I’ll probably continue to develop this concept a bit more over the coming weeks, guessing that these might transform themselves into a larger format, and maybe into oil as well, looking towards this Spring.

These recent originals will be framed, readied, and willing for The Center for Western Studies Artists of the Plains Show & Sale this February in Sioux Falls, looking forward to seeing a few of you there!

A few words about the show, which are not my own…

Interpretations of Wounded Knee 1973 and 1890

On December 29, 1890, Miniconjou Lakota chief Spotted Elk (Big Foot) and some 300 of his followers were gunned down on the banks of Wounded Knee Creek. Eighty-three years later, 200 Oglala Lakota seized and occupied the town of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, for 71 days.

The theme for the 44th Annual Dakota Conference is “Wounded Knee 1973: Forty Years Later.” In observance of the 40th anniversary of the occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973, the Dakota Conference will address questions related to Wounded Knee 1973, the 1890 massacre, as well as any and all aspects of Northern Plains Indian history and culture.

The art exhibition, “Interpretations of Wounded Knee 1973 and 1890,” will be displayed in conjunction with and during the Dakota Conference. This is a one-time art show intended to recognize the impact of these two events in Northern Plains, Indian, and American history.

Twenty-five artists will be exhibiting their work, including:

Kevin Bierbaum, Sioux Falls 
Randall Blaze, Buffalo Gap 
Stuart Brings Plenty, Sioux Falls 
Lynn Burnette, Sr., Loveland, CO 
Gerald Cournoyer, Kyle 
Russell Cournoyer, Sioux Falls
Rodger Ellingson, Sioux Falls
Jerry Fogg, Sioux Falls
Chris Francis, Madison
Sharon Gray, Vermillion 
Bonnie Halsey-Dutton, Spearfish
Terry Hecker, Lakeside, CA
Emil Her Many Horses, Washington, D.C., recipient of 2008 Alumni Achievement Award
Del Iron Cloud, Rapid City 
Glenn Krupka, Sioux Falls
Dennis Linn, Rapid City
Leah Maltbie, Hay Springs, NE
Alan Montgomery, Madison
Donald F. Montileaux, Rapid City
Kevin Pouirer, Scenic 
Bruce Preheim, Vermillion
Arthur Short Bull, Estes Park, CO 
Margaret Sisley, Rapid City
Asher Srednas, Sioux Falls 
James Starkey

The exhibition will be on display March 5 – May 26, 2012

http://www.augie.edu/cws/gallery.html

Well, I thought it might make things a bit more interesting to call these new studies ‘Doomsday’, nothing like having light conversations over the end of days and meteors and other earth-destroying possibilities. Consider it all in good fun.

These original studies measure 6 inches sq, oil on canvas, and were completed just this past summer, and will be available at the 32nd Annual Artists of the Plains Show and Sale in Sioux Falls this February for a modest $45 a piece.

For more information about these pieces, or anything else for that matter, feel free to email chris@eastofegan.com or check out East of Egan Artist Studio & Gallery on Facebook.

These fresh originals measure 6×18 inches, oil on canvas, and were completed this past fall after another visit to The Badlands of Western South Dakota. Enjoy.

What a cool way to share a weekend with over 500 of you fine supporters of locally produced art, and with a little snow & ice  tossed in for good measure too, maybe next June at Artists Against Hunger 6 we can avoid that kind of weather, but keep the crowds.

If you saw anything you like, and wished it went home with you, feel free to contact me at chris@eastofegan.com, or look for me this February at Artists of the Plains in Sioux Falls.

These are part of a much larger series of works from ‘Badlands’, essentially my most recent take on the landscape from a trip this Fall, which has now developed into about 15 distinctive works. Each measures 6×18 inches, on a stretched canvas, and retails for a straightforward $150, and a few can be available (although a bit soft) this weekend at Artists Against Hunger, and later in Luverne and Brookings too.

These recent works, called ‘Cosmic Events’, have been in progress since last summer, and a few have been framed and readied for our collective enjoyment.

I’ve really been drawn to a darker sense of color, a bit more mood with the ochre perhaps, and that darkness seems to be a worthwhile pursuit to continue forward into next year.

These 8×10′s come artist framed and matted, and are available for a modest $65, with a smaller 5×7 size (not pictured) for $45. For more information, email chris@eastofegan.com, or look for these at the South Dakota Art Museum Store in Brookings or HGS Gallery in Luverne, as available.

…and having the art stand on its own.