|
|
Original paintings handled exclusively by Trailside Galleries, Jackson, WY and Scottsdale, AZ
|
|
It’s been a long and dusty trail moving the cattle in from summer pasture. Tired men imagine the cool
water and the spread that awaits them at the dinner table, and the horses find new life anticipating the cool creek and lush
pasture that awaits. The beautiful sight of the home ranch is one that the experienced older cows in the herd have seen many
times at the end of this yearly drive, and their pace quickens as the lead cow pushes forward to be the first to the fresh grass.
Once there the mother cows can call for and find their babies and once mothered up, the herd can settle in to their new
surroundings for a while.
Sometimes nature bids us to heaven by a very unexpected path, and all too often the trailhead is right
before us if we’d just take the time to let it show itself. The constant drama of riding point on a large herd can leave even the
saltiest cowboy looking for a quiet place to sit and rest as the day draws to a close. As the sun settles low in the sky a liquid
golden glow imbues the heavens with transcendence, and the beautiful incandescent light dances and sparkles across the
features of the land like a million tiny candles. In that moment, from the rugged landscape of everyday experience is revealed
the divine harmony of the supernatural.
In the branding pen at the height of the season and all of the calves have been pulled to the branding fire.
All that is except that the infamous last calf who has the well earned reputation of working his way to the back of the corral and
hiding next to the fence behind the momma cows, well out of shot of a rope. The cowhand must now call upon all of his
experience to try to maneuver through the herd to simply try to get into some kind of position to toss a loop. It's always with a
slight smile that the cowboy emerges from the bunch with this last critter in tow.
This detail of a cattle drive is set in front of an incredible array of limestone palisades just SE of Red
Lodge, Montana. An incredible terrain featuring a nearly unknown trail that winds its way amongst magnificent rock formations
up to an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. This little “bully” calf that has cut back from the herd which exists unseen in front of
the figures. Thinking his Momma (who is actually way up at the front of the herd) is half of a mile back up the trail, he has broken
from the cattle and gone on the run in search of her. After dutifully taking off after him one of the cowboys (about half of a mile
and ten minutes later) is joined by the other hand who had noticed the calf’s skill at zipping around a horse and heading back up
the trail! The viewer of this painting is introduced to the scene after the calf has finally conceded and is being guided back to the
bunch.
|
