Armadillos & Cowboys: A New Series
If you’ve ever sat by a campfire, you know the rhythm of it and can picture sparks floating into the night, hear the strum of a guitar and feel the warmth of the fire on your face. And just when everything feels steady and familiar, something crashes in the underbrush around you as then scurries into the glow of the firelight. Not anything dangerous but an armadillo jus smooth brained, armored, half blind and completely unbothered.
That little image stuck with me and grew into this series. Six watercolors where cowboys meet their unlikely companions in scenes that are sometimes funny, sometimes quiet, and always just a little unexpected.
The collection includes:
Fireside Companion – a cowboy with his guitar, and an armadillo perched to listen like an old friend.
Barroom Troubadour – the smallest of the set, showing music and nostalgia under dim bar lights.
Heads I Win and Tails You Lose – a pair of pieces meant to be seen together, playing on chance, fate, and cowboy luck.
He Says Howdy – A happy little guy dawning a cowboy hat.
Armadillo Rodeo – a playful spin on Western life, replacing a bronc with our high jumping little guy.
Each painting is its own story, but together they celebrate the humor and heart in everyday cowboy life. The armadillo isn’t just a sidekick here it’s a reminder that the West is full of surprises, and sometimes the smallest characters leave the biggest impression.
You’ll find a collage of all six works above, but if one of these moments speaks to you, originals and prints are now available in the shop. You can start here with the collection.
Until next time, may your coffee be strong and your trail full of surprises (so long as your horse doesn’t spook),
MERC