Just had to post this pix of my yard this morning with 12" snow from last night. Not really that unusual but many find it intriguing for April 27. Most folks are talking about their gardens and spring flowers. We have a month here befor we get spring flowers. Yes. Some folks around here try and garden but it is very labor intensive and with frost chances any day of the summer is a pretty futile business. Our trees will not leaf out until the last week of May. Ahh! The joy of living at 7000 feet elevation.

Some of the ranch country along the Wyoming-Colorado border on the Laramie River. Great painting opportunities

After fast trip to Denver and a pretty wild snowstorm reintering Wyoming I am glad to report that I delivered my painting in Laramie, Wyoming and my collector was happy with the painting. It was a great opportunity to also go to Saratoga, Wyoming and trade out art at the Blackhawk gallery for the coming season. Took a little side trip into North Park of Colorado and up the Laramie River into Colorado [research]

SOLD
I have been burning the midnight oil to complete this painting which is a commission from a similar painting that I had won as the purchase award at the 2-Shot Show last December that I had posted earlier. I have to deliver this painting in Laramie, Wyoming this coming wekend.
It is a 24"x30" Oil Painting

Tom and Tinker in the gallery corner after a long day of getting ready for the new season.

I have had to put down the paintbrush again for a few days as we are pretty busy getting the gallery in working order for the season. Maybe it is our ranch heritage that Tom and I are dealing with as every spring we are doing maintenance and adding to. This morning Tom is putting insulation in the old gallery portion ceiling. We think it will really help with the heat in summer and cold in winter. Amazing how some of these old buildings in Wyoming were constructed. I truely believe it was all for today and we might do something else tomorrow if we aren't kilt by injuns or grizzlies??? Anyway we also get these "visions" to improve this or that and are working on some of those projects. And they are helping. It is looking better all the time.
I did get some good news. I have been accepted to participate again in the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Quick-draw. Up to last year I was a participant through DiTomasso Gallery[You need sponsorship to be eligible] and when they closed down the gallery I lost my sponsorship for last year. We have been advertising and promoting our gallery through the Jackson Chamber who runs this event and through our own gallery I am back in the show. It is one of the major quick-draw events in the country. 2 years ago my piece auctioned for $2750.00. The artist gets 50% of that which is pretty good for an hours work. I think they should do it every day. The only draw back is the weather in September as several of those years I did it it was either frosty from the early morning or snowing. It has been a pretty cold event. Intense but a lot of fun and some really great people who are in Jackson for that week long event. It is an artists world during that week. It also is the week after the Susan K Black workshop in Dubois which is a spectacular Art workshop with well over 100 artists attending along with world-reknown instructors in Landscape, Wildlife and Western art. During those two weeeks the hills are alive with plein-aire artist from all walks of life. Google in Susan K Black workshops if interested. It is a great experience.
I earlier posted that Peaks & Plains was going to do a 3 page article on me and my art work. Was interviewed the other day for that and have just schedualed a "true"photographer for picture taking. I am glad that they have picked Dubois own, Steven Lundsford to do that. Steven sells his photography in our gallery and is a true artist with the lens. Check him out through www.silversagegallery.com His work is a true inspiration, and later this summer if you are flying over western skies look for that magazine, PEAKS AND PLAINS. It is an airline publication.

It is a busy week as we open the gallery for the season. Tom my pardner is back from the Celebration In Art Show in Arizona and he, his wife Tammy and I hung and rehung paintings for most of the day. Chris who does that fantastic jewelry and Verna Boller worked hard at shampooing carpet and filling nail holes and touching up walls. We are now officially open and in our first day made a good sale. In spite of the down economy we are optimistic about the season. As Tom says, "We put our trust in the Lord and we can't help but be successful. It sure worked last year with a way better than expected season. That is Tinker our gallery "mascot", who thinks everyone coming into the gallery is there to see him. I have the perfect sales pitch. "If you buy the dog I'll throw in a painting". Toms wife is quick to straighten folks out on that. Dan,our leather worker is the other hombre in these pixs. He has been a great help in opening too.
That big bronze of the Pack horse on the floor is one of our pardner, Bud Boller's pieces. It was commissioned by Charleton Heston and Bud nailed it. Since Charlton's death there is talk about doing a monument of this bronze for the NRA headqurters. If you are ever in Jackson, Wyoming-Look at the bronze in the middle of the town square of the bucking horse. It is Buds.

I finally got back to this painting this afternoon and worked on the deer quite a bit as well as working on the darks and lights of the grass. Also added more evergreen in the back. Finally getting to look like something.

Another view of Debs moose

Deb Robinettsent me this photo she took the other day out beside their barn. She and her husbasnd are the ranch managers for a ranch at the upper end of the DuNoir valley. It is a beautiful location and loaded with wildlife. It is also a constant battle with wolves and Grizzlies. Deb is a fantastic photographer and one of the artisans in our gallery. Check out her work in the www. Silversagegallery.com web site