Deb Trotter, Cowboy's Sweetheart http://www.debtrotter.com Joyous Art. Cowgirl Attitude. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:13:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Wild West Wednesday – New Gifts For Special Cowgirls & Cowboys! http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3850 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3850#comments Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:00:17 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3850 NEW COWBOY’S SWEETHEART WESTERN ART DESIGNS

LASSO THE PERFECT GIFT FOR A SPECIAL COWGIRL OR COWBOY!

I love these new Cowboy’s Sweetheart western designs!

Aren’t they FUN?

These original T Shirts, Mousepads, and Mugs make the perfect gift for any Cowgirl – Cowgirl At Heart – or even a Cool Cowboy.

You may choose from any or all of the following …

  1. The women’s T shirt comes in small, medium, large, X Large, and XX Large.
  2. The mousepad? Perfect for lovers of Old West History – featuring Buffalo Bill Cody, no less. You can’t get any more western than that.
  3. The mug features two original Deb Trotter designs. Tough & Sweet – That’s The Cowboy Way on the front. Buffalo Bill on the back.

These designs were inspired by Cowgirls and their love for Cowboys. It’s all me – the way a Cowgirl ought to feel when she’s happy.

I’ll admit, I’m kind of – well – EXCITED. I’ve never created art quite like this before … and I hope you love ‘em as much as I do.

These will be sold here in downtown Cody on September 23rd – when I’ll be a featured artist over at the fabulous store, Reindeer Ranch.

But since some of you are so far away – I thought I’d make these cool products available on my blog.

I’m taking SPECIAL ORDERS right now. You have until October 1st to jump in.

You’ll receive your order no later than October 18th.

AND – if you place your order by October 1st, you’ll receive a surprise gift – compliments of Cowboy’s Sweetheart!

Ordering is about as easy as ropin’ a baby calf – Just click on this link (or the SHOP button at the top navigation bar of this site) to place your order. Fill in the number of items you’d like. Then pay through PayPal.

I’ve decided maybe this Cowgirl Artist on a roll. And I like it!

Happy Trails!

Deb Trotter – Cowboy’s Sweetheart

]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3850 0 CowBoy + Photoshop = New Art Series http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3752 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3752#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:00:27 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3752 Cow + Boy

Thank you, God. For Cowboys.

Maybe turning 60 has its advantages. For one thing, I feel this compulsion to hurry and try everything I’ve wanted to but never seem to have the time.

One of those everythings is more cowboy art. Not just cowgirl art. I said, COWBOY ART.

Another of those everythings is “clean art.” I tend to be very detailed in my work – so it takes a lot of time. I get bogged down in the possibilities of Photoshop. Perhaps all those images, colors, backgrounds, and fancy borders are getting old.

Sometimes I wonder if my painted story complicates the art – the final product.

So I’ve begun a study – a series of work involving quintessential western characters and the way they make me feel. I’ll use Old West and/or favorite photos I’ve collected over the last 30 years. And I’ll throw in some famous or infamous legends along the way.

I’ll start out with simple imagery. A monochromatic color scheme. Distinctive type. And minimalist (at least for ME) design.

The piece featured in this post – “Cow + Boy” – is the first of three that I just finished.

I was inspired by this cowboy photo and the upcoming Buffalo Bill Art Show – only two weeks away. Cody, Wyoming will be riproaring full of cowboys, cowgirls, western artists, and fabulous programs all week long!

This is how it started out.

First a Black & White photo of a cowboy with a nice, square jaw. The original (seen at the top of this post) needed a lot of cleaning up and enhancing in Photoshop. Thank goodness for the healing brush, clone, and dodge & burn tools.

After restoring a pretty bad photo (now one of my favorites) – I wanted that really graphic feel – so I used the magic wand tool to eliminate all the white from the photo. Then I used posterize … turning the cowboy picture into a more dramatic icon. I like to play with the adjustments of the image – experimenting with levels and curves. Then contrast.

Next – I chose a background that I ran through Filter Forge for the added effect of the subtle diamond pattern. I opened the cowboy icon and added it to a layer above the background.  You can see the figure + the background on the picture, above right.

