Rodeo unveils 2011 poster

The 2011 Sisters Rodeo poster was painted by Dan Rickards, an artist known for his stunningly realistic landscapes. Rickards and his wife, Julia, are the owners of Clearwater Gallery and Framing in Sisters.

A bull rider on a high-kicking Brahma bull is the central focus of the painting, fronting a rich pine forest with light cast from the sunset of the day. The Three Sisters stand in brilliant clarity of detail against a muted yellow-gold sky.

There is a luminescence that defines Rickards' style, bringing a sense of romance to his landscapes of photo-pure realism. He has an ability to create backlighting in paint, allowing every detail to express definitive importance. In the rodeo painting, it is the indirect lighting bouncing off the sunset that creates highlights in the both action and scene.

"I wanted it to pop," said Rickards. "I wanted to win viewers over from a first glance, to visually stimulate them before they get involved with details."

The artist sought counsel from the rodeo board, especially John Leavitt, in creating this piece. He understood that there were specifics to the sport that a casual spectator would not know, and he wanted accuracy.

Rickards is an artist who came to his career in what would seem to be a totally illogical process, a reversal of practical thinking. He was a restaurant manager in Lake Tahoe when he married his wife, Julia.

"The restaurant business in Tahoe did not feel like a good place for me to be, with a family in our future," he explained, "so I began doing art in earnest."

The Rickards moved to Bend in 1990, where Rickards worked in another restaurant while he began to get his bearings as an artist.

"I could not have done it without the encouragement of my wife," Rickards said, "and there were times when I had a brush in one hand and rocked a small cradle with the other."

Background sets the mood and tempo, Rickards explained. "Subtle lighting is the key. You don't know why the painting draws you, but lighting can be the most important factor in making that happen."

About half of Rickards' art is commissioned work. He has painted for Ducks Unlimited, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Mule Deer Foundation. In 2009, he painted the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show poster.

The popularity of his paintings in print sales brings organizations back for another piece. This year, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation requested a painting with a bear. "They understand that you can't just keep painting elk year after year and keep people excited."

There are also many private commissions.

"Sometimes, people are affected by one of my paintings, but they want one that reflects a special place in their own lives. When a painting moves someone with personal meaning, that is my reward," he said.

"I was pleased to be asked to do something for Sisters Rodeo. It is such a tradition in this community," Rickards said. "I believe in this town and the iconic things that separate Sisters from other places."

Clearwater Gallery will host an open house on May 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. to display the rodeo artwork. Signed posters and a framing package will be offered.

Sisters Rodeo will be held June 10-12. Call 541-549-0121 for ticket information.