When the Trail Was Long Between Camps 1901

Charles M. Russell’s watercolor, ink and gouache on paper depicts a Native American tribe migrating across an arid landscape. The washes of color are so delicate, like veils, that you can imagine Russell layering them one by one, coaxing the scene into being. I wonder what it was like for Russell, an outsider, to paint this scene? He was very interested in capturing the spirit of the Old West and the lives of the people who lived there. Those browns and tans feel like the real deal. The figures on horseback create a strong diagonal line across the composition. The horses aren't just standing there; they're moving, walking through it. They suggest an intention, direction, and purpose. And, there is something so fragile and ephemeral about the scene. It makes you think about how painting, like life, is always changing, always in motion. We never really arrive. Each piece, like each moment, is a step on the way.