Red, White, and Blue

I’ve been working on a watercolor just for St. Paul Rodeo’s poster contest. All artists in the Wild West Art Show are able to submit two entries for the poster contest and the winner’s piece is the artwork for the next year’s rodeo. For the past four years I’ve entered the poster competition and have been seeing what the panel of judges have been choosing from and the winners. So, this year I thought I had a good idea of what they might like.

Here is a little glimpse of how "Red, White, and Blue" started. You will notice the lack of pencil marks on this piece, because I've been working on "drawing" out my paintings in a light wash of watercolor and one of my liner brushes.

As always, this year's entries for the poster art was competitive. There were paintings of barrel racer, bull rider, bronc rider, and then there was mine, the more slow paced one of a single cowboy warming up three horses in front of a hint of the chutes.

A little something about the rodeo chutes, I learned during the creation of this painting that the chutes were going to be replaced after this rodeo. Those chutes have been in place since the 60's (I think) and they will be replaced with ones that will be safer for people and livestock.

This morning, one of the volunteers came up to be while I was in my booth and asked me if I was planning on being at the rodeo next year. I noticed that she was hiding something behind her back, so I had a pretty good idea that my painting might have been the one chosen as the poster winner. And sure enough, when I said "yes" she presented me with the ribbon for the 2019 Poster Award!

I am excited and honored that my watercolor was chosen to be St. Paul Rodeo's 2019 Poster!

I hope to see you in St. Paul at the art tent from July 2 - 6, 2019!