31 Jul Subtleties

You know, Josh is just different. He’s not painting things. He’s trying, in his own way, to create poetry,” says Bill Rey, owner of Claggett/Rey Gallery in Edwards, Colorado, who waxes poetic himself when describing the work and philosophy of Montana-based artist Josh Elliott. “In his paintings, the edge of the shadow is where the beauty is, not the shadow itself. It’s the subtleties of water and the perception of wind or of bird life or of virga, the rain falling. He’s looking for the subtle changes, and he’s painting those.”

It’s hard to put a finger on what it is that makes Elliott’s paintings so entrancing, but they are. They depict the beauty of a scene while capturing the feeling it evokes. His work speaks to the senses — the frigid water of a mountain stream, the stultifying heat of the desert at noon, the fresh feel of a sudden downslope wind — in a way that seems almost magical.

Tangible History, Citadel Rock | OIL ON CANVAS | 30 X 30 INCHES

That magic isn’t magic at all, of course, but rather the deft skill Elliott brings to the canvas, both in composition and technique. He believes that the best paintings capture the essence of the natural world, filtered through the artist’s lens. “Although [my paintings] are representational and you can see specific locations that I painted, I’m not aiming at mimicking nature or just trying to paint a realistic scene,” says Elliott. “There are other motivations behind it, and I use the artist’s tool kit of shape and value and color [to achieve those objectives].” 

As the third in a lineage of artists, Elliott has been adding to that “tool kit” from a young age. His grandfather studied with Grant Wood, and his father, Steve Elliott, left a successful career as an emergency room doctor in Billings to become a regarded wildlife painter. “I just kind of grew up with it,” says Elliott. “I never really considered it as a profession; I don’t think I considered what I was going to do with my life at all when I was a kid.”

However, when he headed off to college, it was the art section of the course catalogue that caught his eye. “I must not have had an advisor,” Elliott says, “because three-quarters of my classes were art classes.” After moving around to a few different schools — first Colorado State, then the University of Idaho — he landed at Montana State University to study film. “But I was painting on the side, and the more I was painting outside, and the more I was learning about the film industry, the more I decided I’d rather be a painter,” he recalls. “There are just less people in the way, and it’s all your ideas, and you’re outside all the time.”

Among Giants, Blackfeet Nation | OIL ON CANVAS | 18 X 54 INCHES

Elliott focused on plein-air painting almost exclusively for several years before realizing that to develop his ideas more fully, he would need to start working indoors as well. “Most of my work is in the studio now, at least the work that I sell. If I paint outside now, it’s all for me … it’s just to get back to the joy of expression and really enjoying the process.”

Rey sees that joy and wonder in Elliott’s work. The gallerist attributes the painter’s prowess to his ability to be fully present and confident in his expression. “When I look at his work, I don’t feel like he’s rushed for time. He’s creating his own beauty, chasing the ideas in his head with his photos, his sketches, his references, his memories. He’s trying to create a piece that matches his original intention. I know that’s easy to say, but it’s very hard for artists to do because, typically, the idea in their head is never fully achieved when they paint. But I think Josh comes pretty close.”

Although several major galleries throughout the West now represent Elliott, his relationship with Rey dates back to 2003, when Elliott was attempting to launch his career as an artist. “Nobody in that world was really giving him the time of day, and he was getting frustrated,” recalls Rey. But Rey already had a relationship with Steve, Elliott’s father, and he trusted him to offer an honest assessment of his son’s work. “I said, ‘Well, you know good art. You guys pick seven good pieces and price them and send them down to me, and I’ll take a look.’” In short order, it became clear that the gamble would pay off.

Beauty From Ashes, Red Eagle Mountain | OIL ON CANVAS | 28 X 32 INCHES

“Just by chance, we had some very seasoned collectors walking through the gallery on the day we were looking at all seven of Josh’s pieces, and they said, ‘Well, who’s this?’” Rey remembers. “And we explained the situation, and they looked at the pieces for a minute and said, ‘We’ll take these four.’”

Rey attributes Elliott’s success to his talent and clear dedication to the work, but also his capacity to learn from other artists, especially painters like Dave Smith, John and Terri Moyers, Wayne Wolfe, and Jim Morgan. “He’s very open to their teachings, constructive criticism, and knowledge, and very good at applying the things he’s learned,” says Rey. He recalls talking with John and Terri Moyers and how they remarked that they had never seen someone so young 
“hear what they had to say and actually apply it and move forward … because in order to truly learn something, you have to fail with it and succeed with it and do it over and over. But Josh has the ability to be patient and really think about what he’s been offered.”

Melville Church | OIL ON CANVAS | 18 X 36 INCHES

Elliott credits his mentors and also gives a nod to the long history of artists who’ve come before him. “I have a fairly big art library, and I go through there to get inspiration and to see other people’s unique takes.” He also recognizes the landscape as it truly is, rather than an idealized vision: “I paint the beauty around us today. And sometimes that will include power lines and roads and things like that. My subject matter is what anyone would see driving around the West.”

In fact, this is often precisely what he does — drive around to paint or sketch — and he believes Montana is a perfect place for it.
“I’ve painted in a lot of different states, and some places are not as friendly toward people out enjoying nature. In Montana, people aren’t upset that you’re near their property; they’re mostly just curious. So, when I’ve been out painting with a friend on a ranch road, the rancher will come out and ask, ‘What are you guys doing out here?’ And we tell him we’re painting, and he still scratches his head, and then we say we’re just doing what Charlie Russell did. And then it clicks.” 

In Between Winter and Spring | OIL ON CANVAS | 35 X 32 INCHES

Those ranches and ranchers are all part of the world Elliott captures in his paintings: the barns, outbuildings, machinery, and cold morning chores, an homage to the labor that sustains us. “I’ve had ranchers look at those paintings and say, ‘That just looks like work!’ And maybe they don’t quite see the beauty in it, but it’s a celebration of the work that farmers and ranchers do and an acknowledgement that they feed us.”

It’s the poetry that Rey references, the way Elliott’s work points to the parts of the world that resonate deep within us and says, “Look! See?” The shadow within the shadow. The gesture of grass in the wind. The colors of dusk in winter. To capture all of that in oil and canvas is no small feat. But to hear Elliott tell it, it’s simple: “I just think that we live in a great time. There’s still a lot of beauty out there, and I’m just here to celebrate it.”

Fishing Perch | OIL ON CANVAS | 26 X 24 INCHES

Melissa Mylchreest is a freelance writer and artist based in western Montana. When she’s not at her desk or in the studio, she can be found enjoying the state’s public lands and rivers with her two- and four-legged friends and family.