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Cowboy’s Quill: Russell Rowland
Published
7 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersWriter by choice
By Doug Hare EBS Staff
When he was 28 years old, Bozeman-born Russell Rowland decided to become a writer while working a desk job in the U.S. Navy. He gave himself one year to publish something. More than a decade later, in 2002, he finally published his first novel, “In Open Spaces.”
Literary critics from New York and San Francisco took notice of Rowland’s impressive debut. The quintessential ranch story, set on the unforgiving prairies and stingy soil of eastern Montana, the book examines a family’s struggle through the Depression, two World Wars, and personal tragedy with an understated elegance and astute psychological understanding.
Even with the success of his first novel, Rowland had trouble finding a publisher for the sequel, “The Watershed Years” (2007), an equally impressive book about the Arbuckle family post-World War II.
His third novel might be his best work of fiction to date. “High and Inside” (2013) follows a former Boston Red Sox pitcher who decides to move out to Montana to “get away from it all,” leaving his demons in the rear view. So the protagonist relocates to a plot of land a few miles outside of Bozeman with his three-legged dog, intent on building his own house despite any relevant experience, his demons not far behind.
Most recently, the Billings-based author published “56 Counties: A Montana Journey” (2016), a nonfiction account of visiting every county in Montana over the course of two years. It is not a travelogue by any means. More than any contemporary author, Rowland diagnoses Montana’s bipolarity, its residents’ dangerous optimism, and the ubiquitous alcoholism in a land settled by damaged souls. Rowland points out that we are consistently voted one of the “happiest” places to live, while also having one of the highest suicide rates.
With colorful characters from small, forgotten towns in the Badlands in the east to the tourist-driven ski towns, fascinating historical asides, and insights into the various industries that drive the economies across our sprawling state, Rowland has a knack for uncovering in a few short pages what makes our state so diverse and variegated, only to reveal what brings us all together under the big sky.
Of all the books I’ve picked up this year, “56 Counties” is one that explains why Montana is Montana. Hopefully, Rowland will have no trouble finding a publisher for his next book.
Doug Hare is the Distribution Director for Outlaw Partners. He studied philosophy and American literature at Princeton and Harvard universities.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
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Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome
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Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome to come, if you don’t know who to bring come alone this is a great mixer event! This is an event hosted by Big Sky OUT as we work to provide queer safe spaces throughout the community.
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