Do you play around with composition as I do?

When I created all my collage by hand it took me a long time to decide where I wanted everything to be … but in the end it was really about the placement of the main image.

I really enjoy the spontaneous, intuitive process of following my instinct – an artistic characteristic of mine that may frustrate other artists. Sometimes I know exactly what I want to happen in my art. Other times I have no clue whatsoever – just a concept.

I’m going to be honest and say that a combination of intuition and planning works best for me. That’s one of the reasons I love photomontage. Digital collage. Photoshop art.

Whatever you choose to call it, it’s so easy – and FUN – to play around with composition. There is no glue. And I don’t have to pull out sanding paper, more paint … or God forbid – a knife … to start over (or destroy).

It’s all one big, undemanding – unlimited – exercise in creativity.

Speaking of unlimited – I added and erased and deleted tons of lines, backgrounds, fonts and font sizes until I ended up with the next prototype.

I added a photo of the bare Wyoming plains that I changed to sepia – then cropped a portion of a picture of wood I had in my files to add to the side for some additional color.

Now it’s coming together and I’m liking the feel of it. Pretty plain, though.

I have in mind a cow or steer and a woman – er, a floozie. You just can’t have a hunk of a cowboy around without some woman somewhere. It’s called lust and I want it – need it – have to have a bit of it, at least – somewhere on this piece. But it’s got to be clean. (By “clean,” I mean not just tasteful – but cleanER than my normal work. No frou frou.)

So … I go with this public domain image of a steer – and this lovely, but ill reputed lady …

I apply the same techniques to these images as the cowboy so they are simpler, cleaner, posterized. Add them to the piece and you get this …

Needless to say – there’s an area at the top that is bare. I have a quote from a book I want to add – as well as the dictionary definition of the cowboy. The quote needed to be separated from the definition. The extra black/gray line below the quote helped. But the steer was still – sadly – so “alone.”

I search through my gazillions of Photoshop brushes and find the “First Day of Issue Stamp,” placing it on a layer behind the steer. Almost there. I add the “origin” of the word, Cowboy, in what I see as “a little hole” next to the cowboy’s image.

One more brush on a layer behind the cowboy image – a pattern stamp – cleaned up via the magic eraser tool. I like some unexpected elements in my work – and I love the circles and type in this stamp showing up as a pattern on the cowboy’s shirt.

In the end I think I’ve accomplished my goal. I have a few graphic images. Interesting, appropriate fonts that don’t compete with the design. Pleasing composition. A simple, pleasing color scheme in shades of beige, cream, brown, gray, and black. And I’ve told a story. (At least I think I have).

What do you think?

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart Artist

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Cowboy’s Sweetheart Disclaimer: I am receiving no compensation for the mention of The Buffalo Bill Art Show, Photoshop, or Filter Forge. No money. No complimentary goods. No name in the Art Show program (duh). No free Photoshop CS5 (I paid an arm & a leg just like every other crazed digital artist). No life time membership from Filter Forge. No nothing, pardner.

I just happen to love the products and adore the fabulous Buffalo Bill Museum and its annual Buffalo Bill Art Show. Rock on, Cody!

]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3752 0 Wild West Wednesday – Featuring A New Wine-Themed Handbag! http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3709 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3709#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:00:42 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3709

What would you do for a glass of really fine wine?

Flirt? Beg and plead? Dance on the Bar? Or – heaven forbid – Pay cash for it?

Luckily, I don’t have to go to such extremes when indulging in a glass or two.

But if you were a cowgirl, lady, or anything in between (and I do mean anything) back in the Old West – you may have been forced to go to extreme measures for a cherished – and sometimes hard to come by – glass of fine wine

These were the whimsical ramblings scurrying around my head while designing new handbags with my Buckaroo Bag pardner, Karna Morton.

I originally designed the artwork as a greeting card – then revamped it a tad for our Buckaroo Bag line.

