Donna Ridgway Artist
This was the website of the self taught fine artist Donna Ridgway, who paints horses, as well as both wild and domesticated animals. This site evolved over the years and is a testament to an artist who remains passionate about her work.
Donna was born into a family who lived on a ranch in the Rocky Mountain Front near Dupuyer, Mt. She has lived her whole life on a ranch, working with animals. As a result they became not only her friends, but also the subjects for many of paintings. Isolation on the ranch made her a self taught artist, resulting in work that is unique. She paints many subjects using inspiration generated by photos she and her husband take.
If you are interested in her work go to her current website at: http://en.artscad.com/@/DonnaRidgway or https://www.redbubble.com/people/montanaartist
The content below is from this site's 2006-2007 archived pages.
Montana Horse Gallery
Donna Ridgway
4 Flora Lane
Vaughn, Mt. 59487
Art is our memory of love.
The most an artist can do through their work is say, let me show you what I have seen, what I have loved, and perhaps you will see it and love it too.
(Annie Bevan) *
Welcome to Montana Horse Art Gallery
Equine art by Donna Ridgway
Painting animals and scenery with a generous dash of color and light, Donna Ridgway creates art in her Vaughn, Mt studio. A self taught artist, Donna uses complementary color schemes, coupled with a play of light against dark, to create an element of drama in her work. Coming from a family that homestead on the Rocky Mountain Front, her ranch life background influences her choice of subjects. Her enthusiasm for her work spurs her on to create many paintings each year.
Freedom. Isn't that what wildlife art is all about? We love to see the wildlife in their natural state. There's a majesty in seeing a bull elk with a huge rack of horns, he's king of the forest! I also enjoy seeing the does, the cow elk, the calves and fawns. I'm fortunate to live in a state where wildlife abounds. I can get photos to work from, and see the actual animals in the wild. Seeing them helps me to portray them with realistic abandon. Start your collection today!
Original Art, "a most treasured gift!"
Soon I shall go to sleep,
in hopes of seeing him again. His intelligent soft eyes, his elegant head. His soft heart, and his four legs. For my horse is a dream, a dream of the making. ~Lindsay Turcotte
If you'd like to learn more about becoming an artist, I've included Free Art Lessons on this site.
I create ACEO cards. These cards are 2.5X3.5 inches in size. You'll see links to your right to ACEO cards according to their subject matter. There are prints and originals for sale and there are hundreds of images to choose from. Each category link will lead you to many pages of horses, dogs, cats, cows, or wildlife art. Take your time and enjoy them all! Bookmark the site so you can easily return.
Creating Equine Art
The first things you need to know about becoming an equine artist are some basic rules about image use. As an artist you must learn to work using live subjects, capturing your scenes, or using a camera to take your own photos. Your unique way of seeing the world of the horse shines through when you use your own reference materials. Another way to create an image, is to call upon your imagination. Let it flow and see what appears on the canvas or paper.
Artist's also find images, by purchasing the rights to photos or pictures that belong to someone else. It's perfectly acceptable and legal to use images if you purchase rights. You may also ask permission when you find a photo you like, some people will allow you to use their photos for free. Becoming a member of certain organizations and contributing to their member reference libraries gives you the right to use other members reference photos. Two such art related organizations are the Equine Art Guild and Wet Canvas.
There are other sites on the web, where you can recieve help in your quest for learning to paint, these two above, happen to be the two I belong to at this time. At both organizations, you'll have help with any problem that arises. Artists there are happy to assist you with information about supplies, mediums, techniques and encouragement. There's a fee to join the Equine Art Guild, Wet Canvas is free at this time. Both organizations accept you at the skill level with which you paint at this time. You don't have to be famous or skilled to join.
If you choose to paint human subjects with famous horses, be sure to obtain a model release. Images of some people and horses are legally protected against use. It's wise to ask permission before you begin to paint these subjects.
Copyright law might seem complicated. It becomes very simple if you remember this basic rule. Don't copy another person's work. Use your own reference materials! You'll hear from some sources it's permissible to copy a work if you "change it 10%". Don't do it. It isn't legal. Use your own materials! I can't stress this enough. Think of it this way, would you want someone else copying your work? You won't be considered a serious artist, if you don't gather your own sources for your work.
You don't have to own a horse to become a great equine artist. Perhaps you work with horses and have endless ideas coming your way for your art. Many artists I know go to the track, parades, rodeos or other equine events to gather material for creating their paintings. Perhaps you have a friend or neighbor who's willing to allow you to photograph their horses. I like to drive around the countryside taking photos of horses I find along the way. I'm careful not to disturb the horses or try to get close to them, I take the photos from a distance. This method gives me natural looking poses of horses in their environment.
