The Frog Hunters

The Frog Hunters 12 x 16" oil-canvas panel

a close up detail......

I did this painting for the upcoming Montana Painter's Alliance show featured at the Paris Gibson Museum of Art in Great Falls, MT. The show will start November 18th and hang through February 28, 2011. I'll give you another heads up as the date gets closer.

The plein air sketch below is what inspired this piece.

Plein Air with the Montana Painter's Alliance

Plein Air study 9 x 12" oil/linen panel

Plein Air study - Hay Bales 9 x 12" oil/linen panel

This past weekend, I had the good fortune to be invited as guest artist once again at the Montana Painter's Alliance - Fall Paint Out. This is the second time I've attended one of their paint-outs this year and I am hopeful in becoming one of their permanent members. This time we gathered our plein air gear and headed into the mountains around Lincoln, Montana. With hosts Chuck & Jan Fulcher, we were treated to an amazing diversity of ranch land and wilderness as our subjects. Our evenings were filled with laughter, amazing food and fireside musicians! Thanks to everyone for putting up with my singing :O) I do love a good campfire!

Until next time...

Studio View of Prairie Cottonwoods

"Studio View of Prairie Cottonwoods - oil sketch"

8 x 10" oil/canvas panel

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My studio faces east, away from the mountains and the view is not particularly that interesting, especially compared with the surrounding views to the south, west and north. However, when I look at these trees from my studio window, each day they become something new. For the past several months we've been getting much more rain than is usual for us here on the high plains. A friend of mine from Circle, Montana mentioned how the grass this year seems to be almost "luscious." This is true, the trees and grasses are as green as can be! So here are "my" trees as they appear on this fine summer day in June.

"Clouds"

"Clouds" 8x10" oil/canvas panel

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Heres another little doodle I did recently.

A Soft Place to Land - Almost there!

30 x 36"  oil/linen

I'm closing in on this one now and thought I'd post my progress.  These larger paintings take so long and I'm such a slow painter!  But I much prefer the size to the smaller ones I've been doing this year.  I may only finish one per week, but its working for me and is what the galleries are asking for.  This one is actually for entry into the C.M. Russell Western Art Auction.  The deadline is coming up in a few weeks so I need to hustle.  I was hoping to have one more to submit and its going to be even bigger than this one!

Anyway, I love how this painting is coming out!  Especially my flying bird in motion.  The horses head seems a little dark and might need to move forward some, and the snow fields need a little work yet.  I think one more day ought to do it.

Painting progress...

Heres one of the larger paintings I'm working on for entry in the upcoming C.M. Russell Western Art Auction.  Its a take on "A Soft Place to Land", a painting I did this past April.  This one will be a bit less stylistic then that last one, a bit truer to my style and much LARGER.  30 x 36" Well, bigger than what I've been doing for a while now.  Its so nice to get back to these larger supports.  I love to stand while I'm painting, and also just the physical act of being able to step back to see how its progressing helps me stay alert and focused.   I hope to finish it here in the next few days.  Below is the start which took about an hour to draw and lay in the basic color values.

"Linda's Filly"

16 x 20" oil/canvas panel

sold

Here is the final and "finished" painting of Linda's Filly.

After looking at it this morning I decided to lengthen that front leg just a bit. I wanted her to look as if she were stepping right out of the painting. I also dropped her shoulder some. I think I got it right now. Also, I tided up the background and pulled in some warm and cool colors to give it more life.

After photographing it, I loaded it into Photoshop and adjusted the colors to match the original piece. Closer to Mac computers, since they seem to be more widely used in the art industry. Now its ready for the website.

Getting closer now...

16 x 20"  oil/canvas panel

Here is the third post on my progress for the painting entitled

"Linda's Filly."

Its very close now...

As you can see, I've added that middle ground I mentioned in the previous post.  Also, I've adjusted her front leg.  It seemed too long, but now I'm not so sure.  I'll sleep on it and make any corrections tomorrow.  I hope to finish it up and post the final painting, so stay tuned!

Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation-Paintout

"Fort Mountain"  10 x 8"  oil/canvas panel

sold

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I was lucky enough to be invited as a guest artist for the Lewis and Clark Heritage Foundation's

National Convention, which was held in Great Falls this year.  So yesterday I got the privilege to spend the day with lots of interesting folks and paint some wonderful scenery around the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.  Artist friend Ron Ukrainetz organized much of the event and got us artists lined out.  Like herding cats, he says.   Which is mostly true!

   Anyway, this is one of two plein air paintings I did for the auction which will be held tonight.

"Rocky Shore"

9 x 6" watercolor/arches

For purchase information click here.

Howdy!  I am back from a much needed break and I had such a wonderful time!  We went camping up by the Seeley - Swan Valley, north of here.  It was SO beautiful!  We did some hiking, fishing (my husband) and painting (me!)

This little watercolor I did from the west shore of Lake Alva looking toward the Swan Range.  My husband dropped me off here, while he canoed down the lake to do some fly fishing.  I was painting away, when suddenly I realized I was sitting right in the middle of a huckleberry patch.  Yummy to be sure, but this area is prime grizzly bear habitat!!  And grizzlies in Montana, LOVE their huckleberries. I had a brief case of the "woods willies" but then relaxed and got lost in my painting.

  The situation reminded me of this illustration by John Potter, from the cover of Jim and Narda Wilcox's book, The Artist's Book of Excuses (And How Not to need Them)

"Paint That Ain't"

8 x 10" oil - canvas panel

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This title most likely needs an explanation...

This bay horse is actually a registered paint.  His mother was completely black and his father a flaming red sorrel Overo paint.  Some call this result, a "Paint That Ain't."

I've been training him for the past few years and he's really coming along nicely.  His name is Buddy and he really is!!

Study for "The Real Deal"

8 x 8 oil - canvas mounted on masonite

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Heres a subject near to my heart.  Women on the ranch.

I want to do a series on this subject, to give an honest portrayal of the western cowgirl.  As I have said, they are rarely pretty and model thin, like the rodeo queens you see in many calendars and coffee table books.  They are tough and stout and work harder than most men.  They fix tractors, train horses, build barns, mend fences, plow fields, cook for an army of field hands and doctor anything that moves.  All before noon!!! (Just kidding!)

They really ARE amazing!

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Update on "Highland Dreams"

Good news!!!  I have been accepted into the Oil Painters of America Exhibition at Devin Galleries in Coeur d'Alene.  This is my first acceptance into an OPA show since being juried in as a member four years ago.  I'm SO excited!!!

"Red Earth"

10 x 8"  oil/gessoed hardboard panel

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I've been working on my brewery painting today (its almost done, I promise!) so I decided, just for fun, to post this painting I did a few years ago.  Its of my daughter again, walking down a washed out road in Sudden Valley.  A remote area about 12 miles west of our ranch.

"Muddy Montana Landscape - A Study"

8 x 8" oil/canvas panel

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Heres a little sketch I did this morning. It has a strong composition and I thought it might make a nice larger painting. We'll see, some of these don't get that far, but its nice to experiment. Its a view to the west of our ranch and its about the sky. We have the most amazing sunsets here.