Monday, December 28, 2015

"JESS & MOM"

Jess riding on the 4 wheeler with her Mom!
Thanks for following and looking. MB

"JESS"

Here's what Jess's neighbor has to say about her(this portrait was 
a surprise for Jess's Mom). She was a border collie and german short
haired pointer. She was very opinionated, but lived to ride with her
mom up in the mountains on the four wheeler checking on the cattle.
Thanks for all the patience in lack of posts. 
I've moved to a new gallery and it's been emotionally and financially trying. 
 I will be at Circle 7 Fine Art for 3 months trying it
out to see if it fits. More on that later.
Thanks a bunch





Tuesday, December 8, 2015

"REVIEW"

Here it is. Some of these are from the Plein Air event at
Steamboat Art Museum. The paintings were framed wet - the corners got damaged
I had to repaint the edges so I could frame them in floater frames.
If I didn't mention this, I gessoed my display boards black. The black is a
much better background than the original grey display boards I've had for years.
Only took me 3 years to figure that one out!!! go figure
Thanks for taking a look. MB

Sunday, December 6, 2015

"LIGHTNING"

I love "Lightning"!  SOLD
Lightning is at The Center for Visual Arts for the month of 
December - after that he may be wheeling away we'll see
how that goes. More on that soon. Big changes coming if
all goes according to plan. 
Thanks for hanging in there in this crazy busy time!
Pray for snow.
Later MB







Sunday, November 29, 2015

"DID YOU SAY BALL OR BUNNY?"

Sunshine's Aunt sent me this photo. It was a pixelated photo
without much definition but I've always wanted to paint a 
dog with a mouthful of toys. I gave it my best shot!
 This is going to be a crazy week for me. 
I'm not sure if there will be any posts - it's not for the lack of painting. 
Thanks for hanging in there and being patient.
Your buddy MB

Monday, November 23, 2015

"BOB'S DOWNTOWN CONOCO"

Bob's Conoco station is in downtown Steamboat Springs.
Bob just sold the Conoco station after running it for too many years to
count. I'm pretty happy for Bob he's the nicest guy you would ever want to meet
he deserves to retire and have some fun.
The new owner is going to keep it going - gas station and car repair, how cool is that?
Here's a quick story about Bob and the guys that work there.
Many years ago I had to drive to Texas to meet my husband.
He needed a ride home - anyway it was 104˚ in Texas that 
summer. A functioning air conditioner in my truck would be a 
nice feature. I had the truck packed - turned on the key and heard a 
thump!!! It wasn't a mechanical thump but the sound of a mouse
type thump. The first auto mechanic I went to had no time to look at my
problem(and didn't really care that I was driving into the inferno we call Texas).
I was desperate to find this poor mouse. I stopped at Bob's, the
guys dropped everything after they heard my story - they took apart the 
wheel cage under my dash and voila they found the mouse. 
I was on my way mouse free with a functioning air conditioner. 
Crisis averted - although the mouse was not so lucky.
Thanks for taking a look.


Wednesday, November 18, 2015

"SUNSHINE"

Here's what Sunshine's family has to say about her
"Sunshine is the happiest and most loving dog! We adopted her from the humane society in April and we’ve never had a dull day since.  We believe she is half lab, half golden retriever. She loves her toys, to swim, and to give kisses (she even tries to give kisses with toys in her mouth). Sunshine is always smiling! She also enjoys running and playing with other pups. When she’s excited her WHOLE BODY wiggles!! She’ll run in between your legs so she can get scratches. We love Sunshine so much!"

This may be the last post till Monday(I love this happy face) 
Have a wonderful weekend!
&
Thanks for following 

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

"A LITTLE SUNSHINE"

Here are some process shots of Sunshine
Her story will follow. I fixed her today so now I'm happy
YEAH!!!!!





Thursday, November 5, 2015

"JOY"

"HAPPY 3RD ANNIVERSARY"
I started this blog 3 years ago today!
The blog has changed a bit over the years. It started out as a quest to 
post everyday but has morphed into something a bit different.
I post when it's right rather than posting for the sake of posting.
There are a few more gaps in the process and that's working
out better for me. You have all been instrumental in this process
and I wouldn't be here without you! I really can't do it without
all the comments and encouragement - thanks for sticking
by me all these years!!!!!!!!
Takes a village to raise a painter.


