For the more than 30 years, American artist Carrie L. (Fogwell) Ballantyne has drawn and painted the people of modern ranching and cowboy culture with depth and an emphasis on authenticity. She is best known for her powerful yet sensitive portraits that chronicle people of the contemporary West with a timeless quality. “The individuals themselves inspire much of my art,” Ballantyne said. “I enjoy painting representational and intimate portraits of real people — most often family members, personal friends, and neighbors.” Ballantyne's realistic portrait of a young cowgirl, sitting astride a horse is timeless and captivating. Her Western attire sets the tone with a long-sleeved, light-colored shirt, a dark vest, and dark trousers. A dark blue neckerchief is loosely tied around her neck. She wears a light-colored wide-brimmed hat, and her long dusty brown hair is braided over her shoulder. Her expression is thoughtful and somewhat contemplative, her gaze directed to the side and away from us while her hands gently hold the reins. Only the dark brown horse's head, neck, and part of its body are visible. The rope and saddle are visible, indicating a working Western-style saddle. The background is a muted, pale sky with subtle gradations of color suggesting a vast open landscape. A hint of distant land is visible at the bottom, but it's indistinct. The overall feeling is one of tranquility and spaciousness at the Houlihan Ranch in Sheridan County, Wyoming. The overall impression is one of quiet contemplation and the solitude of life on the range, with a sense of peace and strength conveyed through the woman's posture and the expansive landscape. In her late teens, Ballantyne moved from Southern California to Wyoming to work on a dude ranch and for big game outfitters ... and began to realize art as a profession was a real possibility. In 1981, Ballantyne entered her first juried art show, won first place in drawing, and never looked back.
“Jessie On The Houlihan Ranch” by Carrie Ballantyne (American) - Oil on canvas / 2015 - Brinton Museum (Big Horn, Wyoming) #WomenInArt #art #ArtText #WomensArt #WomanArtist #FemaleArtist #Cowgirl #Horseback #CarrieBallantyne #Ballantyne #BrintonMuseum #artwork #OilPainting #CowgirlArt #AmericanArt
