About

"You can paint like everyone else and be noticed by no one, or you can paint like no one else and be noticed by everyone"
Colleen's interest in art goes back to her first year in school(yes kindergarten)where she remembers explaining perspective to a fellow student. In elementary school, teachers were already encouraging her to pursue a career in the arts. Her first commission came while in High School. She continued to pursue an art education in college, majoring in Fine Art
at Colorado State University.
The following 20 years were consumed with a retail business in Jackson WY, along with the family's outfitting business. Winters were spent driving a horse drawn sleigh as a tour guide through the elk herd on the National Elk Refuge, and of course raising a family. The sketchbook was never far away during those years, recording the many characters (four-footed and two footed) that crossed her path.
She enjoys sharing that abuntant life through her works of art.
Bold, colorful and expressive horses are now the subject of Colleen's paintings, but the statement made is about relationships. Horses are open and honest in their relationships and their body language is so simple to understand.
"Whenever I travel I'm always looking for horses. I can't stay in a place without horses for long before something in me begins to feel out of sync."
In 2005 Colleen returned to the world of Fine Art turning those sketches into works that would be winning awards at Regional and National Shows.
Shows
2005 Real West: Art of the Western Lifestyle
2005-2008 Annual Wind River National Show
2005-2009 Riverton National Art Show
2009 Best of Show
2005-2007 Edge of the Cedars Art Show
2007 Avatar: The Human Form
2007 WY Art Assoc Show
2007"Congressional Award"
2007 28th Audubon Wildlife Art Show
2007-2009 Heart of the West Invitational Art Show
2008-2009 Wild Horse Show and Sale
2008 "Spirit of the West Award"
2008- Death Valley Invitational Third Place
2009-Cody Art League
"Buffalo Bill Historical Center Award"
2009 Douglas Invitational
Colleen's Work is represented by Global Art Gallery in Lander WY, Wild Hands in Jackson WY Reindeer Ranch Emporium and the Cody Country Gallery in Cody WY. She presently lives near the Wind River Mt Range in central Wyoming with her husband, Marc, three horses, a dog and two cats.
She is a signature member of the Women Artists of the West.www.waow.org