Horses on the run is a favorite theme of mine. They are so inspiring to watch - no matter how domesticated horses are, once they are running they are as wild and free as the wind.

I think most artists would agree with me that they learn something from every single painting they paint. Water is always a challenge, and here I was presented with the opportunity to study  the reflection AND the shadow of the cottonwood. I was the most surprised by the very warm color of the reflection. These are discoveries you don't forget.

This is a very common scene on the Yellowstone in the fall when the water is low. Lots of old, dead cottonwoods sticking out. This is Lewis and Clark country and I like to think that everything I see and paint here is very much the same as it was when they were here. The Yellowstone is the longest untamed, (not dammed) river in North America. 

As I mentioned in the previous post, we have had a mild October. Here my goal was to capture the feeling of the sunny, breezy autumn day. I used sanded paper on this one, which practically eats the pastel, but it is such a nice thick stroke of color each time. It covers quickly which is great when you know what you want to say. 

Fall is particularly inspiring to me for painting landscapes. The colors are rich and the light is interesting all day, not just at dawn and dusk. This scene is next to the Yellowstone River, in an area known as Seven Sisters. Lots of trees and foliage give it an almost mysterious air, reminding me of a forest in a fairy tale. The air was slightly hazy this day and the cottonwoods and bushes are at the height of their fall colors. We normally have had one snowfall by now, but so far the days have been brightly sunny, wonderful for painting.

I liked the contrast of the light colored bull against the dark areas of the bucking chute. I also liked the attitude of the bull's body , just out of one buck and ready to launch into another. I really tried to capture that intent in the bull's body language, hence the title, "On a Mission".

Bareback riding has to be one of the most physically gruelling sports in rodeo. I once saw a bronc rider get bucked off, flying straight into the air only to land flat on his back upon the back of the horse that had just bucked him off!
 
I just like the opportunity to paint the effects of sunlight on the cowboy's colorful chaps, the wild horse and the dusty atmosphere.