Keeper of the Den

Some paintings arrive long before the first brushstroke. They linger quietly in memory, waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves. Keeper of the Den is one of those pieces.

It didn’t begin in my studio.

It began about ten miles south of town, along Highway 3.

We had found a fox den there, far too close to the road for comfort. The two of us stopped watching from a comfortable distance. The mother - she simply held her ground. Quiet. Unwavering. And Aware.

That stayed with me. My empty nest era- Protection not as noise or panic, but as steady presence.

When I finally began painting her, she emerged as more than an animal. She became a mother. A guardian. The kind of strength that doesn’t need spectacle. The kind that lives in stillness. In restraint. In watching over what cannot always be shielded, but must never be abandoned.

Around her I built layers of shadow and light, letting the painting hold both mystery and refuge. Like a den, it is both hidden and holy.

Keeper of the Den will be part of the Autumn Artistry Exhibition at BAGA in Bismarck, opening October 7. I am honored to have her among many powerful works by talented regional artists.

If you are near Bismarck this October, I invite you to come experience the exhibition in person. There is something about standing before a piece of art - seeing its texture, its presence, its quiet breath - that cannot be translated through a screen.

Come wander the gallery.

You may find your own “keeper” waiting. 🤍