"The Iowa State Capitol"

"The Iowa State Capitol"

Des Moines, Iowa

Montana Thanksgiving 2015

5"x7" original watercolor

140 lbs. cold pressed paper

Arches Bright white

What a remarkable building!  The state capitol building 

in Des Moines houses the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives, 

the Office of the Governor, and the Offices of the Attorney General, Auditor,

Treasurer, and Secretary of State. 

The building also includes a chamber for the Iowa Supreme Court, 

although court activities usually take place in the neighboring Iowa Supreme Court building. 

The building was constructed between 1871 and 1886, and is the only five-domed capitol in the country. (wikipedia)

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"Farms and Wind Farms Together", Iowa

"Farms and Wind Farms Together"

Western Iowa

Montana Thanksgiving 2015

5"x7" original watercolor

140 lbs. cold pressed paper

Arches Bright white

I was thrilled to see both kinds of farms together.

We were traveling east in Iowa, heading towards Des Moines.

The countryside is beautiful and not nearly as flat as expected.

"Welcome to Iowa"

"Welcome to Iowa"

Montana Thanksgiving 2015

5"x7" original watercolor

140 lbs. cold pressed paper

Arches Bright white

It seems appropriate to tackle an Iowa painting a week before the Iowa caucus.

This is the week after Thanksgiving.  The snow was falling.

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Porter Sculpture Park, SD

"Porter Sculpture Park"

Montrose, South Dakota

Montana Thanksgiving 2015

5"x7" original watercolor

140 lbs. cold pressed paper

Arches Bright white

Huge horned head, Giant hammer???

This is the strangest thing along the highway in South Dakota.

It is visible for many miles.

Below is a photo of the park from further west.

The Sculpture Park has a web site.  It looks pretty cool.  

I will definitely stop next time I travel cross country.

http://portersculpturepark.com/

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Crossing the Missouri River in South Dakota

"Crossing the Missouri River"

South Dakota

Montana Thanksgiving 2015

5"x7" original watercolor

140 lbs. cold pressed paper

Arches Bright white

Here was my view out the passenger side of the car.  

 You can see the water edge is frozen. 

Oacoma is on the western bank of the river.

The far side is Chamberlain, SD.

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"Badlands in Snow"

"The Badlands in Snow"

South Dakota

Montana Thanksgiving 2015

5"x7" original watercolor

140 lbs. cold pressed paper

Arches Bright white

It was snowing so hard we couldn't stop at the Badlands National Park.

Here is a little sample of what the edge of it looks like.

I tried to get a snapshot from the car.  

We will have to return in the summer to see all the sights.

This is my reference photo for the painting above. 

We love those Wall Drug signs!

I must say there was very little traffic on the interstate.

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"Free Water and Five Cent Coffee"

"Free Water and Five Cent Coffee"

Wall Drug, South Dakota

Montana Thanksgiving 2015

5"x7" original watercolor

140 lbs. cold pressed paper

Arches Bright white

Here we are at Wall Drug for our free ice water and five cent coffee. 

We each got a donut and that brought the cost of our snack to about $3.00.

The donuts are pretty good.  Plain cake donuts that are made on the premises. 

It is the Sunday after Thanksgiving and the snow is piling up outside. 

The restaurant seats 520 people.  We were the only two people there.