Chessney Sevier Fine Art

“Promise”, 2010, Oil on Ampersand Board, 18″ x 18″.  Based on Psalm 25 and Psalm 127.3 .

"Promise"

Sharing photos from the “Roping on the Grass” Bighorn, Wyoming Equestrian Center Sept, 14th, 2008

The music from the band pours out on the street. Straw hats glow in the yellow light of the street lights and shade the faces of those deep in conversation about this summer’s fires and lack of rain. Even though everyone has bought their own beer they still venture into the Lost Springs Bar for a mixed drink. Inside the swamp cooler and jukebox drown out the music across the street. The old timers sit and visit at a table in the corner.

Every summer in July the Converse County Cowbells have the Cowbells party in Lost Springs, WY. This handful of rancher wives, daughters and friends put on a dinner and dance to raise money for beef promotion in their county. This year the big money draw was the chicken roping.

I have a place in my heart for such gatherings. I guess I have an adoration for plain white buildings with the simple word, “Bar” on the roof too because I’ve done two paintings of the Lost Springs Bar.

An older daytime painting no longer available

Me and my daughter Jymie at our home this June

We hope our kids grow up to be who they want to be. No matter what they choose to do they have our love and support as long as it’s legal and doesn’t harm people. BUT, there’s a part of me that hopes my daughter grows up loving horses like I do. I’ve often asked myself why it matters and I suppose it’s selfish mostly. Of course I hope we have something in common and a life with horses is something I can share with her. I know she’s going to learn discipline, responsibility, persistence and goal setting with any sport or activity. Anything she loves to do will encourage her to get off the couch and out into the world. It’s about her life and her future and not mine. BUT, still, there’s just something about horses, cattle and being outside that uplifts one’s spirit and that’s something any parent would wish for their child.

Bart, my husband and Jymie’s dad
when he was a kid.

Bart’s sister Angel Davis and her husband
Greg with their kids at Circle C Days this spring.

Happy Trails From Jymie, her mom and her
big fat bay horse, Mercedes!

A storm had just passed over and another was on the way. Sleet and snow mostly. Patterns of sunlight and dark clouds, sage and mud, and green and gray inspired this painting, “Passing Over Badwater”.

From an email my sister-in-law sent me:
Gage was “saddled-up” on Thunder the other night and Brody was riding his horse, Smooch… got some fun pictures for the time of evening it was! Gage was determined that Thunder’s “legs” could carry him anywhere Brody went… and they did all over our steep hills here just west of the house!! Tougher than his mom for sure!! (Claysen rode Freddie that evening too, but was already dismounted & back at the barn… darn it!)

Be sure to click on the images to get a bigger image.

Many things can leave impressions on our lives. People, events and even places can forever haunt us in a bad or good way. As an artist, I’ve been most impacted by places I’ve been. My own home in Wyoming brings me great comfort and joy. Being in love with a place must have something to do with what we value, what’s familiar or what we identify ourselves with but I think it might go deeper than that. Could it be plain dirt, sagebrush and rocks are part of my origin? Could my ancestors who lived here on both sides of my mom’s family be part of the power of attraction I feel? This might be all “Crazy Artist” stuff but I’m sure everyone has had a similar feeling of Power of Place.

My Uncle’s ranch outside Lost Cabin, Wyoming has been a place I’ve always been drawn to and inspired to express in my artwork. I have a painting I would like to share with you from his place.

The piece that most sums it up is a two-plate etching (2005) of horses and a map of my Uncle’s property. The etching is titled, “Uncle’s Place”. With this piece I won Best of Class (Class being the category of 2-dimensional works) at the Heard Indian Art Market in 2005.

The writing on the etching reads, “I was there just days after I was born. Maybe that is why I go back. The sage is as big as trees and the horses run off the mountain.”

And some others,

The horses dominant in these images were those of Hank Franzen’s of Powder River Rodeo Co. My uncle was leasing pasture on his place to Hank a few years ago. He had the horses on the mountain all summer and then when it was time to ship them out we trailed them 14 miles down the Big Horn trail to the ranch. I believe my collection of good memories adds to my fondness of the place.

What’s a Podunk you might ask? Well, a Podunk is a tiny remnant of a town that still has life. In Wyoming and in other wide open spaces, any slight suggestion or hint of a town qualifies it as a destination on a map. Some of these “towns” might only have one building. What makes it curious is that this one building might be a place of business or even a functioning post office that someone lives in. A post office might also be a place where one can buy a candy bar and some fencing pliers. So interesting and unique to me, I have been inspired to try and capture the character of rural Wyoming in my miniature paintings. The images themselves are no larger than four inches wide and just over a couple inches tall. Yes, they are small but they are alive…just like their real-life inspirations.
I would like to preview my first Night-time Podunk, “Christmas at Rooster’s, Glendo, Wyoming”

Please click on the thumbnails below to view a few of my other paintings from the “Project Podunk Series”.  All of the paintings shown here are sold.  I’ll put new one’s up when they are completed.

Hole in the Wall Bar, Kaycee, WY	Waltman, WY	Shawnee, WY
Lysite Store and Post Office, Lysite, WY	Downtown Ten Sleep, WY	Lost Springs Bar, Lost Springs, WY
Spotted Horse, WY	Node Post Office, Node, WY	The Double Shot Bar, Rock River, WY

18th Annual Sandhills Cattle Assn Ranch Tour

Check out these ranch photos by clicking on the links below:

Part 1Ranch Tour Pictures

Part 2 Ranch Tour Pictures

The photos in Part 2 titled “Broken Box” or “Rex Adamson Family” are my in-laws and their ranch. My husband and I and daughter aren’t part of the ranch anymore but we are still proud of the impressive operation it is.

The photos in Part 1 include my husband’s uncle’s family ranch. You will know because they are inside the cover-all barn. The other ranches mentioned are all close friends with us and/or my husband’s family.

Even though I love Wyoming I miss the Nebraska Sandhills were I grew up.