Montana artist Troy Collins has long been associated with his signature landscape paintings of aspen trees—often in the fall where the leaves have changed to bold red and orange hues. They are heavily textured works of art, done with a palette knife, and reflect his keen awareness of the world around him. While impressionistic in nature, the works have the sensibility of someone who has spent many years drawing and honing their craft.
The Wild One, oil, 20 x 16"
In recent years, Collins has expanded his oeuvre to include figures and, now, wildlife. These newer works, as well as a sampling of his landscapes, will be on view at Mountain Trails Gallery in Park City, Utah, for the artist’s annual exhibition. The show will run December 26 through January 1, with a reception for the artist on December 27 from 4 to 8 p.m.
“It’s so funny because the first [wildlife] work I tried, I was so intimidated because I don’t do the ones that are about the animal,” Collins recalls. “I stick them in the trees and hide them, but I had this vision of what I wanted to do. I painted them how I’d paint an aspen tree, and I was super surprised to see it was actually working.”
Then Comes the Morning, oil, 60 x 48"
That first work was a buffalo for the C.M. Russell Museum’s annual show in Great Falls, Montana, and it finding a buyer only helped Collins’ confidence grow. “I’ve done quite a few after that, and I’ve been getting great responses out of the gallery,” he says. “It’s so different from the aspens, and collectors expect to see that, but when you do something completely different it also catches their eye.”
The Color of My Love, oil, 32 x 72"
Winter’s Children, oil, 12 x 16"
Collins explains there is a buffalo farm between Hamilton and Missoula in Montana where he has taken photos of the animals that serve as references for these new paintings. He also takes pictures of creatures he sees in national parks and stores them for future compositions. This is a different approach from the subject he paints the most, explaining,“I put [the photos] on my computer and compose them the way that I want to. I use a reference for the animals, but the aspens I paint from my head.”
Along with the wildlife paintings, collectors can expect to see landscapes in all four seasons to provide a variety in color palette. —
Upcoming Show
Up to 12 works
Dec. 26, 2019-Jan. 1, 2020
Mountain Trails Gallery
301 Main Street, Park City, UT 84060
(435) 615-8748
www.mountaintrailsgalleries.com
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