About The Artist
Formally trained as an environmental geologist, Lynne Darrah came to oil painting by an unusual route. Her grandmother was a regional landscape artist working from her ranch in New Mexico where Lynne summered until college. From her grandmother she developed an appreciation for oil painting and the artists creating them. Her father grew up on a ranch outside Walden Colorado. He was a trapper in the winter. He later took his young family hunting, fishing and hiking near Walden, Colorado. These experiences profoundly influenced the young Lynne. Lynne began collecting oil paintings in her 20's and she began painting in the decades that followed. Moving to Lake City Colorado in 2016 provided the perfect setting for wildlife painting. With a fine eye for detail and a love of nature, wildlife was chosen the subject matter. Wolves, mountain lions and other predators and prey of the Rockies are particularly loved. The migration of wolves to Colorado from a pack in Wyoming and the reintroduction of wolves in other parts of Colorado in late 2023 sparked a rash of new wolf paintings by the artist!
* Offering commissions
lynnedarrah@sbcglobal.net
Gallery of Paintings
" Wolf Pack - Full Winter Coats"
24" x 48" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood - Cradled Wood Sides
Grey wolves occur in many colors including predominantly red, grey, black or white. The pack usually consists of the alpha pair and possibly 6 more. The alpha pair mates for life and can live in the wild up to 16 years. They are highly intelligent and show significant affection for each other. They hunt deer, elk, rabbits and rodents and can eat up to 20 pounds of meat in one session!
" Something in the Spring Fog"
30" x 30" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood - 1.5" cradled
Naturl wood sides
Spring is the most difficult time for does as it's the snowiest time of year and their fat stores are low. Soon the brush will come to life and burst open with new growth and nutritious leaves. Their developing fawns will grow rapidly now just as the whole forest awakens.....and soon the fawns will arrive.
"Pronghorn at 9-Mile"
36" X 65" X 1.5"
Oil on Panel
Pronghorn are amazing creatures. They can run at speeds of 55 mph for one-half mile and 35 mph for 10 additional miles. Wolf packs cannot catch them but the coyote can. They can go months-years without drinking water, getting all their moisture from the plants they eat. Their tongues are black and they run with their tongues out to breath in more air. The males have manes and long horns while the females have no manes and short horns. Watch for them during blizzards as they may be lying on the highway!
" Wolf Pack - Watching and Warming"
30" x 40"
Oil on Wood - 1.5" Wood Cradle
Grey wolves occur in a variety of colors. Black ones are thought to have come to the new world with the arrival of human over the land bridge/ice bridge from Asia. Black wolves are more resistant to distemper and observed to be less aggressive than other color variations.
"Into the Arroyo"
24" x 48"
Oil on Wood 1 1/2" cradle
Natural wood sides
Once free, burros are now held on reservations with fences. They were historically used as " cars and pickups" . They carried the mother of Jesus, have a cross on their backs and are oft called "gods creature". They thrive in the Southwest US climate where they are neither cold nor wet. They are said to " cry" when cold. They eat low protein vegetation and are made ill by good grass and good hay. This nutritional requirement makes them little competition to humanity's beloved cows and should not be considered as grass competitors.
" For Four Hundred Years"
16 x20" Oil on Canvas
Borros came to the Anericas with the Spanish. Sometime abandoned, they thrived in the desert southwest. Extremely hardy but adverse to cold and rain, their ancestors have been here....longer than most of our ancestors. The proceeds of the sale of this painting will be directed in whole to the non-profit organization "Wild Horse Education" promoting the cause of wild horses and often overlooked wild burros.
SOLD
" Desert Life "
18" x 36"
Oil on Wood
1 1/2" wood cradle
Coyotes normally hunt alone but family groups can work together for larger prey. They dine on rabbits, snakes and rodents. Occassionally the family will be successful at taking down a deerot pronghorn antelope. The coyote is well adapted to mountains, deserts, ranch ground and your neighborhood in town!
" Wolf Pack - 1"
30" x 40"
Oil on Canvas
1.5" wood cradle
Out from dark timber and challenged, the wolf pack is nervous
Sold
"A Call to Hunt"
30" x 40"
1 1/2" wood cradle
Oil on Wood
The members of the pack gather in the afternoon as low clouds move in. Snow cover increases the chance of a successful hunt
" Three Amigos"
24" x 36"
Oil on Wood
1 1/2" wood cradle
A well worn path directs the wolf pack towards last nights kill. While prey is weaker in winters snow, the pack becomes stronger
SOLD
" Evening Songs "
24" x 36"
Oil on Wood
1 1/2" wood cradle
Grey wolves in eastern Canada gather to hunt in the evening. The songs bring in all the hunters and enthusiasm is high
SOLD
"Beware"
12 x 12"
Oil on Wood
2" Cradle Natural Wood Sides
SOLD
" The Three Faces of Eve " - The Series
(3) Separate 12 x 12" Paintings
Oil on Wood
2' Cradle Natural Wood Sides
The movie "The Three Faces of Eve" was released in 1957. It was based on a true story of a woman with a fractured personality. The fracture was caused by a childhood trauma. The personalities were Eve White, Eve Black and Jane. With Therapy the woman was cured and lead a normal life. These mountain lions depict that fractured personality
" Rabbit Down "
12" x 12"
Oil on Gesso Board
2" wooden cradle
Pouncing on the rabbit in the grass is an effective hunting method used by coyotes. Rabbits are commonly hunted by coyotes
" I See You "
18" x 36"
Oil on Wood
1 1/2" wood cradle
Coyotes are well adapted to live in many different environments from deserts to urban settings. This coyote lives in Arizona
SOLD
" Brotherly Love "
16" x 24"
Oil on gesso board
2" wood cradle
Two Russian wolves play and practice being wolves
SOLD
" Clever Fox Boy "
15" x 30"
Oil on Wood
1 1/2" wood Cradle
Smart and bold foxes are beloved by man
" Always Hungry "
18" x 36 "
Oil on Wood
1 1/2" wooden cradle
Solitary and magestic, mountain lions avoid humans and prefer to hunt deer
" Ready "
12" x 12"
Oil on Gesso Board
2" wooden cradle
Claws out, poised to jump. It's unlikely the prey even knows the mountain lion is there.
Contact us with questions, expanded gallery of paintings and commissions.
Lynne Darrah 316-655-4731
1521 Monte Queen Rd, Lake City CO 81235
lynnedarrah@sbcglobal.net