It’s Monday all over the world and I’m somewhat excited about the possibilities of today. I’m so grateful for my wife and family, I heard a song on the radio driving back from NM (by Loggins and Messina) I couldn’t get that tune out of my head, it was these words “even though we ain’t got money, I’m so in love with you honey, everything will bring a chain of love, and in the morning when I rise you bring a tear of joy to my eyes when you tell me everything’s gonna be alright”.

All my life I’ve been looking for that genuine sense of intrinsic worth through success and satisfaction in the things I do and have done, whether in personal relationships, pursuing art or involvement in full-time ministry. Realizing that you can work yourself to the bone night & day or you can scratch & claw your way to a place of in-satiated material wealth but if you don’t have a nourishing reciprocal love, a forgiving and restoring love from you towards others and without an understanding love from others towards you, then it can be a fearfully isolated existence. It will always feel like something is missing from your life, there’s never anybody there to share your accomplishments, victories and success are not as sweet. When the world hurts and abandons you there is no one to share your pained sorrows, no comforting embraces when things don’t work out as they should. Life sure is harder when you do it all by yourself.

Seeing my family in New Mexico this past week was another reminder that family communities are just as important as our special someone’s. We kidded each other over how much older (and wider) we’d become and then over our conversations we could hear the voices of the children outside laughing, screaming, with sounds of many running footsteps. Something inside each of us made our smiles turn into adult giggles at the joy we felt, their zest for life and each other was contagious.

At home in Oklahoma we are having to make some hard choices (for us) about giving up some of our accumulated material wealth to reduce our personal monthly expenditures of storing our stuff that couldn’t fit in the house, and that’s a hard thing to do because in some ways it can feel like being defeated or a personal loss. But it’s okay because more importantly I still have my family and the love they embrace me with…and I have peace about it all.

I’ve restarted my Home-based art framing business, now I just need to rustle up some projects. I will also be working on more drawing skills in preparation for the Art in Worship services. Hey, say a word of prayer for me and I pray that all who would take the time to read these words would receive the peace of mind for their life through the love that heals us in Jesus Christ. Go in Peace!

After the past weekend in Tulsa, it seemed like a wonderful opportunity to head to the land of red and green chile. This day catches me hanging out in San Felipe Pueblo with my relatives, and doing the business of art in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, NM.

For those interested, the lowest gas prices are $ 3.09 in Santa Fe, and $ 2.72 in Albuquerque.

I did not bring my family on this trip so I am missing them dearly, but I hear they are doing just fine.

Don’t forget that we are encouraging our readers to get five of their friends to sign up on our address book, and you will receive ½ off their first online order. Feel free to send us your thoughts and comments regarding our website and blog postings. Red Earth will be hosting it’s Buffalo Bash next month in November, keep your ears open for more details.

My Art in Worship services are fast approaching, here’s our preliminary itinerary: All Saints Sunday the first Sunday in November at Glencoe FUMC; Christ the King Sunday third Sunday in November at Mayfair Heights UMC in OKC; Second Sunday of Advent at Memorial Drive UMC in Tulsa. A more detailed schedule will be posted in the next few days, come out and see us. Take care and God bless.

Certainly one of the great highlights of being at Cherokee Art Market was seeing and visiting with as many friends as I could. But it would not have been more wonderful without all the many guests and visitors, all the familiar and new faces, and the appreciative Native American art enthusiast/collectors. I’m always so grateful when parents bring their children with them to such events, because to see the awe and amazement on their faces at what others have done to create artwork…is priceless. Thanks to Richard Hasagawa for visiting with me this past weekend, he’s a wildlife and animal artist in the making even if he’s only in elementary school. Many were drawn to take a closer look at “Becoming One” the colored pencil drawing that expresses the thought of how we often say in our hearts what we say we believe but that it really does not mean a thing until we live it out in our lives. The person in the image (could be me, could be you) wants so much to touch the heavens, to be the messenger of love & peace, and to soar free from that which holds them down. He believes so strongly in the power, grace and honor of the eagle as that means that he begins to believe with all his heart and mind that he can become an eagle in time. In that “epiphany” moment when he realizes what it takes to become one…he begins his transformation, he is no longer the same, his life changes! He knows now how to give up everything to that one cause, to make it his one purpose, to become one not just in thought but to become one in real life. And in becoming one to that one purpose also brings out the beauty of whom we are to others that they are drawn by the attractiveness of our lives, that our appearance and our presence is undeniably “becoming”. Look for this image/idea to manifest into various mediums as it evolves further, the original is still available as a framed artwork at $ 750. Have a great day.

