Saturday was the opening reception for an art show at the Ridgway (Colorado) library featuring paintings by Alice Billings and Karen Keene Day.
The door counter registered 180 people coming to view and appreciate the art these talented women have created of mustangs – current and removed – of Spring Creek Basin.
From left: Alice, yours truly, Karen and Martha (librarian) in front of Alice’s (behind me and Alice) and Karen’s paintings in the entryway.
Behind Alice, a little piece of Maia, then Jif’s foal (Jif was found to be branded and ended up being sold through – and rescued from – the sale barn and lives now south of Ridgway) and the noses of Kwana and Terra. Alice adopted Liberty, who lives with her and her herd in Ridgway.
Karen and her husband, Floyd, in front of my favorite of her paintings: “Return To Disappointment Valley @2008,” a tribute to all who were rounded up in 2007 in Spring Creek Basin. (I want to mention that Floyd, who started life as an engineer, is an accomplished artist in his own right. He likes to paint cows found in the mountain meadows of the San Juans, but we won’t hold that against him! One of his paintings of a cow and calf was used as the centerpiece for a quilt for the Ouray Historical Society this year.) And I’d like to point out Karen’s necklace – pieced together by her farflung grandchildren!
Three of Karen’s paintings. In the middle is her stunning tribute to Steeldust. On the right is one of Karen’s “oil-pan paintings.” It literally starts life as the metal pan under her canvas to catch the oil paint drops. The horses she finds in this “discarded” paint is simply fascinating! I have one of these, a gift after the roundup and adoption last year. Treasured.
Alice also has painted tributes to our Spring Creek Basin horses here now in spirit. These are Cinch (left) and Hook, from my photos.
Alice painted portraits of all the foals (current as well as some not still in the basin). I thought it was awesome that they were arranged on the wall by the children’s section in the library.
She nailed cheeky Skywalker, didn’t she!
A close-up view of Temple. Each of the paintings had cards by them to identify the mustang with a short description.
In addition to her large canvases, Karen paints these 8-inch by 8-inch pieces. I have one she did of Bounce. She’s talking with Mary, a friend of Alice’s who provided beautiful guitar music throughout the reception.
A second group of Karen’s smaller paintings with one by Alice in the background by the window.
“Mainstream” artists, these ladies are not! I love the spirit and movement they each manage to coax from their chosen mediums, each reflecting the joy and beauty of our mustangs. What I really love is the aspect of education both feel compelled to impart through their paintings.
Karen’s and Alice’s art will hang at the Ridgway library until Nov. 9. Stop in and see it for yourself if you’re in the area!
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 