"Sand in the Wind" wrap around 1990 book cover Luis Royo

Moving sale. Sacrificing.

This was one of what appears to be three covers done for author Kathleen O'Neal Gear western romance wrap around book cover that went unused.

Gallery owner David G. ;-) seems to have the other lovely Royo painting that was not officially chosen in 1990. Nonetheless, they are all gorgeous and I just wanted it the moment I saw it. Must be all the "1883" I was watching. Definitely not a study but a final piece on its own.

Now, this is my first Royo after lusting many you all have and losing auctions (ha) and I must say WOW. There is so much detail packed into these fairly small paintings. I actually am mesmerized at how he did it.

"Sand in the Wind" alternate illustration
Mixed media Illustration on board . Acrylic using airbrush and oil are usually Royo medium and watercolor.
Image 21 x 29 cm (about 8.25" x 11.5")
Signed lower left in margin.


About the 1990 book:
Drawn by troubling dreams of a handsome Indian Warrior, Colleen Merrill had come westward with her brutal husband to homestead in the Montana wilderness--only to fall in love with Lieutenant Matthew Douglas, a dashing U.S. Cavalry officer.

Wounded Bear, a young Cheyenne warrior and medicine man, had been told in a vision by the great spirit--wolf that a golden-haired woman held the power to save his people from invasion. As the drums of war beat every louder, Wounded Bear knew he must find this woman, or the Cheyenne would be scattered--like grains of sand in the wind.