Montanans For Healthy Rivers ~ Tribut(ary) to Local Artists - feature

Thank you Montanans for Healthy Rivers for featuring my art in the Tribut(ary) to Local Artists!

Please check out the work that #montanansforhealthyrivers is doing on behalf of wild rivers in our state. The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act will protect 336 miles within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem by designating segments of 17 streams as parts of the National Wild and Scenic River System . Please see the interactive map at www.healthyriversmt.org

How have Montana's rivers influenced your work? The breath-taking waters of Montana are priceless and the crown jewels of our state. From the high peaks to the alpine meadows and on down to the creeks, rivers and lakes - our healthy waterways are everyone's lifeblood. I was fortunate to have been exposed to rivers and lakes on epic family vacations as a child. The Gallatin, Madison and Yellowstone were the movie stars in my world. Montana's clean rivers mean everything to my work. I paint wildlife that relies on a clean and healthy watershed. In Montana, I can paint wildlife that has lived and thrived here for ages. I'm thankful for people who are acting to protect and preserve these wild rivers for our future. When one thinks of a river, it feels like one of the strongest characters out there. Don't take these rivers for granted. They are fragile and their health depends on our actions. We owe it to every living creature, to take care of our natural surroundings.

What's your favorite river? I love the Gallatin River. There is so much diversity to this river. I have enjoyed the headwaters area up in Yellowstone. My first summer after graduating from college I had a full-time volunteer job with Aquatic Resources in Yellowstone. I worked on Westslope Cutthroat genetics testing in the upper reaches of the Gallatin and got a chance to absorb the value of untrammeled backcountry that keeps wildlife safe and wild. I love the canyon stretches of the Gallatin where the conifers climb high and light bounces down off the rock walls creating the most beautiful colors. It is an unending light show that never disappoints. The Gallatin Valley stretches of the river are open and lined with cottonwood giants. It is outstanding that you can get to know a river from its headwaters down to the valley floor. It's magical to trace a river to its beginnings.

Where are you based? I am honored to call Bozeman home after a decade of park ranger work in Yellowstone National Park. Prior to that, I spent my early years in the evergreen forests of Oregon.