The two events that helped spur a much larger migration were the U.S. victory in the Mexican War (1846-1848) which gave the young nation vast new areas of land in the West, and the California gold rush in 1849 attracting droves of American fortune seekers called “Forty-Niners.” The gold rush also attracted Chinese, Europeans, South Americans, and others, all hoping to strike it rich. Men made up nearly all of the gold seekers who rushed west. A few women mined, but most worked as entertainers in saloons or dance halls, as seamstresses, or in laundry services washing the miners’ clothes. Other women operated boardinghouses and bathhouses, or worked as “Lady’s of the Night”.

In the later period of the 1800s, massive discoveries of ore deposits also spurred new migrations westward. Pikes Peak in Colorado, the Comstock Lode in Nevada, and the Black Hills of South Dakota saw sudden population increases over night. Small towns began to pop up all across the West. Local populations soared, as miners arrived in need of supplies. Miners required food, equipment, clothing, services, and entertainment, and thus, the “BOOM TOWN” was born. Merchants and businessmen flocked to these boom towns with goods and services. But as these mining town populations swelled, local populations quickly consumed the supply of almost everything, including food and work animals.

In many of these overpopulated boom towns, the people were becoming desperate for food and supplies. Men sometimes killed each other for such necessities. In a wild and often lawless land, mob violence and lynchings took the place of legal proceedings, and in many cases, justice was served at the end of a Remington Model 1875, or Winchester 1873, “The gun that won the West.” And as fast as these towns were born, in most cases, they quickly disappeared back into land from which they rose, as resources began to run scarce. And as the people who inhabited these boom towns continued to move further west in search of land, food and work, they left everything behind, as witness to the many ghost towns that dot the landscape of the American west.

The history and romance of this period across the American frontier has had a profound influence on American life. Paintings, stories, and many Hollywood films about the West remain an important part of the American culture. Established in 1946, Pioneertown was
Dick Curtis as an 1800s themed motion-picture set. Located in the Yucca Valley region of the Morongo Basin, Pioneertown was conceived as an alternative and more affordable location for the Movie Studios that relied heavily on shooting western films in Arizona,
Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, or Wyoming. During the golden years of American western movies, Pioneertown hosted the talents of many of Hollywoods biggest stars in western genre films. With the likes of Roy Rogers, Gene
Evens gracing its period film Sets, and serving as the location for hundreds of films and television productions, including the The Cisco Kid and Edgar Buchanan’s Judge Roy Bean, Pioneer town cemented its legacy in Western movie history, and now serves as a unique travel destination for western movie fans around the world wanting to experience turn of the century western life.

And on this crisp fall evening my imagination soared. I could hear the sounds of a bustling dusty pioneer town settling in for the night; leather works chapped; worn boots shuffling along wood planked store fronts as horse-drawn wagons passed by; the glow from
lamp and millions of stars illuminating the towns main street, as the sounds of boisterous cowboys and honkey-tonk piano stylings spilled through the Saloon doors. Pioneertown was no longer a vanquished ghost town of another era, she was alive in my imagination on this pristine Mojave Desert evening; the star of this moment in all her dignified glory, ready for her Close-Up… “…Camera Set…Sound…Speeding…annnnnd….ACTION!”

The post “1883” | The Western Frontier appeared first on Marshal Hilton Fine Art.

CCLXX gradus in Latin translates to 270 degrees.

Carved over 20 million years of the Great River’s “entrenched meander,” Horseshoe Bend and its 270 degree curve is a geologic masterpiece. Presenting over 1,000 feet of ancient iron rich Navajo and Coconino Sandstone, as well as an intimate view of the emerald green waters of Colorado River, Horseshoe Bend quickly cemented its legacy as an iconic symbol of the American Southwest.

And on this thunderous and stormy Arizona sunset eve, the might and fury of her creators hand shown a cautionary tale of the natural forces used in its creation, as another chapter in the ancient and often violent evolution of the Grand Canyon unfolds.

The post “CCLXX” | Horseshoe Bend appeared first on Marshal Hilton Fine Art.

Johnny Cash, the “Man in Black”;  the original gansta of Country Music, would have scoffed at such cowardice. Black on Black, he would have walked tall, striding down Broadway, guitar in one hand, Jack Daniel’s in the other, defying fear, telling stories of conscious and bravery, while taking notice of those who trample on the spirit of humanity.

