“Monet had his garden in Givenchy, I have the Big Crooked,” reveals Bonnie Marris. “I almost feel guilty that I paint this spot so much, but every time I go it feels like I am seeing it for the first time. It’s a real creek near my cabin in northern Michigan. It’s one of those places where the light is wonderful, the sound is wonderful and the air is magic. You can just spend hours there letting the creek flow by.

“Every time I go there is a new set of tracks from the most recent creatures to visit. Nearby, there is an active fox den. If you don’t see any when you come around, it’s a good bet that one of them just left. The creek is so crisp and clear that you can see deep into it, a great advantage for the foxes when the trout are running. I can imagine that they enjoy this place as much as I do, picking a spot to simply sit back and take it all in, just laying around listening to the Big Crooked roll.”

Bonnie Marris is recognized as one of the most important wildlife artists painting today. Her palette and style are distinctively her own, making a Marris painting identifiable from across the room. Art of the West’s November/December 2010 issue featured Bonnie as their cover story. Commenting on her blend of realistic and impressionistic painting they said,”... she wants the best of both worlds and seems to be finding it.”