Hi everyone, I’ve not been blogging, obviously! I have two cameras, both of which are on the fritz. So, you’ll have to take my word for what I’m doing. I’ve been painting a lot of small paintings to take to the Big Sky Art Festival on August 1st. They’ve been fun to do as they’re looser and fast – something I’ve been needing to do for myself. I’ll be showing with two friends, Deb Schmit who’s wonderful, pink cat piece you saw earlier on my blog, and Christine McKay, who’s great porcelain sculpted piece I am showing you now.

I’ve also decided to show with a newer gallery in Virgina City, MT., called the Creighton Block Gallery. I’m excited about this prospect! While they don’t have a web site up yet, you may go to David Lemon’s video tour of the gallery – maybe the best way to see it at this point. (Count on David for a video tour!!)

I’ve been intending to get pictures of the paintings I’m working on this week, but am not “there yet”. I’m fighting the crummy boards I’ve been painting on. (The lesson is “Use Good Materials!”) So, I thought I would post a cat painting a friend of mine did, as my last post was a painting I did of my cat Possum. It’s always fun for me to see how different people approach a similar subject.

This painting was done by my friend Debi Schmit. We have a long history. She’s one of my horse friends, my camping friend and my artist friend. We’ve raised kids together and shared many adventures! I love this painting of Debi’s and thought you would too.

You can see more of Debi’s work at www.debschmitart.com

This was Saturday night at the Russell Show. A little fraternizing. I won’t go into details about what we were doing here, but it had something to do with commiserating, enumerating, extrapolating…

From left to right, Sara Walsh of Latigo and Lace, and artists Todd Conner, Frank Hagel, Sheila Rieman and Laurie Stevens. ( I know that Sara is currently working on her new website. Keep checking.)

I posted this painting last fall, but I thought I would show it again now, as it is going to be in the C.M. Russell Auction on Friday night, March 20. It will be Lot #122. (I will also be showing in Room 176 at the Heritage Inn during the show.)

I enjoyed this endeavor as the subject is my husband, Tom Gilleon – Mr. Tipi – who has been known to stroll in at the last minute with his auction pieces. I had fun with this as it’s the only way I could get away with painting a Gilleon tipi! So tip your hat to the ol’ codger. Today is his birthday!
24″ x 28″ oil www.cmrauction.com

Another sadness for the art community and beyond. How much more can we take? Sculptor Joe Halko died this Wednesday, March 11, at the age of 68, after suffering a series of debilitating strokes. Joe was a very kind and gentle man, loved by all who knew him.

We are lucky to have many examples of his fine work in the community which will serve as continuing comfort, inspiration and tribute to Joe.

I sent this “card” out with notification of Joe’s funeral. The landscape is Joe’s beloved wild country, Gibson Lake in the Sun Canyon area and near the Scapegoat Wilderness on the east slope of the Rocky Mountains in Montana.

The geese are Joe’s and are escorting him away.

To begin, I thought I might include my painting that was selected to be in the 2009 C.M. Russell Art Auction. The painting is titled “Just One Last Touch”, and is an oil, 24″ x 28″of artist Tom Gilleon “touching up” his painting while it hung in a Russell Museum show last year. While I did stretch the truth here, I had fun doing so, as this is the only way I could get away with painting a Gilleon tipi! www.cmrauction.com