This painting was my first attempt using oils to paint a picturesque landscape.  I enjoyed wrestling through the process of teaching myself how to manipulate the medium to reflect the details of the scene.  The reference photo that I used originated from a family road trip in the Southeastern portion of Wyoming.  As we were driving down the road through the prominent ranching country, a cowboy came galloping towards the car.  My mother insisted that my dad stop as she leaned out the window with her camera to capture the moment.  The man kindly tipped his hat and rode on.  My mom was so flustered that she only managed to take one picture, but it was all I needed.  I chuckle when I think back to that moment because my brother and I were so embarrassed, but it leant to the beautiful photo I was able to use for my painting.