Texas Drought: Photographs of a New American Dust Bowl by Robb Kendrick

Te x a s D r o u g h t Photographs of a New American Dust Bowl

by Robb Kendrick A 2014 FotoFest Biennial Exhibition

Dry Storm, Hereford, Texas

Cotton Crop, Brownfield, Texas

Water Tank, San Angelo, Texas

T e x a s D r o u g h t: Photographs of a New American Dust Bowl

by Robb Kendrick on view March 21 - April 26, 2014

S p e c i a l Ev e n t s Collector Preview Weekend: Friday, March 21st – Saturday, March 22nd, 10am-5pm Opening Reception: Saturday, March 22nd, 5-8pm A full exhibition catalogue is available at reavesart.com. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am-5pm; and by appointment.

T e x a s D r o u g h t: P hoto g raphs of a N e w A M e r i can D ust B owl b y R obb K e ndr i ck William Reaves Fine Art is pleased to bring the remarkable photography of Robb Kendrick to Houston and to FotoFest. Kendrick was an already accomplished photographer of the American West when he turned the lens of his camera on the Texas drought that is continuing to wreak havoc, an eerie replay of the state’s Dust Bowl experience of the 1930s. Photographed for National Geographic magazine and published in their September 2012 issue, Kendrick’s photographs capture the thirsty soil and desolate landscape of the Texas high plains.

Of this series, Kendrick writes: The summer of 2011 was the hottest, driest, windiest summer in Texas history. As I drove over the vast farmlands of the Texas Panhandle where I grew up, it seemed more like a desert than the bountiful fields of green I remember growing up. Truth be told, the southern plains of Texas nearly qualifies as a desert. The decade leading up to the dustbowl farmers, encouraged by the government, ripped open vast prairies to farm wheat for a growing export market. The loss of the fragile prairies that held the soil earthbound resulted in one of the largest manmade disasters in history. For the past 60 years with the assistance of deep irrigation wells the same areas so devastated by the dustbowl was again transformed into a farming paradise as the Ogallala aquifer provided what seemed an endless bounty of water. Driven by high commodity prices, and irresponsible government programs, farmers have pumped this fossil aquifer to dangerously low levels chasing profits from water intensive crops such as corn and cotton. Another manmade disaster is slowly unfolding as weather patterns become erratic and dependable water becomes scarce.

1

Peter Miller, “The New Dust Bowl”, National Geographic Magazine (September 2012).

The severe droughts in the Lone Star State during this period were described as “gut-kicking even by Texas standards,” with 2011 being the driest recorded year for the State of Texas. Dubbed “The New Dust Bowl”, this most epic of Texas dry spells was judged to be even more severe than the extreme droughts of the 1930s or 1950s. The weather doling catastrophic blows to ranchers and farmers in the area caused Texas farmers to lose an estimated $8 billion due to the lack of rain in 2011 alone.

Through his powerful imagery, Kendrick captures the devastation of this rainless region, allowing the viewer to experience a Texas drought of historic proportions. Utilizing the 8x10 format with color negatives, Kendrick’s images of the parched Texas countryside lend to incredible detail and depth of field. The harsh reality of the condition of the land and its impact on natural and human environments serve as a strong reminder to the viewer of the direct and indirect consequences of such devastating natural events in our region.

Bill Reaves President, William Reaves Fine Art

A b o u t t h e A r t i s t: R O b b K e n d r i c k Selected Biographical and Career Highlights • • • •

1963, Born in Spur, Texas 1981-85, East Texas State University, Commerce, Texas Frequent Instructor for National Geographic seminars and workshops Resides in Austin, Texas

Selected Book Publications • • • • •

In Focus: National Geographic Greatest Portraits, cover image, November 2004 Revealing Character: Texas Tintypes, Bright Sky Press, September 2005 Still: Cowboys at the Start of the 21st Century, The University of Texas Press, February 2008 Changelings, Cloverleaf Press, February 2009 History of the Waggoner Ranch, Four – O Publishing, November 2011

Selected Magazine Publications • “21st Century Cowboys,” National Geographic, December 2007 Selected Exhibitions • • • • • •

2004, Best Portraits of National Geographic, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 2005–06, One Man Exhibition of Tintypes, The Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas 2006–07, One Man Exhibition of Tintypes, National Cowgirl Museum, Fort Worth, Texas 2007, One Man Exhibition of Tintypes, Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, Austin, Texas 2007, One Man Exhibition of Tintypes, The Old Jail Art Center, Albany, Texas 2011, One Man Retrospective, The Wittliff Collections, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas

Selected Collections • • • • •

Denver Art Museum Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas The Wittliff Collections, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas Ralph Lauren Collections

Texas Drought: Photographs of a New American Dust Bowl by Robb Kendrick March 21 - April 26, 2014 No.

