Trail of Painted Ponies Contest

Done! Good luck, and I can say "I knew her when..." !!!

Good Luck Lexie

Good luck Lexie. I have already voted for you today thanks to a notice from a mutual friend in the organ grinding business, Dr. Ron Bopp from Oklohoma. Small world. I understand you did some painting on his Bruder organ and you did a fantastic job. Good luck in the competition!

I didn't vote for yours only because you asked for but also because I really think your pony design ist the most authentic and beautiful 🙂

Franz

My vote is cast. Good luck!

Lexie's PRESIDENT murals

For those of you who may not be familiar with Lexie's work, here's a sample. She painted these murals for the PRESIDENT when it became a casino. They were over the elevators. They disappeared shortly after the PREZ was laid up, and none are in Keith or my collection... Lexie took a DQ trip in the early '70s and was so taken by the experience that she became a maid on the DQ, graduated from the Helena River Academy and was a First Class Pilot on the DQ before she built the GRACEFUL GHOST. She also piloted the NATCHEZ on her '82 Race trip to Louisville. She has been a crew member of the tall ship ELISSA out of Galveston too - a woman of many talents and interests!

Lexie's fine artwork adorns the walls in the homes and offices of many steamboat buffs and buffettes. Like the late Dorothea Frye, Lexie's artwork of riverboats reflects her great love and knowledge of the subject. My collection consists of original Palmore works featuring the Str. MISSISSIPPI, the pilothouse interior of the Str. GOLDEN EAGLE and a scene of yours truly at the calliope of the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE in the rain. Lex also did a wonderful sign for my River Room door which is enclosed in an old frame that once graced the Orleans Room on the DELTA QUEEN. Another steamboaty sign she did for me is in the form of a flat three dimensional wooden cotton bale (with real cotton glued on the sides) which reads COTTON ABOARD - NO SMOKING ON DECK!

If you wish to own some Palmore steamboat art, check EBAY and other sources (including the artist herself!) for some of Lexie's prints that were made available some years ago. All of them are dandies and I especially treasure one of the Str. KATE ADAMS rounding to at Helena, Arkansas. A packet of handsome steamboat sketches of such boats as the DQ, SPRAGUE, LOUISE, etc., is another collector's item!

Several years ago it was concealed by heavy draperies and I don't know if it still exists, but in 1978 Lex painted a terrific mural, featuring a levee scene and many steamboats, on the wall behind the bandstand in the Orleans Room of the DQ. As watchman, I saw it progress during the wee hours when the passengers were asleep. To see how observant viewers were, one of the pilothouses in the mural contained none other than Mickey Mouse - aka "Steamboat Willie"!

Thank you for your vote. Last time I was on the DQ, ten (gasp) years ago, it was still there. I was trying to convince the people at my dining room table that I had indeed been a pilot on the DQ. They didn't believe me, probably because I had been kidding around a lot with them. I told them I had painted a mural on that wall behind the curtain. Then I went and pulled back the curtain. They were still doubtful. They weren't sure until I was introduced at the Captain's Dinner. Somebody peek and see if it still is.

Some painting? That facade was a box of parts when I got it. No paint. Pieces missing. The organ was named "Aphrodite" so I also did the painting of Aphrodite in the altogether that festoons one of the panels. Thanks for your vote.

Keith, The mural on the back wall of the DQ's Orleans room bandstand still exists...

I was told by one of the crewmembers that if I truly loved the ol' DQ, my experience couldn't be really, really complete until I checked out Lexie's mural. So David Dewey and I checked it out in May. It is wonderful, lots of "Oh My" and "Oh-Ahs" on our part...We couldn't see but small pieces at a time, as it was difficult to pull up the stage curtains far enough to see big portions of it without upsetting Jeff's bass, but the artwork is absolutely lovely. It was definitely worth the time, and I'm a little embarassed that it took me so long for me to finally check it out.

Steamboat Willie, huh? Never saw that so I guess I gotta force myself to go back (its a tough job but I guess I gotta do it).

Anybody have a picture of Lexie's "Steamboat One"?

Keith,

It is still on the boat, behind the curtain on the bandstand in the Orleans Room. Beautiful painting, that one! If it were ever removed, I think there would be a line of crew waiting to get it...cause we all know it is here!

~Travis~

[QUOTE=Bruno Krause;

Anybody have a picture of Lexie's "Steamboat One"?

You mean THIS Steamboat 1???
That's Lexie in the second picture. Note President Carter waving on the wingbridge in the third picture, as the DQ arrived in St. Louis on Aug. 24, 1979. The story behind this sign follows in my next posting with the rest of the pictures.

There's another one of my creations that I was surprised to see the last time I was on the DQ. It is the "Man In Wheel" sign that is put on the throttle in the engine room when someone is working on the paddlewheel. I used fancy curlyque letters painted in red. Is that still there?