"REVIEW"

Here's all 11 paintings for Born Free. We met our goal 
 the drawing will be tonight November 6th - 6:30 
Creekside Cafe 
131 11th St. - Steamboat Springs, CO
If you've got some spare time stop on by I'll be there from 
5pm till 7:45pm.
Thanks for all the support on this project!


Sunday, November 1, 2015

"BORN FREE #11"

This is another extra painting for Born Free - it was #11.
This is going to be a crazy week not sure how many posts
will happen if any. I'm getting everything ready for my 
show at Creekside Cafe for November and December.
The Born Free drawing will be this friday as well 
It's going to be really hard to part with these paintings.
I've had them hanging in the studio for awhile
I will be lonely without them.
Thanks for following!



Thursday, October 29, 2015

"GEESE AT THE LAKE"

I painted some extra Born Free images - not sure where they will end up.
Thanks for following and have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks for all the support too - you've all been a big help.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

"MUFFIN"

A friend stopped by the studio the other day and made a suggestion
"paint a bunny"
Hardest thing I've ever done.
6" X 6"
Oil on Panel
Thanks for taking a look!

Thursday, October 22, 2015

"FAWN - #10 OF 10"

"DO NOT PICK UP A FAWN!!!!"
Many years ago Tracy saved me from ruining a fawns life - here's a quick version
BC(before cell phones) and BIP(before indoor plumbing) and before
internet service at my house - a Doe(that's the fawn's mom) decided a good
place to leave her baby would be on the leaf littered path to my outhouse!!!!! 
Well when in doubt - use the paper phone book, look up Tracy's number,
leave her a message on her machine(remember those?) and wait. 
A fawn left by his/her mom looks like it's dead - the fawn appears 
to have broken legs - turns out that's the defense mechanism built into
the baby to ward off predators. They stare at you with those eyes that 
never blink nor do they move a muscle. In truth they are invisible from prying eyes.
Tracy returned my call eventually - after a long day of teaching and spent
time on the phone teaching me all about fawns. She said by morning the fawn 
would be gone and of course she was right. 
A lot of the fawns that rescues receive all over the country are fawns that don't need to be rescued. 
PLEASE DO NOT PICK UP A FAWN NEXT SPRING
CALL TRACY OR YOUR NEAREST WILDLIFE MANAGER
Here's what a fawn looks like when left - never moves a muscle
see the fawn?
see the fawn now?
Some fawns do need rescuing - if the mom is dead in the road - if the fawn is
agitated and moving about - but in most cases you should leave it alone.
The mom's milk will dry up in 24 hours if the baby is taken away!
How sad is that!????
Thanks for taking a look and learning about fawns.
A few online tickets available at 








Thursday, October 15, 2015

"PRAIRIE FALCON - #8 OF 10"

This Prairie Falcon was in for rehab and released Sept. 2014.
We are at the finish line. We have 20 tickets left so if you are
in need BUY ONLINE
or buy a paper ticket at 
THE HOMESTEADER in beautiful downtown Steamboat Springs.
I thought it would be a great idea to include some photos of Tracy, her animals 
and one of her helpers.
This is Tracy with a Golden Eagle in from Craig, CO.
Broken ulna/radius - Lee Meyring and Eric Eggerton of Steamboat Veterinary Hospital
performed the surgery the next day. Then it's rehab and release for this lucky Golden.

This is a Swainson hawk in after being hit by a car. The hawk is 
held by Jeff Little in Steamboat Springs. The hawk recovered and was released.

Tracy is holding a Long Eared Owl that has a broken humerus. Dr. Cindi from
Pet Kare clinic repaired this owl so it could rehab and be released.

Tracy and a Golden Eagle!
For those of you who don't know - Tracy is a full-time
teacher at the Middle School here in Steamboat Springs. 
She is trained and certified to work with wildlife.
If I wanted to help her with her animals in need it would require
hours and hours of classes and training down in Denver to become an assistant. 
I'm in awe of Tracy and her passion for the animals. 

Thanks for following I appreciate you taking a look.



