To say that Yellowstone has inspired artists is an understatement. In many ways, the park owes its existence to the artists who found inspiration here.
In 1870, Wyoming was a territory and Yellowstone’s marvels were a mystery to Congress and most of the U.S. population. Back then — long before selfies, digital images, and Instagram — artists depicted the world’s wonders for a curious public. And in the case of Yellowstone, the photographers, illustrators, and painters who portrayed the area proved instrumental in its establishment as a national park: artist Thomas Moran, and photographers William Henry Jackson and Frank J. Haynes — played a seminal role in Yellowstone’s preservation.
These days, Yellowstone inspires artists from all over the world to try to capture the magic of ‘Wonderland’. That’s why we carry products from local artists in our gift shops. Almost 80% of our inventory is made in the USA and regularly seek out homegrown fare at local trade shows.
We’re proud to work with these artists and feature them across the park at our lodges in our ‘Inspired by Yellowstone’ artist series. We invite you to meet and talk with these incredible artists while they’re in the park.
| Artist* | Date* | Location* |
|---|---|---|
| Check back for our 2024/25 Winter Artist Marketplace Dates | ||
| *Dates, artists, and locations are subject to change. |
Traci’s work captures a spirit in the Native American woman that does indeed embody the best in female strength. From the proud lift of her chin to the strands of hair caught by the wind, she appears to weather all storms. Her paintings represent the way it feels to be female; to fly in the face of all that comes, with fierce dignity, energy and strength, but they also capture women’s ability to be gentle, yielding, kind and passionate.
Working from her home workshop at the base of the Beartooth mountains Andrea constantly strives to create simple, top quality leather and copper goods that will last a lifetime. The workshop, in the mountains of Montana, and just outside of Yellowstone National Park, inspire Fort Omotse’s products. From the earth-tone colors, full grain Bison and Cowhide, made to be perfect for a night on the town or a hike through the mountains. Every Fort Omotse Leather product is Handmade in Montana with top quality full grain American leather.
Moondance Artwork uses recycled copper and metals to create unique artwork and jewelry. The by-product of my artwork is copper & metal scraps. With these pieces I design a line of unique jewelry. My creations include earring, necklaces, rings and cuffs.
“I am inspired by nature in general, but Yellowstone holds a special place in my heart with its unique colors and master designs created by nature. Yellowstone wonderful hot tubs create colors that are hard to find in nature. Everywhere you look, there are unique patterns. It is my goal to have some of these unique colors reflected in my jewelry creations especially the patina colors that I use. I use all recycled materials which makes me create from pieces that I have available. Like nature, I work with what I can find.”
Kathryn Phyllarry is the author of children’s book Beauregart the Bear, a fictional story that combines factual information on bear habit and habitat with the difficult journey of overcoming a disability.
“I think we, as residents of Wyoming and Montana, have a tendency to take Yellowstone National Park for granted. I know I did, until I had my first signing in Yellowstone in 2009. Before that time the international status of Yellowstone was beyond my realm of thinking. Sitting at my signing desk, in the lobby of the Old Faithful Inn, for just a few hours my first day, truly opened my eyes to how this wonderful park, with its thermal features and wildlife, is a remarkable treasure. I found that I am truly lucky to call Wyoming my home. Ten years and four (and a half) children’s books later, I never get tired of my book signings in Yellowstone, nor meeting and greeting all kinds of people from all around the world.”
Tom Murphy of Livingston Montana is a celebrated and award-winning wildlife and landscape photographer of Yellowstone National Park. He uses his photography to illustrate his passion for the remaining wild places on our earth.
“The strength and vitality of Yellowstone’s wild character is unique and valuable. It gives hope to everyone who experiences its beauty. The natural infinitely changing wonders captivated me as a little kid on family vacations and inspired me to move here in 1978. I am more intrigued and drawn to this place every passing year. I hope to open people’s senses through my work and help them to recognize the beauty and value of clean healthy landscapes and dynamic wildlife stories.”
Carl Sheehan, a graduate of Montana State University, is a professional ceramicist and the resident/visiting potter at Yellowstone National Park for over 30 years.
“Yellowstone has inspired me in many ways over the years, I have had the fortune to spend time in the Park during all seasons and each season has its particular beauty and character. My heart takes it all in and I am overwhelmed with images and smells and the life force that the Park brings forth and hopefully appears in my glaze work and designs.”
