KENOSEE LAKE — In grade one Sandra Lamontagne would always draw and be given extra things to paint or colour.
She was born and raised in the Rockglen area in the burning hills of the Wood Mountain Uplands.
Lamontagne finished her schooling in her home town area, but also took a correspondence course in illustration from the Art Instruction School.
Taking a few art courses during her time, Lamontagne taught herself the skills required to be an artist.
She would marry Roger and ranch 18 km west of Rockglen, where they had a mixed farm of grain and cattle.
They raised three sons, Leigh, Eric and Chris and slowly got out of the grain crops and stayed with black Angus cattle.
The couple now reside in town and their two youngest sons have taken over the farm with their families.
Lamontagne also has four granddaughters ranging from age six to 14 years.
“Each painting has a story,” said Lamontagne, “and all the animals I have known.”
When she does a painting of an animal, she takes a lot of reverence photos, and the work begins from there.
She paints in watercolour, acrylic, oil, pencil, pen, ink, and pastels, but watercolour is her favourite medium to work with.
Her favourite animal to paint is horses. Her paintings are life-like and incredibly detailed, down to the small hairs on the muzzle.
With her ranching background, she leans towards painting western landscapes, rodeo scenes and the people that she knows.
At one time she did commission portraits but no longer does them. She gets a visual of someone she knows and just paints. This too is done in great detail.
Her work has been recognized in the Artist Magazine from the United States as well as in the Best of Watercolour Magazine which displayed her horse painting called, “Standing cooling off”.
She has displayed her work at the Calgary Stampede, Arts Saskatchewan Show, Medicine Hat, the Not just another Horse Show and will now be at the Artist Colony of Moose Mountain Provincial Park.
This will be her first time at the colony cabins from August 8 – 14. During this time, the Cabin Art Festival and Show will also be held.
Lamontagne is excited to have the experience at a new place, meeting many new artists and people.
