This is a series of small watercolor and gouache paintings based on photographs taken by my mother in mid-twentieth century. Mom would typically write the common name and the scientific name on each slide. I now have possession of most of her slides and recently decided to do small paintings of them in order to preserve the archival quality of her photography, as no color photograph is truly archival. Her knowledge of plains states wildflowers and their locations resulted in the Nature Conservancy purchasing the Keller ranch in the Nebraska Sandhills. The ranch is adjacent to the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge and is now a part of the U.S. Game & Fish. Uncle Bill had acquired the ranch in 1908, through the Kinkaid Act of 1904, an extension of the Homestead Act. I grew up frequently visiting the ranch to ride horses, explore, or play in the big sandpit that would eventually be the object of the Nature Conservancy purchase of the ranch.
1 - 25 of 25 Images2640 visitsAlbum by John E. KellerPhotos by John E. Keller
enlarge 84KB, 500x800 1 White Blowout Penstemon
enlarge 99KB, 900x556 2 Pink Blowout Penstemon
enlarge 70KB, 507x800 3 Shooting Star
enlarge 84KB, 472x800 4 Iris 2962
enlarge 81KB, 528x800 5 Cone Flower 2965
enlarge 64KB, 497x800 6 White Tulip 2966
enlarge 65KB, 516x800 7 Blue Water-Speedwell 2970
enlarge 61KB, 501x800 8 Scurfy Pea 2971-Edit
enlarge 63KB, 520x800 9 Nodding Thistle 2969
enlarge 86KB, 900x552 10 Red Columbine 2972
enlarge 71KB, 497x800 11 Prairie Sunflower 2968
enlarge 74KB, 800x508 12 Prairie Coneflower 2973
enlarge 85KB, 800x515 13 Prairie Rose 2974
enlarge 79KB, 800x516 14 Balloon Flower 2963
enlarge 87KB, 900x558 15 Violet Wood-sorrel 2967
enlarge 65KB, 516x800 16 Blue Water-Speedwell 02970