Wednesday, October 14, 2015

"RED FOX - #7 OF 10"

"Red Fox"
Not sure how this fox came to Born Free I'll have to ask Tracy.
I can't tell you how much I love foxes. 
We used to have a fox community living in our wood pile at the end of our driveway.
Each spring at least 10 kits were born we watched them play, roll around
and grow - it was a treat. My cat Mo made friends and loved to hang with the foxes. 
Mr. Fox was so clever he would come up to my front door 
and steal my throw rugs(from inside the house), underwear off the clothesline anything he could get his paws on - to make his log pile house a little more comfy for his family.
How do we know this - we found all the missing items in the 
tunnels the foxes had dug beneath the log pile. 
(go to bottom of home page for tickets)

Thanks for following - we'll get back to normal blog paintings soon
as soon as the tickets sell out! Thanks for your patience.




Tuesday, October 13, 2015

"BALD EAGLE FREE #6 OF 10"

"Free and happy" 
 Bald eagles come into Born Free sick from lead poisoning. 
After anti-toxin treatment and some rehab time the eagle feels better 
and is ready to be released.
I painted and donated 10 paintings of the animals helped by Born Free
You can win a painting - buy a ticket for 20.00 and you'll be entered
in the drawing taking place November 6th - 6:30pm 
Creekside Cafe - Steamboat Springs, CO(need not be present to win)
Everyone's $20 ticket goes into the "HAT"
for each of the 10 paintings, we'll draw a winner from the hat!
(go to bottom of home page to purchase tickets)
need more info drop me a line
Thanks a bunch MB

Monday, October 12, 2015

"BULL ELK - #5 0F 10"

This bull elk had a pulled muscle in his front shoulder. He had
another big bull with him - a friend standing by while his buddy
was hurt. Born Free provided good food and minerals and
the bull is much stronger and moving around again.
If the bull could say thanks he would!
For those of you wondering
I painted 10 paintings of the animals Born Free has helped(this is a tiny sampling)
Born Free assists hundreds of animals each year for many different reasons.
Some animals get hit by cars, some lose their mothers, some are poisoned
some have a disease and the list goes on.
Tracy Bye runs the Born Free Wildlife Rehabilitation in Steamboat Springs.
She and her all volunteer staff work endless hours to help these animals
recover from their illness with the hopes of releasing them back into the wild. 
We are only selling 100 tickets
At the drawing we will choose a painting and then pull the name of the winner.

For the complete 
(go to bottom of home page)
Thanks for following and if you have any questions please drop me a line
or 
if you could hang some posters
(The Homesteader has extras - you can grab some there or I can drop some off - let me know)
Thanks for everything MB




Thursday, October 8, 2015

"BABY MALLARDS - #4 OF 10"

I'm back - the County road crew severed my internet cable a
couple of days ago while destroying my quaint country dirt
road. It's a sad day for sure - looks like a highway out there.
A lot of aspens lost their lives - it's depressing for those of us
who love the trees!
Anyway the Born Free fundraiser continues
These are some baby mallards - I'm not sure how they were
found but Born Free raised them and released them back into
the wild. How cute are they?
Thanks for taking a look.


Saturday, October 3, 2015

"ISIS - BALD EAGLE - #2 OF 10"

"ISIS - BALD EAGLE"
Here's the Born Free Story if you're interested in knowing more
about the Born Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Steamboat Springs, CO.
It's an amazing story and if you don't get goose bumps while reading 
 I'm not sure what to say about that.
Tracy and her crew are dedicated to returning these magnificent animals
back into the wild. I get goose bumps just thinking about a bald eagle
free and happy again. What a passion.


Thursday, October 1, 2015

"GREAT HORNED OWL - #1 OF 10"


Great Horned Owl 
You see in the photo below this owl had a broken wing &
Lee Meyring of Steamboat Veterinary Hospital did the 
surgery to repair the broken wing so the owl could be brought
back to health at the Born Free Rehabilitation facility in Steamboat Springs
and released back into the wild. 
TO PURCHASE TICKETS TO WIN THIS PAINTING(1 OF 10)
This Great Horned Owl and all the other animals thank you!



