“S.A. author maps trail of Texas outlaws - MySanAntonio” plus 1 more |
| S.A. author maps trail of Texas outlaws - MySanAntonio Posted: 22 Jan 2011 09:54 PM PST THE CRIME BUFF'S GUIDE TO OUTLAW TEXAS BY RON FRANSCELL GLOBE PEQUOT PRESS, $16.99 Texans love their outlaws, and why not? We have more than our share of scoundrels and sociopaths, dating back before Texas became a republic in 1836. Many of the early outlaws who terrorized Texas citizenry didn't live long — train robber Sam Bass was buried on his 27th birthday — but their legends survive. Author, journalist and San Antonio resident Ron Franscell has written an intriguing guide with brief profiles of the men and women whose names are forever linked with the dark side of Texas history. While the profiles alone make interesting reading, Franscell took his project several steps further. He mapped out not only the histories of the outlaws, but the law officials who hunted them down and, in some cases, the victims and peripheral players. He details their histories, from scenes of the crime to burial spots, then leads us there, aided by Global Positioning System technology. Each entry lists the site, address and GPS coordinates, with any additional information that will aid travelers in their treks. Sam Bass, for instance, is buried at Round Rock Cemetery (GPS: 3051759/-97.69778). Those who previously traveled around Texas with maps marked with such spots as the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo and the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum in San Antonio will have a field day with this book. Many of the outlaws in this book crossed paths with the Texas Rangers, who had an outlaw or two of their own, such as Scott Cooley, a relentless tracker of criminals who became a murderer when he avenged a friend's death. Those interested in the history of the oldest state-based law enforcement group will find numerous references to the famous Texas Rangers. And while the title might suggest the Old West aspect of Texas history, "Outlaw Texas" goes beyond the pioneer days to include modern murderers and crooks. He includes separate segments on Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, where we find Marina and Lee Oswald's apartment, the hiding place of the rifle used to kill JFK, Dealey Plaza, the grassy knoll, Parkland Hospital, Officer J.D. Trippit's murder site and more. The stories in Franscell's book are fascinating — and more lurid than most fictional crime accounts. The outlaws range from mere scoundrels to the essence of evil — a cast of characters worth pursuing across the great Lone Star State. This isn't a book to put away after reading. Take it on the road. S.A. author maps trail of Texas outlaws Many of the early outlaws who terrorized Texas citizenry didn't live long — train robber Sam Bass was buried on his 27th birthday — but their legends survive. Author, journalist and San Antonio resident Ron Franscell has written an intriguing guide with brief profiles of the men and women... This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Meat, maps inspire quirky prints - San Francisco Gate Posted: 22 Jan 2011 03:24 AM PST Alyson Thomas' best-selling work is her meaty map of San Francisco. It's no secret San Francisco is a food-obsessed city, and no one is happier about that than San Francisco artist Alyson Thomas. In 2009, the former immigration attorney left her job and started a yearlong sabbatical to figure out what she wanted to do next. Her then-fiance (now husband) encouraged her to pursue her lifelong love of art and crafts. What started out as a daily art project has morphed into a fresh career: Thomas' quirky food illustrations and butchery diagrams have become her new business, Drywell Art. "I really always liked those vintage butchery diagrams," says Thomas, 29, who was raised in suburban Texas. "There's something appealing about diagramming everything, and I'm really into food. I realized it was a rich area and people get it right away." Thomas uses watercolor, charcoal and ink illustrations to create simple and clever images of cows, lambs, pigs and other food and butchery that have become popular with local restaurant industry workers and homeowners looking for fun, offbeat art for kitchen walls. The best-seller - and her favorite piece in the collection - is the 13-by-19-inch "San Francisco Is for Carnivores" poster ($25), a hand-drawn map of San Francisco neighborhoods in the form of a pig butchery diagram, ready for framing. "I'm proudest of that piece." Thomas was in a wine bar in the Mission District when the idea for the poster came to her. "It took a lot of effort to get it done right. In addition to butchery diagrams, I also have a fascination with maps." Her collection, priced from $10 to $25 (custom work more), also includes a charcoal "Cow Butchery" diagram ($18) and a 5-by-7-inch ink-and-watercolor illustration, "Hot Dog Mystery" ($10), that pokes fun at the age-old question about the true contents of a hot dog. "Humor definitely drives a lot of my art," she says. "It's kind of nice to get a reaction out of people. I'm not sure I set out to do that, but that's what I enjoy. It's really unbelievably satisfying to make people happy and laugh." Having already represented the neighborhoods of Seattle in a salmon, Thomas has plans to expand her collection to include butchery maps for Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago and her native state of Texas. "I'm just kind of riding this meat train for a while." Available at Pot + Pantry, 3412 22nd St. (at Guerrero), San Francisco; (415) 206-1134, www.potandpantry.com, and Modern Mouse, 2228-A South Shore Center, Alameda; (510) 814-8830, www.modernmousegifts.com or visit www.drywellart.com. This article appeared on page N - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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