Of course, we always bring back souvenirs from our trips, both foreign and domestic (though I prefer to think of them as tribute from subject nations). Here's the haul from San Antonio...
a Mexican penguin (a very rare breed)
a tin Christmas ornament (which I decided could be displayed all year)
a little baked-clay box (a present I gave David)
The Briscoe Museum shop happily had a pet department, so we adopted this cute little javelina (an American native peccary). Residents of the SW speak of their fierceness, but this little cutie was just as sweet as can be.
There's a story with the next one. I walked into an interesting little gallery of local artists and was struck (not unlike Diamanti) by the beauty, artistry, and creativity of this lovely, very little (2x3"-5x7.5cm) watercolor.
It's the Assumption of the Virgin, specifically taking Murillo's baroque masterpiece as its starting point:
But notice, the angels and even the body of the Virgin are merely suggested by line drawing. Even the face is missing, and the only clearly depicted feature is the raised hand--an iconographic symbol of the acceptance of God's will. The hand and the blue mantel, the amazing color of which the photo does not do justice to, define the subject. Both in and of itself and as a rethinking of Murillo, I found it enchantingly beautiful, and the ultra-small scale is amazing.