Many factors enter into becoming an equine artist. First and foremost, is the image you create and how you come upon it. In following articles, I'll post lessons, with examples, on how to draw and paint horses.
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Inspired: My love for wildlife and horses has long inspired my admiration for Donna Ridgway's art. Her work captures the spirit of these themes so beautifully that they’ve profoundly influenced my own creative journey. This passion also led me to study at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where I met Rue Sakayama, an extraordinary artist whose talent continues to shine. Rue is a Providence-based photographer specializing in stunning portrait and architectural photography. Her work has been featured in numerous galleries across Providence and nearby cities, earning her well-deserved recognition. Beyond her art, Rue is a pillar of support for other working artists, fostering a vibrant creative community. Providence itself thrives as a hub for art, with RISD playing a central role. Many of its graduates, like Rue, stay rooted here, contributing as educators, creators, and collaborators within the thriving artistic ecosystem. This interconnected network of artists and their enduring dedication to creativity is one of the many reasons I’m proud to be part of this community.
Thank you, Donna Ridgway, for the inspiration. [Dina Holloway]
~~~
POSTS
Shows for 2007
On Feb 2nd, Robert and I are First Friday artists at Studio 706 Artist Guild in Great Falls, Mt.
We'll be exhibiting at the Charlie Russell art show in Great Falls, in March with Studio 706 at the High Plains Heritage Museum.
I'll have two paintings in the Equine Art Guild show, The Artist's Muse. In this online show, the members of the guild are painting horses that have had special meaning in their lives. I've painted my horse Class. She's a retired thoroughbred race horse named Crescent Lass, but we call her Class for short. She's gorgeous.
In April, Robert and I will be exhibiting at a gun show in Great Falls, Mt.
I was invited to exhibit 3 paintings at the History Museum in Great Falls, for their April show. The museum director chose, Here I Come, Girls' Night Out, and Her Ears are Up, to be included in the show.
Will be exhibiting in CAG member show, Dogs just want to have fun, WWAO member show, "Summer" theme, and Reflections, EAG member show. All in 2007.
Robert participated in the Lewstown,Mt, cowboy poetry gathering, Aug, 2007. We'll be at the Chokecherry Festival there September 8th.
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Impressions of the horse, by DAW
Me with Jack, a horse I used to own.
Me with Class!
Winter is my favorite time of year to go out on a four wheeler. I love being in the woods alone in the snow and the trees. There's nothing like the peacefulness of it. Of course you need to wear a lot of clothes so you can stay out all day! I also carry anything I might need in case I end up spending the night out there. I was near Philipsburg when this photo was taken by a friend of mine.
The links to your left will take you to my own personal website, my blog, and my photos.
This is a page about me. Not very exciting stuff! But artists do these pages anyway. If you're at all curious about me, you can find out some things here. :) I was born and raised in Montana, lived here all my life. I've traveled the entire United States, driving semi, and I still like Montana best.
Robert and I joined our families so we have several kids and grandkids. The horse I own now is Class. She's a registered thoroughbred mare. She used to win races in Washington state. I live in Vaughn, Montana.
If you're interested in seeing my art, and you're in my area, give me a call and come by the studio. The coffee pot is always handy and I love company. You have to take my studio as you find it, I'm to busy painting to clean it every day!
I've been in some juried shows, The Equine Art Guild International Show for two or three years in a row, where one of my paintings won a first place award. The Western States Horse Expo, for two years. I've had a one woman show in St Luke's Hospital in Ronan, Mt.
Exhibited at the Charlie Russell with Studio 706, 2006 in the Heritage Museum. Will do so again in 2007.
I was featured artist on the Creative Spotlight newsletter, 2006. Accepted into the Newton Fine Arts Small and Miniature show, Newton, Kansas, 2006. In the Newton show, one of my paintings won a second place award.
Two of my paintings were used by the CAPS art auction in their advertising for the October 2006 fundraiser. Even though my art is not yet on the auction page, I did send several pieces there. The Good Bay Mare, and red, white and Blue were in the advertising.
Exhibiting in the Equine Art Guild online show, Interpretations, in October, 2006.
Juried into World Wide Women Artists Online, 2006. Joined EBSQ, a group of self representing artists online.
I feel this way about my art, it can be included in awards and shows and I'm glad. But what really matters to me, is to have my work speak to your heart. When you look into the eyes of a beautiful horse, and see into their soul, I'm pleased. If you see a horse in a pasture in a relaxed, easy pose, and you can imagine the of feel the sun on your own back, I'm happy. If you share a love of animals and through my art, you feel their presence, I'm happy.
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Wildlife Paintings
Peekaboo Bear
Original Wildlife Art<
Watercolor
Sold.
