Descriptons of Western Paintings

24 x 30

Another one from the American Frontier Production Shoot.  

The kids are so much fun, they don't really act. They are just being kids.

Hope you can see the expressions on their faces.  

The .22 Alex is holding is his Great Grandpa's old rifle.  Pretty neat.  Octagon barrel!  We did find a Henry with that barrel, so they are still available, just not that common.

Hi younger brother, Hunter, is just trying to figure out what everyone is doing.... looking at ficticious prey out there.  He was so cute.  I got a little play bow & arrow for him to carry.  Had to include in the painting.  Think he might be 4 now.  He is thinking pretty hard,  

The girls, they were supervising.   Miley is pointing out the imaginary squirrel, bird, deer, maybe a flying fish, that Hunter is trying to find.   

The boys dad told the girls to point out the game.  They probably should be  looking at what Alex has sited in.  LOL

Aleha is looking up, one is pointing somewhere else.  Hunter.... he's just wondering why we are all standing under the trees and why I'm taking pictures.  

Alex he's trying to hold the rifle with a stock that is to long for him.  

This was quite a wonderful adventure for all of us.

"Where Dreams are Made"

18 x 24

This pond is real & is so beautiful.  This was the first time I had seen it.  

It took my breath away.  

Adam and Willy with their horses, Jazzy & 7, volunteered to go fishing.  

I started bragging about how good a fisherman my husband is.  I kind of insinuated that they would have a hard time topping him.  Willy gave me a strange look.   Later I got the story from Cowboy of how good a fisherman Willy is.  

Oops, another case of open mouth & insert foot!   Not my first time.  

This is another scene fromt the American Frontier Production Shoot.   

These guys are fun to watch though.  I have more paintings to do of Willy fishing and more tales to tell.  

I have been to this Western Shoot three times and this was the fist time I had seen this location.   That night they had 5 inches of rain.  Good thing they fished when they did.  LOL

8 x 10

Well I am trying to go smaller.    I think this is as small as I go.   LOL

This is from an old photo I had of my youngest grandson, Tyler,  trying to get to know my pet cow.  Old number 3.  She is the hugging & kissing kind.   She is halter broke and loves being brushed in the pasture.  She eats cattle cubes out my hand.  She is a sweetheart.  

Tyler was just starting to get introduced into 4H and still wasn't quite comfortable around the livestock.  They are pretty big, when you are so small.  It all requires learning how to relate to something that doesn't understand our language.  It is all a matter of learning how to share true feelings with each other.   .... and I guarantee  you, cattle know if your feelings are real.   Animals are a great judge of human character.  This one was pretty special to paint. 

16 x 20

This is the first oil painting I tried after spending the last 4 months trying to learn watercolor.  

Not a very good picture of this one.   I used a photo that  I took of this gentleman and his horses at a photo shoot.   I did love the way the morning light played on them.    I just changed the background.   I have  got to learn the landscape part, one way or another.  Still having a great time.  Even when they don't work out.  LOL    Next time  I get the camera out, I will try to get a better photo of this one.   

24 x 30

Just playing with oil paint.   Painting subjects I like and think will be challenging.  Heck that is what makes this so much fun.    

"After the Roundup"

20 x 30

This is another one created from the American Frontier Photo shoot.  

This is a photo of Stan, Bill, & Justine riding near a pond.  This was a four day shoot and not a sunny day, but it wasn't hot.  

We were rained on everyday and my camera still works.  Thank Heavens.   

These guys are pretty tough, they also road through the pond.  There horses are amzaing.  Notice the horses rounded up in the pen in the distance.  

There is also a pond up there. 

I think I'm getting hooked on this place.  LOL

36 x 48

I told myself I was going to learn how to paint a landscape.  I don't know why, people, horses, animals, even mundane still life doesn't seem that difficult, but a landscape......... I am still trying to figure that out.  Hope my instructor doesn't give up on me. 

I did have fun though.  I felt like I was wasting my time many times while trying to complete this one.  It is big.  The biggest I have done so far.  Sure used a lot of paint.  

I had to cheat on this landscape though.  I couldn't resist inserting a few buffalo.  I think at last count I had 48.  Even one rolling around in the dirt.  I used a lot of photos from our vacation to Wyoming and Montana last year.  The buffalo,  scale of size, took a little bit to figure out, but not as long as the landscape components. 

This is a scene near the Tetons.  The area is beautiful, but has become awfully commercial.  I am lucky though, I can remember, from being a youngster, how beautiful it was with less development.  I hope you enjoy my interpretation.       

11 x 14

This one is also part of my:   learning how to paint landscapes series. 

 This depicts a waterfall in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming.

