C.M. Russell Museum Weekend

-Love this painting by Carolyn Anderson. She is so talented!-

This is the longest I have gone without blogging in quite some time. At first, it was because I didn't think I had internet. Then it was because, I ran out of time. Good news for my millions of fans: I'm back!

The last few days have been action packed here in Great Falls, Montana. I arrived on Thursday for the last of this week's trunk shows. 6 Par Farmer's mother hosted a St. Patrick's Day fete with Irish coffees, blarney stones, cookies, mint brownies, and my new second favorite treat, mini-coffee macaroons. (6 Par's mother's rum cake simply can't be beat. But these macaroons were sooooo good. Drooling now thinking about them.)

After the trunk show, I went to 6 Par's sister's house for some corned beef and cabbage. (And a little too much wine...) If you haven't figured it out yet, the other women in 6 Par's life are amazing cooks. They write about cooking. They make fabulous food. And they are wonderful entertainers. It is a good thing 6 Par was eating frozen pizza and corn dogs before I came along, because I definitely couldn't live up to these ladies in the kitchen. Something to aspire to. (Cooking classes here I come.)

The rest of the weekend was spent enjoying Western Art Week with Montana Belle. We went to Art in Action on Friday, which was my favorite event, because it included walking around the country club, drinking mimosas and chatting with the artists. We (along with every other woman on the high line) enjoyed a quick speaking engagement by the Pioneer Woman-Ree Drummond. Cute. Cute. Cute. Hopefully, someday I will have a fraction of the following she does. Again, something to aspire to.

The auction itself is a brunch now. In my opinion, a brunch auction isn't very festive (isn't the whole point for people to have cocktails so they spend more money?), but it was an interesting experience none-the-less. I couldn't believe how affordable some of the pieces were. If you like western art, this is a must do event. I have never quite figured out what makes art valuable. Some of the popular stuff looks horrible to me. And I have picked up pieces at flea markets I like much better than those hanging on the walls of a gallery. (Maybe I just have an unsophisticated eye.) I don't know why I like what I like, but as you have likely gleaned from my blog, I have an opinion about everything. That includes art. Here are a few of my favorite artists from the weekend. Someday you will see them hanging on the walls of my home.



-I have had a Rocky Hawkins print for a number of years. Can't wait to get a painting one of these days!-



-Theodore Waddell has a way with the cows and horses. Modern western.-



-Dan McCaw is amazing. Amazing.-



-Love Russell Chatham's light-



-Another Carolyn Anderson. She might be my favorite. I think she will be my first purchase.-

Hope to see you all next year in Great Falls!

Leah Saulnier

Today, another post about something completely unrelated to jewelry and accessories. Well. It is an accessory for your house. So maybe I am not so far afield. That is what I will tell myself :)

I stumbled upon Leah Saulnier, The Painting Maniac (as she calls herself), while searching for accessory talent on Etsy. A side note: there are soooo many amazingly talented people on Etsy. I have picked up new designers for Bon Lemon's line. Found cool display racks. And stumbled upon some fabulous art. I heart Etsy.

Leah Saulnier's art is characterized as surrealist. Surrealism is defined as: works that feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur; however, many Surrealist artists and writers regard their work as an expression of the philosophical movement first and foremost, with the works being an artifact. (My love of social/political debate might explain my interest in surrealism.)

I have never had a sophisticated enough eye or paid enough attention to know what defines good art. Some "good" art looks like crap to me. And some things I see on street corners look like masterpieces. I have always known what I like. (Imagine that...) And Leah Saulnier, I like.

She is working on a farmer painting currently, which especially interested me, because of my favorite 6 Par Farmer. It is coming along nicely and I can't wait to see the finished product. These are three of my favorites: Fetish Nightmare, Playtime in 2050, and Her Wandering Eye