Artist

Title of Work

Date

Edition

Medium

Size (inches)

1

Robb Kendrick

Bill Tulljos, San Angelo, Texas

2011

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

2

Robb Kendrick

Brown Field, Brownfield, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

3

Robb Kendrick

Buried Fence, Seminole, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

4

Robb Kendrick

Childhood Pool, Spur, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

5

Robb Kendrick

Cotton Crop?, Brownfield, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

6

Robb Kendrick

Cotton Crop, Levelland, Texas

2011

1/7

Archival Pigment Print

34 x 42

7

Robb Kendrick

Dry Humor, Muleshoe, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

26 x 32

8

Robb Kendrick

Dry Storm, Hereford, Texas

2012

1/7

Archival Pigment Print

34 x 42

9

Robb Kendrick

Fallow field, Wayside, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

10

Robb Kendrick

Farm to Market, Spur, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

26 x 32

11

Robb Kendrick

Feedlot, Easter, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

26 x 32

12

Robb Kendrick

Flying Sand, Pep, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

13

Robb Kendrick

Home-less, Spur, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

14

Robb Kendrick

Lone Survivor, Vega, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

26 x 32

15

Robb Kendrick

Lost Tracks, Earth, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

16

Robb Kendrick

Paradise, Eden, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

17

Robb Kendrick

Prairie Woman, Guthrie, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

18

Robb Kendrick

Sandy Slope, Denver City, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

19

Robb Kendrick

Snow Field, Levelland, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

26 x 32

20

Robb Kendrick

Spare Tire, Levelland, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

21

Robb Kendrick

Trespasser, Earth, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

22

Robb Kendrick

Veribest SIX Men, Veribest, Texas

2011

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

26 x 32

23

Robb Kendrick

Vicious Tumbleweeds, Levelland, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

24

Robb Kendrick

Water Tank, San Angelo, Texas

2011

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

26 x 32

Texas Drought: Photographs of a New American Dust Bowl by Robb Kendrick March 21 - April 26, 2014 No.

Artist

Title of Work

Date

Edition

Medium

Size (inches)

25

Robb Kendrick

Water Witcher, San Angelo, Texas

2011

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

26

Robb Kendrick

Wind Prisoner, Wall, Texas

2011

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

27

Robb Kendrick

Windy Street, Morton, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

28

Robb Kendrick

Winter Burn, Lazbuddie, Texas

2012

1/10

Archival Pigment Print

18 x 22

Additional images available to be printed:

Additional print sizes:

