Linda Tippetts: Montana Plein Air Painter - Epi. 213, Host Dr. Mark Sublette

I had plein air painter Linda Tippetts on the podcast today. I actually met Linda at the C. M. Russell Museum when I was there giving a lecture on Maynard Dixon during their annual group show. There must have been close to 100 artists, if not more. It's a really fun experience and anybody who has not gone to that show should plan for next year. It’s typically in the third week of August, and when I went to visit the weather was beautiful and all the exhibits were amazing.

I walked into Linda’s exhibit space and I was met with a group of beautiful paintings, but there was one that was just incredibly moving for me. I had heard Linda's name come up before but hadn’t seen her art yet.

When I finally met Linda I could tell that there was a story there. She's a person that grew up on a ranch in Montana and had to fight tooth and nail to get where she is in the art industry today. Sometimes it's a real struggle to make it to the promised land.

It wasn't easy for Linda. She was constantly moving from one place to another. She would put her job in jeopardy trying to get into gallery shows, living in a little trailer so she could travel around the country and paint. 

Linda put in her time and she put in the effort. So anybody out there who says to themselves “I'm going to be an artist someday” - while you listen to her life story, you’ll come to realize what sacrifices are necessary to get there. If you have the gumption and sense of “this is what I'm going to do…” Well, then you can be a Linda Tippetts.