Oops! Wrong facade. The box of parts facade is owned by someone else.

That sign was another surprise the last time I was on the DQ. There is was, hanging on the wing bridge. I had thought it was long gone. Glad you posted those pictures. I still have the hat and is that the infamous Mail Pouch Tobacco t-shirt?

The story behind this sign follows in my next posting with the rest of the pictures..... Lexie had been pilot and I a passenger the two weeks prior to the Carter trip, so we saw the whole thing unfold. But neither of us was scheduled on the trip itself. So we decided to follow the boat some. I of course saw her here at the Davenport stop, where I got on board to pick up the Captain's wife and take her to the airport. The following day I drove to Burlington Iowa and picked Lexie up at their 'international' airport - she had flown up from Texas. We watched the DQ leave Burlington, and then drove along the Illinois side during the infamous thunderstorm above Fort Madison. That night we got soaked standing at L&D 19 too. On Thursday morning, we boarded the DQ in Hannibal after the President and his entourage had left for the city tour.(The Secret Service had checked out everybody on board the boat the week prior to this trip, so we would have had clearance, had they bothered to check us out.) Bob Reynolds or Lexie could be more specific on this part, but the crew had been kidding about Air Force One and thought the DQ should be Steamboat One, so when Lexie came aboard, somebody got her and asked her to make the sign. They had to get clearance from the White House staff to use the Presidential Seal. So Lexie and I sanded down the board on the bow of the DQ. When it was obvious that she wasn't going to get the sign done while they were in port, she was asked to stay aboard to finish it. She was hesitant because that left me to go to St. Louis by myself. No way was I going to let her miss this chance of a lifetime! So she got it finished and it was up for the St. Louis arrival. She was able to visit with President Carter in the pilothouse, and the autographed picture was a result of that, making up for 'leaving me in the lurch'. So, the first picture is Lexie sanding the board, the second shows the Carters returning(we thought they'd move us out, but nope, we stayed right there), and the third is the official photo of President Carter, Capts. Charlie Fehlig and Fred Martin which the President autographed for me.

As you can see, it certainly IS the infamous Mail Pouch shirt! Nothing but the best when you're meeting the President of the United States!!!

Lexie Palmore;6244 wrote: There's another one of my creations that I was surprised to see the last time I was on the DQ. It is the "Man In Wheel" sign that is put on the throttle in the engine room when someone is working on the paddlewheel. I used fancy curlyque letters painted in red. Is that still there?

Yes, Lexie, it's still there, or at least it was up until I left the DQ last August. I'm going aboard as a guest entertainer Memphis to St. Louis next week, so I'll go back to the Engine Room and check to see if the sign still exists.

Whenever I've given a tour of the boat, I always pull back the drapery in the Orleans Room to show your wonderful mural, and, along with playing the calliope for those enjoying the tour, it seems that Steamboat Willie always gives them the biggest kick!

Indeed, your memory and your excellent artistry live on aboard the Delta Queen. I just voted for your painted pony and I wish you all the best of luck.

Jazzou

This forum is unreal...like water to a thirsty man. Wonderful stuff 🙂
Thanks all!
And Judy, interesting third picture in your first post...I love the guys with binoculars on the DQ roof! And in the second picture of your second post, do you know who the guy is in the red blazer on the far left?

There weren't just guys with binoculars on the roof, but they aren't visible in this shot. As to who the red coated guy is, no I don't know but suspect it could have been someone from Hannibal to convey farewell. Robert Moser was DQ prez then, and that's not him. Pat Wingerter, VP of operations or some such title, would also have been a possibility I think. While it was amazing to see the security and communications setups being put into place and to see the absolute authority of the Secret Service, remember I posted earlier that I came aboard in Davenport and Lexie and I both in Hannibal - without searches or checks, just on the Captain's word. Things were strict, but commonsense. By the way, in that shot on the bow, that's our Bob Reynolds in white uniform shirt and shades, just to the left of Rosalynn.

Thanks! I am happy to know that Lexie's mural still exists, for it is truly terrific! I'll have to dig up some photos I took of Lex painting it during the wee hours. The passengers enjoyed seeing its "progress" each day when there would be another steamboat or two in the levee scene and, of course, when "Steamboat Willie" appeared!

One time I went all over the DQ taking pictures (slides) of "steamboat signage", but I don't think I got one of the MAN IN WHEEL sign. Virginia Bennett has a large wooden acorn, painted green and white, with a big hook in the top. It is from the Str. CHRIS GREENE and was hung on the throttle when crew was working in the wheel.

Done it!! Mighty fine horse!

Those were the only clothes I had. I sent my luggage on with Judy. I was a mess with some sort of mysterious rash on my neck. Little did I know that my picture would be taken, rash and all, with the Prez and First Lady, but Carter had written a book about doing your best, or some such, so he thought the Mail Pouch shirt was a reference to that.

Thanks again for the votes and all the wonderful input.