C&T Publications 50 States of Art - 2015 | Page 48

Steven Bateson - Kansas Steven Bateson is a self-taught fine art photographer from Kansas City, Kansas. Based in Kansas he often travels throughout the United States seeking photographic opportunities that blend with his creative vision. His work has been in juried and non-juried art shows and has been selling on line since 2013. His passion is American Relics. Busted, rusted, and abandoned on farms, roadways, and cities these relics are often overlooked by modern society. Man, time, and the elements have worked to provide the combination of color, textures, and shapes that take on an ever-changing palette. If time is taken to examine these relics we often find amazing results. He also enjoys photographing historical aspects of American Life, Western, and America's scenic splendor. Photography is a creative process that can result in the creation of beautiful images that evokes the emotion that he wishes to portray. http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/steven-bateson.html Here is my piece. It is Shelter in the Storm. The steeple and cross of this adobe church in Cerrillos, New Mexico is illuminated by the evening sun in the middle of a dark ominous storm. The town of Cerrillos has been the location of several movies and television shows. Quick Facts: The famous Turquoise Trail runs through Los Cerrillos. The Pueblo people were mining Turquoise in the area since as early as 900 A.D, making Cerrillos one of the oldest historically documented mining towns in the United States. Los Cerrillos is also a popular filming location, with movies such as Young Guns, We're the Millers, Vampires, Beer For My Horses, Convoy, being filmed here, as well as many others. Many of the original buildings from the late 1880's still exist in Los Cerrillos, and are still being occupied by local residents. Although well wit hin the boundaries of what is known as “Billy the Kid” territory, the majority of the current buildings still standing were not erected until after the death of Billy the Kid. Did he pass through this town, and possibly spend some time here? Yes, most likely. Did he actually drink in the existing saloons, homes or hotels? Nope. The current Iglesia de San José (Church of St. Joseph) was built in 1922 to replace the original, which was actually situated where the Pastor's House is now located. The original church was built in 1884, under the directions of the Franciscan Father Hesse. The Cerrillos Opera House is the oldest masonry constructed building in the town. The Keres and Tano were the native Pueblo peoples of the area. They lived in agricultural villages and cities. Cerrillos was one of them. 43