I started this Oil Painting of Wild Columbines 16"x20" yesterday. Pretty well have it blocked in. first with Acrylic and now beginning work in Oil. These flowers are currently blooming in the mountains and are real beauties.

I have begun detailing this painting of the Moose-Grizzly painting. I have wiped out the grizzly and moved them a little higher in the painting and changed a few things around. It is looking better now.

I think I am pretty well finished with this painting. It will go into the Pioneer Western Invitational in two weeks. FROSTED RANCH is 15"x30" Oil Painting

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Continuing to work on my Grizzly-Moose idea I have blocked more in.

The DAY OF THE COWBOY in Dubois, Wyoming is over and I'm afraid I have relenqished my crown. I knew I would not have a chance with this busted up foot not allowing me to wear Cowboy boots. I even lent my spurs out to my pardners wife who clanked up and down the town Boardwalks showing off her boots and cowgirl hat. I did the quick-draw in the town square but it was forgotten as an announcement of the days events and I was the loneliest man in Dubois as I had a construction worker from the new road construction over Togwotee Pass as my audience. A few folks strode by but didn't stay long as this fellow was puffing away on a cigarette and talking non-stop. It is just as well as I would like to take it back into the studio and do touch-up and make it a completed painting.

In the meantime across the street in the Gallery the girls did a bang up job on Gallery sales. It has been a great busy week.

Yesterday I began my idea of a Grizzly with two cubs walking up the river while a Cow Moose and calf are walking the same direction up a river channel. This painting is 12"x30" Oil on Canvas. I will finish blocking it in today and a little detail work as I go. Who knows how interesting this encounter might become.

Today is the National Day of the Cowboy in Dubois and the town is going all out so I will be putting on my boots and spurs. A parade is schedualed along with a shoot out on the square across from our gallery. At the same time I will be doing a quick-draw of my own there. I sure hope they don't shoot the paintbrush out of my hand. I won the "BEST DRESSED COWBOY" last year and will be defending my title again today. {see my posts from one year ago-if you can find it} I just hope it warms up as it is 38 degrees this morning with a wind blowing. Brr.

The last few days of this week I worked up this painting from some photos I had taken near the south entrance to Yellostone Natl Park-along the Snake River. It is 10"x18" Oil on Masonite. As I worked on it I had another vision of something that just might work and so yesterday began another using the same landscape but including wildlife. See next post.

I began my morning this morning having a cup of coffee with this big fellow. Actually I drove up a road south of town and found him sitting along a mountain pond about 6:30 am. He is a big one and made for a most enjoyable subject while I finished off that cup I took with me. Later in the day it clouded up and this and many roads in our area become a quagmire of mud with a steady rain all day. We sure needed it as it has not rained in nearly a month.

I had started this Gouache Watercolor painting 14"x18" during Museum Days as a painting demonstration but it needed a lot of work by the end of the day last saturday so today I spent a great deal of time working on it. I think it is nearing completion.

I have added horses to the ranch scene. They need to be detailed a bit yet then it is decision time as to what else needs to be included.

Last night Vicki and I spent the evening on the East Fork river looking for wildlife and searching out wild places. I have posted our adventure on my OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Blog and hope you will take the time to check it out.

I didn't get anyting done on my ranch painting today but friday I hit it pretty good. I still plan to put a few horses or some such into it and will be more work on the foreground but am liking what is going on it the back ground as well as in the middle areas.

Today was Museum Day in Dubois. An annual event that features many residents displaying, teaching, and showing off their skills in arts, crafts, Horsemanship. You name it it can be seen along with a Stew that is to die for as well as squaw Bread. I spend most of the morning doing a painting demonstration followed by a Quick-draw with my pardner, Tom Lucas from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. It is auctioned off as a silent auction. It is grand fun and looked forward to locals as well as tourists passing by. Here I have finished my painting and taking a breather.

I had posted this painting several months ago and I then entered it into the WRVAG Show held here in Dubois. This is one of the largest Art Guild run shows in the nation and this year had well over 400 entries nationwide. A number of our gallery artists enter and it is pretty cool to announce a number of them won awards in the show. I won top Landscape Award with RAMSHORN PEAK. 15"x30" Oil Painting on Canvas. [pictured above]The show reception that kicks off the 10 day show was this evening and it was nearly standing room only. Will be a lot easier to return later to really view the show. There is some outstanding art displayed there and sales this evening were pretty brisk.

four weeks ago I applied for membership in the OIL PAINTERS OF AMERICA and today received notification of acceptance. I am now an associate member and can apply for their shows. Notification was just in time as tomorrow is the deadline for entry submissions to the Westrn Regional show they put on. I just finished my entries so now the waiting begins. Again.

I started this painting yesterday and continued to work onit today. It is a ranch scene with a frosted look to it. FROSTED RANCH 15"x30" Oil Painting on linen canvas. I have a show coming up next month that kicks off the Wyoming state Fair and it will be one of the entries.

I had a great time this evening doing a quick-draw at Ring Lake Ranch for their sharing time. followed by a great dinner and an auction of the painting to end the evening with 50% of the proceeds going to benefit the ranch.

Sunday, July 11th Vicki and I left Dubois for a day out meeting fellow gallery artist, Devon Meyers and her two kids, Sheldon and Terra for a day along the Falls River that flows out from the SW corner of Yellowstone Natl Park. We had a wonderful day on the river visiting Cave Falls and Horsehoe Lake nearby.
Beginning with a rootbeer break in Ashton, Idaho and finishing off the day with a great Mexican food supper in Driggs. Catching the sun setting over the Tetons on the way back home was a perfect way to end a perfect day.

I have pretty well finished the water on this painting touching up a little of the grasses as well. On to other paintings.
FIREHOLE RIVER 18"x24" Oil Painting on gessoed masonite.
This is one of the most beautiful of rivers coursing its way from S W corner of Yellowstone on past Old Faithful and joining with the Gibbon River to form the Madison River. One of the major streams in Yellowstone National Park.

I spent the day in the gallery painting on this Oil started several weeks ago. A lot of grass work in between visiting with customers. Working on the detail and trying to get the darks and lights to work. The last hour I went into the water detailing it out. Will hit it again tomorrow I hope. FIREHOLE RIVER 18"x24" Oil Painting on Masonite.

As long as I had the research and the drawing down for this Buck Mule Deer that I submitted for the Wilderness Art Challenge-I added a Doe and revamped the background. 11"x14" Oil Painting

THE PEAKS ABOVE DOUBLE CABINS

Befor today I would have said summer has arrived in the high country but we have not gotten out of the 50's all day and snow has been falling in places in Yellowstone and the high mountains. With that in mind I have posted a new OUTDOOR ADVENTURE with summer in mind. I hope you will take time to check it out and see what I have been doing in the high country.

HORSE CREEK SPRING 16"x24" Oil Painting is now finished.
I have been spending some time in the mountains and it is about time to get back to painting so I have finished this started piece and have done several of my Painting-a-Days. Dustin Stephenson, our gallery Potter is in the gallery throwing pots and he and I spent the morning wildlife watching and will do more tomorrow at 5 A M Then it is back to the gallery for more painting and pot throwing.http://www.blogger.com/www.silversagegallery.com
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