The Pond again

Hello everyone. I just got back from Phoenix. WOW, was it HOT down there! Please note that this is my last blog on this site. I have moved my blog to wordpress where I now have a working subscribe button, where you may receive updates on my blog posts at your email address. You may access that blog through my website - www.lauriestevensart.com or go to it directly at - www.lauriestevensart.com/blog/

As a parting shot, I am remembering that I never showed you our ponds, only the skull we found when developing the first one. So - here is one of our ponds in the west field. Hope to hear that you've viewed the new blogsite. Thanks. Laurie

Highwood Creek in Autumn

I thought I would show you a little "start to finish". I often like to begin with a used canvas that I have painted over. (Quite a few of them just don't make it the first time around.) With that, you can get some interesting textures and patterns that serve as a lay in. I usually choose something that compliments the final painting tone. That seems to add a little interest for me and keeps me from getting as tight - hopefully. You can see that I changed the foreground in the final painting. The earlier direction seemed too busy. Give me some more time and I'll change it again! This painting is 11x14.

Harvest Season

I've been working on some small paintings for the upcoming Russell Museum Miniature Show and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Show, all of which were due today. BUT - we've been snowed in for the last four days (at the end of April no less!!) so the paintings won't be delivered until next week. Anyhooo, this is a piece done from pictures I took on a paint out near Great Falls. I was attracted to the graphic design of this scene and loved the way the line of the brush moved your eye around the image. This painting is 12" x 12".

Debi's Cat

I've been intending to get pictures of the paintings I'm working on this week, but am not "there yet". I'm fighting the crummy boards I've been painting on. (The lesson is "Use Good Materials!") So, I thought I would post a cat painting a friend of mine did, as my last post was a painting I did of my cat Possum. It's always fun for me to see how different people approach a similar subject.

This painting was done by my friend Debi Schmit. We have a long history. She's one of my horse friends, my camping friend and my artist friend. We've raised kids together and shared many adventures! I love this painting of Debi's and thought you would too.

You can see more of Debi's work at www.debschmitart.com

My Possum

In March when we lost Tara, and then Joe, I also had to put my 13 year old cat to sleep - during the first day of the Russell Show no less. What a month. I decided to paint a tribute to my special Possum, as a final farewell. It's been good for me to do so. I really miss him. I don't think the painting is finished yet. There's something wrong about the eyes and I may want to push the contrasts. I'm waiting for the paint to dry though, so I'll post it anyway. This painting is 12 x 16 and will not be for sale.

A Treasure from the Pond

I should say I've been painting this week, but I haven't. It is spring on the ranch and the spring projects are in full swing. We've developed some ponds in the west field that were just seeps - enough muddy water to sort of satisfy at least 65 pair, but in just damming up that area, we now have 3 beautiful ponds! The third one was put in last fall, and I've been seeding it the last few days. There are 2 pair of Canadian geese thinking about nesting there, and a lot of ducks using the ponds as stop overs. Lot's of birds. It's really wonderful! I wanted to put up something that shows you this area, so I reworked a photo (just a little!) of an old bison skull we found buried about 8' down when we were excavating the first pond. There's much evidence that the bison used to roam here years ago. A painting of this? Maybe.

Saturday Night at the Russell Show

This was Saturday night at the Russell Show. A little fraternizing. I won't go into details about what we were doing here, but it had something to do with commiserating, enumerating, extrapolating...

From left to right, Sara Walsh of Latigo and Lace, and artists Todd Conner, Frank Hagel, Sheila Rieman and Laurie Stevens. ( I know that Sheila and Sara are currently working on their new websites. Keep checking.)

In All Her Finery

If you've never been to a Native American Fair or ceremony, you've missed something. Everyone is usually dressed in their finest ceremonial dress, and many of their other ceremonial or traditional items are draped out over their horses or pickups for all to see. The sound is wonderful - ceremonial drumming and song, the jingling of jingle dresses; lots of horses, dogs, kids. The color and style are spectacular and hard to resist as an artist! This is one of a series of paintings I've done of this subject. Here, I was playing with value (dark to light) and color to see how close I could come with both in the girls clothing and the background and still make the painting work. This painting is an oil, 18" x 14".

After the fact...

I have to say that I learned a valuable lesson during this year's Russell Auction: - always paint "sofa paintings"! I had received so many positive comments on my painting, "Just One Last Touch" prior to the big event. But - the bottom line, I guess, is that it wasn't a painting people wanted to hang in their living room. I had hoped the museum or collectors might be interested in "the story" and want it for that reason, but still the market for that was pretty narrow. It did sell (I'm not sure to whom) but I came away humbled. I'm sure the economy has played a roll in this year's event as well. Many artists are REALLY feeling the pinch.

Well, we artists are a tough lot. We have to be or we'd be doing something else - like selling shoes at Walmart.

It's time for some reflection now, I guess...

Autumn Equinox

Tomorrow begins the Russell Show. I thought I would post a painting that I'm taking there tomorrow. I had intended to include a lot of very colorful pieces in my show room, but several of those burned up in the explosion, and with all the stress and heartache of the last few weeks I didn't finish the big one. My problems pale in comparison.

This is my favorite little landscape though. I did push the color. This is a Montana scene and is an oil, 16" x 18".

Just One Last Touch

I posted this painting last fall, but I thought I would show it again now, as it is going to be in the C.M. Russell Auction on Friday night, March 20. It will be Lot #122. (I will also be showing in Room 176 at the Heritage Inn during the show.)

