Artist Journal Entry:
"Anyone who has ever been to the famous Fort Worth Stockyards knows the legacy and the importance of The White Elephant Saloon. It marked its territory back in the 1890s in the dangerous Hell's Half Acre. After a long dormancy, it moved to the stockyards and has been one of the main attractions to Fort Worth since the 1970s. After being connected to the owners and management, I knew I wanted to create an artwork that showcased what a typical day in the 70s would look like in the front of the saloon. I was able to get my hands on a classic car and truck to stage along the curb and even hire a local cowboy who brought a longhorn with him for us to use to set the tone and create a fun concept. After these connections were set in place, I wanted to hire two friends of mine who are standing in the background by the front door and are both full-time ranchers and rodeo athletes. Next, I was fortunate enough to not only use models in the foreground but also include one of the daughters of American Hat who helped with outsourcing and shaping all of the cowboy hats to fit the 70s era. Lastly, we tied it all together and pulled vintage outfits from a local store called Studio 74. It was a big production and we only had the street to ourselves for thirty minutes. I worked as quickly as possible with styling everyone, setting up the vehicles, and waiting for the longhorn to be placed in the perfect spot. Once everything came together we were able to capture this photo along with a whole sidewalk full of people taking photos on their phones. I'm very excited about how this image came together and it always creates a sense of joy and nostalgia when I look at it. The movie "Urban Cowboy" with John Travolta is what comes to mind and this photograph just showcases an older time in Fort Worth, Texas."