Horses in Art Magazine - Art for the Horse Lover

Glorious Reality

by Sarah Crampton

Snuggled up to the base of the Wind River Mountains in Sublette County, Wyoming, is the home and studio of Lynn Thomas. Thomas only had to step out into her backyard - the surrounding expansive territory to go to work running her husband's pack outfitting business for twenty years.

Almost a Memory
Oil on canvas, 24 x 30, by Lynn Thomas
"When I met my husband, Joe, he had this outfitting business and lodge and later asked me if I wanted to run it," Lynn explains straightforwardly. "I raised my kids in the outfitting business and learned a lot about horses. People came from all over the world. The children learned everything right along with me; I loved it."

"I worked in the Bridger Wilderness in the Wind River Mountains with a string of 45 or 50 horses and a crew of cowboys," Thomas continues. "It was what I call my higher learning. Much of my inspiration for my artwork comes from those experiences and from the ranching way of life still around us, as in the cover painting, Feeding with Toby and Bess."

Thomas explains, "The painting is of my neighbor's fields and his angus cattle with the Wind River Mountains in the background. He feeds the cattle every morning with the team and sled. I feel sad that this kind of scene is slowly disappearing and large tractors with automatic feeders are taking the place of the big draft teams. I hope my many paintings of working draft horses with the inspiring high country for the background will preserve these memories."

Feeding with Toby and Bess
Oil on canvas, 24 x 36 by Lynn Thomas
Lynn Thomas is an artist of a wide range of subjects including horses, wildlife, landscapes, Native Americans, historical scenes and portraits. She remarks, "It doesn¹t matter what it is, I do love animals of all kinds and feel a special kinship with them. I've always tried to be around horses as much as possible. An art teacher told me it's not any harder to paint a face or an animal than an orange or a cone or a cylinder - same principal and I've taken that to heart."

Her work has been in galleries and exhibits all over the country, with an impressive résumé of awards and commissions. Thomas is an emeritus member of Women Artists of the West, and was president of Wyoming Artists Association. But when asked about her talent, Thomas modestly comments, "I have a different twist on this subject than other people. Most simply put, I'm not sure we have such a thing as talent. Artists have the desire. You do the work and also have faith that this is what you're supposed to be doing. I hope each painting helps me evolve into a better artist."

Thomas has spent time in town, in the desert and the mountains, but prefers the beauty and solitude she has on her Wyoming cattle ranch. It is remote, but filled with beautiful and inspiring scenery and wildlife.

"When it comes down to it, art is a lonely business. You don't get anywhere with it until you pay your dues, and by that I mean sitting with the materials and making art by yourself. Besides, I am addicted to that other dimension that I go into when painting where time stands still. One of the biggest blessings of doing artwork is learning to truly see."

In the summer, around the first of July, Thomas opens up her Wyoming ranch to encourage people to visit her barn turned gallery. Her Art Show in the Barn is filled with paintings for the summer available for viewing until it turns cold and its time to put up the hay. People enjoy coming to visit to view the art and share coffee and fresh cookies or an ice tea in the shade.

For Lynn Thomas, she couldn't have ended up in a better place. She states, "I just like to record the beauty I see in all God's creations. Most people don't take time to see and appreciate the beauty around them and I like to share that with them."

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