Montana landscape painter Stephen Rathburn

I ran onto this old barn while hiking down Rock Creek looking for a winter creek scene.  The fence in front of the barn really didn't have an opening on the right side but I thought it would give a little more freedom for the viewers eye to move around the painting.  There were actually no trees in the distance and to the left either.  I painted this scene strictly with a palette knife except for a few small branches and the distant tree to the right.  I look forward to returning to this scene this summer and paint the cattails in green.  The sheep of course will have much less fur!  Maybe I'll put a storm in the background.