This painting was inspired by Vannoy’s summer hiking and climbing in the peaks of her home, Montana. This is one of the phenomenal views from atop. The mountain goat is a symbol of strength and endurance as it undergoes the harsh conditions of the Montana winters.

I have many photo references of this buffalo bull. He is the herd bull of a large number of cows. He has a very strong presence and demeanor.

Painting the texture and color of buffalo is hard to beat. This painting is nearly life size and very powerful in a room.

Antelope are such a joy to paint. The colors in an antelope are incredible. This painting portrays the migration of the antelope. Each Spring and Fall antelope migrate almost 200 miles.

I enjoy the poetic expression of this painting.

These beautiful barred rock chickens belong to my neighbors. Capturing the early morning sun as it rises on these hens was a real treat. This painting has a strong sense of light with bold color.

Fall is my favorite time of year. One of the reasons I really enjoy fall is to observe wildlife during the rutt. This painting is a result of a special experience I had last Fall. I felt like this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always remember. This bull was so massive and had such a large herd of cows. The cherry on top was the amazing evening light!

Buffalo are one of my favorite subject matters to paint. I spend many hours each year with these powerful animals. This painting was designed to have the main bull standing his ground with power. When determining the size of this piece it was important to be able to portray that emotion. A small image cannot due justice to the strength of this bull as it does in person. The buffalo is an icon of the west, and rightfully so.

The American bison is an icon of strength and resilience. When deep snow blankets the plains, bison use their large, powerful heads much like a plow pushing accumulation aside to forage for food. These deep pathways create passageways for many other hoofed wildlife. Bitter winds and and record low temperatures sweep across the plains and yet, the bison remains. As the world faces challenges we can look to wildlife such as the American Bison for hope and encouragement.

Whitetail bucks in velvet is something I see a lot of each year on our property. This painting was especially fun pushing the envelope on lighting.

One of my favorite places to go for a fun week is the Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, MT. They have a horse pasture where they keep their young foals next to their barns. This is a hub and a place where guests pass daily. Each day, I enjoy spending time with the youngsters. This little colt stole my heart. His name is Kid, after Billy The Kid. What a sweet little guy!

Mountain lions are very mysterious animals. Living in Montana, we are surrounded by mountain lions but you would never know it. Mountain lions are often in the shadow or out only in the darkness of night.

Sheep grazing late in the evening with this backdrop was so serene and beautiful. The evening shadows made such a stunning composition in this piece. 

Bobcats are much like the other wildlife in the feline family, very elusive. They are very quiet and hard to find. I was fortunate to be able to view and paint a beautiful bobcat.

This was one of the most enjoyable times I have experienced observing buffalo.  The buffalo were in their mating season and the bulls were very territorial and protective of their cows.  This was a bull that particularly peaked my interest as he quickly herded off his flock from an incoming bull.

Horses are what I grew up with and know very well. This stallion is proud, gentle and gorgeous. He will be up for purchase at the C.M. Russell Museum’s The Russell: An Exhibition and Sale Saturday night live auction. Bidding is also available online for those who cannot attend in person. Please see the events tab for details.

I spotted this bull elk up on the side of a mountain just before he crossed over the ridge. He had been foraging in the snow and soaking in the sun on this bitter cold morning.

This scene is from a cattle ranch near our home.  I enjoyed capturing the peacefulness this painting evokes.  Cattle are always an appealing subject matter for me.

A local ranch has hundreds of baby goats each Spring. My young daughters and I love to go see the sweet newborn kids. This is a painting of our favorite nanny. At times, she would have six kids with her. Painting the goat fur with thick paint added depth to the focal point in this piece.

Living near Glacier National Park has been a wonderful opportunity to observe and enjoy the mountain goat. Drawing a white animal with black charcoal was a great experiment and I am very happy with the result.

It is so beautiful in my home town when the canola fields are in bloom.  The yellow is so intense it is almost neon.