Current Artists
Barbara Van Cleve
Barbara Van Cleve is internationally renowned for her depictions of contemporary western ranch life. As a fifth-generation Montanan raised on the eastern slopes of the Crazy Mountains, Barbara has an unparalleled view of life in the west. Growing up on a ‘dude ranch’ allowed Barbara to experience the true essence of the western lifestyle that she adores. Her love for the lifestyle began as soon as Barbara could swing her leg over the back of a horse. Her passion for photography followed once she could get her hands on a camera. While the spirit of the west is nearly impossible to replicate, Barbara has dedicated her life to capturing images that give viewers a sense of the west through her eyes. Barbara’s photography exhibits the west’s grit, beauty, and tranquility. Her photography can be found in public and private collections in the US and internationally. Barbara’s exceptional photography and raw experience ranching has landed her in the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Even in her 70s, Barbara’s spirit remains unchanged; the western lifestyle’s mark on her continues to inspire her to produce new images and share her viewpoint with the world.
Renee Harbers Liddell
This July, Blue Door Gallery is excited feature “Trixie & the Ranch,” Renee Harbers-Liddell’s debut solo exhibition. Trixie & the Ranch is a fictional photographic narrative about the lengths people go to belong, and the truths they discover about themselves along the way.
With forty-six large scale photographs, Trixie & the Ranch is a collection of self-portraits, still-life and landscape images. With narrative allusions, it weaves many possible stories and outcomes. Campy and tongue-in-cheek, it also explores the larger and more serious themes of loneliness, vulnerability, and, ultimately, self-acceptance.