Works In Progress

This is Gage Skinner. Gage is a cultural anthropologist, widely-traveled former Peace Corp Volunteer, Foreign Service Officer (South America), State and National Park Service Ranger (Oklahoma and the Rocky Mountain Region), professor at Grossmont-Cuyamaca College District, Fur Trade historian, re-enactor and poet. Gage posed for me in 2006 at the Mountain Man Rendezvous in Pinedale, Wyoming. This painting is traditional oils on "Realgesso" Masonite. Day two. Day three. Day four. Day five. Day six. Here is the final version of Gage's portrait. Here are two close-ups of my final version to show all the detail. Thanks for riding along. Stay tuned, there are many more of my works in progress to come. Denny

This is a commission piece. This is Rick Scruggs from Duncan, South Carolina. Rick has been riding since the age of two. He specializes in team roping and calf roping. His mother was gifting this painting to Rick's father. Rick is posed with his favorite saddle that his father bought for him. It's a high-end Courts roping saddle handmade by a company called McMaster Custom Tack in Texas. This painting is traditional oils on museum-grade Masonite. The finished size is 24" x 20". Here is version one. I am giving you a close-up first since I am working just the face area. This is day two. I have smoothed out the flesh and hat while adding more detail to the face and hat. On the second day, the paint sets up and makes it easy to use a dry brush to blend and smooth everything out. Here is a close-up of version two. Day three. I pretty much finished detailing his face and managed to get the Courts saddle roughed in. Day four. I’m still working all of the saddle detail. I just love painting leather and metal! Day five. The saddle is just about complete. You can even see…

This is my good friend and hunting buddy, Sheldon Hanson. He is also my neighbor here in Cody, Wyoming. I have him and his horse, Junior posed in front of the famous Grand Teton Mountains in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This painting is traditional oils on museum-grade Masonite and the finished size is 18" x 24". Here is day two. Day three. I finally got all the details finished on the mountain tops as well the area below which are actually trees, high meadows and rock formations. Where the trees stop is the tree line, which in the Rocky Mountains, usually stops in the 9000 feet above sea level range. As you can see, I got Sheldon's face roughed in. On this version, I laid down the base coat for Sheldon's horse and added the rifle scabbard. I also finished detailing his face, beard and hat. I have Junior's head just about done. I will then move over to Sheldon's shirt for the next go around. I laid in the base coat for Sheldon's leather shirt and pants. This was about a day and a half worth of work. On this version, it took several days to add all the textures,…

This is my good friend Dustin Roush from Gillette, Wyoming. Dustin posed for Leigh and I in July of 2006 at the DC Bar Guest Ranch, my friend's ranch in Pinedale, Wyoming. Dustin and his family operate a very large beef cattle ranch in Gillette. Dustin was completing "guide school" classes at the time so he can work as a licensed hunting guide in the state of Wyoming. Dustin is a "master" with a lasso. He was giving lessons to all the other students. What a great kid he is as well as a pure gentleman. Here is the first day's work. This is a rough base coat. Here is day two. I have added more detail to Dustin's face, Stetson, shirt and hands. I was able to lay in the base coat for the upper part of his jeans. This is a close-up of that area. This is day three. I finished the base coat for his jeans and boots. On day four I finished detailing his jeans and boots. I have also roughed in his lasso and the dirt at his feet. This is a close-up of that area. This is day five. I have pretty much finished…

This piece is titled Spirit, Horse, Hunter. My model's name is Richard Ashburn. He is a guide from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He actually has lived the life of an actual mountain man for over thirty years. The piece is traditional oils on the Ampersand Gessobord Masonite. The size is 18" x 24". The reference photograph used was taken by my wife, Leigh. It was taken at the Mountain Man Rendezvous in July 2006, Pinedale, Wyoming. Here is version one. This is version two. In Richard's hand is his custom made English Pattern Henry rifle built for him by Steve Hill. To read more about Steve Hill, Larry Walker and their outstanding works of art, check this link: http://web.mac.com/j.henry.artificers/ This is version three. There was still a lot of detailing to be done, especially on his left chest, left arm, left hand and left knee area. BTW, I have never seen so much fringe on a person! On version four, I have added a lot more fine detail all over Richard, his rifle and clothing. I also painted in the stretched beaver pelt at his feet. Here is the final. To see some of the detailed areas, here are three close-up…