Category Archives: western lifestyle

Horses of the High Country

Good friends operate the trailriding in summer and sleigh rides in winter, at beautiful Lake Louise in Banff National Park. Their winter pasture is high up on the front range of the rockies just east of the park. I was lucky enough to visit there for the spring gather a few years ago; an unforgettable experience.  

If you’d like to own this original watercolour, email Gena with your bid today! gena03@telusplanet.net Minimum bid $100 (plus gst and shipping). First bid, or highest bid wins the painting.

On the Bit

Here’s a larger project that I’ve been working on for most of the week, amongst other diversions. After a summer of fooling around, it’s time for me to get to work!
 This beautiful horse won the ranch horse competition in the Hat this summer and I wanted to paint him at work,  all geared up in silver spade bit, handbraided bosal and romel rein, and handmade horsehair mecate. 
The honouring of those traditional art forms is one of the side benefits  of modern horsemanship, and I for one, am very appreciative of all of it.

16 x 14″ on300lb Fabriano

Stu on Patrol

Well, I finished the portrait of Stu, and hope that his people think that I’ve captured him.  I had to go back and hang out with Stu for a second time, so that I could see him in “action” as the working dog he is. He keeps an eagle eye on those pesky horses, just to be sure none of them get out of line. Stu is  quite a guy, and I enjoyed every moment of doing this portrait.

 10 X 14″ on 300lb Fabriano

Paint 2

Having done my “painterly ” paint a couple of days ago, I tried to bring that to my usual, more representational style. That always “tightens” the results, but I think I did manage to let  the paint just do what it does without interfering too much.  I’d like to try it again, this time allowing for more pure colour to remain. 

If you’d like to own this original watercolour, email Gena with your bid today! gena03@telusplanet.net Minimum bid $100 (plus gst and shipping). First bid, or highest bid wins the painting.

Porter’s Sagebrush Flat

  Having spent time this week with Charlie Russell’s watercolours and his recording of the vast herds of antelope, deer and bison, I really appreciated seeing Porter’s buffalo on the sagebrush flat near Walsh today on my way to Maple Creek.  They look so congruent in this landscape, and loving native grasslands and wildlife as I do, this sight totally made my day.

Matt & Shorty

This painting is of  Matt Robertson  at the Ranch Horse competition here in the Hat in July, while he and his catty little grey gelding were waiting for their turn to compete.
I like Matt’s face, the light as it emerges from the shade of that palm-leaf hat he’s wearing, and I like his relationship with his horse

 Not only is Matt a good horseman, who makes his living as a ranch cowboy, he’s a wonderful singer-songwriter. Check it out at his web-site www.mattrobertson.com. His newest album, “The Voice” is awesome. 

SOLD

If you’d like to own this original watercolour, email Gena with your bid today! gena03@telusplanet.net Minimum bid $100 (plus gst and shipping). First bid, or highest bid wins the painting.

Stu

Well, we’re way overdue for a dog portrait, so meet Stu!
Like most border collies, nothing makes Stu happier than helping out with the livestock. Luckily, his “people”  Brenda & Danny  provide him with lots of fun & excitement.   

If you’d like to own this original watercolour, email Gena with your bid today! gena03@telusplanet.net Minimum bid $100 (plus gst and shipping). First bid, or highest bid wins the painting.

My Polly

Polly is in danger of being the most painted horse of the times, and here she is again…lookin’ good, for an old(er) girl!

  Beautiful, snake-savvy and smart, she knows my vehicle, her white blazed face following every move till I deliver the cookies, or mints or special senior horse feed (her winter treat). Or even just a good belly rub.  It’s been a great summer for the horses; lots of grass, beautiful calm sunny weather and best of all….very few bugs! 

If you’d like to own this original watercolour, email Gena with your bid today! gena03@telusplanet.net Minimum bid $100 (plus gst and shipping). First bid, or highest bid wins the painting.

Farmstead and the Rockies

 This is one of the scenes I encountered this weekend on my travels to a family wedding. Another abandoned farmstead stands in a sea of wheat, presided over by the rusting old wind mill.  Such a nostalgic and now a very common sight! 

Imagine coming here a century or more ago to find the pristine spot this must have been, and carving out your livelihood, and community in such a place and at such a time. 

If you’d like to own this original watercolour, email Gena with your bid today! gena03@telusplanet.net Minimum bid $100 (plus gst and shipping). First bid, or highest bid wins the painting.