The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-10-12
CHARLES RUSSELL.
New Yorker Tells Something Of In.
terest to Montanians,

Romance5 concerning Montana and
Montana men have broken out in a
new spot. This time a writer in a
New York paper takes turn at
Charlie Russell, the cowboy artist.
Everyone who has resided in Mon
tana for many years knows Russell,
and those who know him best admire
him most and esteem him royal
good fellow as Well as a gifted genius
with the brush and pencil. Falling
into a mood in which a few facts
offered a springboarl from which the
writer vaults into the rarified atmos-
phere OF fancy, a New York newspa-
per writer hits the pipe along the fol
lowing lines and paragraphs:
They grow something more than
long horns, sheep and rustlers out in
Montana, as Dr. Seward Webb could
testify. For instance, Great Falls
boasts of an artist whose work is in
ferior to none of the famed men OF
palette and brush, whose canvasses
repose on salon walls. This eccen-
trio genius is known as Bill Rus
sell, the cowboy artist.
On one of DR.. Webb'S visits to
Great Falls his eye CHANGED to fall
on painting hanging in the hotel
where he stopped 1t was a magni
icient canvas showing pair of
mighty, long-norned bulls in deadly
grapple, while the rest of the herd
was grouped about as If laying wa
gers on the result. The contending
brutes seemed instinct with life and
fury, the earth all paved up about
thcir feet. One was half kneeling
under the fierce onslaught of the en-
cmy, the huge neck muscles buckled
in strenuous jsht.
Dr. Webb was SO impressed with
the painting that he immediately
asked the name of the artist. He
WAS answered by a mildmanered in
different seeming man in the garb of
the rough northwest. 1t was Russell
The painter discussed the canvas
with Dr. Webb and seemed pleased
| to meet a cultured critic. The latter
tried to purchase the picture, but
failed utterly. RUSSELL refused an
almost princely offer, saying he did
not paint for money, but pleasure
Nobody knows just how Russell eX-
lists. Technically he is a cowboy, but
whose outfit he belongs to has not
DctI ulHClOStb. ne viii ulSdppSdI lOl
weeks at a time. returning with some
fresh picture. AS is to be expected,
they are ever of scenes and incidents
familiar to one whose life has been
passed with rugged nature on the
frontier of civilization. He knows
every foot of the state and wanders
at will all over it. He has presented
some canvasses, which would make
a more ayaricious man full of wealth.
to friendly barkeepers to place in
their saloons.
Indeed several of the most preten-
tious cafes in Great Falls-it is
rich land and they can be well
be called pretentious-are wonder
fully lifelike and accurate picturings
of still and active life in the noun
tains and valleys of this region. His
drawings of Indians, cowboys, wild
animals, etc, in strife or at rest,
are maryels of true art Where he
| acquired his skill is not known. That
he is untutored is to be discovered
| from slight crudities which, with
brief schooling in mere technique,
could be eradicated with a sweep of
| the brush
For his own reaSOns-nO man has
been able TO CLEAN them-he has re-
| fused steadfastily to permit a paint
ing of his to travel east of Montana.
He says he paints for his friends, and
| they are of the west.