Fall festival
Works from five artists
Each September Jackson Hole, Wyoming, turns into a mecca for the arts with its annual Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival that includes a number of citywide events for collectors to enjoy. During the famed cultural convergence, Mountain Trails Gallery hosts an exhibition featuring new paintings by five of its gallery artists who will participate in the festival’s Quick Draw. This year’s show, happening September 13 and 14, will include works by Troy Collins, Jeff Pugh, Lyn St. Clair, Bryce Pettit and Chris Navarro.
Recognized for his aspen tree scenes, Collins’ painting Budding Wisdom is bit of a departure for the artist. “I have always loved painting wildlife but found myself comparing my work to other well-known wildlife artists,” he says. “I soon realized that painting them in my more ‘loose and impressionistic’ style was completely fulfilling and the response from my collectors has been incredible. I paint each animal the same way I paint my aspen landscapes: by applying the paint layer by layer and using harmonious value, light and shadows to create each piece.”
In Pugh’s artwork, such as the painting Traffic Jam, viewers will notice repeating designs and patterns. Describing this piece, he shares, “While
there are two bison in the foreground and more as they move further away from the foreground, the sky is repeating the similar pattern in reverse with multiples clouds close to the horizon and ending with two at the top of the piece.”
Mourning Doves, by Navarro, are lifesize bronzes that hang flush to the wall. “I have created the doves to look like they are suspended in the air and flying by the wall,” he says. “The unique aspect of these sculptures is they will give collectors the ability to adjust the composition because they can be individually placed and custom designed in a variety of positions and heights.”