About The Artist
Born into a family of cattle ranchers, trappers, homesteaders and landscape artists it is not surprising that Lynne Darrah's life would take a path towards working in the natural world. A love of all things science underpins her interpretation of the world. Darwin's approach to science was a huge influencer for Lynne. His discoveries were based on pure observation resulting in profound generalizations about the natural world.
Lynne mimics Darwin's approach when painting her beloved wildlife subjects. Study of the a subjects habitat, survival adaptations, anatomy, predators and interaction with man leads to an understanding of each species. This understanding leads to animal portraits illicting intense emotion on the part of the viewer. High contrast colors and little expression of background amplifies the message the observer is to feel ......... animals are " people" too with as much right to their share of the planet that humans have.
The pressures created by the expansion of humanity into all of the planets niches and the resultant loss of habitat and species drives her to capture these animals imagery. Herds and packs are especially loved as the number of each controls the numbers of the other. Her paintings are intended to be portraits of animals. The subjects are large suggesting bold personalities...... the survivors of their species..... holding their place for now in the natural world.
* Offering commissions
lynnedarrah@sbcglobal.net
Gallery of Paintings
" Mule Deer Does - After the Rut"
36" x 64" x 1.5"
Oil on Panel Board
Painted Wood Sides
$ 11,520
Mule deer are a very curious lot. Instead of turning tail and running like a Whitetail, they look and listen and try to determine what they see and hear. Even after they flee as a herd....they will circle back for a second look or to find a missing member of the herd. The does can be very aggressive towards an adversary even without the presence of a fawn.
"Pronghorn at 9-Mile"
36" X 65" X 1.5"
Oil on Panel
Painted Wood Sides
Pronghorn antelope are amazing creatures. They can run at speeds of 55 mph for one-half mile and 35 mph for 10 additional miles. Wolf packs cannot catch them but the coyote can. They can go months-years without drinking water, getting all their moisture from the plants they eat. Their tongues are black and they run with their tongues out to breath in more air. The males have manes and long horns while the females have no manes and short horns. Watch for them during blizzards as they may be lying on the highway!
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" Wolf Pack - Full Winter Coats"
24" x 48" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood - Natural Wood Sides
$5760
Grey wolves occur in many colors including predominantly red, grey, black or white. The pack usually consists of the alpha pair and 6 more members. The alpha pair mates for life and can live in the wild for up to 16 years. They are highly intelligent and show significant affection for each other. They hunt deer, elk, rabbits and rodents and can eat up to 20 pounds of meat in one session!
" Something in the Spring Fog"
30" x 30" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 4500
Spring is the most difficult time for does as it's the snowiest time of year and their fat stores are low. Soon the brush will come to life with new stem growth and nutritious leaves. This new growth is devoured by the expectant mother deer and their developing fawns will mature rapidly now. Just as the whole forest is awake....the fawns will arrive.
" Wolf Pack - Watching and Warming"
30" x 40" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood - Natural Wood Sides
$ 6,000
Grey wolves occur in a variety of colors including black, grey, tan and white. The black ones are a mix of the ancient wolf line existing in North America and dogs brought with humans from Asia over the Alaskan land bridge 11,000 years ago. The black ones are less aggressive than the other colors and they are less prone to distemper. Black colored ones are predominant around the Great Lakes of the US. It is unknown if these crosses were intentional on the part of humans.
" Coyote - All Ears "
24" x 36" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 4320
Coyotes are a highly successful species. They have adapted to a changing world and have spread beyond there earlier ranges. As wolfs declined in the eastern US and possible mates became scarce, coyotes and wolves interbred. The result was a black "coywolf" hybrid. These hybrids now populate the whole eastern coast of the US. Coyotes may well be in your neighborhood and are even found in NYC's Central Park.
" On The Path Through Town "
30" x 40" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 6000
Moose were introduced to Colorado in the late 1970's and their numbers are now estimated to be 3500. Their predators are wolves , bears, mountain lions and man. Moose struggle with winter ticks resulting in anemia in some individuals. Research is underway to find ways to more naturally reduce their tick load. Winter ticks do not pass disease to humans. Moose help control the height of willows in riparian areas keeping willow height at about 4-5 ft.
