Wildlife Art

"Chief", by Robert Bateman

Yesterday my wife, son, and I visited the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming (www.wildlifeart.org). Some marvelous works there, including art by Robert Bateman, Nancy Glazier, Carl Rungius, and many others. Great stuff in a great setting at the very foot of the magnificent Teton mountain range (quite the change after the sea-level flatlands of Maryland!), overlooking the National Elk Refuge. Tons of elk and bison, bighorn sheep, and lots of great birds. (Sigh)

But our next stop, a chance visit to the Trailside Gallery in downtown Jackson, was better (www.trailsidegalleries.com/). It was exciting and literally enervating to see works by the top artists of one of the most successful genres on the planet today. Katie and the super friendly staff showed me works by Mike Malm, Dustin van Wechel, Kyle Sims, Bruce Cheever, Bonnie Marris, Michael Godfrey, and many others. They answered questions about technique, sales approach, popularity, pricing, and many other things. Oh, I tell you, I could have spent much longer there than our schedule allowed. If you ever get a chance to go, do. But go when snow hasn’t closed most of the northern roads, like they did with us. Great stuff. The gallery is in Scottsdale, Arizona too. This is not a plug for them, just a gush from an aspiring artist whose breath was almost actually taken away.

I’ve just released Welltower: Second Run, the second book in the Welltower series, to the publishers today. I should have the first proof copy in my hand within a week and will sell the book in Kindle and paperback formats soon after the reviews come back.

The Welltower books are young adult science fiction thrillers for our time with an uplifting message. Here is the description for Second Run:

Kaehl and Selda have found healing, happiness, and new friends in the utopian land of Alizon, guardian of Welltower’s secrets. They have also found new foundations for their lives and a desire to give back.

But all is not as it seems. Alizon has its enemies, too, and once more the brother and sister team must descend into the depths of Welltower to solve its deadly mysteries. Torn apart by their new missions, they quickly find themselves mired in the moral and physical decay of their dying city.

Traveling separate paths, they find new strength and abilities as they battle the Tower’s corrupt elite, racing for their lives against disease and unexpected disaster in the looking-glass world called Welltower.

Lester Yocum’s books, including “The Christmas Orange” and "Welltower: First Run" are available on Amazon. For more details, see my website.