Sunday, September 27, 2015

"LARAMORE BARN - LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE - HAYDEN GRANARY"

"LARAMORE BARN"

"HILTON GULCH SCHOOL HOUSE #26"
32405 County Road 41C, south of Steamboat Springs
One-room schools played a major role in the development of education in the United States: In 1918, approximately 200,000 one-teacher elementary schools served students living in outlying areas from the age of six to sixteen. At one time Routt County had 70 one-room schoolhouses; in 1916, the County had 58 schoolhouses and 45 school districts. Mrs. Emma Hull Peck was elected the first Superintendent of School District #26 in 1896, when less than 3,000 people lived in Routt County. The wife of a homesteader and pioneer politician and mother of four children, she also taught school throughout the year. When she retired in 1920, she could call by name more than one third of the County’s more than 2,000 school children. The Hilton Gulch School, one of two rural schools that comprised District #26, opened in 1917 and consolidated with the Steamboat Springs School District at the end of the 1954 term. Prior to it becoming a private residence, the school was significant to the social and cultural development of the area by serving as a gathering place for quilting guilds, spelling bees, concerts, political caucuses, box socials, church revivals, funerals, and weekend dances. One local resident recalls, “The music was portable and local. We took up a collection, put 25 cents in a hat and danced ‘til two o’clock. And then, if we wanted to go dance all night, we took up another collection. We actually wore the floor out in the Hilton Gulch School. It actually fell in when people were square dancing.” In addition to the school, the site originally contained a teacherage, a shed, and an outhouse. The building continues to serve as a visual reminder of the pioneer lifestyle and the focal position that it held for the area as it sits prominently at a crossroads, still retains its bell tower and original bell, and essentially retains its architectural integrity. 
"THE HAYDEN GRAIN CO."
These small 6" X 6" paintings are being displayed as a triptych
at SAM for the Plein Air paint out show. I was awarded the Historic Routt County Award
along with a gorgeous ribbon and some cash.
Johnny Walker made the presentation and to tell the truth I was so surprised by the
award I can't tell you a thing he said. Something along the lines that these three
buildings represent the heritage of Routt County. 
His speech was so eloquent and thoughtful - I am honored to have my work chosen. 
Thanks for following - last week was a great journey painting Routt county!
The Hayden Granary is a historic site purchased by the Delaney family in 2009 and has been nominated for placement on the National Register of Historic Places while currently listed on both Colorado State and Routt County Registers of Historic Places.

The Granary is in process of transformation to a multi-functional property with an event center, artist studio/gallery, local food cooperative, office space and coffee house while honoring and enhancing the heritage of this iconic landmark in the Hayden community. The property has been a gathering place for the Community of Hayden and West Routt County since 1917 and continues to join our community today.



Thursday, September 24, 2015

"CHEVY HEAVEN"

Secret spot in downtown Steamboat Springs. 
I will never divulge this secret garden of cars and trucks.
It's heaven to me.
8" x 8"
oil on panel
600.00
I'm hoping this painting will be shown at SAM(Steamboat Art Museum)
for the plein air show starting tomorrow. Turns out I 
painted too many paintings - I'll have to see how many
they will allow. I'm hoping since the paintings are small they
will allow all my work. Doesn't take up much space.
Thanks and have a wonderful weekend.


Monday, September 21, 2015

"THE LARAMORE BARN"

6"H X 18"W
Oil on board
This is my first painting for the Plein Air Paint Out this week. 
The Steamboat Art Museum is hosting this event with an opening on 
Friday - September 25 5pm till 8pm
I hope to have a number of paintings finished for the show
but it's been a slow start. Will post as soon as the paintings are completed.
See the story below about this great barn - I love this barn!
Thanks MB



A & J THE LARAMORE BARN
26085 County Road 14, Steamboat Springs

John Laramore built his large white Western or prairie style barn in 1922, when Routt County’s agricultural economy was flourishing. John was a member of the second generation of a Routt County pioneer family. His father, William Laramore, first settled in Yampa in 1883; he moved north to Sidney with his family ten years later. His son John bought property nearby in 1914, and together they shared in the operations of their ranches, raising cattle, dairy products, wheat, hay, and other produce. Only four miles from Steamboat Springs and close to the Moffat Railroad, the Laramores had a ready market for their products. John ranched the land for nearly fifty years, the longest of any of its owners. The lower level of the barn was set up for a dairy operation on one side with animal stalls and pens on the other side as well an enclosed area for chickens. Upstairs is a large hay loft with a hay trolley and large hook to grab the hay and haul it inside. The barn is one of the few wood frame barns from the 1920s still standing in the environs of Steamboat Springs so it has become a prominent local landmark and reminder of the County’s agricultural roots. 