I love the sound of water roaring by.  The strength & force of the water is almost unbelievable.     ..... and the smell of that fresh air.   The water.....so cold!   I never seem to tire of watching a scene like this.  I could sit and watch  water flow by all day.  I wonder how much water flows by every second?  How does a person describe the power.  

Water is one thing I have to learn how to paint.  I love it!

24 x 32

Still  love painting big.  I just run out of room in those small one's.  Thank you Kristy Jewell for taking this pic at the spring shoot for me.  I am indebted to you.  The sky is real .... at least I tried.  A storm was brewing in the southeast.  The light was gorgeous.  Had to include that gorgeous green spring Flint Hills grass.  I will just keep painting and try to get better so I can do a scene like this perfect.  I just hope I can get there.   

28 x 36

This was painted from the American Frontier Production shoot.  

This one was such fun to set up.  I never did get a picture of this scene without someone laughing or smiling.  I had to just improvise and put an angry face on Adam.    They said they had never posed for a shotgun wedding before.  I even had the bride and groom pose getting caught in the wagon by mom and dad.  Now this scene was just too much fun.   Oh the laughs and giggles.  This crew is so much fun to work with.   What was funny was afterwards I noticed that mom had a rifle, not a shotgun, thus the name.  I was going to change it to a shotgun, but too many fun memories to deviate.  I did have quite a few chuckles, myself,  while painting this one.  I don't really like the cloud in the background, but feel a storm cloud is fitting.  Maybe I will change it someday.  Who knows???  

8 x 10

Thought I would never go small again, but have to complete a few to submit to a show I have been juried into.  I have a hard time trying to figure out what can fit into such a small space.  This is Mark Childress from the American Frontier Producton Shoot.  They are such great actors & the evening light is spectacular.  

8 x 10

I had this young man pose near a side doorway into the Saloon.  Loved the evening sunlight on the rock wall and the dark doorway.   Made the cowboys shine.   I learned that Robert Culbertson, owner of  American Frontier Productions,  had laid  all these stones by hand.  I have more scenes next to this wall.  So many more to paint.    

26 x 34

Another Western Art oil Painting from the American Frontier Shoot in Easton, KS.

A scene  of cowboys playing poker in the Saloon.

   They are wonderful Actors.   

Another one, where the action drew me in and their facial expressions just drew me in farther. 

I learned that still life just isn't as much fun to paint as people.  Especially those people I have come to understand better.

A little over a year ago, when I started, I would never have dreamed  I would be able paint something like this. 

 I definitely feel blessed.  

Has been juried into the Western Spirits Art Show in Cheyenne.

24 x 36

Western art oil painting.  Part of my art gallery.   

 This spring, the Flint Hills this year were just gorgeous.  So much rain.   The Greens were so vivid.  Ponds so full.   The sunlight was playing. The beauty is so hard to describe.  Still have a to learn about painting landscapes.   I had to add a cow and calves to the scene,  just couldn't help myself.   Cattle are a big part of the Flint HIlls.  They were out grazing when I caught this one. 

  I often ask my teacher and friend  what I should paint next.  He keeps telling me, "maybe a landscape".  I keep telling him they are hard for me because I never can seem to make them look as beautiful as they should.  He dearly loves the land and is able to capture it so well.  I still call, Don Dernovich, OPA, the master of light.  Look up his site.

I wish everyone could not only see the beauty, but understand it.   

30 x 36

Set up this Western Art scene at the American Frontier Productions in Easton Kansas.  

I asked Cowboy for a fiddle....and he found one!  If you are wanting to capture some wonderful scenes, Robert Culbertson will do his best to make it possible.

This scene was extremely fun!  Granted, Bill Polen doesn't play the fiddle, but he sure entertained the kids.  He had them dancing and clapping their hands.  Oh the smiles.   I told him he played the grandpa part very well.  He said it comes from experience.  These actors love what they do........and it is very evident.    No matter what, I thoroughly enjoyed painting this one and memories of the moment kept popping up.  A great experience and challenge.

I can't paint small, so I keep going bigger. 

Has been juried into the Western Spirits Art Show in Cheyenne.  

22 x 26

Another Western Art Oil Painting.  Part of my art gallery.

This is a painting of Hoolio with Skye's father.  Looks like Hoolio might have needed a little bit of an attitude adjustment.  Doesn't hurt...actually safer for horse and farrier.  Can still see the love in Hoolio's eyes for his owner.  I compare this to what happened to us as children if we didn't mind our manners.

Painted in reference to one of Skye Clark's photos.

Deep in the Heart of the Flint Hills

24 x 36

Water...... The life blood of cattle ranching in the Flint Hills

24 x 30

A western art oil painting.  Part of my art gallery.

He has been feeding elk for over 22 years.

Painted in reference to one of Skye Clark's photos.