Come by to see these new pieces in person!

For the entire month of March, Jr’s art will be hanging in the Bread & Breakfast on Holland Ave in Alpine, TX.  Featuring “Images of the West” this show looks to be one of Jr’s best yet!  Don’t miss it – be sure to come by and grab a tasty treat from the B&B while you’re there.

Pronghorn Restoration Benefit, January 29, Steak Dinner and Dance, featuring Craig Carter and the Spur of the Moment Band, 6:00 PM! $50 donation per person.

Please come and bid on something! – j r

Avalanche photo by John Dilmore
Artist JR Smith’s work is currently on display at the Holland Hotel in downtown Alpine. In addition Smith, who is also director of the Alpine Chamber of Commerce, will have work on display at Judy’s Bread and Breakfast Café the week of the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in February. Smith, who describes his work as “feel-good art,” is shown above with a work entitled “King of the Hill,” which recently sold to a buyer from Odessa. He’ll soon be displaying paintings of bluebonnets and other Texas flowers.

Italian sportsman and art collector recently hunted elk at a ranch in the Alpine area. He and his wife also traveled to New Mexico and shopped for art. Mario Nobili and his wife stayed at the historic Holland Hotel. Local artist J. R. Smith has work on display at the hotel.

Thursday while in a meeting with John Dilmore of the Avalanche, Mr. Smith fielded a call from the Holland. The Nobili’s wanted to visit Mr. Smith’s studio later that day.

Currently Mr. Smith is working on pieces he is donating the Pronghorn Restoration Benefit. This is a dinner and dance at the Granada Theater on January 29th. Mr. Nobili immediately wanted two of those pronghorn pieces and a larger image on a wood panel. He commented that he was disappointed that he had not seen any pronghorn where he usually sees them on his visits.

A (18″ x 48″) landscape entitled “Could Get Hot” was acrylic on canvas. This was a Big Bend sunrise with a windmill silhouette. Another work “Morning Pronghorn” (22″ x 28″) was also a work on canvas. These works were taken off their stretchers, rolled and wrapped for the Nobilis to carry back to Italy on the plane. Mr. Nobibli met with John Green and discussed the semantics of crating and shipping the larger piece to Italy.

Mr. Nobili indicated he would try to work something out for shipping larger works once he returns to Italy. He also indicated his intention to return next year to hunt mule deer and hopefully buy more art. Mr. Smith will, in the mean time, be working on an elk piece for him.