Montana Artworking by Cindy Betka

Just finished making 5 new journals. These are a bit different; I drew illustrations in each of their 1st and last pages. The illustrations are in ink and color pencil and of birds or wildflowers. All of the illustrations have a story from the photo referencies I took. Below are a few of those journals.

'Clapping Leaves', 20" X 16", oil, progressive stages With a wonderful fall I have been spending a lot of time outdoors sketching and painting. The weather has been perfect for it, not to mention the scenery. I am blessed with the scenes right on our small ranch. Here I tried to capture the steps in this painting. I worked over the whole painting bringing the foreground in focus as the center point towards the final stage. The painting background, middle ground and foreground are in simple shapes keeping the whole scene open. 'The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.'  Psalm 18:30

The triptych has gone through some design changes particularly on the last panel. The setting sun reflecting on the water helps bring the composition around to the beginning. Without that vertical element I think your eye would move out of the scene. More work is needed but at least it is starting to come together.

Blue Flow, Oil  16" X 20" Pablo Picasso had a a time between 1901 -1904 when he painted in monochrome blues and greens. I will go through a few paintings in a row when my palette is mainly cool or warm colors. This is one of those paintings in a series of 4 where I used a cool palette.  Rest assured that I am NOT depressed or going through a dark time in my life as Picasso did during his 'Blue Period'. Pablo Picasso,  The Old Guitarist,  1903, The Art Institute of Chicago