Notice the luxe and luscious elements:

  • thick, luxurious brown, beige, and vibrant red trim
  • dark red fringe around the front pocket
  • leather colored suede
  • bright red and caramel colored trim
  • tactile, creamy gold and rich linen fabrics
  • tasteful touches of glitz – like tiny metal stars and the silver concho with leather insert
  • Last but not least – an original collage – wine inspired – sprinkled with humor and nostalgia

Right now I’m featuring this one of a kind bag in my Cowboy’s Sweetheart Shop. I’d love for it to sell online – but if it isn’t gone in several weeks I’ll remove it from the shop. Because … I’ll be a demonstrating and featured artist for 2 days over at Jodi Horvath’s fabulous Reindeer Ranch here in Cody.

Jodi is featuring local artists here in Cody, Wyoming during the same week as the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Annual Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale.

I love this event! The whole town gets involved, and the week is filled guest artist workshops and presentations.

Plus, the Honored Artist this year is one of my all time favorites – the lovely and talented cowgirl artist, Donna Howell-Sickles.

I’ll be posting more this month about the annual festivities – especially Cody High Style and the Boot Scoot Boogie – so stay tuned.

And if you’re gonna be in Cody, Wyoming during Fall – the prettiest part of the year in these parts – stop by Reindeer Ranch September 23rd and 24th – and say Howdy.

Happy Trails!

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart Artist

]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3709 3 Wild West Wednesday: Learning To Embrace The Ghost http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3526 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3526#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:00:12 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3526 Here I am – savoring Wild West Wednesday … but while I write this post I’m looking at my life in a whole new way. Let’s refer to me as a Spirit – a Ghost.

Virginia City Ghost © Deb Trotter 2010

A sixty year old Ghost … but more about that in a minute.

There are plenty of Ghosts in the West. I like them. The famous lawmen and outlaws. The gutsy women who helped shape the West. And the long forgotten travelers who fell in love with Wyoming and stayed.

Ghost Hills ©Deb Trotter

All you have to do is step into a Cabin frequented by the Wild Bunch … hang around the Rodeo grounds late at night when the crowd is gone … bathe in the silence and watch the Mule Deer grazing in your back yard.

With the passion I feel for Wyoming, you’d think I would be totally content. Don’t get me wrong … I’m happy to be an artist who imagines all the possibilities and opportunities waiting around the bend . I’m also beginning to realize that I must seize every moment with passion … and reverence.

I need to remember who I once was. How I got here. The people who have disappeared from my world … just like John Wayne, calmly riding off into the sunset. You know his soul is still out there somewhere.

I want the soul of a Ghost – a Spirit who can drift and seep into everything.

Drift and seep into verything I create – or imagine creating: Every crisp morning. Every sunset. Every Cowboy at the Rodeo. Every Cowgirl whether she lives on a ranch – or is a classy Cowgirl At Heart in every way possible.

(That would be me -the Cowgirl At Heart … Deb Trotter, Cowboy’s Sweetheart – exploring in Montana and snappin’ a shot of antique, wavy glass. And thinkin … “An original, real Cowgirl once stood here.).

Ghost in the Glass © Deb Trotter

I don’t know how every cowgirl, artist, friend, or other kindred spirit feels about a milestone birthday, but I just had one. The BIG SIX O.

Talk about Ghost chills … having almost reached official Senior Citizen Status, I stand by these graves in Virginia City, Montana, and wonder, “Who put those silly flowers here? I hope no one does that to me one day.”

Silly Flowers For The Dead ©Deb Trotter

Funny that I’ve had this cool graveyard obsession lately. What’s up with that? Do you think it’s the Ghost in me coming out?

I’ve felt haunted for months by the idea that my life is suddenly fragile … so much so that I am being completely transparent with you about my feelings. (Transparent … Ghosts are transparent, aren’t they?)

I don’t do deep soul searching well – even with my very best friends.

The fact that I am discussing my age … and on my Blog, no less … is a huge thing for me.

At first I was having a really difficult time “crossing over.” I suppose that sounds a bit like I was a guest star on The Ghost Whisperer or that my Stephen King obsession has finally turned me into one of his demented characters.

