Weekend Treasures

I had an opportunity to accompany two friends, Sue and Bert, on a road trip to Cody, WY over the weekend. While Bert attended meetings, Sue and I visited the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and I had a great time. I literally could have spent days roaming around the grounds, viewing the abundance of bronze statues, paintings, and artifacts.

The peaceful courtyards have well-designed alcoves for reflection. I would have liked to sit and knit there, but our time was limited.

While I enjoyed the National History Museum and the Plains Indian Museum, my favorite section was the Whitney Gallery of Western Art. To see original works of Fredric Remington and Charles Russell was a real treat.

One of my favorite paintings was Tumbleweeds by Clyde Aspevig. It is an oil painting on canvas and is quite large. The perspective on this painting is breath-taking: even from a distance, I was immediately drawn into the landscape.

The identification sign by the painting reads: Area visitors may recognize Heart Mountain in the distance of this painting. Although based on an actual location, Aspevig admits that he freely adjusts the elements in the landscape to make a better painting. "The overall effect of light, color, and atmosphere must be harmonious with all of the other parts in a painting for it to give the illusion that it is real."