m just showing up, posting my work, and letting it reach the people who are supposed to find it.

I’m rambling,

MERC

A Quick Note About My Memory and Communication

I wanted to take a moment to be upfront about something that affects how I work and communicate. Over the last few years, I’ve been dealing with a noticeable amount of brain fog and short term memory issues. I’m not entirely sure what the main cause is it could be my fibromyalgia, it could be lingering effects from my past brain surgeries, or it could be from spending eight years in my 30s on the maximum dosage of gabapentin. At this point, it’s probably a mix of all of the above.

If you reach out to me and I forget to reply, or if I say I’ll work something up for you and it slips my mind, it’s never intentional. I’m not ignoring anyone. I’m not brushing people off. Sometimes my brain just… drops the ball. It’s pretty rare this happens but considering the brain fog does not seem to be improving probably best to make y’all aware of the possibility.

I keep notes, reminders, lists, and alarms, but things still fall through the cracks from time to time. If that happens, please don’t hesitate to message me again or give me a gentle nudge. I genuinely appreciate it. Most of the time I’ll see the reminder and think, “Oh right, I meant to do that,” and get right back to it.

I value the people who support my art whether you follow my work, collect pieces, share posts, or even just take the time to message me. The last thing I want is for anyone to feel ignored or unappreciated. Communication just takes me a little more effort these days, and sometimes my memory doesn’t cooperate the way I wish it would.

Thanks for your patience, and thanks for sticking with me. Creating art is the easy part keeping track of all the little pieces around it is where things get tricky. Your understanding means a lot.

MERC

December’s Western Mini: Cow Skull

For December’s mini, I wanted something that feels like the end of a long year reflecting quiet and warmth. I went with a cow skull set against a desert landscape at sunset. It’s a simple subject, leaning extra western. I’m a bit of a bone hunter myself and it’s always a treat to find a skull especially with horns in a forgotten pasture. I know not all people find joy in old bones but the finality of nothing left but bone also fits for the last month of the year. I also just love those warm sunset colors, especially this time of year when everything is cold. Soft golds, reds, and dusty browns happen to be my favorite palette so there is that too. This month’s minis lean into that glow and wrap the year up with something grounded and steady.

Thanks for being here for another month of these tiny Western paintings. I’m excited to keep this series going into the new year. You can find the Western Mini subscription here but if you’re not a subscription person you can do a single perches as well as a one time thing for the same price.

MERC

You’ll Be Seeing More Original Art in My Shop

For years, I created art simply because I enjoyed it. It wasn’t a business. I wasn’t posting every piece or trying to keep up with a release schedule, and I definitely wasn’t thinking about running an online shop. I painted what I felt like painting mostly being cowboys, skulls, rodeo scenes, military stuff, little studies, and oddball pieces that made me laugh. Because of that, I’ve built up a huge personal collection over the years. A lot of it has only ever lived in my studio or on my own walls.

When I finally decided to turn my art into a business, I didn’t upload everything at once. I didn’t want to overwhelm anyone visiting the site with twenty different directions or endless pages of listings. I wanted my shop to feel intentional, not chaotic. So I added a handful of originals, a few prints, and slowly started building from there.

But here’s the funny thing, every time I post a piece that isn’t available for purchase, someone messages me wanting it. Every time I share an older work I made years ago “just for me,” that’s the piece someone falls in love with. It’s a great problem to have, but it also told me it’s time to start opening the gate a little wider.

More Originals Are Coming to the Shop

So, here’s what’s changing: I’m going to be increasing the inventory on my website and making more of my original work available. I have plenty of finished pieces that have never been listed anywhere, and people have shown enough interest that it makes sense to give them a real home online.

For now, I’m focusing heavily on originals. Prints will still be part of my shop, but I want to prioritize the one of a kind pieces for a while. Prints take time with proofing, testing paper, adjusting colors and originals are ready to go. They’re also what people keep asking for.

More print options may come later, especially for some of my rodeo pieces and the cowboy portraits, but for the time being, originals will be the core of what I release.

What You Can Expect in 2026

If you’ve followed my work for a while, you know I’ve done a lot of monochromatic Rodeo Ink pieces the last year. While I’ll still do monochromatic work the Rodeo Ink pieces for 2026 will bring multiple colors back into my work.

One thing that’s not changing is the rodeo work. There will be more rodeo pieces, and the rodeo series is something I’ll continue to build on. I have a lot of reference photos from different events over the years, and plenty of ideas lined up that I haven’t even sketched yet. That series is staying.

Another shift you’ll notice is in sizing. I’m going to be offering more small scale originals. Not just ACEOs, those will continue as part of the Monthly Western Mini subscription, but more paintings and mixed media pieces ranging anywhere from 5×5 up to 11×17, and a lot of sizes in between.

Small originals are easier to ship, easier to frame, and more accessible for collectors who want something unique without committing to a huge piece. They’re also fun for me to create. I’ll still create larger work when the subject calls for it, but the smaller pieces will make up a bigger portion of my releases.

A Slow, Steady Expansion

I’m not dumping my entire archive onto the site at once, but over the next few months you’ll see the shop grow. More originals. More variety. More pieces that have been sitting quietly in my studio. If you’ve ever commented “Is this one for sale?” when the answer was no there’s a good chance you’ll find something you love in the new releases.

Thanks for sticking with me while my art shifts and grows. This next year is going to be busy, colorful and full of new work.

MERC