
Grand Tetons and Wyoming Cowboy

by Chance Kafka
Original - Sold
Price
$399
Dimensions
18.000 x 24.000 x 0.100 inches
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Title
Grand Tetons and Wyoming Cowboy
Artist
Chance Kafka
Medium
Painting - Oil On Canvas Panel
Description
The Grand Tetons of northwestern Wyoming are the most iconic mountain range in the state if not the entire American West. Here, a cowboy and horse horse contemplate the landscape amid the grassland prairie of Jackson Hole on the north shore of one of the high valley's many lakes. Beyond the lake, forests of pine give way to some of the most vertical peaks in North America. This latest impressionistic landscape painting was completed in oil on panel, a fun deviation from my normal medium of acrylic on stretched canvas.
The moon sits high in the sky amid dramatic sunset clouds, some streaky and cirrus clouds and others round and puffy. Wyoming skies always have something to offer and are always changing. For now, this moment of peace and solitude between the cowboy and his best friend embody the rugged individualistic nature of the aptly-nicknamed Cowboy State. Sometimes it is harsh and unforgiving; the long and sometimes extremely cold (and always windy) winters can rattle even the hardiest of souls, especially when the livestock they proudly raise don't survive the elements. Roads can be closed for days and simply going to the store can be a life-challenging task. Yet, there are those who stick it out, and views such as this one are a great example why.
Wyoming is the least populated state in the United States, yet the 9th largest (or the 10th,depending on who you ask). I spent a majority of my life there before relocating to Arizona, but I will never forget the vastness of the landscapes and solitude that can be found not far from the beaten path. The North American Rocky Mountains snake and splice through the state, breaking up vast, lonely basins of grassy prairie and high sagebrush desert. Snow sits on the peaks for months on end, sometimes never melting, and dusty ranch roads wind all through the rolling hills. Grand Teton, featured here, is soaking up the last light of day, and even though it's not QUITE Wyoming's tallest peak (that would be Gannett Peak in the Wind River range a ways south and a bit east of here), it is certainly its most recognizable.
It was my hope that this piece captures the essence of Wyoming's rugged beauty, and it is my tribute to the state. Although it is no longer where I live and I appreciate all of Arizona's own uniqueness, Wyoming will always be home in my heart.
Uploaded
October 29th, 2019
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