An allegory of Christmases past and Christmases present in our Southwest

A symbolic narrative of humility and hope. As great and as impressive as have been the works of civilized man in the past century, in relation to the scale of his infinite time in history, he has but overcome the primitive challenges common to other ground born creatures. That we are able to rise above the surface over the earth is but a humble beginning-a trivial accomplishment. Our hopes lie in the Light that disperses the shadows beyond the stars.

PEPITO oil on canvas by DeGrazia, courtesy Buck Saunders

Please let me consider myself as your host in our ARIZONA HIGHWAYS house. Each of the twelve rooms in our mansion represents a month of the year. The most important, the gayest and most joyous event of the year is the celebration in our December room.

I must, with a deep sense of pride and gratitude, drop a few notable names and make several introductions of special, though not so notable people, whose names appear in this publication, some for the first time.

The bearded gentleman with the gold and turquoise halo is Ted DeGrazia. A Christmas issue without DeGrazia would be like a Christmas tree without lights. Manuel Lepe, Mexico's premier painter of "artes Primitivos", has honored us by visiting three rooms of our mansion. William (Bill) Shimmel of Scottsdale, Arizona, is always a rare and attractive asset to our program. The A.W.S. after his signature (American Watercolor Society) establishes his professional status as elite. You must take my word for truth that outside of Arizona, Lew Davis is one of the least known and most versatile artists I have ever met. It was through Lew that we discovered Lon Megargee, Arizona's first great cowboy artist. Melvin Warren came to us from Clifton, Texas. We were initially introduced to the triple award winner of the Cowboy Artists of America Exhibition last September, at the Phoenix Art Museum. His painting, "Desert Home", was given the special Arizona Award presented by the Men's Art Council of the Museum. The painting titled "Christmas Morning" with our Oscar Wilde story was the Gold Medal winner in oils from the Academy of Western Art Competition, National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, last June. The original title is "At The Edge of The Sangre de Cristos". Artist Robert Lougheed lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is also a member of Cowboy Artists of America. We first met Tom Lovell at the National Academy show last June where his "The Hand Warmer" was one of the popular favorites. The National Academy's Prix de West winner, Clark Hulings, lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The realistic expertise of Robert Rishell is unmistakable. His unique ability to capture the vivid colors of the Southwest is exemplified in "La Loma Dorada". His work is found in important collections throughout America, including the permanent display at The Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Center. He is represented in Scottsdale by Troy's Cowboy Art Gallery. In any group of top flight artists James Boren must stand with the best. "Old Tumacacori" was executed especially for Boren's fall opening show at Troy's Cowboy Art Gallery, Scottsdale. The Boren display at the Cowboy Artists' of America Exhibition, Phoenix, was a sellout success. He is honored to be the current president of the Cowboy Artists of America. Our old friends and contributors are the foundation of our mansion, but we are excited at the quality and quantity of some of our newer guests, especially Milton Sidwell, Mike Moore, Dick Canby and Goldthwaite H. Dorr. Yes, the same Dorr who staged and directed the greatest Western Art Show ever held in the Phoenix Art Museum.

I hope you are as reluctant to leave our mansion as I am to close the door . . . but not for long to be sure. Now I must turn to thank each and every associate, assistant and member, representing every department of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS that keeps this wonderful old house more cherishable, treasurable and delightfully unforgettable; with a most special acknowledgement of gratitude to Associate Editor John Wesley Holden.

Truly my cup runneth over, and as I lift my glass, in a toast to the best that is yet to come, my hand trembles with joy as it has after every Christmas celebration when I feel God's hand gently on my shoulder reminding me it's time to say . . . I love you.