Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering Features Mountain Man art by R. G. Finney

For the first time in the 22 year history of the Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering, slated for July 19, 20 and 21 at Grand View Park in Encampment, the promotional artwork will feature the mountain man. During past years the theme has been cowboy and ranch, with last year an Indian painting.

Noted western and wildlife artist R. G. Finney of Riverside has donated his painting “Mountain Vista” to the Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering Outfit (GECGO) for use in advertising and promotion of the event. The framed print will be raffled off with the winner selected at the all-star show Saturday night.

Featured during the three-day event will be performances by a dozen talented cowboy poets and musicians, three shows, campfire jam session, rawhide and 4-H kids crafting demonstrations, quilt show, lunch and cowboy church. Daily tours of the Grand Encampment Museum are also available. A complete schedule of events will be released next week, or may be found in this publication.

This is the 19th year R. G. Finney and his wife Lynn have produced and provided art work to the sponsoring GECG Outfit. Unfortunately Lynn passed away this spring and health concerns have prevented R. G. from painting an original for this year’s gathering. However, R. G. assured the outfit that he would provide art for the event as long as any of his paintings were available.

When it came selection time for this year’s promotional art, R.G. took committee member Dick Perue to his studio, showed him dozens of paintings and said, “you may pick any one of these you want.” Perue selected one of his favorites, “Mountain Vista”, which some lucky person may win, plus a limited number of prints will be available.—see accompanying photo of “Mountain Vista” painting by R. G. Finney.