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November - December 2009 Exhibit

Three Lea County artists, Harmon “Red” Hann, David Sadler, and Ron Simon, will open their exhibit of artwork beginning Saturday, November 21 with a public reception from 6-8 pm.

Harmon “Red” Hann, is the featured artist for the Lea County State Bank 2010 calendar and will show his original western oil paintings depicting historic Lea County. In addition, prints of his work will be available. David Sadler, will exhibit stone sculpture and Ron Simon will exhibit oil paintings with a Southwestern theme. The work will be on exhibit through December 31.

Harmon "Red" Hann

Artist Harmon “Red” Hann lives by the motto “It’s a great life if you live it”. He feels that life is an adventure and if you take advantage of the opportunities offered you, happiness will follow.

Harmon was given his first opportunity to enjoy using his talent in 1948 when he illustrated the Hobbs High School yearbook. He attended Eastern New Mexico University until 1953 when he joined the Air Force. While serving four years, he painted the emblem for the Eddie Rickenbacker squadron at George AFB in Victorville, CA, and murals for Mather AFB in San Jose, CA. One 8 x 50 mural entitled History of the Air Defense Command started with World War I aircraft and finished with the suited pilots going to the moon. A full size portrait of Rickenbacker was included in that mural.

Hann is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. The Washington State Museum has several of his historic site drawings of Washington State. While working in California he was commissioned by the North Bay Federal Savings & Loan Association to draw historic sites of the North Bay from San Rafael to Petaluma.

One of the most memorable sites for Hann is Mechems Well and Stage Stop, a historical site located in Sonoma County, CA. The stop was famous in the 1860’s and housed a hotel and restaurant. His drawing of the site was made into an etching, which he still possesses. He also drew a sketch of first cowboy movie actor “Bronco Billy” Anderson, who did one of his first movies on main street in Petaluma, CA. This drawing was published in the Argus Currier North Bay historic series. Bronco Billy was the first silent movie actor, starring with William G. Hart in The Great Train Robbery.

In the 1960’s, Hann was busy doing artwork from Hollywood to Sacramento. In Calaveras County he produced a series of art projects that included the famous International Calaveras County Frog Jump at Angels Camp, CA. In 1964, he was invited to be a part of the anniversary celebration of Jackson, CA, along with special guests John Wayne, John Fort, and Ken Curtis, best known as Festus in the Gun Smoke series. Hann drew sketches of Wayne, Ford, and Curtis. He sketched Wayne on canvas and later finished the oil portrait. Hann said, “I liked the sketch so much I hated to cover it up, but it made a good portrait”. This portrait was included in the exhibition at the Fine Arts Brokerage, Plaza Mercado, in Santa Fe in 2008.

Hann finished an 8 x 23 foot mural at the Lea County Museum in Lovington, NM, this year. He will be working on another section starting in December 2009.

Ronnie Simon

Ronnie Simon is a self-taught artist using many mediums. His interest in art began in 1995 when he found that picking up a brush to paint or a pencil to sketch after a long hard day at work was indeed a way to relax. His casual hobby rapidly became a passion, which has expanded through the years into what you see today. He has found that New Mexico offers a diverse variety of vistas from desert landscape, wildlife, mountains and of course Hobbs spectacular sunsets. Ronnie's great eye for different styles of painting has served to improve and expand his natural talent.

Ronnie is a Native Hobbsan and is a Hobbs businessman. He and his wife Georgianne Simon are proud parents of five lovely daughters.

David Sadler

David Sadler first became involved in sculpting rock about nine years ago. Growing up as a second generation memorialist gave David access to all types of stone. By the age of twenty-four, David was a partner with his Dad in their own memorial business. This opened doors with more access to different types of stone. The fire was lit when David helped a friend with a sculpting project. David was fascinated with the texture of different stones and carving out what he saw in the stone. Not long after realizing his talent in carving, David became involved with the local art association in Hobbs, NM. Becoming involved with other artists sparked an interest in learning more about carving. He began attending carving symposiums in Marble, CO, Cambria, CA, Tucson, AZ, Jemez Springs, NM, and Texas Limestone Quarries.

David has taken many first place ribbons and received the "People's Choice Award" for a very large sculpture carved from pink marble of an elephant family. David also carved three eagles out of marble that stand guard over the multipurpose center at Hobbs High School Football Field. David works with granite, alabaster, limestone, gypsum and several kinds of marble. David is quoted saying, "I see something in the stone begging to be let out and I have to set it free."

David is a current member of several organizations: Llano Estacado Art Association (president 2003-2004), Lea County Commission for the Arts (president 2006-2007), board member of Southwest Stone Carving Association (1999-present), Monument Builders of the Southwest, Monument Builders of North America, as well as being a certified memorialist. David carves at quarries all over the southwestern United States. He is a humanitarian and donates many hours of service as well as projects and supplies to various charities and people in the New Mexico and West Texas areas, such as conducting teaching field trips for New Mexico Junior College, Hobbs High School, and local elementary schools.