Thursday, September 17, 2015

"COMING AND GOING"

I finished 12 paintings this week for my special project(more on that later)
 I have no photos of those paintings due to dark days and rain.
I thought I'd throw something fun your way for the weekend!
I think this car is parked in Rawlins, Wyoming 
but I could be wrong - I've been wrong once before????!!
I took this photo in 2009 on our trip back from scamping in Yellowstone.
 I had a great week painting and starting this saturday I will be participating in the 
Steamboat Art Museum Paint out. I will post if I get some good stuff.
Thanks a bunch and have a wonderful weekend.




Wednesday, September 9, 2015

"THE NOMAD"

This is a 1956 Chevy Nomad. This painting went through many titles - in 1956 Chevy advertised 
this vehicle as "THE HOT ONE" because the boxy new Chevy was crisp, clean and thoroughly 
modern-looking. Nomads like Bel Airs came fully loaded - and the beat goes on
 I was going to name the painting the Hot One or the FAHA(Federal Aid Highway Act)
but somewhere on the unreliable wikipedia page Eisenhower referred to the highway
act as "The Grand Plan" hence the vanity plate that really didn't exist in 1956.
Artistic license one more time. This might be too much info but some of you may enjoy 
a little banter. Thanks for looking and waiting again. 
New project on the way and it's much smaller.
Let's hope for more posts.
I have not had much time to respond to all my emails about this car but thanks for all the thoughts.
These old cars are pure art and important reminders of Car Culture in the US of A.
My dad bought an Edsel - that's another story!

THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM(abridged version full version below)

On June 29, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The bill created a 41,000-mile “National System of Interstate and Defense Highways” that would, according to Eisenhower, eliminate unsafe roads, inefficient routes, traffic jams and all of the other things that got in the way of “speedy, safe transcontinental travel.” At the same time, highway advocates argued, “in case of atomic attack on our key cities, the road net [would] permit quick evacuation of target areas.” For all of these reasons, the 1956 law declared that the construction of an elaborate expressway system was “essential to the national interest.”

National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (1956)

Popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 established an interstate highway system in the United States. The movement behind the construction of a transcontinental superhighway started in the 1930s when President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed interest in the construction of a network of toll superhighways that would provide more jobs for people in need of work during the Great Depression. The resulting legislation was the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1938, which directed the chief of the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) to study the feasibility of a six-route toll network. But with America on the verge of joining the war in Europe, the time for a massive highway program had not arrived. At the end of the war, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 funded highway improvements and established major new ground by authorizing and designating, in Section 7, the construction of 40,000 miles of a "National System of Interstate Highways."

When President Dwight D. Eisenhower took office in January 1953, however, the states had only completed 6,500 miles of the system improvements. Eisenhower had first realized the value of good highways in 1919, when he participated in the U.S. Army's first transcontinental motor convoy from Washington, DC, to San Francisco. Again, during World War II, Eisenhower saw the German advantage that resulted from their autobahn highway network, and he also noted the enhanced mobility of the Allies, on those same highways, when they fought their way into Germany. These experiences significantly shaped Eisenhower's views on highways and their role in national defense. During his State of the Union Address on January 7, 1954, Eisenhower made it clear that he was ready to turn his attention to the nation's highway problems. He considered it important to "protect the vital interest of every citizen in a safe and adequate highway system."
Between 1954 and 1956, there were several failed attempts to pass a national highway bill through the Congress. The main controversy over the highway construction was the apportionment of the funding between the Federal Government and the states. Undaunted, the President renewed his call for a "modern, interstate highway system” in his 1956 State of the Union Address. Within a few months, after considerable debate and amendment in the Congress, The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 emerged from the House-Senate conference committee. In the act, the interstate system was expanded to 41,000 miles, and to construct the network, $25 billion was authorized for fiscal years 1957 through 1969. During his recovery from a minor illness, Eisenhower signed the bill into law at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on the 29th of June. Because of the 1956 law, and the subsequent Highway Act of 1958, the pattern of community development in America was fundamentally altered and was henceforth based on the automobile.

"DETAILS - THE NOMAD"

THERE ARE 5 SELF PORTRAITS IN THIS
BUMPER - ALL THOSE CURVES 
WHERE EVER YOU SEE RED THAT'S ME




SELF PORTRAIT IN BUMPER