When local artist Dan Knepper visited the Rocky Mountains he didn’t realize what a profound effect it would have on his life. One of his paintings from his trips west now hangs in the C.M. Russell Museum and will be in their prestigious The Russell live auction in August where it is estimated to bring 9,000-$11,000. The painting, “Wyoming Morning” is of a quiet spot he’d pass each morning on the way to the Grand Tetons, or heading into Yellowstone or Targhee National Forest.
“The scenery is so dramatic, wherever you look, but I kept coming back to this quiet spot in the atmosphere of the early morning light,” said Knepper. “The painting has won numerous awards including People’s Choice at the Bryn Du Mansion show, and being a finalist in the international Richeson 75 Landscape Competition. It’s a great honor to have it hang beside the work of some of my artistic heroes.”
Another of his paintings is headed to the National Wildlife Art Museum for their Western Visions show. Knepper says the museum chose “Into the Light” to advertise the show.
“It felt very validating to have them choose my painting from among the works of famous artists whose pieces sell for $30,000 or more.”
Since Knepper left teaching 8 years ago to pursue life as a full time artist, his work has been written up in all the top art magazines, and he has garnered representation by galleries across the country, but one of the greatest honors was learning of an upcoming solo show of his work in the Hockaday Museum in Kalispell, Montana. The paintings in the show will be more of his western work, with pieces like “Jordan’s Creek.”
“I travel with my mom and son, Jordan. We were in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone in the golden light at the end of a perfect day. We had the Yellowstone wilderness all to ourselves and the sun was illuminating the treetops and colorful rocks in the sparkling creek. This was the spot where we decided it was time to turn back and headed through the dark park for hours hoping to avoid bison, elk and bear,” said Knepper.
You can see more of Knepper’s work at http://www.DanKnepperArt.com.
