TRAVELING IN A TINY HOME THAT IS REALLY AN ARTISTS' BOOK ON WHEELS

Peter and Donna Thomas have been making fine press and artist's books for over 40 years. When they started, as craftspeople at Renaissance Faires, they fell in love with the graceful beauty of "gypsy wagon" caravans that other vendors had made to sleep in or use as booths for selling their wares. In 2009 Peter and Donna built their own tiny home on wheels, designed after a typical late 19th century Redding Wagon. This blog documents their trips around the country, taken to sell their artists' books, teach book arts workshops, and talk about making books as art; as well as to seek out and experience the beauty of the many different landscapes found across the USA.

Peter and Donna started their business in 1977 and made their first book in 1978, so from 2017-18 are traveling to celebrate 40 years of making books with shows in a dozen libraries across the country. See the schedule on the side bar to find if they are coming to a town near you....

Follow the Wandering Book Artists on Facebook and Instagram!
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Click here to see a digital exhibit of all the books Peter and Donna have made since 1977.


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

I saw miles and miles of Texas


When we were in Austin we met up with our niece (and goddaughter) Molly Howard who is doing her graduate work at UT and went out to hear a western swing band play....


The first song they played was Miles and Miles of Texas:
I rode up in to Austin the craddle of the west

Just ask any cowboy he'll tell you it's the best

I met a Texas beauty I got friendly with her pa

I looked in to her big blue eyes this is what I saw

I saw miles and miles of Texas all the stars up in the sky

I saw miles and miles of Texas gonna live here till I die

You know how songs get stuck in your head? Well I kept singing this song over and over the last two days as I drove from Austin to El Paso (without Donna, who flew to the Grand Canyon to go backpacking and painting). Here are some pictures of those miles.

Gypsy wagon near Llano
Gypsy wagon near Ozoona
Gypsy wagon near Fort Stockton
Gypsy wagon near Balmorhea
Gypsy wagon near Van Horn
Gypsy wagon near El Paso
From the inside looking out at Texas

at 9:16 PM

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

At least they look like they were pretty miles and miles! Since moving to the city one of the things I miss is the miles and miles of open road. ~Tanya

April 8, 2015 at 7:44 AM
Unknown said...

Hi Kids! Looking forward to seeing you back home in Santa Cruz! I know that Miles and Miles of Texas feeling. Many years ago, Ron and I took the train to New York, Then decided to take the Greyhound bus back along the Southern route across America... hey it was only $99 for the whole route...! So we did... I think I slept thru half of Texas, as it took 3 days, you know stopping at bus stops all along the way!

Mamo

April 10, 2015 at 8:29 AM

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