I don’t know why 60 should be any more frightening that say, 55 … or why on the first of June I began marking off each day of the calendar, up until August 12th.

What did I think would happen? That I would suddenly turn into a Ghost of my former self?

Spirit Window ©Deb Trotter

Nope … this Cowgirl ain’t no Ghost … YET.

But you could say that I’ve embraced the Ghost. As my great Uncle back in North Carolina used to say, “Hallelujah! I Feel The Spirit!”

And as my hubby, John, kindly advised me … “You only turn 60 once.”

So – I’m going to really surrender to Blogging – I mean, talking to You as if you were sitting right here in my studio – right next to Sam Elliott. (Yes, it’s true. The MAN. Lifesize. In all his glory. My Muse.)

Let’s see if The Ghost can bring out the true soul of my blog, my life, and my art. Maybe, like me, you already have a passion for the West – or for Art. But even if you don’t, we can still sit around the cyber campfire right here and be pardners.

What do ya say? Let’s Embrace The Ghost together and see where she leads us.

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart

]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3526 4 Attention Artists – Only 3 Days Until Of Towers And Turrets! 2 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3537 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3537#comments Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:00:25 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3537 At last I’m blogging again after a summer of mishaps, mayhem, and internet woes … more about that some other time.

A new Wild West Wednesday will return this week – think birthdays, ghosts, and belly-dancing cowgirls … not to mention a whole lotta soul-searchin.

Intrigued? Put on yer Cowgirl Boots and mosey back here on Wednesday, August 25th.

Now for the magic.

art © Deb Trotter

I had to share this online class info with you, because …

1. I am dying to take it myself
2. It promises to be a great class at reasonable price, and
3. I adore the instructors, Deryn Mentock and Sharon Tomlinson. These ladies are talented, committed, experienced, and professional.

The class is called Of Towers And Turrets. Think minarets, cupolas, and spires in paint and metal form. Doesn’t this sound like an opportunity to tour a Mixed Media Magic Kingdom?

It IS!

Take Sharon’s passion for drawing & painting in those soft, muted colors … and Deryn’s talent for inspiring jewelry design and craftsmanship … and you have the perfect team. Go here to check out their fun Towers & Turrets video.

If you are hooked – and you should be – you may sign up for the class here.

Don’t waste any more time. Just Do It, pardner. Click those cowgirl boots together three times and say, “There’s nothing like a great art class.”

I’m headin fer the Photoshop Trail myself.

See you on Wild West Wednesday!

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart Artist

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Cowboy’s Sweetheart Disclaimer: I’m supportin’ the Of Towers & Turrets online class because I have full confidence that it will be perfect for Mixed Media Artists who love to learn, be inspired, and expect quality instruction.
I ain’t gettin’ no free Old Gringo Cowgirl Boots, Charlie 1 Horse Hats, Deryn Mentock jewelry, Sharon Tomlinson paintings, gold in them thar hills, art classes, or (sadly) dinners with Sam Elliot.

]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3537 2 Wild West Wednesday – How To Get Buffalo-Billed http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3469 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3469#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:00:18 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3469 Have you ever imagined yourself as a famous person from the Wild West?

I have … but I’ve always been a Cowgirl with a hat, boots, and a trusty steed. I’ve never thought of myself as the legendary Buffalo Bill.

I really, really dig Buffalo Bill

While Buffalo Bill Cody was a brave Indian Scout, handsome cowboy, and a brilliant Wild West Show manager – I’ll bet he never had a clue that a nation-wide ad campaign would someday employ his trademark mustache and goatee to promote Cody and Yellowstone Country … an ad that would invite you to “GET BUFFALO-BILLED.”

Just look at Cowgirl Bess, whom I “Buffalo-Billed” this morning …

The Park County Travel Council came up with such a great idea to promote our area. I have to hand it them … I’ve never never seen a promotion quite as clever as this.

They are calling the campaign, “Get BuffaloBilled.” I’ve seen their ads in my favorite Western Mags – True West Magazine and Cowboys and Indians, and I was so intrigued that I looked up the web address. And voila! What fun!

