The Trade

The Trade
by Gale F. Trapp, 2012

The scene is typical of an early winter or late fall camp. The leaves are gone from the trees. The buffalo jerky, drying on the poles, hints of a recent hunt. But what else is happening here?

Is this a simple horse trade, or could there be romance in the brisk evening air? Is she, perhaps, inviting him to her lodge?

What does she have that he wants? Or, just maybe, is it that she wants something from him?

Could it be that the tribal elders directed him to pay in prairie currency for an unintended offence?

What do you think? I painted it… but even I do not know – for sure.

About the painting – acrylic on hardboard, 7”x9”. Available for purchase.

The Short Cut

“The Short Cut”
by Gale F. Trapp, 2012
Acrylic on board

“The Short Cut” captures the spirit of adventure that still existed in the early 20th century. Some would say that the driver of the 1916 Ford was foolhardy, but I say he just reflects the American determination that pushed against boundaries and ultimately tamed the West. The prospector not only represents the fading frontier but the challenges and changes faced by early settlers, while the background offers the viewer that feeling of utter desolation that was often the West.

Bringing Home the “T”

120 years ago Charles Duryea claims to have driven the first auto through Springfield Massachusetts. And, just nine years later, in 1901, New York became the first state to require automobile license plates. For some reason it took a little longer for cars to catch on in the West.

This painting captures the crossover period when the West was transitioning from frontier to settled status. The “T” is a 1909 Ford Touring car and was quite the beauty, but it really wasn’t intended for the Western frontier. I can’t help but think that more than one rancher must have come to the aid of stranded drivers in their newfangled machines.

Gale F. Trapp, 2012
Acrylic on board