Featured Artist at Lodestone Gallery

"Gathering the Harvest" 30x26" oil/linen

Last week Lodestone Gallery contacted me to be their Featured Guest Artist for April.

The opening is tomorrow evening - Friday, April 2nd from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. If you missed the Russell, I hope you can make it down for this wonderful event. Lodestone Gallery is located at 318 Central Avenue in Great Falls, MT.

This is another painting from my harvest series. I shot these photos in the alley behind the gallery so they are not the best quality. I'll try to get some better shots later on. Below is a detail of the woman's face.

"In the Heat of Harvest" - The Finish

So here (below) is the finish of my newest harvest painting. This painting has taken a few twists and turns, so I've jumped ahead a bit. I tried putting several children in the foreground with these women, but in the end I opted to take them out all together.

Harvesting in the 1800's was accomplished by the entire community and I had wanted to include everyone, as with my last painting. But I also wanted the focus to be on the figure at the left. Its seems I couldn't have both, so I've decided those kids may have to wait for a future in a separate painting, later on.

The top photo is not very good, but I wanted to show how that transition took place.

...and I just HAD to put Bill (the dog) in somewhere!

This is the finish. I still have a few value and color adjustments to make, but its close.

Its the largest painting I've done to date at 36 x 46". I'm planning on doing another large harvest painting, this time with a horse drawn hay wagon up front.

In the coming days, I'll try to share a few close ups of my favorite details from this painting.

Now, I need to take a few days off...

Whew!!

Happy belated Veteran's Day, everyone.

Please pray for our troops abroad, that they make it home safe to the families who love them.

Wake Up Bill!!

"19th Century Harvest"   28 x 36   oil/linen

Collection of the Blackfoot River Brewing Company 

(before)

Sorry to be gone so long!  I've had a hectic week, with doing the L&C Paint Out and getting these last few commissions out of the way.   Also our anniversary was this week and my husband surprised me with an impromptu camping trip and midnight canoe ride on Lake Pishkun, which is right up along the Rocky Mountain Front.  It was breath taking with the full moon!!  I did bring my paint box, but forgot the turps, so didn't get any painting in.  Just as well since its been all work these days.  It was so relaxing and just what we both needed.

Anyway, I wanted to post this painting one last time to show the update.  I really felt that (Bill) the dog needed to be more active and some other artists friends of mine mentioned it as well.

This painting will hang in the Blackfoot River Brewing Company's new Tap Room which will open around Labor Day.

Details...

Heres a couple detail photos of the harvest painting for Blackfoot River Brewing Company.

Update...

28 x 36" oil on linen

sold

So...

I did a little more work on some of these values.  I think I got them where they should be.  Plus I adjusted some of the color and contrast in Photoshop to better match the painting.  For Mac users anyway.  Its kind of sickly yellow in Windows, but I'll try to correct that later for the website.  Usually I try for a happy medium.

Its hard to see everything going on in this little photo, so click on the image here if you'd like to see a larger version.  I'll try to post some more detailed images later.

Note:

So far this year, I've been able to dodge a fair amount of ranch work.  But today my husband is asking if I could spend a few days and help get the hay in.  So unfortunately, I won't be posting anything until next Monday.  It was bound to happen!  And really the timing is perfect, having just finished this major commission.  So have a great weekend everyone!  I'll see you next week.

19th Century Harvest Painting

28 x 36" oil on linen

sold

This is the "finished" painting for my commission with the Blackfoot River Brewing Company. They are a local micro brewery here in Montana (which has AWESOME BEER by the way!!) and are opening a new larger Brewery this summer. This painting will hang in their Taproom.

I've been working on this piece for about 6 months now. Its so complex that I had to slow the process WAY down in order to watch the elements progress. I spent lots of time just sitting and studying it. Also there was lots of sketching and historical research, etc., not to mention models. But the real challenge I think, was value relationships. I think I've got them close now, but still see things I'd like to tweak.