Before you Buffalo Bill yourself, take a quick gander at these two videos – only 32 seconds each – that were built on the campaign. Too Funny!

See how cool you could be with a mustache and goatee? Well, it’s Wild West Wednesday, pardner – you couldn’t pick a better day to transform yourself.

Now it’s time to visit this site, Buffalo Bill’s Yellowstone Country, and have some fun “Buffalo-Billing” yourself.

Oh … and I’d be happy to share a link or a picture of YOU as Buffalo Bill!

Happy Trails!

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart Artist

]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3469 7 My Cowgirl Artist Inspiration Video: Why I Love Wyoming http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3435 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3435#comments Fri, 28 May 2010 13:00:58 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3435 In my last Wild West Wednesday post I mentioned a little video was in the works that would take my inspiration photos one step further.

So, here it is – in two versions.

  • Version #1 was created in a sepia-old film theme. Just because I like sepia … it reminds me of Wyoming … primitive and worn.
  • Version #2 was revised at the request of my husband. To quote John: “Why does it look like it has lines in it?  What happened to the color?  Why does it look sort of sad?” (Sometimes a gal just wants her man to be happy – even thought she ain’t really changing her ways)

Put on yer boots, don that Cowboy hat, grab some Cowgirl Attitude, and join me.  We’re heading down to the Southfork of the Shoshoni River – right past Castle Rock – and into the the land where the deer and the antelope (and horses and cows) play

(Note: Copyright-free music has been added to this video to give it that “Wild West – Down Home” flavor. So if music drives you batty -it does me, sometimes – scroll to the bottom of the You Tube screen and adjust the sound … or turn it off completely before you watch.)

I’d love any comments on which version you like best – or just talk to me, pardner.

Happy Trails!

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart Artist

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]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3435 1 Wild West Wednesday – Saddle Up With Me For Inspiration http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3405 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3405#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 20:15:17 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3405

I’ve heard other artists say that if you need inspiration you should get out and explore a bit. Find the beauty in the small things.

Yea … I can do that. I can search for tiny little miracles like the shape of a snowflake or the refleciton of a tree in a puddle. (Well, if I can find a puddle. Not very likely in high desert country.)

Or … I can ride out to the Southfork of the Shoshoni River. I don’t look for little things there.

I just let big Wyoming country swallow me up until I’m so inspired I can’t wait to get home. Armed with wonderful photos like this one, I can crank it out, pardner.

I also dig the animals out here. Allow me to introduce …

Scruffy

Balky

Jiggy Poo (I see you!)

Adhiambo (“a girl born in the late afternoon”)

I’ve got enough inspiration to last a whole year … and I’ve barely touched the surface.

This little glimpse of my world is actually a look into my soul. It’s why I love what I do – why I DO what I do.

A nice little video is in the works about my world. Stay tuned, pardner.

Now, get out of the house and find your own inspiration!

Happy Trails!

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart Artist

]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3405 5 Wild West Wednesday – GQ “Doc Holliday Style” http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3269 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3269#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 13:00:42 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3269

“Fastidious” ~ © Deb Trotter, Cowboy’s Sweetheart (pictured, from the top, Left to right – Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp. Center [full figure] – Mr. Somebody – a potential candidate for GQ … Old West Style.)

Look at the tagline for GQ Magazine, and you’ll see “Look Sharp. Live Smart.”

Now, imagine it’s 1881. You’re GQ’s editor. You need a man … someone who embodies that description … to feature on the front cover.

You’re looking for a sharp dresser. A man of confidence. A man with some notoriety. A man who’ll illicit a strong reaction – positive, negative – or both (which is even better).

Women will adore him. Men will either really like him or really, really hate him. He’ll be much too acclaimed for it to matter either way – nor will he care.

This is, after all – a man who lives by his own rules.

Immediately, you know who you want … John Henry Holliday – better known as “Doc Holliday.”

You’ve got a winner. I’ll bet ya the magazine sells out in less than a week.

