Monday, April 19, 2010

Charles M. Russell and Me


When I was a little girl I got plenty of artistic encouragement, when I drew a good picture they would say she gets her talent from Charley. That's Charles M. Russell Americas most beloved cowboy and Western painters from yesteryear. He comes from my mothers side the Montana relatives. Russell greatly admired the American Indians, especially those of the Northern Plains. He spent the summer of 1888 visiting often with the Blood Indians in Alberta, Canada. This experience affected him for the rest of his life, and can be seen in the many detailed works he created of Plains Indians. As my latest acquisition showed he may have loved the Plains Indians a little too much. It most certainly explains the Indian in the woodpile we always laughed about as a family. My 1/8th Blackfoot Indian blood is explained in graphic detail. In Russells lifetime he painted more than 4,000 paintings. Charlie's works were popular because of their narrative subject matter, unique style, and dynamic action. In addition, he had the ability to accurately depict specific times or events in western history. Russell died on October 24, 1926 at his home in Great Falls, Montana

These two paintings are in a beautiful antique ornate frame with a suprise inside. The first one shows a cowboy waiting for the Indian maiden, unlock the frame and hidden under the painting is another painting. Oh my heavens look! they are getting busy on the blanket with the horses and the dog getting excited also. What a rare find! This comes with certificates of authenticity. An artist friend of mine found it at a yard sale and sold it to me for only fifty bucks.

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