Montana Artworking by Cindy Betka

The reception went well. I met some interesting people. The feedback I received on my art was insightful. The caterer did a fine job on the spread of goodies. It is a wonderful opportunity to be able to have my art on display in such a wonderful space. I think I have said enough; please enjoy some photos.

You remember our cute young doe that was taking naps inside our barn? Well, turns out when she wasn't spending time around us she was taking care of her twins. Yesterday she brought them around the house. White tail deer start breeding as young as 16-17 months old. The breeding season in western Montana is late November to early December. The gestation period is 7 months. Usually then, the birthing is in June. The fawns keep their spots for 3-4 months. The new fawns hide in the tall grass giving off no scent; protection from predators. The mom stays fairly close grazing. We can always identify the mom from her left ear that is split.

Collage of some of my paintings at the exhibition Come and see my solo exhibition at the Zoot Art Gallery  August 11 - October 30, 2017    Gallery Hours:  9:00am - 4:00pm Opening Reception:  August 24th, 5:00pm - 6:30pm Location: Zoot Enterprises, Inc. 555 Zoot Enterprises Lane Bozeman, MT 59718 https://zootsolutions.com/art-gallery/ Artist Statement  - Water, Water, Water We take water for granted to always be there in abundant supply. We expect it to gush forth pristine from our faucets. This precious resource God has blessed us with, is my muse. I find a mesmerizing beauty in the reflections and patterns of waves on a mountain stream or lake. Painting is my language to express my feelings about the moment. As I progress in a work, I check for technical soundness at the same time trying not to lose the inspiration that brought me to create. With my works I want each scene to show it has a vital life of its own with e...

There is a doe, white tail deer, sleeping in our barn. Why is this so, we do not know. It is peculiar that she finds the very dark corner between the wood pile and tractor so comfortable. If you should get too close she comes leaping out and stops just at the edge of the forest. She looks back from behind a tree waiting for the all clear to return to her sanctuary. There is her quiet place where it is cool and free of nasty, biting flies and bugs. A few times during the day she awakes from her napping to forage around the yard and field. Soon the flies get to her and she trouts back to her calming spot in the barn. Sometime around dusk she is off, down the hill to her overnight meadow. The next day, just after dawn, she returns to her place in our barn.

 Confidence at what I am creating on particular day varies. What makes you have confidence one day where you are singing along and all is going swimmingly. The next day all that confidence seems to be elusive, hiding in a box, on the shelf where you can not find it. You ask yourself, as if looking for that item you think you still have, “now where did I put it”. Usually my confidence is still there the next day if I left the creation with satisfaction and nothing changed with other issues of life. If incidences come up with family members, my health is in malaise, disorganized, or just bored, these are the biggest deterrents to chasing away confidence. If I straighten up , cleanup, and get my ducks in a row the disorganization goes away. The boredom is usually solved by doing something different whether it is a change of scenery by taking a trip or just switching to another hobby. Everyone needs a hobby. Then, coming back to the studio with a different attitude makes confidence...

Switching medium and doing some experimenting on this drawing. It is 22" X 28" on watercolor/etching paper, which I have a stash of laying around. The value chart shows my range of greys is all high key. This white faded building is from the 1860's. I loved the way the reflection of the sky and landscape mixes with the bottles set in the window. The reference is from a photo I took at Bannack (Montana ghost town). For the line work I mixed my own 'ink' and used a fine pen nib. The ink which is really a powered metallic silver water color with a small amount of black ink and water. Some lines I mixed a light blue watercolor for inking. I used color pencil mostly in the windows.  

"Science is the observation of things possible, whether present or past. Prescience is the knowledge of things which may come to pass, though but slowly."  Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo - Cannon, Mortars, Light Ordinance Leonardo - Cannon Ball Sling Leonardo - Invention Drawing Leonardo - Invention Drawing Leonardo - Pinion Wheel Leonardo - Tempered Spring