Pat and I had a good time at the Western Reflections Art Show at the TRAC Center in the Pasco Washington area, over Mother's Day weekend.
The TRAC Center is a wonderful place to hold an art show. There is a lot of room and it has easy access.
There was beautiful art at the show and we got to meet some great new artists.

My next art show will be the unveiling of the buffalo calves, part of the Buffalo Roam project, in West Yellowstone the 13th, 14th and 15th of June.
Besides "Blossom," my calf Buffalo, I will have other artwork at the show so if you are in the West Yellowstone area during that weekend please stop in and say HI.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the Railroad coming to West Yellowstone so there will be plenty of exciting things to do and see.

The Western Heritage Artists Show in Great Falls, Montana during March went well.

Our next show is the Western Reflections Fine Art Show to be held May 9th,10th and 11th, 2008 in the TRAC Center, Tri-Cities Washington, it is in the Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick area.
The show hours are: Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., there is a quick draw Saturday at 6 p.m.

Pat and I will be sharing booth number 32. If you get a chance stop by visit and check out our art work.

“Blossom” the calf buffalo is finished. You will have a chance to see “Blossom” at the Western Heritage Artists show in Great Falls, Montana before she goes to Yellowstone National Park. The show starts the 12th of March through the 16th of March at the Holiday Inn in Great Falls, Montana.

I am in a new room this year, Room 101. This year Watercolor Artist, Pat Shephard will be sharing the room with me.

I hope you have a chance to come visit Pat and I at the show.

Jim

Well I am starting off the new year with another project. I have signed a contract to do a calf buffalo for West Yellowstone. I am calling it "Blossoming Life", Blossom for short. The plan is to have a mixture of baby animals and wildflowers. Last spring I completed a three-quarter life size cow buffalo for West Yellowstone called the "Spirit of Yellowstone". Both of these bison are part of the West Yellowstone Buffalo Roam project. There is a three day event to unveil the Calf Bison that includes an art show from June 13-15, 2008 in West Yellowstone.

    Back in June of this year the Front Range Art Association, an art group I belong to, was on a trip to Many Glacier, a part of Glacier National Park. On the last day of the trip as we were getting ready to go home when we saw a sow grizzly with two cubs along the road. I got out to take some pictures but there were some bushes in the way so I climbed on top of the motorhome to get better pictures. It was cold and spitting rain but it was all worth it, I got some great pictures of the mother and her cubs. The mother wanted to take the cubs across the road so she stood up to see over the bushes and check the traffic. Those were the pictures I like best because you seldom see a bear stand up, and you never see one check traffic.
    The painting I started was of that sow with her cubs. I put them standing on a rock ledge with Ear Mt. in the background. Ear Mountain is a mountain West of Choteau.
    The photo here is of the painting in progress, I haven't had much of a chance to work on it lately because I have started a remodeling project in my home. Hopefully I will get back to it soon.

    I Hope you have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    Pat and I took two trips back to Many Glacier, part of Glacier National Park,since my last report.
   On September 24 we went to take photographs and hike in the beautiful fall colors.During that trip we got to see quite a few Mountain Goats. We always enjoy hiking through the park's wonderful scenery and occasionally seeing an animal, that really makes for an exciting and inspiring trip.
   On October 7 we made another trip to the park. This time we saw a small herd of Elk, a Sow Black Bear with two Cubs, and quite a few Bighorn Sheep.
   On October 13, the FRAA,( Front Range Art Association) a Choteau, Montana-based Art group consisting of artists from around the local area, went to one of the artist's cabin in the Benchmark area west of Augusta, Montana for the weekend. We did a lot of hiking, picture taking, painting outdoors and of course a lot of good food, and a warm and cozy campfire.         I have the best job in the world.
   I am currently working on a large 4' x 2' painting of a standing Grizzly Bear with two Cubs that I got pictures of in Glacier Park in June of this year.