The popular Artist-In-Residence program hosted by the Buffalo Bill Center of the West has drawn to a close for 2016. The annual summer program appeals to children and adults alike. In-gallery residencies provide visitors a chance to observe artists at work, ask questions of artists about their processes and influences, and gain new perspectives on the Center’s collection of western American art.
During the summer, the Center typically hosts 3-4 resident artists to work in the gallery. In 2016, Julie Oriet was invited for a second time to participate in the Artist-In-Residence program. Oriet was born and raised outside of Bozeman, Montana, but now calls Cody, Wyoming home. As a child, she was fascinated with drawing. This early interest inspired her to become a professional artist, and she committed to her craft in 1992. Oriet primarily works in pastels to create colorful depictions of animals and landscapes, subjects drawn from her Western surroundings and her travels.
Oriet undertook her first residency at the Center during the peak of the summer season when the Center’s galleries are typically filled with children and families. She discussed her process with young guests, offering helpful tips and tricks to many a budding artist. During her September 2016 residency, Oriet interacted most with adult visitors who inquired about her practice, what inspires her, the Center and its programs, and her local perspective on the Cody and Yellowstone area. She enjoys visitors’ curiosity and, like all of our resident artists, is always happy to chat as she creates new, original works of art on site. Oriet believes the program, established over a decade ago, “is a great way for people to see the [art making] process and interact with the artist” and “extends the educational programming of the museum.”
Oriet’s works have been featured in numerous shows across the West, including Cowgirl Up! at the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, Arizona; Coors Western Art Exhibition and Sale in Denver, Colorado; C.M. Russell Auction and Exhibitors Show in Great Falls, Montana; Heart of West Art Exhibition and Sale at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas; and our very own Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale in Cody, Wyoming. Her works can also be found in private, corporate, and permanent collections around the world. Oriet has been featured in prominent western American art magazines, such as Southwest Art, Western Art and Architecture, Art of the West, and Western Art Collector. For more information on the artist and her work please visit her website at www.julieoriet.com.
