THOM 7 | Fall / Winter 2016

ARTIST
“It helps keep my sense of
wonder intact and, to me,
that is essential to art.”
cast of professional photographers and wildlife
watchers in Greater Yellowstone, she is embraced as
a devoted member of the tribe. Such comradeship
has its perks, for the group is a hub of intelligence,
gathering on the whereabouts of bears, lobos and
other animals throughout different seasons of the
year.
Most of the time, Lyn hikes or hoofs her way on
horseback to spots vehicles cannot go. “I constantly
see animal behavior that is new to me. There are
countless little discoveries and amazing things that I
have seen while spending time in the wild,” she says.
Lyn immerses herself in the landscape, traveling
rhythmically and softly, studying the way wild
things — including grass, trees and rocks — interact
with their environment. “It constantly reminds
me that the world is full of mystery, that there are
infinite things yet to be learned,” she explains. “It
helps keep my sense of wonder intact and, to me,
that is essential to art.”
They swoon at the big, expansive vistas of the
West because they’re thinking about spaces where
imagination and creativity can wander, just as she
does.
“The thing I love most about art is that you never
get ‘there.’ No matter how hard you work, there
is always more to learn, a different direction to
explore, another edge to push your envelope toward
and something new to discover about what you are
capable of. Each painting inspires the next one,” Lyn
says.
That may be — that it’s really about the journey
and not the destination. But one thing is certain:
Lyn’s work transports us. She takes us to the wildest
outbacks in the Lower 48, to the understories of
tall timberlands, across rivers and tarns, to haunts
where real wildlife dwells.
After our interview, I received a note from Lyn. It
read, “Was up on top of the ranch today. Noticed
a lot of recently flipped-over rocks, then saw a
cinnamon sow with two coy [cubs of the year] that I
hadn’t seen yet this year. They headed up over a hill
that has the old Indian fire circle on top. There’s a
painting in there.”
My reply: “Can’t wait.”
It isn’t just about watching wildlife, but also
humans. “These new works, which I plan to premiere
in Thomasville, are about the different types of
connections between wild things and people.”
She loves the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival, she
says, because at a time when the art world is in
flux, the atmosphere in Thomasville represents a
centrifugal force of community. The show is a yearly
affirmation of the value of having nature in our lives
and celebrating its magic. She has an affinity for the
region and feels like she’s coming home to her roots
when she’s there.
Southerners, she says, have a way of relating to
nature that is an extension of regional identity.
Lyn St. Clair
Featured Painter
2016 Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival
followyourart.blogspot.com
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