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Since my old curved nib broke I bought the complete set of scratchbord tools from Ampersand, some of them I’ve never tried. The fiber brush is interesting; I thought it was an abrasive eraser pencil but it’s not. The kit even came with a small claybord that I used to make my purple tool testing panel.

I just entered my submission to Modern Masters of the West 2026, and I'm hoping to be a part of that esteemed group this year. This event is a Boutique Gallery Showcase and Live Demos held during Stockyards Fashion Week in Fort Worth, Texas. It brings selected artists into the heart of the legendary Fort Worth Stockyards for a unique opportunity to present original artwork, share live demonstrations, and connect with one of the most active art audiences in the region.

No sale this time, but $400 in prize money and a solid showing in Texas City still counts as a win.

My Houston Rodeo gold medal winner just received an invitation to join the Western Art Academy Class of 2026 at Schreiner University! This four-week intensive art camp in the Texas Hill Country is a scholarship program focused on painting and sculpture, with food, lodging, supplies, professional western art instructors, and live models all included. I’m incredibly proud of this student and thrilled to check this milestone off my art teacher bucket list.

Texas City Art Show: Juror’s Praise Thrilled that juror Jeremy Johnson highlighted my scratchboard piece in the show program! He wrote: "A tender scene of reverence after violence, rendered in scratchboard, reminds us that each mark, each act of subtraction can create something haunting and beautiful; sometimes, removing is a way of moving forward." We chatted about my art, his writing journey, and our shared concerns about AI in the arts. We both hope people will always v

Texas City Art Festival: First Place Win! Thrilled to share that Dust to Dust took first place in the "Under Glass" category at the 2026 Texas City Art Festival! My family and I had a wonderful evening at the Doyle Center opening and awards ceremony. Despite knowing my win ahead of time, butterflies still fluttered as we entered past the beautiful fountain and bronze statues. Inside, a jazz quartet played while we hunted for my three entries among featured artists, special

Coming home with our distinguished student art from the Houston rodeo.

Thrilled to win 1st place at the Texas City Art Festival with my first color scratchboard! Grateful and excited for what’s next!

Waiting on a Scratchboard Society “Yes” I just applied for active membership in the International Scratchboard Society—five pieces in, now waiting up to four weeks. Their Tucson show caught my eye since I lived there 8 years and it's western art central, my focus now. Active status is my ticket in... hoping I make it in time. [Read more]

I picked up my 3 latest scratchboards from Hobby Lobby all framed & ready for Texas City. The trip down there was smooth and drop off was pretty easy. Now it’s time to wait to hear back. The show opens this Saturday. I think I will go back down to check out the show. I’m hoping and praying to make an awards, make a sale or preferably both. Wish me luck.

SLOpoke was great and it gave me a log to think about