THE REFUGE

"The National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, commissioned me to do this painting of elk herds at the National Elk Refuge, which is right outside the museum's walls. Herds of up to 10,000 elk visit the refuge on cold winter days to feed on the wild grasses and other food provided by the refuge. "I'm pleased that the reaction to the painting has been so positive since I always seek to have something to say in my paintings. It's just not telling a story; it's visual . . . it's something that touches us emotionally through the eyes. I always try to 'say' something about lights, shapes or colors. This is necessary in every painting; it's the reason to do a painting."