Torrey Creek with thawing ice. Of course it won't last.
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. 
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.
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
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.
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
I have been asked by a number of folks to show off my studio so here goes.
We have returned from browsing about the state doing the Christmas thing with family beginning in the Bighorn Basin where we stayed with our youngest daughter and family in Frannie, Wyoming. Even taking in a sunday smorgasboard in Cody at the Irma Hotel built by Buffalo Bill. It is quite a place and the food was great.
I worked today on my Aspen painting. Still manipulating, I added another bright sunlit tree to the left of the one I had. Things look a little centered now but I am going to proceed and then decide how it looks later. Tomorrow I have just a little time to work on it as we plan to take off for Deaver, Wyoming to visit our daughter and kids. For Christmas it look like the plan it to go to Pine Haven where our other daughter lives. Not only are we celebrating Christmas but our grand daughter, Kassi took her board exams the other day and passed so after 8 grueling years of medical school she is Dr. Kassi Leseberg. A doctor of Physical Therapy. Now I have someone to officially go to for all my owies.
With only a couple of hours to spare I ran up to the Bighorn Sheep range as I heard there were some large rams down. This is the season to witness their incredible fighting for dominance. I found only a small band way out on the meadow grazing with some browsing deer near the Glacier trailhead and did spot one big fellow way high on the ridge. I watched him traverse it for some time but all were too far away for pictures. It was a beautiful afternoon although pretty cool with a stiff wind blowing. The Ramshorn Peak over the Dubois badlands was an incredible late afternoon photo opportunity.
I had dropped by Kathys Koffee yesterday morning and had a cup with Skip who is a fellow I actually knew as a kid who lived west of where I grew up. He told me a big Black Bear had been seen along the hiway on an Elk carcass that had apparantely been hit by a vehicle and died on up the hillside. 
We had a pretty good blast of cold air hit last night. Heavy snow was forcast but that fizzled out and we only had about an inch. Last night it hit -8 and hovered about zero all day. Having gallery duty I spent more time doing projects around the wood stove than painting but did manage to git a little bit done on this piece. blocking in trees, the Bull itself, and more work on the background mountains. I raised the height of the peaks behind the Bulls Antlers to give them more contrast. Tomorrow is a day off-THANKSGIVING-and the next day is our Christmas Art Show at the Gallery so probably won't accomplish too much in next few days.
Don then just had to sign his name below mine. I am impressed that he really dressed up just for me. :0)
A big event for a little town that seems to have a lot of little events. The nations Christmas tree that will be installed in Washington D C was escorted into town by a number of horseback riders all carrying Wyoming flags as well as our nations flag. State police, Sherriff deputies, Forest Service police and Secret Service agents were everywhere. Speeches were made and anyone wanting to signed their names on the side of the truck. Mine included. Interestingly it was accompanyed by a second semi that carried support equipment for the tree including watering devices for it. Even though it is cut down it is fed 1600 gallons of water/day. 
Had a nice visit with family members this weekend while still doing Gallery duty.
For the last week to 10 days leading up to this last weekend we have had unbelievably warm and dry weather. Vicki and I went to Jackson to see the W R Leigh African show at the Wildlife Art Museum. It consisted of Pen & Inks he did along with his diary from one of his trips to Africa. Incredible work. If you have never been to the museum it is well worth the trip to Jackson, Wyoming just to see. 
I should be getting quite a bit of work done in the next 8-10 days as my pardner in the gallery is off to Death Valley Days in Nevada for an art show and I am left to run the gallery which is extremely slow this time of year afording me the opportunity to get a lot of painting time in. Yesterday I worked further on my Monkey Flower-Stream painting. No. The monkey flowers are not in yet. Maybe today or tomorrow I will get to them. I had started with acrylic for the underpainting and am now working Oil over the top and detailing out with them.
I have been working off and on with this Gouache Watercolor for the past week and think I am pretty well finished with it. I was really intrigued with the sky reflection whcih was such a deep blue contrasting with the purple-orange of the Willows that have now lost their leaves exposing that beautiful winter color of branches.