29

Robb Kendrick

Buried, Littlefield, Texas

2012

Size

30

Robb Kendrick

Burned out, Bastrop, Texas

2011

11 x 14

10

31

Robb Kendrick

Family Business, Ralls, Texas

2012

18 x 22

10

32

Robb Kendrick

Feed Hill, Wayside, Texas

2012

26 x 32

10

33

Robb Kendrick

Fire Truck, Bastrop, Texas

2011

34 x 42

7

34

Robb Kendrick

Homeless Weeds, Bovina, Texas

2012

38 x 48

7

35

Robb Kendrick

Hoping for Cotton, Levelland, Texas

2011

42 x 52

5

36

Robb Kendrick

Lonely Road, Petit, Texas

2012

46 x 58

5

37

Robb Kendrick

Mason Feed Store, Mason, Texas

2011

50 x 62

3

38

Robb Kendrick

Packing Plant, Hereford, Texas

2012

60 x 80

3

39

Robb Kendrick

San Saba River, Voca, Texas

2011

40

Robb Kendrick

Thirsty Goat, San Angelo, Texas

2011

41

Robb Kendrick

Wallace Theatre, Muleshoe, Texas

2012

42

Robb Kendrick

Water Hog, Brownfield, Texas

2012

43

Robb Kendrick

Water Tower, Levelland, Texas

2011

Edition

1. Robb Kendrick, Bill Tulljos, San Angelo, Texas, 2011, archival print, 18x22 inches.

2. Robb Kendrick, Brown Field, Brownfield, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

3. Robb Kendrick, Buried Fence, Seminole, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

4. Robb Kendrick, Childhood Pool, Spur, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

5. Robb Kendrick, Cotton Crop?, Brownfield, Texas, 2012, archival print, 34x42 inches.

6. Robb Kendrick, Cotton Crop, Levelland, Texas, 2011, archival print, 18x22 inches.

7. Robb Kendrick, Dry Humor, Muleshoe, Texas, 2012, archival print, 26x32 inches.

8. Robb Kendrick, Dry Storm, Hereford, Texas, 2012, archival print, 34x42 inches.

9. Robb Kendrick, Fallow field, Wayside, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

10. Robb Kendrick, Farm to Market, Spur, Texas, 2012, archival print, 26x32 inches.

11. Robb Kendrick, Feedlot, Easter, Texas, 2012, archival print, 26x32 inches.

12. Robb Kendrick, Flying Sand, Pep, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

13. Robb Kendrick, Home-less, Spur, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

14. Robb Kendrick, Lone Survivor, Vega, Texas, 2012, archival print, 26x32 inches.

15. Robb Kendrick, Lost Tracks, Earth, Texas, 2012, archival print, 34x42 inches.

16. Robb Kendrick, Paradise, Eden, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

17. Robb Kendrick, Prairie Woman, Guthrie, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

18. Robb Kendrick, Sandy Slope, Denver City, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

19. Robb Kendrick, Snow Field, Levelland, Texas, 2012, archival print, 26x32 inches.

20. Robb Kendrick, Spare Tire, Levelland, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

21. Robb Kendrick, Trespasser, Earth, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

22. Robb Kendrick, Veribest SIX Men, Veribest, Texas, 2011, archival print, 26x32 inches.

23. Robb Kendrick, Vicious Tumbleweeds, Levelland, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

24. Robb Kendrick, Water Tank, San Angelo, Texas, 2011, archival print, 26x32 inches.

25. Robb Kendrick, Water Witcher, San Angelo, Texas, 2011, archival print, 18x22 inches.

26. Robb Kendrick, Wind Prisoner, Wall, Texas, 2011, archival print, 18x22 inches.

27. Robb Kendrick, Windy Street, Morton, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

28. Robb Kendrick, Winter Burn, Lazbuddie, Texas, 2012, archival print, 18x22 inches.

29. Robb Kendrick, Buried, Littlefield, Texas, 2012, archival print.

30. Robb Kendrick, Burned Out, Bastrop, Texas, 2011, archival print.

31. Robb Kendrick, Family Business, Ralls, Texas, 2012, archival print.

32. Robb Kendrick, Feed Hill, Wayside, Texas, 2012, archival print.

33. Robb Kendrick, Fire Truck, Bastrop, Texas, 2012, archival print.

34. Robb Kendrick, Homeless Weeds, Bovina, Texas, 2012, archival print.

35. Robb Kendrick, Hoping for Cotton, Levelland, Texas, 2011, archival print.

36. Robb Kendrick, Lonely Road, Petit, Texas, 2012, archival print.

37. Robb Kendrick, Mason Feed Store, Mason, Texas, 2011, archival print.

38. Robb Kendrick, Packing Plant, Hereford, Texas, 2012, archival print.

39. Robb Kendrick, San Saba River, Voca, Texas, 2011, archival print.

40. Robb Kendrick, Thirsty Goat, San Angelo, Texas, 2011, archival print.

41. Robb Kendrick, Wallace Theatre, Muleshoe, Texas, 2012, archival print.

42. Robb Kendrick, Water Hog, Brownfield, Texas, 2012, archival print.

43. Robb Kendrick, Water Tower, Levelland, Texas, 2011, archival print.

WILLIAM REAVES FINE ART Spring 2014 Exhibition Schedule

Views of the Texas Coast: Interpretations by Twenty Texas Ar tists & Texas Drought: A New American Dust Bowl coinciding exhibitions at William Reaves Fine Ar t Galler y, Houston, Texas March 21 – April 26, 2014

The Texas Aesthetic VII

William Reaves Fine Ar t Galler y, Houston, Texas May 16 – July 5, 2014

Texas Art E a r ly Modern C o n te m p o r a r y

W i l l i am R e a v e s F i n e A r t 2313 B run S tr e e t • H ouston , T e x as 77019 • 713.521.7500 • I N F O @ r e a v e sart.com www. r e av e sart.com