Sunday, May 31, 2015

A Great Buffalo Hunt

In keeping with a post in January of this year,  I am enjoying making art this spring and all the nice activities that go with that.  Yesterday Cheryl and I along with a few friends attended a beautiful demo in Good Art Gallery here in Fredericksburg. We were offered coffee, bottled water or a glass of Champagne to sip as we sat over two hours watching Arizona artist Becky Joy paint a stunning sunset. This was a real treat to watch someone so talented and so generous in sharing her knowledge.  See some of her landscapes at beckyjoy.com 


Becky has a book for sale on her web site which I have ordered, and also a number of art hints and demos on YouTube. Her art work and workshop information are also on the website. As well as a fine artist she is a fine teacher. They do not always come together.
 
Today Cheryl and I were invited to photograph a small group of 10 Bison.  There are several herds of these iconic animals in our county, but most are just distant shapes in a pasture when you are trying to picture them.  We timed our arrival with their morning feeding of protein cakes and were quite near them! Their owner cautioned us not to put a hand through the fence near these huge animals.  A four week old calf was our main interest. 

The cows are larger than domestic cattle, and the bull is a force of nature!

Cheryl has painted buffalo many times from photos she has made in Yellowstone.  But to have a little calf near us to enjoy and picture was a rare treat.  

 Above, friends Nancy and Bill,  then the gentleman who owns the bison next to yours truly.
Cheryl and I took over a dozen shots of the baby.
 
 Below, Lecia Duke, owner of Chocolat in Fredericksburg, with Bill and Nancy.  These three arranged our wonderful morning.
 
With the extraordinary rain we have had, the country side is lush and green and blooming.  There were so many tempting things to stop and picture that we could not take it all in.  A few shots of some charming buildings on the way home finished our morning.   


 
 E.