Antelope Santee Dolls are Native Plains Indian Dolls that are Made in Montana. Project Indigenous, founded by Mr. Scott Frazier, provides quality educational programs that teach from an Indigenous perspective through the humanities (storytelling, dance, music and hands on activities). Mr. Frazier is a Crow Tribal member but considers himself a Santee survivor because his grandfather was a full blood Santee. With decades of experience in the environmental arenas, Mr. Frazier focuses on fields relating to the preservation and respect for Native lands, natural resources and Native cultures. Interconnection of Earth, Fire, Air and Water makes all things important to Mr. Frazier’s concern. Bringing understanding and insight to a wide cross-section of the general public is the primary goal for all programs presented by Project Indigenous.
From her first visit to Yellowstone National Park, at the impressionable age of 8, author Elizabeth “Betsy” Watry has been fascinated by its long cultural history. Specializing in 19th century and early 20th century history, Watry has focused her research on that period in the park.
In her book “Woman in Wonderland: Lives, Legends and Legacies of Yellowstone National Park,” Watry lends her focus to some of the women in park history. The book, she says, is a glimpse of the everyday women of Yellowstone, their contributions and accomplishments.
Yellowstone Agate Jewelry is based in Livingston, Montana, on the banks of the Yellowstone River. We specialize in hand made jewelry crafted from local stones. Our primary stone is the Montana Agate. Montana Agate is often referred to as “picture agate” due to the unique mineral patterns and inclusions in the stone. This colorful agate is found only in the drainages of the Yellowstone River and has been named a state gemstone in Montana.
Montana Agate is thought to promote growth and wisdom through contemplation, and to contribute to balanced emotions, acceptance, and forgiveness.
Sixteen years ago Sharon Stchur visited Yellowstone for the first time, and that initial experience has brought her back every summer since. The interaction with bear, bison, and wolves, the majestic terrain, the untold hours spent hiking every conceivable trail have all inspired her like nothing else in her life. In addition to being an artist in residence in Yellowstone from 2003-2013, and then again in 2018, Sharon’s paintings have been displayed in galleries and shows across the country.
“Every Yellowstone painting I have produced (easily in the hundreds) was inspired by some “once-in-a-lifetime” view or animal encounter while out hiking and experiencing the park first hand. I have always relished then sharing these moments with the park visitors through conversation initiated (oftentimes by them) while viewing my efforts to capture it all on canvas.”
Lynette is a realistic artist who captures the personalities and unique characteristics of her subjects on canvas. Lynette is a self-taught artist, who was born and raised in eastern South Dakota and has lived and painted in Wyoming since 1988. She specializes in the mediums of acrylic and pastel.
“Yellowstone inspires me in many ways. The variety and unique characteristics of Yellowstone remind me that God uses His artistry to create a beautiful place! The majestic landscapes, the thermal features, the vast array of animals and visitors from all over the world all add meaning to Yellowstone for me personally.”
Steve’s love for the Northern Rockies grew from his first trip to Yellowstone in 1996. Now, over twenty years of photography in and around the park have culminated in two books, over twenty awards, four images displayed in the Smithsonian, as well as photos featured in magazines, calendars and publications.
“Yellowstone isn’t reflected in my work, it is my work. Most of my major work, most successful photographs, are of Yellowstone and it’s wild inhabitants. But I want to show it in its grandeur because it’s difficult to portray the grandeur one has of seeing it in person through a photograph. I’ve photographed Lower Falls and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone many times but few images truly portray the greatness and overwhelming feeling of seeing it in person.”
Kathy is a fine-artist in glass. She creates bowls, mosaics, and abstract designs that represent the textures, movement, and vibrant color found in Yellowstone’s natural environment.
“I am fascinated by the geology of “The Park”. Looking deep, down into the earth the rings of bold color get hotter as the color changes. Microorganisms live in the shallow water which help create the amazing color along with the presence of different minerals exposed to the heat from the earth. My artwork is a physical example of the science that occurs in Yellowstone National Park and a beautiful addition to any home that will bring back memories of such an amazing place.”
Contemporary Native American Artist DG House of Bozeman, MT has had her work exhibited in the fine art museums across the country and in permanent collections worldwide including rock stars and the Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of the American Indian.
“Yellowstone completely inspires everything I do, including moving halfway across the country to be there. Yellowstone is the essence of everything I do. Every painting I create is based on a story, a real story that happened in Yellowstone Park at some point.”
Artist John Potter was raised in the Upper Great Lakes country – on and off the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Indian Reservation in northern Wisconsin – where he grew up with an abiding love for the Natural World in the forests of the Great Northwoods.
He often paints en plein air, bringing his small outdoor studies home, where they are then used as reference to create his larger studio works. Working directly from Nature, he firmly believes in the all-pervading Divinity found in the Natural World, and is always striving for an honest expression of light and color. John spends many hours in the field, observing and studying light, mood, atmosphere, the land and sky. He carries paints and a sketchbook whenever possible, traveling extensively – but his favorite subjects remain the rugged mountain scenery of the American West.
