<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Richard Matteson - Online Art Gallery - Artist Portfolio</title><link>http://www.artq.net/ArtistWork.asp?artist_id=MRWNI1405630108704830</link><description>Richard Matteson - Online Art Gallery - Artist Portfolio</description><language>en-us</language><pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:46:22 PST</pubDate><item><title><![CDATA[Bury Me Beneath the Willow]]></title><link>http://www.artq.net/ArtView.asp?artwork_id=CGVM54216301087010855</link><description><![CDATA[Beneath The Willow: Orignial is 30" by 40" Acrylic on canvas. C 2008. The setting is a lake in the Appalachian Mountains. A single weeping willow tree shrouds a grave. In my song it is the man that is forsaken and "died for love." His untrue former love returns to his graveside to pay her respects. On the grave a turtledove watches as she kneels holding several white lilies.

The lyrics appear on a gravestone in the left foreground. Above in the clouds an angel whispers to him that his love has been untrue. In the right upper corner the lovers meet again in Heaven. 

This ballad was popularized mainly by the Carter Family who recorded it on Victor 21074 in 1927; and later on Bluebird B-6053 in 1935. They also recorded a remake of the song, "Answer to Weeping Willow," on Decca 5234 in 1936.<br><img src='http://www.artq.net/artImages/15/SMBZ54216301087010855.JPG'><br>]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[All the Pretty Little Horses]]></title><link>http://www.artq.net/ArtView.asp?artwork_id=CIPE5421630124402342</link><description><![CDATA[All the Pretty Little Horses

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you'll have cake,
And all the pretty little horses.

Black and bay, dapple and gray,
Coach and six little horses,
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby,
When you wake, you'll have cake,
And all the pretty little horses.

Way down yonder, down in the meadow,
There's a poor wee little lamby.
The bees and the butterflies pickin' at its eyes,
The poor wee thing cried for her mammy.

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you'll have cake,
And all the pretty little horses. 

All the Pretty Little Horses (orginally 30" by 40" Acrylic on canvas. C 2006). The lullaby All the Pretty Little Horses has been sung to children in the US since the 1800s. It was collected in the 1920s and the 1934 version collected by Alan Lomax is the basis for my painting and lyrics. 

My painting is set in the clouds in the dream world of the little baby. From an impossible object in the center spring saucers (even one flying saucer!) that become the piece of cake with a candle and fork illusions. The pretty little horses on the right disappear and form the baby's face while the butterflies turn into the lamb.

This was the first painting of my Bluegrass Series, which are traditional American Songs with the lyrics painted on the canvas. 
<br><img src='http://www.artq.net/artImages/12/KBCR5421630124402342.JPG'><br>]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Red Apple Juice]]></title><link>http://www.artq.net/ArtView.asp?artwork_id=EMWD54216301087020414</link><description><![CDATA[Red Apple Juice

Ain't got no use for your red apple juice,
Ain't got no honey baby now, 
Ain't got no honey baby now.

Who'll rock the cradle and who'll sing the song, 
Who'll rock the cradle when I'm gone, 
Who'll rock the cradle when I'm gone. 

Ain't got no use for your red rocking chair,
Ain't got no honey baby there, 
Ain't got no honey baby there.

Gave her all I made then I laid her in the shade,
What more can a poor boy do?
What more can a poor boy do?

This old-time white blues song was first collected in 1909 by EC Perrow as "Done All I Can Do." Some song lyrics come from the Scottish ballad "The Lass of Roch Royal" in 1829. In the Appalachian Mountains the song is known by different names: Red Rocking Chair/Red Apple Juice/Sugar Baby/Honey Baby/Ain't Got No Honey Baby Now. 

My painting takes the song way back; from Eve in the Garden of Eden to eternal life; from the cradle to the grave and beyond. As Eve ponders eating the apple with the serpent watching, apple juice flows from a glass forming a lake of red apple juice. The path takes you from the cradle to the rocking chair and the grave and finally eternal life. The lyrics "who'll rock the cradle," "ain't got no use for your red rocking chair" and "laid her in the shade" lead you on a journey as if the red apple juice is the blood of life.
<br><img src='http://www.artq.net/artImages/13/TTZZ54216301087020413.JPG'><br>]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Darlin' Corey]]></title><link>http://www.artq.net/ArtView.asp?artwork_id=MPMM5421630108709630</link><description><![CDATA[Darlin' Corey Original is 30" by 40" Acrylic on canvas. C 2008. The song Darlin' Corey has been recorded by most of the top bluegrass pickers and was a crossover hit for Bruce Hornsby. The song is similar in form and chord structure to Little Maggie though they are distinctly different songs. The painting is a series of four scenes: 1) Darlin' Corey with a forty-four around her body and a banjo on her knee. 2) Darlin' Corey sleeping after drinking too much corn liquor. A possum tries to wake her and warn her the revenuers are coming. 3) Two revenuers spot Darlin' Corey's still. 4) A man digs a hole in the meadow (her grave) to lay Darlin' Corey down. A bluebird sings on an overhead branch.

Darlin' Corey is modeled loosely on the L'il Abner character Daisy Mae. The blond hair and outfit make a striking appearance. 
<br><img src='http://www.artq.net/artImages/10/BVSA5421630108709630.JPG'><br>]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Banjo Pickin' Girl]]></title><link>http://www.artq.net/ArtView.asp?artwork_id=SZDB54216301244021651</link><description><![CDATA[BANJO PICKING GIRL 

Oh, I'm going `round the world, baby mine, 
I'm going `round the world, baby mine. 
I'm going `round this world, I'll be a banjo picking girl, 
I'm going `round this world, baby mine. 

Oh, I'm going to Tennessee, baby mine, 
I'm going to Tennessee, baby mine. 
I'm going to Tennessee, don't you try to foller me, 
I'm going to Tennessee, baby mine. 

Oh, I'm going `cross the ocean, baby mine, 
I'm going `cross the ocean, baby mine. 
I'm going `cross the ocean if I don't change my notion, 
I'm going `cross the ocean, baby mine. 

Oh, if you ain't got no money, baby mine, 
If you ain't got no money, baby mine. 
If you ain't got no money, get yourself another honey, 
I'm going `round this world baby mine. 

Banjo Pickin' Girl: Original is 30" by 40" Acrylic on canvas. C 2008. Banjo Pickin' Girl is based a song from the Kentucky all girl band popular in the 1930's: The Coon Creek Girls- Lily May Ledford, vocal and banjo; Rosie Ledford, guitar; Violet Koehler, bass and vocal. The song was recorded May 30, 1938, in Chicago. Originally issued on Vocalion 04413 and Okeh 04413. The song originated from the "Baby Mine" songs-words Charles Mackay and music Achibald Johnson in 1874.

The painting of the Banjo Pickin' Girl is based on an actual photo of Lily May Ledford. In a persimmons tree a possum watched a raccoon pump the water into the ocean. The shape of the state of Tennessee is found as a blue lake.
<br><img src='http://www.artq.net/artImages/11/EYZB54216301244021651.JPG'><br>]]></description></item></channel></rss>