Well, it’s been 516 years since the first boatload of tourists disembarked on the great eastern coastal lands. And well, since they seem to have spent all their money and ours, I guess we can all go home now. Let’s just shut down all the banks and post offices and call it a holiday. See you tomorrow.

This being our first “real” art show since Red Earth 2000, it has been wondrously exciting to be among friends & “family” of Native American artists I have come to know in the last 28 years. Surprisingly, most everyone remembers my name but some actually were hard pressed to see it was truly me in the flesh. They didn’t say it much at all, but my goodness, how gracefully aged we all are. Many of us have become grandparents…the rest are still in denial. I am very impressed at the welcome I’ve received from virtually everyone “I’m so glad you’re back!” is still warming my heart and thoughts at their kindness and warm embraces. I can’t name them all but here are a few of the artists I know: Dorothy Sullivan, Donald Vann (my spiritual brother), Les Berryhill, Ron Mitchell, Charles Pratt & Bobbie, Yellowman, Benjamin Harjo Jr., Marcus Amerman, Steve McCullough, Connie Jenkins, Andy Marion, Norma Howard, Veronica Poblano, Bill Rabbit, Janice Albro, Clancy Gray, Austin Realrider, Gale Self, Saber Jackson, Jane Osti, Pahponne, Jackie Sevier and that’s all my brain will allow me to remember at this time. But the host of new names and faces is equally impressive. I’ve been so grateful to be here, this is the last day for the show. I’ve also been praying that no one (artists) goes home empty-handed but laden with all good things. My hats off to the committee that has put together so impressively the high caliber of Native American artists that are in attendance this weekend, you should try to come out, if not this time, certainly for next year. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

The transition back into the business and productivity of art has been little whirlwinds of activity here and there. We were not coming into this thing unrealistically, but it’s those times when you feel like you’ve hit dead water that you wonder if this was the right decision. Perseverance, my friends, requires a lot of time to wait, it’s what you do while you’re waiting that makes a difference for the next time. I used to call these “times of trials and testing”, but I know now that these have become seasons of refinement, those places of decision-making where what you said you believe in your heart becomes what you live out in your life. When you’re able to catch a glimpse that you have a purpose in this life, that you are loved for who you are no matter who you are, and that your “calling” is to share that with others the best way you know how…then to me, my friends, that’s keeping the faith in God, trusting in His love towards us will always lead and guide out of those “wilderness experiences”. Living in this world brings with it a lot of worries and anxieties, and at those times when we really need peace, strength, and a good nights’ rest our lives have been thrown off balance by stressing out about the non-essentials and poor decision-making in our relationships with others. As you read this please know that a prayer is being lifted up on your behalf by me and my family, we may not know any of the details of your life but you are people just like us, and I know that we need each other. Go and have a better day as God’s grace and peace goes with you.

Wanting to thank everyone who has taken the time to view our website, my wife Stefani has done an awesome job and goes beyond “the call of duty” each and every time. If you have any comments or suggestions about what we can “tweak” to improve our website, please share your thoughts and ideas. I’ve been working very intensely on launching out into a broader customer/clientele market, as well as taking my unique “Padilla” styles and techniques into various mediums and subject matter but I have checked my e-mails and websites regularly. If you view something you like on our website but it’s not exactly what you want, let us know, send us a picture or drawing and I bet we can put something together for you. Keep passing the word along to others who like fine Pueblo art, for those who get their best five friends to sign up on our website, will receive ½ off your first order (free shipping during Oct/Nov). Make sure they reference your name, you will receive an e-mail confirmation concerning your eligibility for the half-off offer when five friends sign-up. Have a great October!

The seasons have changed again, winter clothes have come out of the closets and thoughts of the fall and winter are dancing around in your head as you contemplate rearranging the furniture and accessorizing the living and bedroom areas. You might want to think about freshening up the mat colors and frames on your pictures and artwork hanging on your walls to match the new designer colors and fabrics out on the market. Or you might have been thinking to pull those prints, posters or long forgotten art-pieces from the shelves and storage areas to finally showcase why you bought them in the first place. Our services of matting and framing have always been about quality presentations, our turn around time beats most larger framing operations, our selections are comparable but our prices are the special feature around here. Give us an opportunity to offer you our experienced framing services. As a special introductory promo, October & November receive 25% off the total  of our regular retail price  of matting and framing. That gives enough time to contemplate and dig out those long forgotten treasures to give yourself the decorating change you’ve been looking for, give us a call to set up an appointment soon. Remember, we always offer free delivery in the state of Oklahoma, anywhere else outside of Oklahoma you might have to buy my bus ticket.