Returning Visitors – Tombstone (2025)

About this Painting – “Returning Visitors – Tombstone”©

24″ X 36″ Oil on Canvas by Timothy K Lewis – 2025

About this painting:

The image of the town Tombstone, AZ is of current day (2025) from the perspective, standing on the walkway, outside of the Oriental Saloon and looking westward. The Oriental Saloon was once where Wyatt and his brothers ran their gambling business. “Returning Visitors” are the residents from the 1800’s (1879-1882) coming back to current day Tombstone in the morning hours before the streets are populated by current business owners, workers, and tourists. They (the residents) come through a wormhole (a light) at the far west end of the walkway in the area of where the O.K. Corral is located, further west of the Crystal Palace saloon.

The Residents are coming back for a short time to see what Tombstone has become in the 21st century. Wyatt Earp is standing, outside the entrance to the Oriental, with a friendly dog by his side. Earp is looking up at the saloon sign, with curiosity and wonder, which describes current day activities at the Oriental unknown to the time period of which he came. The Tombstone Stage Coach is coming through town, eastbound on Allen Street, with John Henry “Doc” Holliday as its passenger. Doc is peering out over at Wyatt as Wyatt ponders the meaning of the sign. Holliday carries an ivory-handled revolver tucked into his vest. A woman and her small son stand off to the side on the south walkway across the street, watching the stagecoach approaching. Her two dogs, Malcolm and Angus, bark and lunge at the horses as they pass by. Walking in the street behind, and into the dust, trailing behind the stagecoach is Curly Bill Brocius carrying his rifle.

To the rear of Wyatt, and near the entrance to the Crystal Palace Saloon, is Ike Clanton talking with an unknown resident. The unknown resident distrusting of Ike holds a pistol behind his back. Distance west of Ike is Morgan Earp leaning against the far end of the Crystal Palace, catching a few winks as Miss Kitty in her blue dress, carrying her decorative parasol, walks past him. The shadow of a new character comes through the wormhole.

On the upstairs balcony of the Crystal Palace Saloon, leaning against the wooden rail, stands Virgil Earp as he looks down (watching his brother’s back) at Wyatt.
Johnny Ringo exits the saloon, onto the balcony, behind Virgil is a saloon girl stands off and to the rear of Virgil’s right side.

On the east side of the Crystal Palace saloon along Fifth St. sits a wounded Confederate Civil War General staring over at Wyatt and his dog with interest.

The window of the Oriental saloon, with its painted advertisement, reflects the town and its storefronts across the street but is void of the “Returning Residents,” which are there in spirit but not in the physical realm.

When you walk along Allen Street early in the morning in Tombstone before the inhabitants and tourists begin to arrive, you can feel the presence of its past and infamous history. This is where I got the idea, one early morning while walking the streets, before others were out.

Size and Price:

24″ X 36″ Signed Limited Edition of One Hundred (100) Archival Reproduction Prints with Certificate – $400.00

Each print is numbered, signed, and certified (certificate included) by Visual Arts Imaging of Palm Springs, CA. The story about this painting will also be included with the purchase. If you are interested in having the canvas stretched onto a bar and would like to add a rustic frame, you may contact me via the contact form for an additional price.