Cash once noted that his favorite Scripture verse was Romans 8:13, which says, “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live….”

And on this dark and turbulent evening the House of Cash stood silent, but his spirit thundered. This monument in his name, a brick and mortar reflection of the sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption that permeated his storytelling, lay a fragile life lived, seeking peace and forgiveness, fore the spirit was mighty in his voice, vanquishing the misdeeds of his body, as Johny’s soul lives eternal in the life that he lived, and music he blessed upon us.

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Among the indigenous peoples of the region, the supreme Manitou is referenced as a supernatural being that controls nature; an omnipresent spirit that manifests everywhere, a deity that possesses supernatural power.

Ancient Indian legend tells the story of a great flood which covered all but the top of Manitou’s Mountain, known today as Pikes Peak. When the waters subsided, the Great Spirit turned the floating carcasses of the drowned animals into sandstone, and rolled them down into a garden valley below, where they “remained as mute evidences of the Great Flood.”

Formed over 300 million years of nature’s evolution, Garden of the Gods is truly an angelic place and considered sacred ground by the Apache, Kiowa, Pawnee, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Shoshone and Ute peoples. It is believed that the red rocks had spiritual properties and their oral tradition describes how man was created in the Garden of the Gods.

Towering over 300 feet of crimson ancestral red, pink, and white Sandstone, these monolith’s and spires spring from the valley floor as if being pulled to the heavens by the supreme creators hand. The energy of this place is undeniable. The moment you step foot beneath their watchful presence everything changes, your breath, your heartbeat, your sense of being human; you become keenly aware of our frailties, our mortality, as an overwhelming desire for greater spiritual intimacy rushes through your soul.

And on this cold winter morning in “The Valley of the Miracle,” one couldn’t help but feel the presence of the Great Spirit, for it had delicately dusted the valley with a welcoming layer of pristine snow, offering an angelic presentation of Garden of the Gods, graced with the omnipresent, the “Spirit of Manitou”.

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Over three million years old, sculpted by wind and erosion, the crimson Red Rocks of the Verde Valley are said to create a Vortex energy, feminine in nature, providing feelings of softness, receptiveness and compassion. They are also the spiritual epicenter for the indigenous Paleo, Anasazi, Hopi, Navajo and Sinaqua Indian Tribes, as well as having provided sanctuary for Yavapai and Apache warriors Geronimo and Cochise while fighting to protect their sacred lands during westward expansion and the Tonto-Apache Wars.

With its unique and visually stunning vistas, it was just a matter of time before Hollywood discovered Sedona. By the late 1950s its startling beauty and unique backdrop was presented to the world as producers and movie studios featured Sedona as the setting for over 70 films during the golden years of classic western genre movies.

And on this surreal and spiritually inspiring winters sunset, she indeed lived up to her star billing. Bathed in the desert orange glow of Sedona’s setting sun dancing across her sculpted majestic face, the spirit of Cathedral Rock Sedona thunders ceremoniously, paying tribute to the spirits of creation in this ancestral land, the “Home of the Gods”.

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In Latin the word “Deus” translates to “Gods Place”

In ancient Hebrew scripture, the name Zion describes a place appointed by the Lord where his followers can live and serve God; a “City of Holiness,” a “City of Refuge,” where the Lord protects his people from the evils in the world.

The first human presence in the region dates back 8,000 years, with the Virgin Anasazi and Parowan Fremont Tribes being the first documented communities to inhabit the Southern Utah region.

The indigenous Southern Paiute peoples referred to Zion as “Mukuntuweap,” meaning “the place where the Great Spirit dwells”.

Presenting its stunning Navajo Sandstone rock monolith, carved over 150 million years by the North Fork and Virgin River’s, The Watchman serves notice that this is a sacred place on earth, a geologic masterpiece, unmatched in its majestic elegance and spiritual powers.

And with the fading sunlight on this winter days last light, The Watchman in Zion National Park served notice that I was indeed not alone, that there was peace and tranquility within the confines of this sacred land, a pious land where the Great Spirit dwells and angels grace the heavens, in this, the land of “Deus”.

