Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Looking Over and Near Three Forks

Looking Over
10x10

As I was setting up to paint this, in a large, sandy pull-over at the top of a mountain near Three Forks, Montana, a county police car pulled up and turned around right beside me. It was fine for me to paint there, the officer said, he was just turning around. Hunting season had just started, and he was out scouting, making sure there were no problems in his territory. 

He said he'd been in law enforcement for almost 20 years, and was planning on retiring in a year or so, and going into something entirely unlike law enforcement. He didn't know what yet, but maybe it would be something like teaching. Something where he didn't have to carry a gun. 

He urged me to be cautious, to keep wearing my bright orange vest, and to enjoy Montana. Wish I'd taken a photo of him. He was a nice man and a good ambassador for the state. 


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Near Three Forks 
10x10

I painted this in the same spot as "Looking Over." It was a lovely, lonely, beautiful Montana spot. I looked out over big, steep hills covered with golden grass. In the valley was a ranch with cows and horses and lots of large equipment in the yard. Beyond the ranch, the plains seemed to run out forever, with the mountains like a wall at the edge of eternity. 

I tried to find this spot on my way home, but I couldn't! I'd have made a third painting from there, if I could have located it again.


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Here are some more photos from southern Montana. 





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Dog of the Day


Here's Henry, doing some leaf-peeping! Henry was named after 
Henry Standing Bear, from the Craig Johnson "Longmire" books! 






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