New Creations

Creating this week but using needle and thread and a genuine hide  that I purchased in South Dakota to make my new purse. Totally happy with the results but the real test will be ...everyday use. It feels and looks like the moose hide satchel that I purchased a couple of years ago; love it, too!

George, from Absoroka in Dubois, WY, gave me a pair of coyote teeth and I used them for embellishments along with a few beads I purchased at OLD TOWN in SD, where they filmed "Dances with Wolves".

Should make the perfect bag for my upcoming adventure at American Frontier Productions in Easton, KS.
Going to be capturing cowboys and Indians, along with mountain men and horses, in the camera for future paintings.

If I am really lucky, I will get to ride a horse or two while I am there!

Stay tuned for more.....thanks, Ruth Ann

# 29 Finley's Valley, Dubois, WY

Oh, how the Aspens did glow last fall in Wyoming! What a sight of bright oranges and golden yellows punctuating the landscape in clusters large and small. Add a river to that scene and a few mountains and not a neighbor for MILES....then you might be at Finley's ranch.

                                                           # 29   Finley's Valley
                                                            11 x 14" oil on canvas    $125

Marking this off my bucket list...........but I just might have to return for a 2nd, 3rd or even 4th look!

Thanks so much for looking.............Ruth Ann

Mentoring students in Dubois, WY with SKB

Today was our opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child. So popular that we had 47 students take advantage of instruction, one on one, from an artist that was matched up with them according to medium and subject matter.

My student was Cory Neal, a football player and a VERY motivated artist, passionate about applying paint to the canvas with a personal message. His interest today was painting a very distant peak from Wagon Box Ranch that his brother had rappelled down. Gotta love it! He also loved the water wagon so we included part of it in the foreground.

 

What a great experience it was! I taught him color theory and mixing. He was an excellent and attentive student. Then we were served lunch at the ranch, just to the left of this scene. The smoke had cleared somewhat from the fires still burning so it was enough for atmosphere but you couldn't smell it.

Thanks, Kate, for hosting us...........looking forward to mentoring again!

1st place in oils @ SKB Art Conference 2012

Things have a way of evening out, sometimes. I ruined a nice plein air painting today due to not having a friend stop me soon enough. So I now have a beautifully toned canvas for tomorrow. I was a little bummed after wiping it out but the beauty of the golden-glowing aspens and being surrounded by fabulous people, it didn't last very long.

I was kind to myself and knew that at least I had showed up to do the work and we can't have successes without some failures; checks and balances, you know.

Tonight was the awards ceremony for the art show and much to my surprise and delight, my painting titled "Revealing my inner self" was awarded 1st place in oils! ( by unanimous decision, one judge said)

What an honor! There are so many talented and wonderful artists here that I feel humbled just to be with them for an entire week.

So my motto, "Never give up", proves to be valid once again. Just when we are down on our abilities, validation can come in many forms. So for all my creative friends who are struggling right now with
this same issue, may this spur you on.

Many other wonderful things are in store the rest of the week; art marketing, Photoshop class, more plein air and hopefully some time with artists, Mark Mahaffey and Greg Beechum.

Guy Coombs and Andrew Denman are doing some fabulous pieces and is inspirational to watch.

Stay tuned for news of some other great artists doing instruction and demos here. Thursday, many of them will be doing a quick draw.

Pre- Art Conference

What a wonderful day! Rising early and then getting my luggage delivered was a good start to the day. Wanting to get re-acquainted with Dubois, I went for my favorite walk along the Wind River again.

About halfway through, the winds started howling fiercely and the rain came. All I could do at that point was to fasten the chin strap on my hat and keep walking. Luckily for me, it didn't last very long.

Deciding where to have lunch, as there are several choices. I liked the look of the Cowboy Cafe and it seemed to be pretty busy, a good sign.
I must have made the right choice because not only was the food excellent, just as I was finishing Pam and Les Cable and several others from the art conference showed up. Great reunion!