Description
“Betwixt the Seams” holds a wonderful, spontaneous story from my studio. I was actively working on this canvas when a client stopped by to browse my work. It was only about one-quarter complete, but he fell in love with it on the spot and purchased it right then and there. Having a collector place that level of absolute trust in my unfinished brushstrokes is a moment I will never forget.
The painting itself is my version of a weathered, historic cabin that caught my eye along the drive up Highway 135 to Crested Butte. Rather than a simple landscape, I built this canvas to capture what the Gunnison Valley truly looks and feels like to me. The old house stands as a dense mosaic of textured, horizontal color bands, its glowing amber windows radiating warmth against a crisp, snowy backdrop. In the foreground, a small herd of cows roams among scattered pieces of old weathered wood. If you look way into the distance on the right, you can just barely see a hidden hay stall resting against the winter landscape. This piece explores the rugged, nostalgic seams where our valley’s rich ranching heritage and high-mountain beauty meet.
This quiet, snowy scene takes on a high-stakes role in the pages of Wackadoodle the Poodle. It serves as a book layout background where the characters are sitting out front at a picnic table, completely relaxed and enjoying themselves while drinking wine. Unknowingly, right behind the warm glow of the cabin, out in the open field, the wild wolves are silently lurking, moving up and getting ready to launch their surprise attack. It bridges a peaceful ranch landscape with the sudden tension of an unfolding adventure.