Sheila, last night as I walked to the ponds just before dusk, I saw your work everywhere – the last light of the sun causing the earth to come alive with color in that half hour before dark, the pink and green reflections in the ice of the pond juxtaposed with the bare branched trees above,  the soft pinks and grays of your landscape and the deer that move through it. So many of us are trying to reach you now. We feel you as we attempt to paint with more color, as we try to better understand the intricate design of a horse or a deer  – the things you knew so well. In your honor I attempt to learn and grow as an artist. I wish so much you were still with us.

This is Sheila’s painting below. It is called  ”Just Before Dark”  and is an oil, 24 x 48. It is a phenomenal piece.

It is all I can do to make this post, but I need to do so to honor a dear friend and a great artist. Sheila Rieman passed away on Thursday, Nov 17th, 2011. She was traveling (as she was always traveling) to an art show in Billings, MT. She was just outside of Billings when she had a car accident that took her life.

Sheila was a bright spot in so many people’s lives. She was always laughing and fun to be around, a true friend, always there to help, a hard worker, an amazing multi-talented person, a great teacher, a great artist. I can’t tell you how much she’ll be missed – by so many.

Just last week I tore the following poem out of the paper, meaning to file it away. In seeing it now I know that it was meant for Sheila. She has lived her life close to nature, with her own animals and the wild ones that frequent her space. Her great art has been a tribute to all of those things. Sheila, my friend, my family, I can’t tell you how much we will miss you. The world won’t be the same without you.

“The Song of the River” by W.R. Hearst

The snow melts on the mountain. And the water runs down to the spring.

And the spring in a turbulent fountain, with a song of youth to sing,

Runs down to the riotous river, and the river flows to the sea.

And the water again goes back to rain, to the hills where it used to be.

And I wonder if life’s deep mystery isn’t much like the rain and snow.

Returning through all eternity to the places it used to know.

For life was born on the lofty heights and flows in a laughing stream

To the river below who’s outward flow ends in a peaceful dream.

And so at last when our life has passed, and the river has run it’s course,

It again goes back o’er the selfsame track to the mountain which was it’s source.

So why prize life or why fear death, or dread what is to be?

The river ran it’s allotted span till it reached the silent sea.

Then the water harked back to the mountain top to begin it’s course once more.

So we shall run the course begun till we reach the silent shore.

Then revisit earth in a pure rebirth from the heart of the virgin snow.

So don’t ask why we live or die, or whither or when we go,

or wonder about the mysteries that only God may know.

I share a display room at the Russell Show with Sheila Rieman, a good friend, great painter and teacher. Sheila has done primarily pastel paintings over the years, but she’s now doing some wonderful oils as well. I love this little piece of hers – Mike and Maybe Resting. It’s 9×12 and an oil. Knowing Sheila and her husband Pete, there’s a story there in the name Maybe! You may view more of Sheila’s work on her website.

Come see us at the Russell Show beginning March 17th in Great Falls, MT.

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.)