"Into the Arroyo"
24" x 48" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$5760
Burros were brought to the new world by the Spaniards. Some were abandoned or escaped and populated northern Mexico and the southwest US. Once free in the Southwest , burros are now held on reservations with fences.
They were historically used as " cars and pickups". They carried the mother of Jesus, have a cross on their backs and are oft called "God's creatures". They thrive in the southwestern US climate where they are neither cold nor wet. They are said to " cry" when cold. They eat low protein vegetation and are made ill by good grass and good hay. This nutritional requirement makes them little competition to humanity's beloved cows and should not be considered by the BLM to be grass competitors. Grass competitors are rounded up and " eliminated" by our federal government.
" For Four Hundred Years"
16 x20" Oil on Canvas
Burros came to the Anericas with the Spanish. Sometimes abandoned, they thrived in the desert southwest. Extremely hardy but adverse to cold and rain, their ancestors have been here....longer than most of our ancestors. The proceeds of the sale of this painting will be directed in whole to the non-profit organization "Wild Horse Education" promoting the cause of wild horses and often overlooked wild burros.
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" Desert Life "
18" x 36" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 3240
Coyotes normally hunt alone but family groups can work together for larger prey. They dine on rabbits, snakes and rodents. Occassionally the family will be successful at taking down a deer or a pronghorn antelope. The coyote is well adapted to mountains, deserts, ranch ground and your neighborhood in town!
" Wolf Pack - 1"
30" x 40"
Oil on Canvas
Out from dark timber and challenged, the wolf pack is nervous
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"A Call to Hunt"
30" x 40" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 6,000
The members of the wolf pack gather in the afternoon as low clouds move in. Snow cover increases the chance of a successful hunt. The group is seasoned at working together. One wolf challenges the prey from the front while others attack from the rear. The alpha pair eats first but all will partake in the spoils.
" Out From Dark Timber to Sage"
30" x 30" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 4500
Elk sleep in dark timber during the day and rise and come out to graze grass growing amongst the sage during the late afternoon. They then sleep in the sage at night and rise the next morning as soon as sunlight touches their hide. Their hair is hollow and sunlight bounces around inside their hair shafts warming the animal. Hollow hair helps keep them warm in winter but hot in the summer season. They move themselves to higher elevation in the summer to avoid the heat at lower elevations. Bulls and cows are found together during the Fall rut.
" Three Amigos"
24" x 36" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
A well worn path directs the wolf pack towards last nights kill. While prey is weaker in winters snow, the pack becomes stronger as hunting is more successful.
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" Evening Songs "
24" x 36" x 1.5
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
Grey wolves in eastern Canada gather to hunt in the evening. The songs bring in all the hunters and enthusiasm is high.
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"Beware"
12" x 12" x 2"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
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" The Three Faces of Eve " - The Series
(3) Separate 12" x 12" x 2" Paintings
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 2,160
The movie "The Three Faces of Eve" was released in 1957. It was based on a true story of a woman with a fractured personality. The fracture was caused by a childhood trauma. The personalities were Eve White, Eve Black and Jane. With therapy the woman was cured and lead a normal life. These mountain lions depict that fractured personality.
" Rabbit Down "
12" x 12" x 2"
Oil on Gesso Board
2" Natural Wood Sides
$ 720
Repeatedly pouncing on the rabbit in the grass is an effective hunting method used by coyotes. Rabbits are commonly hunted by coyotes.
" I See You "
18" x 36" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
Coyotes are well adapted to live in many different environments from deserts to urban settings. This coyote lives in Arizona.
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" Brotherly Love "
16" x 24" x 2"
Oil on gesso board
Natural Wood Sides
Two Russian wolves play and practice being wolves
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" Clever Fox Boy "
15" x 30" x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 2,250
Smart and bold foxes are beloved by man.
" Always Hungry "
18" x 36 " x 1.5"
Oil on Wood
Natural Wood Sides
$ 3,240
Solitary and magestic, mountain lions avoid humans and prefer to hunt deer. They hunt mostly at night. If you are hiking ..... keep an eye out ....you might see one sleeping in a tree.
" Ready "
12" x 12" x 2"
Oil on Gesso Board
Natural Wood Sides
$ 720
Claws out, poised to jump. It's unlikely the prey even knows the mountain lion is there.