I enjoyed this endeavor as the subject is my husband, Tom Gilleon - Mr. Tipi - who has been known to stroll in at the last minute with his auction pieces. I had fun with this as it's the only way I could get away with painting a Gilleon tipi! So tip your hat to the ol' codger. Today is his birthday!
24" x 28" oil www.cmrauction.com

Tribute to Joe Halko

Another sadness for the art community and beyond. How much more can we take? Sculptor Joe Halko died this Wednesday, March 11, at the age of 68, after suffering a series of debilitating strokes. Joe was a very kind and gentle man, loved by all who knew him.

We are lucky to have many examples of his fine work in the community which will serve as continuing comfort, inspiration and tribute to Joe.

I sent this "card" out with notification of Joe's funeral. The landscape is Joe's beloved wild country, Gibson Lake in the Sun Canyon area and near the Scapegoat Wilderness on the east slope of the Rocky Mountains in Montana.

The geese are Joe's and are escorting him away.

A Good Day

I decided I needed to put something tranquil up today, and so this painting. The subject is also Brown's Lake, as was my earlier lily pad painting. I loved going camping there with a pile of kids and a few Mom's who were and are good friends - my support team. I had done this painting last year, but just reworked it a little. This is an oil, 16" x 20"

The Bridger Range for Tara

Sadly, yesterday they found Tara Bowman's body in the wreckage of the gallery explosion. So many of us in the art community are devastated. Tara was our champion, and such a great person. Today was her birthday...

Tonight I did this computer sketch in honor of Tara. It will become a painting at some point. I will quote Kahil Gibran's words, hoping this to be true.

"For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?"

Tara, we will all miss you so.


You may see other tributes to Tara at these blog sites:
David Lemon - http://adayinthelifeofalemon.blogspot.com/
Debi Schmit - http://www.debschmit.blogspot.com

Montana Trails Gallery Explosion

This has been a tragic week. On Thursday, March 5th, an apparent gas leak in downtown Bozeman, MT. caused a horrific explosion. Three buildings were totally demolished, and many others damaged. Montana Trails Gallery was at the epicenter of this explosion. The gallery and everything in it was destroyed by the blast and subsequent fire. But much worse than that, Tara Bowman, our beloved gallery Director is feared to have been there and killed. There are no words to describe the loss and sadness so many of us feel this week.

Opportunitree

I've had a lot of fun with this painting. I really did see this car with the tree growing out of it, although I've exaggerated that a little. I've been doing so many people paintings lately for the upcoming Russell Show, and at times they can "beat me up". It was rewarding to paint this rusty bent up old car instead. The subject is much more forgiving! It's funny that the things we wouldn't want to have in our backyard or view shed are often things that do make good paintings! This piece is 16" x 20" and an oil.

Back from Settlers West Miniature Show

I just returned from Settlers West Miniature Show in the sunny southwest. (No, I wasn't in it) but I came away inspired, which is a good thing as I'm hustling now in the countdown phase before the Russell Art Show & Auction in March. It's only a month away. YIKES! My computer hub seems to be melting down and so I am not able to add images of new paintings now. Soon.

One Good Horse

While attending a high school rodeo with my daughter, I got some good pictures of the horses and kids in action. This was truly one good horse, and he was taking a well earned break. It was a cold, snowy day outside, and I liked the soft warm light in the arena that afternoon. This painting is an oil, 16" x 20"

Time of Yellow Leaves

In 2007 our Montana Painters Alliance paint out was in the Highwood Mountains, east of Great Falls. It was cold and rainy, but I still remember the smell of the downed leaves those crisp autumn days. The MPA is a group of Plein Air painters that get together twice a year for paint outs under the Big Sky. We then have gallery or museum shows every so often to show our work as a group. This painting hung in our show, "From Study to Studio" at the C.M. Russell Museum this last summer, 2008. www.mtpaintersalliance.com. I was also recently informed that with the submission of this painting, I am one of the 100 finalists in the 2008 "Paint America Competition" - open to artists from all over the world. This painting will travel around the country with the show for the next year, and will be for sale through www.paintamerica.org. I'm thrilled! "Time of Yellow Leaves" is an oil, 20" x 24".

Under a Painted Sky

I arrived at Crow Fair one summer just as the opening parade was starting. There was so much color and costume - beautiful! This painting is a compilation of images from that day. I loved this woman's expression and I hoped to convey what I felt to be her strength and pride. I am enjoying doing these tonal paintings as they seem more "emotional" to me. "Under a Painted Sky" is an oil, 30 x 30, and is for sale through Montana Trails Gallery in Bozeman, MT. tara@montanatrails.com

Lily Pads

The subject of this painting is Brown's Lake where some other Moms and I used to take "our pile of kids" camping. The lake itself reminds me of a Montana moss agate - foggy in the morning, beautifully calm, reflective water, pine trees. This cove of lily pads was across the lake, accessible by kayak - sort of a secret spot. I am now redoing my website and plan to use this painting as a background for the main pages, so I thought I would show it to you here. "Lilypads" is an oil, 20" x 24" and is sold.

Afternoon Off

Our horse Cricket was the subject of this painting. The time was late afternoon and I loved the blue shadow running down his back, and the contrast between the shadow and the late summer yellows of the season. This painting is an oil, 16" x 20" and is available through Betsy Swartz Fine Art Consulting in Bozeman, MT. betsy@betsyswartzfineart.com

First Bloom

Our "real Montana winter" continues, and therefore this little painting is wishful thinking at this point in time! The flowers depicted are Crocus, or Prairie Smoke, and are the first native flowers to peek through the mountain snow in the spring along the Divide. Their appearance always causes excitement, as they testify to the fact that winter will not last much longer. This painting is an oil, 12" x 16" and is sold.