This painting portrays the same area as "Snow White Blues", known as Bennie Pier Creek Road,on the border of Montana and North Dakota. My grandpa, a wonderful story teller, used to tell us kids that in that yellow house once lived a suspected horse thief and his wife. The two of them came up with a signal to notify the man if the law was in the area looking for him. He would know not to approach the house unless the wife had hung a bedsheet out on the old wooden clothesline. One day he was headed home, saw that the sheet was flapping in the breeze, his signal that the coast was clear, and so headed in to the house. Apparently the sheriff had caught wind of their secret for it was he who had hung the sheet out in order to lay a trap for the outlaw. I never did hear any ending to the story, but I hear that a hanging is still legal punishment for horse thievery in the state of Montana!

It is one of two paintings I had accepted into the 31st Annual Southeastern Montana Juried Exhibit in Miles City, Montana from 1-24-10 throough 3 7-10. The juror happens to be one of my favorite pastelists, PSA signature member, Sheila Rieman who is known for her use of intense and unusual color.