James is a 1984 honors graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts of Santa Fe. He has also attended the Parsons School of Design in New York City. Peter Ray James introduced his art to the competitive Indian Art world in the spring of 1988. Since then he has sold a little over 1,200 masks and 900 canvases. His art has been on album covers, prominent art show posters, and numerous newspaper and magazine covers.
“I am known among my Navajo people as Nahat’a Yilth Yil Wood, One Who Delivers the Message.” It is my Navajo name that braids many generations of prayers, symbolism, tradition, honor, knowledge, and love. I truly believe my destiny is to be a storyteller through my artist endeavors. I am always honored and respectful to represent my family name in my homeland and abroad”.
Gangbusters Pottery is handmade in Bozeman, Montana, USA by Ryan Mitchell. Since 2012 we have been creating highly functional porcelain pieces for everyday use. All pieces are handmade and therefore unique
Amanda from Country Girl Pottery is a passionate creative that loves all types of art including pottery, painting and photography. Growing up in beautiful Eastern Montana and playing “in the mud” as a child inspires her current works. Her motto is, “We make dirt look good!”
Gavin McClure is a self-taught Montana Artist. He has displayed work in Montana, Oregon, and New York. His work focuses on the spectrum of disintegrations. His pieces are snapshots in the flux between form and chaos. As moments in time when form distills out of chaos or disintegrates back into it.
Virgelene (Ennie) Raya grew up in Montana on the Rocky Boy & Flathead Indian Reservations & also in Great Falls. She learned the art of beadwork from her grandmother & mother at an early age. An avid beadwork artist, Ennie has participated in many art shows throughout Montana. Her artistry has been featured in many regional museums, in Hollywood & nationally.
Ennie has passed on the rich cultural heritage of beadwork to her daughters, granddaughters & nieces.
I am a wildlife artist working out of Minot, ND. For as long as I can remember, capturing the beautiful reality of wildlife through art has been a huge passion of mine. My art reflects the perfect imperfection of nature. My aim is to capture the individual character and intensity of every animal while also showcasing the extraordinary beauty of wildlife.
I am proud to say my pieces have been sold to clients around the world. I plan to continue creating art and bettering my skills at every chance in the hopes of doing wildlife justice through my art.
Carolyn Rauen is an Occupational Therapist from Dubuque, Iowa, who traded in her oil painting supplies for a camera 14 years ago. Carolyn has always had a love for nature and has expressed this in her art, starting at a young age. Carolyn and her family would take trips to national and state parks as a child – this is where she developed a love for the parks and nature. Through the years, Carolyn has developed her photography skills and created her business, Natures Edge Photography. The purpose and passion for her business is to share her love of nature to others who may not be able to experience it in the way she has. Wyoming feels like a second home to Carolyn and she has frequently visited Yellowstone over the years. Through her work, she hopes to evoke a sense of peace, solace, and promote protecting our parks for generations to come. Carolyn is very excited and honored to be a spotlighted artist at Yellowstone National Park.
I am Heywood Big Day III, also known as Third, belonging to the Crow Tribal Nation with the Crow name Biimuaniisaukshaa, meaning Young Gentlemen In The Water. Raised in the traditional Crow way of life, I was surrounded by artists, notably my grandfather Heywood Sr. specializing in various Crow Indian crafts. My grandmother Mary Lou, acclaimed as the 2008 Indian Art Market artist of the year, excels in crafting Crow Indian dolls. My father Derek focused on creating war shirts, bows, quivers, lance cases, and other significant pieces, while also managing Prairie Rose gallery in Cody, Wyoming. Immersed in this artistic environment, I began crafting Crow Indian dolls, purses, medicine bags, and dream catchers at an early age, with the gallery generously supporting my endeavors. As I grew, I ventured into various art forms while maintaining a strong connection to native culture. Presently, my work bridges the past and present, earning recognition both within and beyond Indian country.
My mother taught me how to bead when I was a young kid. We would bead pens, keychains and lighter covers to make money. I would sell some of them to my teachers at my elementary school in Arlee. Mt. Over the years I also was lucky to have my grandmother in-law (Dolly) show me some things also. I have gotten so much better over the years making graduation caps for my kids and any kids who did not have anyone to bead there caps. Moccasins earrings lanyards beaded bags. I enjoy beading it makes me feel at peace, Relaxes me. My mother and I have taught my kids and my grandkids how to bead. My grandmother Virginia & my mom grandma also helped my mom learn how to bead at a young age. Now she showed my kids and I how to do the same design that were her once her mothers and my Grandmothers. I will continue to show my kids and grandkids and hopefully great-grandkids to follow in my and my mothers footprints.