Artists of the Black Hills Exhibition

If you are in Spearfish in the next couple of weeks, stop in to see the 7th Annual Exhibition of the Artists of the Black Hills!  Held in the Spearfish Arts Center, right underneath Matthews Opera House in downtown Spearfish.  Representing 45 + professional artists and 5 regional galleries from the Black Hills Region, this is an outstanding exhibit and great reason to get out of the house!  The opening in May 13th from 5:00 – 8:00.  The exhibition runs through June 4th.  Check out our Facebook page to see the artist events which will be going on daily at the gallery during the run of the show.  I will be there demonstrating on Monday, May 23rd from 1 – 5.

Photography by: Heidi Ludens

Posted by Artists of the Black Hills on Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Painted Desert

“Painted Desert” 12 x 24” Oil on Wood Panel

A profusion of pattern and texture: that is at the very essence of what I consider my art to be about, no matter what the subject matter.

Get with the color!!!

Dude Gear

“Dude Gear” 12 x 24” Oil on Wood Panel

I love the cowboy hat: and the embroidered shirt… and the idea of gearing up to try on a different way of life.

Don’t we all like to step into another world at times?  Novels, movies, music: they let us try on another “hat” in this experience of being human.

This painting is from a series of six oil paintings I recently completed for Ben West Gallery in Hill City, SD.  Painted on a renewable wood resource called Elephant Wood, this self-framed panel is painted in my favorite compositional format: vertical.


Altar to the West

“Altar to the West ” 11 x 18” Watercolor on Paper

Knowledge and love of the west is kept alive in the American culture through larger than life representations.  This collection of western attire represents homage paid to the old west as an offering to the present as well as the past.

I have recently completed a series of watercolor paintings, playing with the beautiful characteristic designs found in western attire.  The stylized floral and rope patterns: the leather tooling and embroiders.  The luminous pearl snap buttons… love them! Cowboy boots  and cowboy hats conjure up a romantic view of life unfettered by modern world constraints… what is not to love?!

This painting can currently be seen at Ben West Gallery in Hill City, South Dakota.

Devils Tower

Approaching the base of Devil's TowerThis is a watercolor on stretched watercolor canvas, of Devils Tower in Wyoming.  Famed for it’s legend and lore, it rises from the prairie, this now National Monuement was also known as Bears Lodge.  It remains a sacred site for many Native American Indians.

This painting is rendered from a distant photo I took, approaching Devils Tower from Hulett, Wyoming.  This is my favorite approach, as it slowly emerges into view, and can be seen as a backdrop to pastures of bison and fields of prairie dogs.

This painting will be available for sale at Deadwood Gulch event on May 7th!

 

 

http://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm

Hill City View

I explored a new painting support: a stretched watercolor canvas for this painting.  Last fall, I enjoyed a month of weekends at beautiful Hill City, South Dakota.  This quaint hill town is host to many art and cultural events.  I was the featured artist of the month of October at Prairie Berry Winery, and loved to look at this mountain as I came and went from their facility.  The sun hit the rock surface of this characteristic mountain, and inspired me to explore it in vivid color.

Frawley Ranch

This is another favorite local landmark.  It is an early ranch house and large barn, made of local rock.  It is a beautiful reminder of early days in the beautiful Spearfish valley.  This painting will be available for purchase at the Deadwood Gaming and Resort Sip and Shoppe event on May 7th 🙂

The Miller Farm

This is a Spearfish area landmark in my eyes.  This dairy farm now is host to llamas and always worth a glance as I drive by.  It glows with freshly painted  white and red grandeur and echoes days gone by for me.

In watercolor, I strive to leave a lot of white in my compositions.  The freshness of the watercolor painting is enhanced in this way.  A loosely rendered background adds to the details of the painting.  This is one of the paintings I will be exhibiting at Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort on May 7th!

Dakota Dawn

Tipi in the early morning This is a favorite painting, entitled “Dakota Dawn”.  It is 11 x 14 inches, and I particularly love the colors.  This is the first painting which I have had reproduced on canvas.  Giclee canvas prints of this image will first be available at an event I am participating in at the Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort ‘s Sip and Shoppe.  It is the first annual Wine Tasting and Shopping event, held on Saturday, May 7th, 2011.  Come check out this event, and see my booth, showcasing my newest works!  I will have many original artworks for under $100.00.  The event is from 1:00 – 6:00, and entry to the event ($5.00) gives you 5 tasting tickets for the variety of wines being showcased.  Fun! Wine Fest Flyer

Moreau River Scene

This watercolor is painted from a photo I took on my husband’s family ranch, bordering the Moreau River in western South Dakota.  Miles from anywhere and in the middle of everything: a beautiful region.  The Moreau River fluctuates from a shallow moving stream to a raging over the banks river, depending on the season and amount of precipitation.

I truly love working in watercolor.  I’m influenced by the color usage of the Impressionists.  You can see my exaggerated colors in the shadows and glowing colors.  The Impressionists largely rejected black as a color in painting, opting to utilize color instead.  That color theory in painting has shaped how I paint.  Thank you, Claude Monet!!!

I’ve taken some time off of painting of late, traveling and promoting my artwork.  I took a trip to Wyoming and Colorado, then back for a couple of weeks.  That was followed by a trip to Helena, MT, where I did an Art show.  Now, glad to be back in my wonderful studio, doing what I love best: painting!!!