BBR bistro features massive painting

When staff and art committee members were looking for the perfect painting to be featured in a large space in the new Lakeside Bistro at Black Butte Ranch (BBR), they knew where to turn.

They wanted a horse on the wall, so they sought out artist, equestrienne, and horse trainer Kimry Jelen, whose work is renowned from Sisters Country to France.

The architect had called out an eight-foot-tall and six-foot-wide painting.

"It's definitely the largest painting I've painted," Jelen told The Nugget.

The portrait is a combination of two horses, Jelen said - a mustang she trains named Whiskey and her own Holsteiner Thoroughbred.

"It's a combination of Whiskey and my horse Max - 'cause he gives the cutest look ever," Jelen said.

The artist found the room and the Ranch inspiring, and the colors and light in the painting are devised to pick up on copper accents in the bistro and the colors of the sunset that seep in through a large window, along with the colors of BBR's ponderosa pines.

"It was such a fun project," Jelen said. "I was completely inspired by the space and Black Butte in general."

The size of the painting made for some tricky logistics.

"We hauled it over to BBR in a two-horse trailer," Jelen said. "Cleanest and most well-behaved horse that was ever hauled!"

The artist was deeply gratified to have been tapped for the project.

"It was pretty fantastic," she said. "An amazing opportunity, and I can't believe it just came my way."

The new bistro is located at the Lakeside Recreation Center at Black Butte Ranch. The project was approved by Black Butte Ranch homeowners and is now open. (See new Lakeside Bistro story here.)

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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