Paintings by Lyn St. Clair in Jackson Wyoming.

There I was in Jackson, Wyoming visiting galleries. As I wandered through   many wonderful rooms full of interesting art, I came upon  paintings with a very familiar energy. The brush strokes and imagery looked much like paintings by Lyn St. Clair, who I hadn’t seen in nearly a decade. It was a wonderful surprise to find that they were actually her work!

Lyn and I once lived close to each other in Vermont. She was a wonderful mentor and guide, sharing her knowledge about shows, exhibitions and the nuts and bolts of the painting process. She had moved back to the west and vanished into the the vast, wild valleys and mountains of Montana. On my journey this year I was lucky enough to visit with her in her new home.

Lyn St Clair with Yellow Headed Blackbirds

Lyn is a is a self taught painter, who began her art career at age twelve doing portraits from life at dog and horse shows. She has won more than 60 awards for her emotive, gestural paintings of wildlife.

Somehow she portrays the spirit as well as the essence of movement of bison, magpies, horses and other creatures with her brushstrokes. Her paintings are an expression of her deep and genuine connection with animals, both domestic and wild. In search of a better understanding of the critters she paints, she has spent MANY hours in the wild, lugging her camera to out of the way places in rain, sleet and snow to observe them. Pretty impressive dedication! The thorough knowledge of each bird and animal she gains in this exploration allows her to share an intimate understanding of each animal. Her bold and surprising use of color adds a dynamic energy to her work.

Lyn with her cats and amazing easel.

Lyn is an exemplary painter, an artist to the core. And I am completely in awe (and jealous!) of her amazing easel.

You can  find her work at the West Lives On Gallery in Jackson, at the Buffalo Trail Gallery and at Visions West Gallery, which has galleries in Livingston, MT; Bozeman, MT and Denver, CO.