Some of my fondest memories were times that I spent with my Grandpa Lloyd DePratu. Grandpa was born and raised in Montana, and he was an artist and outdoorsman among many other trades. He was bigger than life and would often tell stories about the West, with its majestic mountains, amazing wildlife, cowboys, and Native Americans. He was born in 1915 in the Sun River Valley of Montana, and he grew up near Great Falls. His love for art remained a constant thread throughout his life.

This love for the West extended into Grandpa’s passion for art, which was deeply influenced by Charles M. Russell, an artist who also lived in Great Falls.  Grandpa told me about him and his dad visiting Charlie at his studio in Great Falls and and he remembered the day they were let out of school for his funeral.  After reading more about Charles Russell, I see a lot of him in my Grandpa.  He made a lasting impression on Grandpa, and Grandpa left one on me.

During our visits to Montana, Grandpa would sit down and draw with me, and he always showed me the art that he was creating in his home studio.  To this day, the smell of linseed oil reminds me of him and those wonderful times.