I had never been to Texas, so I figured it being my last week & all, I should at least see just a little slice of it, since I'm just a few miles from the west Texas border. The nearest big city is Amarillo, so off I went. Lots of open space... and LOTS of cows along the way. I didn't stop for pics until I saw this guy above. It's Tex Randall- he's a sculptural icon of Canyon, Texas, and has been around since the 1950's. Recently, a campaign has been started to save Tex, as he was slated to be demolished. Apparently, fundraising is going well... Tex is now on facebook! You click here to learn more~ http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2222
In search of some down home Texas barbeque, a woman at work recommended I go to Ribs & More, in old town Amarillo.... so I did, but you guessed it... it was closed! My second choice which I had long heard about was the Big Texan, a well known tourist icon just off the I-40.
This is the home of the "Free" 72 oz steak! Free that is, if you can eat the entire 72 oz steak & all the fixings in under an hour... and people have actually done this! Needless to say, I didn't even think about trying it! After a mediocre BBQ beef sandwich, I headed off to the Cadillac Ranch... perhaps you've heard of it?
It was the brainchild of Stanley Marsh & the Art Farm, a San Francisco Art Collective.
I really wasn't sure what to make of it... it's certainly a sculptural installation, (an interactive one at that... as people bring their spray paint cans to add some fresh graffiti) but is it really Art? I just kept thinking of the line from Field of Dreams... if you build it, they will come. And come they do... it's a popular tourist draw... I saw license plates from Washington, Nevada, Kentucky... and well, of course, Texas. Some closer views~
Like I said... I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but it was interesting. People visiting had various reactions... some looked puzzled, while others joined in with their spray paint cans to add the latest layer to the already much graffitied "works of art."
For more on the artist & other things Amarillo, visit this post from Pat at "A View from the Edge"
http://pat-aviewfromtheedge.blogspot.com/2010/07/flashback-friday-is-for-amarillo.html
7 comments:
I've heard of it, but like you...I don't know what to make of it either! Isn't it eventually going to be danderous, if not already. Cars rust...things fall over.
I find these types of sculptures fascinating. The sheer randomness of the ideas, and how completely opposite they are from their environment, rather than being something that blends in. Great post Beck :-)
You have managed to see a lot in the short time you've been there. Where do you go to next?
What some call "art" others might label "eyesore"! Are you leaving NM already? You just arrived!
Hey - thanks for the shout out! I've never seen "Big Tex".
Your food wasn't that great at The Big Texan? That's too bad.
Roadside America is my favorite website. I ALWAYS check it if we are staying in one location for any length of time, or even while we are routing our trip. Sometimes we actually change our route to see something!
I guess it is art if someone says it is, I don't know though, it's a cool idea, but not art to me. Was it boiling there? Where are you off to next? xoxo
Great travelogue - thanks for sharing. I've been to Texas a few times (business) - Dallas and Houston. Ate at one of those great big steak places in Plano - I thought I did well finishing a 24-oz steak with all the trimmings - and apple pie!! Seems like a mere appetizer compared to a 72-oz!
Not sure about the caddy 'art' either but at least people can have fun with it.
Post a Comment