Jim Wilcox wins major art award from Bighorn Rendezvous Art Show

THE AWARD

On August 4, Jim Wilcox took home one of the top honors from the Brinton Museum’s Bighorn Rendezvous Art Show & Sale for his painting titled “Winter’s Final Fling.” (See below.)

“Winter’s Final Fling”
By Jim Wilcox
20″ x 30″
$14,000
SOLD

The Award of Merit is given to only five pieces of art in the show where 40 of the top Western artists in the nation are invited to compete.

He’s won that award five times now in his career, along with the People’s Choice Award from the same show.

THE SUBJECT

This is one of Jim’s favorite subjects of all-time.

Ever seen the amazing beauty of hoar frost on the cottonwoods of Jackson Hole on a midwinter morning? You understand just how awesome this painting is.

Though, really you don’t need the experience to love this painting.

Hoar frost only collects after an unusually warm winter day followed by a freezing night.

A few years ago, Jim’s son Mark (That’s me. Hi.) realized the conditions were perfect for hoar frost. He got up early and spent a frigid morning capturing a series of photos that has fed Jim’s work for years.

FROM THE ARTIST

Hoar frost on cottonwood trees is gorgeous, ­especially when the trees glint in early morning light.

Though the full dazzling effect of crystallized ice encasing every thin tendril of branches is hard to capture as an impressionist landscape painter, the magic comes through in this piece.

Often when we have a warm winter day and the temperature drops to extremes overnight, I head out with my camera to capture the morning light and ephemeral effect.

Or send out my son Mark, who’s a professional photographer.

With this painting and others like it I’ve painted, I’ve been able to record one of nature’s most exotic winter phenomenons, because everyone should be able to experience it.