Torrey Creek with thawing ice. Of course it won't last.

The weather across the country has seemed to have taken a break from the nasty stuff we have been experiencing the past several months. We here in the high country have also had good weather and I have taken advantage of that in the past week by taking off several afternoons and exploring the countryside.

I have posted those several outdoor adventures on my OUTDOOR ADVENTURES blog and invite you to check them out.

Last night was the annual Winter Carnival in Riverton, Wyoming that features a quick-draw and auction. This was my 45 minute guache watercolor painting framed up and ready for the auction. It did quite well in the auction and in fact was top money. It always makes one feel good to come out in one of these events. The 80 mile drive back home was not fun though as the first 35 miles was a raging hard to see blizzard at 25-45 MPH and the next 25 miles just slick with light snow falling. Getting into the mountains it was stars overhead and dry roads. That is Wyoming for you.

We only found one old fellow who had actually taken up morning residency inside the leanto shed. He seemed quite comfortable there and being named grumpy by Deb-we were quite willing to leave him where he was.
If interested I have posted more photos of our trip in on my facebook page.
It was an interesting enjoyable morning. Even if the mountains were mostly obscured in falling snow showers.

Since I posted the Mountain Chickadee photo I thought it might be a good one to use for my wilderness art challenge for February.
See my wilderness Art Challenge blog.

From my desk looking toward the stair railing. Unfinished paintings lined up on the side and2 of my saddles on the rail. The one with the lariat I inherited from my grandfather and have had and used since I was a kid. It is an old Association saddle with the high cantle and deep swells. I love it. It is probably close to 100 years old.
Hanging on the stairway is a Moose hide and there is an elk hide on the stair railing.

This is the view across my library-lounge area. 2 paintings in progress are on the easles. I have a desk on the near side and a round coffee table wih several magazines and books as well as some of the books and magazines I have illustrated or have illustrations in as well as magazines carrying biographical stories on my self. This whole area is carpeted which makes it comfortable

Continuing my studio tour

This is a large counter top where I can lay out projects for paintings in the planning stages. It overhangs more paper storage and I have the TV on the top left that I can swivel to watch from either end. Beyond is my Library and witting area wher I can set painting on several easles to contemplate. I usually have an easy chair to sit in but it is at the Gallery. I need to bring it back home. The staiway is to the right coming up from below. Notice my overhead light that I received from an artist friend of mine from New Mexico. I have three of those on the studio ceiling and also have them in my three bedrooms and the living room as lamps. They are all works of art. At back is the picture window looking out to the east at the river and front yard below

looking to the south behind my drafting table I have built in more cabinets for storage and built shelving up above for canvas panelsOn the back side of the drafting table are a number of art magazines that I love going through now and then. Above the cabinets I keep old art projects. Some from commercial and illustration days. I stuck some old U S Forest posters on the wall from my days with the Forest Service. Unseen as I am still working on it is more cabinet space with large flat area for laying out large projects. that divides the carpeted lounge area. I also have a TV set up there but rarely watch it except maybe the evening news. I would rather play music while I work. That would be intrumental. Old Folk music. Old Cowboy stuff.

From my desk looking NE. A work table with some books and magazines I am currently reading through. A nice easy desk chair that I can use for reading or looking at art. Another file that contains a lot of my photos. A real bugger to keep filed and in proper place. Next to that is the door out onto my deck and visible is the post that is the upper support for the stairway coming up from the show room. You may notice I kept the flooring uncovered so I don't have to worry about spilling paint or all the things I do spill. To the right of the stairway I do have a carpeted area with an easy chair and lounge like area with a floor to ceiling bookcase full of my books. I have yet to get into it with a hoe so that will be shown later on. It also has a big picture window looking out over the roof and river and I can see who ever drives up or by.

The NW corner of the studio. My files for research items. Flat files above where I keep paper and prints. Old canvas storage above and more canvas and stretcher storage to the side. North window that looks out onto my deck and back yard and the river. I actually have two skylight above this whole area that lets in a lot of light.

Continuing on from the last post is the SW corner of the studio. From my elongated built in desk is storage for drawing supplies, tools for canvas stretching and a view out the window to the west where I also have a bird feeder I put up for my wild friends. Along the river we get quite an assortment of species. I can also watch the horses in the pasture that comes up to my property line. Deer quite often pass by and about 11:00 a bald eagle will come over at studio height. Ducks and Canada Geese are always jabbering away. Summers it is fun to watch Osprey fishing . We used to have a lot of Moose come around but have not seen one in 5 or 6 years. Too much building going on west of us and the population has taken a big hit.

Over the past several years the studio had become a disaster area. I went through a couple of years of Cancer problems and last year was relegated to painting the winter in the living room with my busted up foot. Those things along with the gallery that takes care of 8-9 months of the year where I actually do my painting at the gallery. The studio became a throw-all and was in definite need of being overhauled. Since Christmas that is exactly what I have been doing. It is only half finished but upon the urging of my good artist friend, Pattie Wall, I am going to show where I currently am. Check out the newly built studio Pattie has. http://www.jpwall.blogspot.com
This view is from the NW corner looking at my drafting table where I do 90% of my painting. My pallette with paint storage. I use a metal tool storage cabinet for this with a built in top for mixing paint. On to the right is computer, desk, printer, scanner.

I have been asked by a number of folks to show off my studio so here goes.
I converted what was a garage on the house-seen here-into a show room and built on to the back of it-utilizing some of the area as enlarging the master bedroom, a second bath, wash room and closet-storage. The back-new construction became my shop area where I do framing and storage. It has room for mat cutting, chop sawing frame stock and everything involved with framing. The second floor became my studio and measures 20 x30 feet. Off to the north side on the back is an outdoor deck. I plan, hopefully this summer to rebuild it and put a roof overhead as there is a real drainage problem off the roof.