“While exploring the prairies and mountains, some places call to me. I stop at those places and allow stories of brave horses and ancient people to fill my mind. Later in the studio, when I'm ready to paint, I lay random marks on the canvas. It feels as though I'm following the trail of a story, but I don't yet know which story this canvas wants to tell. I keep painting, laying down marks, colors, patterns and shapes, building up layers that give the canvas a history of it's own. When the story reveals itself to me, the painting is finished. The story could be as simple as two horses racing across the prairie, or it might become the story of an entire tribe moving camp from the mountains to the prairie. I let go of conscious thought and let my fingers and the paint present the story to you.” - Donna Ridgway

Bio

Born into a family that homesteaded along the Rocky Mountain Front, near Dupuyer, Mt, Donna Ridgway grew up caring for cattle, horses, and farming the land. Her life on the farm/ranch, gave her a love for the animals she cared for.

Donna is a self taught artist, who has drawn and painted her entire life. When she met her husband Robert, he told her she needed a good camera so she could obtain her own reference photos for creating her paintings. They bought a camera and she became a photographer. She's had several photos published in Montana Outdoors, in regular issues and in the annual photo issue.

She continued to create paintings, has entered juried shows, and won a few awards. She had a one woman show in Ronan, Mt, won first prize in an Equine Art Guild show, first prize in Pastels at the Montana State Fair, invited to show three paintings at the History Museum show in Great Falls, MT. and a second place prize at the Carriage Factory Gallery, in Newton Kansas.

Donna and Robert live in Vaughn, MT. where she paints in her studio. Some of her paintings are still realistic, mostly of animals, horses, wildlife, and farm animals she loves.