However, if Doc is indisposed (tuberculosis can do that to a guy), you have some other fine choices. Wyatt Earp or Bat Masterson would work just fine. All three were fastidious dressers.

But you could safely say that Doc Holliday was the best dressed of them all … the wild west “master of meticulous.” As folks were want to say years ago, Doc “cut a fine figure.”

Doc adhered to painstaking grooming of his hair and moustache. Two of his standard trademarks were a cane – which he needed for walking due to lung disease – and a diamond stick pin which he proudly wore with a tie.

In Karen Holliday Tanner’s book, Doc Holliday – A Family Portrait, you’ll read that his long time companion, Big Nose Kate called Doc “… a handsome man. A gentleman in manners to the ladies … He was a neat dresser and saw to it that his wife was dressed as nicely as himself.”

When I came upon this 1887 vintage daguerreotype of a young man (we’ll call him Mr. Somebody) posing by a lake, it immediately reminded me of Doc Holliday and inspired me to create “Fastidious.” He has that same “Don’t Mess With Me” attitude that Doc, Wyatt Earp, and Bat Masterson all shared … though he appears to be a bit more of a “dandy.”

According to Wikipeodia, A dandy[1] (also known as a beau, or gallant[2]) is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self.

Dandy – That’s Doc Holliday to a “T” … ‘long as there was a gun hidden somewhere in Mr. Somebody’s pocket (and he could actually shoot it worth a darn) he could almost be a member of ‘The GQ Fastidious Club.’

Speaking of “fastidious,” my favorite “Aha Moment” while creating this piece? Adding the vector image of shirts and ties in photoshop. It worked so perfectly that it appears Wyatt Earp is actually wearing one of them!

I love it when something in my art process seems “meant to be.”

“Fastidious” … my own version of GQ – Wild West Style. Men from the Old West who “look sharp (and) live smart.”

What about it, GQ? How ’bout this artwork for your next cover?

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart Artist

]]> http://www.debtrotter.com/?feed=rss2&p=3269 5 Wild West Wednesday – A Cowgirl Dreams Of Home http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3233 http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3233#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 13:00:49 +0000 Deb Trotter http://www.debtrotter.com/?p=3233

I’ve always been a bit of a wanderer.

Just like the Cowgirls of the Wild West – I have a hankering to follow a new trail every now and then.

But I always love to come back home. The older I get, the more I love to curl up at night with a nice glass of wine or a steamy cup of coffee. Take off my boots – put up my feet – and escape for an hour or so with a good book or my laptop.

Last night I happened upon a post at Houzz.Com called, “Home Design Ideas For The Cowgirl At Heart.”

I love the minimalist, contemporary approach on the modern Cowgirl theme – especially this bedroom! Carefree, kick back, and so EASY to maintain. But the best part is the vintage cowboy photos displayed in the old window panes. I mean, how COOL is that?

Cowgirls from the Old West would consider these sparse furnishings a luxury.

In fact, to many a Cowgirl – a ramshackle cabin or an abandoned shack was a nice place to call home.

I created “A Cowgirl Dreams Of Home” with this theme in mind.

I’d been holding onto the Cowgirl image for years – waiting until inspiration came to call. Her dreamy, serious expression has always appealed to me.

I wonder if, perhaps, she was dreaming of home. The dry crackle of wheat on the plains – or the lush grass of Montana in the spring, growing freely on a hill.

And one little, shingled hut with a broken pane of glass – just waiting for someone like her to settle down. Just in time for the wildflowers to appear.

Filters in photoshop … one of my favorite methods for creating depth and atmosphere … perfectly intensify the Cowgirl’s distant illusion of coming home.

Do you have memories of home? Is your wild spirit yearning for that special place to call your own – or are you already living your dream?

Just like the cowgirl in this artwork – I’m dreaming of my own little hide-away. Perhaps somewhere in the Southwest. Or a little jewel of a cabin by the river where I can watch the bears play.

Maybe some day …

Happy Trails!

Deb Trotter ~ Cowboy’s Sweetheart Artist

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