Science Cowboy Digital Art

 

Daughter Amber Taylor wanted a digital painting of her Grandfather E.A. Autrey as a cowboy.  It was true he lived many years in Texas and owned and wore a Stetson but that was as close to a cowboy as he ever got.  He was a chemist, photographer, artist, rocket scientist and unique individual.  The top image is the final work.  It includes a photo of his face with mustache after the end of WWII when he got out of the army.  The body is from a photo of E.A. with friends after climbing Mt. Whitney.  The cowboy hat is from another Texas relative.  After the war, on the GI bill, E.A. got a law degree but when he moved the family to California he practiced chemistry professionally.  I've included a camera icon, various science icons and a few elements (Hydrogen, Oxygen and Californium) along with some drawings of violets.  I had so much fun cobbling the cowboy together I created a few other backgrounds including a fill pattern of a self portrait done by E.A. as an older man; an AI Generative fill pattern of black and white cows in a field (I wonder whose art got ripped off?) and a pattern I created as my latest fabric design.  More fabric designs are at Lucy Autrey Wilson Art Fabric, Wallpaper and Home Decor | Spoonflower

Bio Blanket

Since I'm now working on a new quilt, I thought I'd post the last one I finished this past January, after it got delayed a year due to illness.  Above Bio Blanket finished in 2020, based on Frank Miller comic art and biography photos taken by my father, E.A. Autrey, as featured in the Growing Up Autrey book, published with Blurb.  This only goes up to high school.  A great deal happened after that!

Some Fun With Family

Recently, nephew Greg Manata drove down to my studio to have his portrait done.  That takes nerve.  Finished piece combines watercolor, graphite, pen & ink, an old photo of Greg when he was young (which makes up his hair), some nice papers (his interesting shirt) - all glued on some white heavyweight top quality Arches watercolor paper.  I welcome more models - who don't mind what the final piece looks like (since it is rarely totally accurate or flattering).

That same evening, I noticed how cool my late, great father, E.A. Autrey's, stained glass rooster (which hangs in my kitchen window) looked reflected on my neighbor's house.  So some family art photos finished an artful day.

Portraits of my Father in Indiana