🎨 NEW PAINTING FEATURED: The Great Escape


The Great Escape: Appearing in the Women’s Work Exhibition at A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, August 2025

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I'm thrilled to share that my newest painting, The Great Escape, will be part of the upcoming Women’s Work Exhibition at the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art this August—and it’s also been featured online in Art Muse Express!

📰 Read the article:​
​Leslie Lambert: Painting the Pulse of the West​

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A Day on the Ranch: Real Life, Real Women​
This painting was inspired by an unforgettable March day spent at 6X Ranch in Mackay, Idaho, with ranch manager Tayler Teichert—a skilled roper, rodeo competitor, and great-granddaughter of one of my favorite Western artists, Minerva Teichert. Painting Tayler felt like continuing Minerva’s legacy of capturing the soul of the West through strong, capable women.

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The Story Behind the Painting​
The day began with a powerful moment: Tayler and a ranch hand saved the life of a mother cow who had lost her calf. Though I chose not to depict that scene in this painting, it was a moving reminder of the toughness and tenderness of ranch life.

Afterward, Tayler gave me a tour of the ranch nestled between two mountain ranges. We saw elk, deer, cranes, eagles—and of course, newborn calves with their mothers. Eventually, we returned to the corrals where branding takes place, and I photographed Tayler in action, doing what she does best.

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The Process: From Reference to Pouring​
After composing the image from multiple photos, I poured a smaller study to explore colors and values. This gave me clarity before transferring the final composition onto a 30x40” sheet of watercolor paper from a roll.

I painted the sky first with a brush, then began the layered process of pouring watercolor, building depth with each step. After the final pour, I refined details—especially Tayler’s face—with a brush to bring harmony to the whole piece.

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A Tribute to Women’s Work​
​The Great Escape captures a fleeting moment: a calf breaking loose, Tayler giving chase, the mountains watching it all unfold. It’s a visual tribute to the strength, tradition, and grace of Western women—past and present.

📅 See it this August at the Women’s Work exhibition at the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art.

📰 Also featured in Art Muse Express:​
​Leslie Lambert: Painting the Pulse of the West​


🌷 REMINDER: Parrot Tulip Painting Course is TOMORROW!

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Don’t forget—my Parrot Tulip mini-course is happening tomorrow (Tuesday)!
We’ll explore how to paint bold, beautiful pinks in watercolor while capturing the vibrant personality of a parrot tulip.

🗓 Tuesday, March 20​
⏰ 4–6:30 pm PDT / 5–7:30 pm MDT / 6–8:30 pm CDT / 7–9:30 pm EDT​
đź’µ $25 USD (or included in the Watercolor Devotee tier and above on Patreon)
🎥 Recording available if you can’t join live.

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👉 Sign up here or Join on Patreon​


📸 Want to see behind-the-scenes of The Great Escape?

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Join my Patreon to receive exclusive access to my courses, process, and works in progress

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Thanks for following my work and supporting stories of the West—especially those told through the eyes and hands of women.

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Warmly,

Leslie Lambert

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