Monday's agriculture website: North American International Livestock Exposition

Monday's agriculture themed website to share with readers is for the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE). The event goes on every fall in November and is currently running through November 19. Louisville, Kentucky, is the home for the NAILE, which is the world's largest all-breed, purebred livestock exposition. Ten different species of livestock compete in the exposition, and the purebred beef and sheep events are the largest in the world. It is also the site of the National Jersey dairy cattle show. Accompanying the event, the North American Quarter Horse Show is among the top five shows in the nation and the North American Championship Rodeo features the invitational finals for the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).

Q & A with Deborah Grayson Lincoln Part 11

What advice to you have for aspiring artists?

Paint every day if you can. Practice makes perfect. And venture into techniques you think you would NEVER use - you will learn from them even if you don't continue using them. BE BRAVE!

Picture credit: "Woo Hoo", oil on canvas board

Click here to learn more about this rodeo painting

Shannon Grissom: Video montage

Enjoy a video of more of Shannon's cattle and rodeo paintings, even some not on Cow Art and More.

A conversation with Shannon Grissom: Part 7

Where did you learn your technique?

I learned color seeing through my long time mentor/teacher Michael Linstrom and artist friend Janet Vanerhoof but I developed the layering on my own. I learned so much from them both but I really do not paint like anybody.

Picture credit: "Happy Trails", oil on canvas

Click here to purchase this image on a Christmas ornament decoration

A conversation with Shannon Grissom: Part 6

What is your technique?

I paint in oil on canvas. I build and sculpt the art through many layers of glazing and scumbling.

Picture credit: "Red Ahead"

Click here to see this image on a Christmas ornament or ceramic mug

A conversation with Shannon Grissom: Part 4

How did you get started?

As a child, music was a part of my daily life but not art. Oh I painted a little but in high school but never took an official art class. As a teenager, I'd climb up in our loft and disappear for hours. However, once I entered college, I stopped creating and didn't do anything officially creative again until I was 32.

( I chose a practical major, transportation/business and ended up dropping out as a senior. Sometimes the most logical choices are not the best choices! )

I took my first painting class at 32 and knew right then I was supposed to be an artist. I'd get up every day at 3am and paint before work. (After work was too stressful.)
Finally, after 5 years of doing this, I was able to leave my day job and become a full time artist.

Picture credit: "Breaktime", oil on canvas

Click here to purchase this image on a ceramic mug

A conversation with Shannon Grissom: Part 1

How did you get interested in painting cattle, rodeos, etc.?

I've always loved cows. They are a wonderful combination of sweetness and the formidable.

Once I moved to Hollister, western art was a natural progression. Rodeo is such a big part of life here. (I am not a cowgirl. I'm a suburb girl, but I so respect their way of life.)

Our San Benito County Saddle Horse Association has been kind enough to grant me access to some choice spots during the Rodeo in order to get great action photos. My favorite spot was the bull chutes. It was very exciting back there!

Picture credit: "Bull chute", oil on canvas

Click here to learn more about this rodeo art painting

A new drawing from Amanda Raithel

Amanda has added a new drawing for her time as this month's featured artist.

Picture credit: "Mirror Me", pencil on paper

Click here to learn more about this rodeo art pencil drawing

A conversation with Amanda Raithel: Part 4

Where do you get your inspiration?

I'm inspired the environment around me. I am completely surrounded by cattle and horses. They are what I know and what I love, they inspire me everyday.

Picture credit: Amanda (white hat) enjoys some time practicing her calf roping skills while riding on a Quarterhorse.