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Named Matkʼamvaha by the indigenous Yavapai peoples, and revered as sacred land to the Tonto Apache, Navajo and Hopi Indian Tribes, this land continues to inspire those in search of its thunderous beauty, spiritual energy, and Vortex healing properties.

With its awe inspiring Red Rock vistas and elegant landscape formations, it’s clear to see why the Verde Valley has been the muse of artists worldwide. Having been featured in over one hundred films and television productions over the years, the Sedona Red Rocks continue to inspire our imagination with their awe-inspiring grandeur.

And on this picturesque Sedona sunset eve, her ancient form was exquisite, commanding every fiber of my attention; the fading sunlight dancing across her etched crimson face, exposing the deep penetrating history of her journey in this sacred tribal land, the land of Matk’amvaha.

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“…The blade game hugh bud?…I thought only punks fought with knives…”

And with that, the young, dashing, 24 year old actor James Dean was shot to world wide stardom starring as Jim Stark in Warner Bros. 1955 feature film, “Rebel Without a Cause”.

But there was another star soon to etched into the bright lights of Hollywood immortality on that random Los Angeles afternoon.

Opened May 14, 1935, Griffith Observatory was already one of L.A.’s greatest cultural attractions, offering spectacular views from the Pacific Ocean to Downtown Los Angeles from its perch on Mt. Hollywood in Griffith Park. But as much of the world was getting its first glimpse of the iconic stance and architecture of Griffith Observatory, so too was the worlds curiosity to experience the hallowed ground of James Dean’s Hollywood legacy. Dean died on September 30th 1955 while filming is last movie “Giant”, a scant one month prior to the release of “Rebel Without A Cause”, quickly becoming a Hollywood film icon whose legacy has endured for decades.

Spanning 85 years with her regal elegance and grace, Griffith Observatory is the unquestioned queen of the City of Angels, a starring attraction to millions of movie fans and tourists world wide seeking to share a moment of Hollywood immortality.

On this blue hour evening, she was brilliant, an Angel in Blue, a performance Oscar worthy, as she stood vigilantly watching over those living their dreams under her watchful eye, in brightest of lights, the City of Angels.

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First chronicled by European explorers in 1540, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado and his Spanish army traveling north from Mexico City encountered the Grand Canyon and its native Hopi tribe. Two hundred seventy-seven miles long, ten miles across and over a mile deep, Coronado deemed the canyon an impenetrable wasteland dismissing further western exploration, and moved his men east to Texas. The Grand Canyon was left unexplored by European explorers and colonial settlers for another two hundred thirty-five years.

The Southern Paiute people that occupy the region refer to the Grand Canyon as “Kaibab” which translates as “mountain turned upside down”. And on this chilly winters sunset, freshly painted with the previous days snowfall under a burning Arizona sky, the Grand Canyon at Desert View marvels and mystifies with her vibrant multi layers of ancient Coconino Sandstone, as the “Palasades of the Desert” majestically flank her eastward rim.

As eloquently penned by Journalist and Author Bill Bryson from his travelogue book “The Lost Continent : Travels in Small-Town America” he writes:

“… Nothing prepares you for the Grand Canyon. No matter how many times you read about it or see it pictured, it still takes your breath away. Your mind, unable to deal with anything on this scale, just shuts down and for many long moments you are a human vacuum, without speech or breath, but just a deep, inexpressible awe that anything on this earth could be so vast, so beautiful, so silent”.

Amen…

I could not agree more…

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Dating as far back as 4000 years B.C., Opals have been the muse of artists, writers, and other creatives since the beginning of time. In ancient Rome the opal was known as opalus, which in latin translates as the “precious jewel.”

Not only has the Opal romanced the hearts and dreams of mankind for thousands of years, Opals are ancient, taking roughly 5 million years to solidify just one centimeter of opal.

The Greek derivative of apalus is “Opallios,” meaning “to see a change of color.”

Opals have always been associated with love and passion, as well as desire and eroticism. And on this pristine sunset’s last light along the breathtaking La Jolla Cove waters, she truly lived up to her seductive essence as a precious jewel, as the descending sun painted a sea of evolving luminance on her horizon, she passionately kissed this days end, delivering another stunning moment in the life of Opallios Caelo.

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