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I started sketching as a kid while growing up on
a little homestead north of Laramie, Wyoming. My dad had
multiple talents and his uncle painted with Conrad
Schweiring, so the interest in art was in the family
history. One of my first paying jobs as a teen was to
graze the 28 head of roping steers and calves out on the
North plains by Bosler, Wyoming. I spent that time with
a sketch pad in hand and studying everything from the
steers to the dead remains in the brush. At that time I
also had two phenomenal H.S. Art instructors,
Georgina Haddenhorst at University prep and Tim Collins
at Laramie Sr. High. Both taught me a multitude of basic
skills, both submitted my works to shows, and both were
definitely interested in seeing me succeed. These two
people demanded work from me when I had no other
interests in school and I took the talent I had for
granted. I was actually amazed at that time that they
cared so much. Humm . . . |
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I
have been very fortunate to have painted with some
phenomenal artists in my time, some famous and some not.
Don Dernovich once told me at a plein air workshop,
where I was repainting a canvas for the eleventh
time that morning. “Trudy, paint the essence of
what you see and stroke your lights and your shadows
quickly before they change. The middle values will then
take care of themselves.” Duh . . . O.K. so it
simplified the details for me from that point on. I do
not paint with great detail, although I can admire the
patience of those that do. I have a loose approach to
most everything I do, and all that knats hiney detail or
prep work would drive me to the rooftops!
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