Montana Artworking by Cindy Betka

Infinite Treasury 12" X 9" Oil on cradled panel It is my pleasure to have 'Infinite Treasury' juried into the Hockaday Museum of Art Timeless Miniatures exhibition. This is one of their annual juried exhibitions where the sales of artwork benefit the Hockaday Museum (Kalispell, MT). April 23rd, Exhibition Opens, May 7, 5-7pm Opening Reception, 

'Send Rain' 20" X 16" Oil March, April and May are funny months in Montana. Nature can't seem to decide whether to give up winter completely and bring us a true spring or occasionally switch to cold and snow. The last few days have been in the teens at night, 20's and 30's during the day. Eight inches of snow fell last night, 18 inches at some sky resorts in Montana. I for one would like to see spring by mid April at least. Spring is a time for rain. I pray this year for lots of rain, we need it.

Will landscape painting ever die? Landscape painting go back centuries and will keep on being created as long as there are artists. How can one grow tired of them; I know I can not. Just go to a museum or art show and see the percentage that is landscape art. Sure, figurative is showing up more and more but landscape takes the majority. For my own challenge I keep a figurative project painting going. No matter what the subject I keep pushing the edge where I find myself almost lapping into the surreal. My inspiration always comes from God's creations and that spiritual muse. Below are 2 small completed oil paintings. What is interesting is the difference in the coloring of the .jpg on my computer in Photoshop verses the coloring when I bring it into this blog. The blog seems to have saturated the colors much more.

Cutthroat 12" X 16" Oil One more painting in my next series, 'Living Water',  'Cutthroat' is fitting as we move into fishing season. Some of the best fresh water fishing is here in Montana and short drives from our ranch. I must confess that I have never been fishing except for in my childhood, those fond memories with Dad on a lake. It was always 'someday' I would learn how to fly fish. I conjure up romantic peaceful scenes in hip boots in the middle of a mountain stream. Since that is not going to happen, I can paint the scene. Cutthroat trout is native to Montana and is making a stronger come back. They are out there for the skilled fly fisherman to catch.

Rock Softly 16" X 20" Oil If you view my blog 2 blogs ago you can see the steps in progress for this painting. Here is the final stage. Below I have put up a few other paintings in progress on the easel.