Beating Thunder

The inspiration?for "Beating Thunder" was sparked by a building storm on the prairie that I witnessed some years ago. I want my paintings to represent an honest portrayal of traditional western wildlife. Early on, I wrote this on a scrap of paper as a reminder.?

1)?Wonder.?Never cease in the wonder of nature. Approach it with a childlike naivety.

2)?Dedication?to the truth of the impression of nature. Tell its story with honesty and integrity. Work diligently.

3)?Respect?our natural world. Do not allow technology to creep in through the use of projection or computer programs. Do not commercialize with excessive print production. Or to paint paintings lacking the complexity of the animal or scene.

I later added...Nature can be pretty and poised, but it can also be random and ordinary. Remember this!

So with "Beating Thunder", I approached the painting with this mindset. Some years ago, I viewed a building storm on the eastern plains of Montana as summer shifted to fall. The enormous sky enveloped all. Everything appeared as a grain of sand under the towering blue.

The bison belong there. The scene is not complete without them. Distance from the animal is respectful and natural. I sat in my old red Tahoe, viewing this scene, snapping pictures, and hearing the thundering hooves in my head.?

The rush of a transcending scene plants a memory seed that sometimes sits forever before it sprouts. I seek to relate the story faithfully. Naturally, wildlife has a story that is intertwined with the landscape it calls home. I can't separate?the two. My path is to depict it in paint. That is the journey. https://bid.scottsdaleartauction.com/Brian-Grimm-Beating-Thunder_i48149007 #westernart #bison #wildlifeartist #scottsdaleaz #scottsdaleartauction #americanart