Power of the Pyramid

Blackfeet Country

Over on the other side of the Rockies, east of here, is the Blackfeet reservation. It's is by turns a gawd awful place and a place of unimaginable beauty. I love to go over in the spring to hunt for and photograph the new born foals that dot the landscape. I also like to fantasize about those long lost days when man and animals lived here in natural balance. I can imagine the braves racing like the wind across the plains on their painted ponies. The vision literally brings tears to my eyes.

The painting is, once again, just my musing. I would classify it as one of my primitive efforts. The Rocky Mountain Front looks nothing like these mountains and I made no effort to paint authentic Blackfeet teepees. I believe in the power of pyramids. I think indians felt that power and designed the teepees to tap into it. The green grass and lupine are just will o the wisp.

I know this painting looks child like and that professional painters would puke over it's childishness. By I really like it. It's the child in me that cries out to be set free. Does everything have to be perfect? Can't just doing what feel's fun and whimsical be worthwhile? Stupid question. Of course it can. No one needs to like my drek but me.

I enjoy looking at this painting and dreaming of my next trip to St. Mary in the spring. And, as always, I just love the colors. I am a color junkie. I am a color junkie!

Walker

Wheat Fields & Wildflowers

Wheat Fields & Wildflowers

I took a spring, summer and fall hiatus from painting. Not entirely, I painted a few rocks which was quite fun.

Now I am hunkered down, once again, for the winter and my thoughts return to painting on canvas. I put up my paint brushes because I felt painting was an indoor activity and I really prefer outdoor activities, when the weather permits and the days are long.

I am very much a fan of the impressionist style of painting and feel, even with my photography THE LIBERATED PHOTOGRAPHER one of my most influential muses is Claude Monet. So right out of the chute I tried my hand at my idea of an impressionist painting. In case you've forgotten I have no idea how to paint. I'm just making it up as I go along.

The subject matter is one near and dear to my heart, Montana. The Montana landscape is so beautiful any time of year. It being winter, the summer landscape popped into my head and voila this is what appeared on my canvas. Wheat fields and wildflowers are Montana in the summer. LOL! My color addiction is quite apparent n'est pas?

Speaking of not knowing how to paint, I have become convinced more than ever I made the right decision when I decided not to seek out art classes to learn. There is no doubt in my mind if I had done so it would have killed any chance of my pursuing the art. I would not have been unable to do what the teacher wanted and then in total frustration would have given up, convinced I had no possibility of being able to paint. What a shame that would have been.

The truth is, I REALLY like this painting. I love looking at it. It warms me to think I created it. It matters not if any one else likes it. I did not paint it for anyone else. My life would have been less enriched if I had never painted it. I am so grateful to have this painting.

I mention this for the benefit of anyone who would like to try painting but is afraid they have no talent and like me are unteachable. Just do it. Follow your heart. Follow your art. Nothing truly special and unique was ever created following the herd.

Walker

Connectivity

With this painting I really went off the reservation, if you'll pardon the pun. It all started with me admiring some stones that I have that look like they have tiny landscapes painted on them. Mea culpa, I can't remember what they are called but they a very pretty.

I like to try different color combinations and these stones are an ideal mixture of browns with tiny black natural sketches on them. I chose my paints and away I went. After setting the tonal color, sandy beige, I put in the larger mountain, then the red mountain. Then for no reason I know of I was compelled to put in the white things in the sky. Next came the squiggle that reached up to the white dashes and leads down to the teepee. Last came the buffalo herd.

Connectivity

What does it all mean?  It is clearly a Montana landscape but other than that I have no earthly clue. And maybe that is the clue, not earthly. I don't know but I can say I just love this painting! I'd buy it if I didn't already own it!

At the risk of repeating myself, if you have never given painting a try you really should. It's turning out to be one of the coolest adventures of my life and I've had a lot of adventures.

Following My Art (Heart)

©Walker Barnard

Sweet Bitterroots - Montana

Continuing my love affair with the Bitterroot Mountains I painted this flight of fancy. I just love color and this painting lights my color candle. The color and shape of the mountains is pure imagination as is the color of the Bitterroot River. This is the beauty of painting. There is no limitation as to how you can apply your imagination.

I recommend everyone take up painting. It's absolutely liberating and I am after all the original Liberated Photographer and now I am the Liberated Painter. If it feels good do it! And this feels mighty fine to me!

Sweet Bitterroots

©Walker Barnard

Tin Cup Trail - Bitterrot Valley Montana

This past fall Molly and I headed down to Hamilton at the south end of the Bitterroot Valley. The prior spring I had fallen in love with the place but the valley is too long to be conveniently located to all the fabulous trails from one end to the other. So, I had to go back.

Unfortunately, some of the trails were closed due to the summer fires. Fires are a real problem in this valley and they leave the trails too dangerous to walk for fear of getting beaned by  falling trees.

Of the trails I was able to hike, the Tin Cup Trail was by far my favorite. The varied fall colors of the ground cover plus the larch trees really lit my candle. I have been fascinated by larch bark ever since I came to Montana, 15 years ago. The red and black designs knock my socks off. I tried to photograph it but nothing came close to capturing what I was seeing. I was determined to try and paint that bark and so I did!

Tin Cup Trail

Photography no longer holds my interest. Painting is so much more creative. Your subject matter is only limited by your imagination. It's so liberating!

©Walker Barnard

Kootenai Sunset

This painting is of the view out my front window. The mountains in the distance are in the Kootenai National Forest. I guess I was missing the warmer weather. It's been a brutal winter. So cold that when we hit the twenties it feels like a tropical heat wave.

Kootenai Sunset

©Walker Barnard

Rocky Mountain High

Well, I thought I should start the New Year of with a completed painting.

Once again I just started out with not much in mind but snow-capped mountains and my vision of Montana. I trip myself by not having a plan in mind when I start but what can I say ... I do it my way and sometimes have to pay a price. But, lots of times it just seems to come together.

From my window I can see the Big Mountain ski runs in Whitefish and I think that may have been what got this painting rolling.

Big Mountain - Whitefish

But then, of course, my imagination started wandering and the next thing I knew there was a river running through it. So, my basic concept kind of turned out to be blocked out like this.

Painting in Progress

And, from there I just messed around until I came up with another primitive impression of a Montana landscape. And, as usual, I really like it. It just captures my childlike, and joyful  love for Montana.

Rocky Mountain High

I'm sure no art critic would find merit in what I paint. But, frankly I could care less. A painting like this gives me nothing but joy and an appreciation for the place I am blessed to live. It quite simply makes me happy.

My New Year's wish for everyone is that you find that which gives you joy and do it no matter what anyone else thinks!

©Walker Barnard