Ruth Soller » Blog

Ruth Soller plein air painting during historic re-enactment at Walker Ranch, Boulder County. 

I created this plein air oil painting of Walker Ranch for the Boulder County Open Spaces Art Competition. It was a lovely evening for the Summer Heritage Day as actors in period costumes performed tasks and entertainment of the 1880's. This painting features James Walker's livestock/hay barn built in 1880, the log house built in 1865, and the granary/root cellar built by James Walker in 1881-1882.

Some time later I received a comment from a descendant of James Walker who was fond of the painting of the barns on the ranch. More time passed before we were able to meet in person and seal the deal. I'm so happy that this plein air piece found the rightful home with a living relative of James Walker, an important figure in Colorado history, whose ranch was a crossing and resting point on the westward trail of early settlers.