Hoover, A Sparrow
Original Wildlife Art
Oil Painting, 12X16.
$340.00
Chipmunk
Original Wildlife Art
Oil Painting, 8X10
$50.
Wildlife ACEO Paintings,
Original watercolor<
sold.
Mouser
ACEO Wildlife Paintings,
Original Watercolor
Sold
Digger
Wildlife ACEO Painting, Original Watercolor,
Sold
More Background On MontanaHorseGallery.com
MontanaHorseGallery.com represents more than a single artist’s website; it stands as a snapshot of early 2000s independent art culture on the internet, a deeply personal expression of rural life in the American West, and a long-running digital archive devoted to the bond between humans, animals, and landscape. At its core, the site functioned as the primary online home of equine and wildlife artist Donna Ridgway, whose work grew directly out of a lifetime spent on ranch land near Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front.
During an era when many artists were only beginning to explore online platforms, MontanaHorseGallery.com offered a rare combination of fine art gallery, personal journal, educational resource, and rural cultural document. Its content, tone, and structure reflect a period when artist-run websites served as both storefronts and intimate windows into the creative process.
This article examines MontanaHorseGallery.com in depth—its origins, ownership, location, artistic focus, audience, reception, cultural significance, and continuing relevance as an archived creative resource.
Ownership and Artistic Stewardship
MontanaHorseGallery.com was created, owned, and maintained by Donna Ridgway, a self-taught fine artist specializing in equine, wildlife, and animal portraiture. The site was not operated by a gallery consortium, corporate publisher, or third-party marketplace. Instead, it functioned as a direct extension of the artist herself—both professionally and philosophically.
Ridgway’s stewardship of the site was notable for its independence. Content was written in her own voice, images were presented without commercial gloss, and educational materials were offered freely. This approach aligned with a broader ethos common among rural artists at the time: art as lived experience rather than institutional product.
The site listed a physical studio address in Vaughn, Montana, reinforcing the tangible reality behind the digital presence and emphasizing personal accessibility rather than anonymity.
Geographic Setting and Sense of Place
MontanaHorseGallery.com was inseparable from its geographic context. Donna Ridgway lived and worked in Vaughn, Montana, a small rural community located north of Great Falls and within reach of the Rocky Mountain Front—one of the most ecologically rich and visually dramatic regions in the state.
This proximity to open rangeland, wildlife corridors, and working ranches directly influenced the subject matter featured on the site. Horses, elk, deer, bears, cattle, and domestic animals appeared not as romantic abstractions but as familiar presences. The site conveyed a lived intimacy with animals shaped by daily work, seasonal rhythms, and long periods of rural isolation.
The remoteness of the setting also explains the artist’s self-taught path. Without easy access to formal art institutions or urban galleries, Ridgway developed her techniques independently, drawing inspiration from observation, photography, and repeated practice rather than academic doctrine.
Artistic Focus and Signature Themes
MontanaHorseGallery.com centered primarily on equine art, but its scope extended well beyond horses alone. The site presented a wide range of subjects unified by a shared sensibility:
Horses in pasture, motion, and quiet repose
Wildlife native to Montana and the Northern Rockies
Ranch animals including cows, dogs, and cats
Seasonal landscapes rendered through animal presence
Intimate animal portraits emphasizing expression and posture
A recurring theme throughout the site was emotional presence. Ridgway’s writing emphasized the idea that animals possess intelligence, individuality, and emotional depth. Her paintings sought not just anatomical accuracy but what she often described as spirit or soul.
The use of complementary color palettes and dramatic light-dark contrasts gave many works a heightened sense of atmosphere. Even small formats, such as ACEO (Art Cards, Editions and Originals), were treated as complete, expressive compositions rather than minor studies.
Mediums, Formats, and Range of Work
MontanaHorseGallery.com documented work across multiple media and formats, reflecting both experimentation and practical adaptability:
Oil paintings on canvas
Watercolor works, particularly for wildlife subjects
ACEO miniature art cards
Original one-of-a-kind works and limited editions
Prints offered alongside originals
The inclusion of ACEO cards was especially significant. During the early 2000s, ACEOs emerged as a popular way for independent artists to reach collectors at accessible price points. Ridgway embraced the format not as a novelty but as a legitimate artistic outlet, producing hundreds of individual images across multiple categories.
The site’s structure allowed visitors to browse by subject matter rather than medium, reinforcing the idea that content and connection mattered more than format hierarchy.
Educational Content and Artist Advocacy
One of the most distinctive aspects of MontanaHorseGallery.com was its educational material. Ridgway devoted extensive space to free art lessons, particularly focused on equine art fundamentals. Topics included:
Ethical image use and copyright awareness
Working from personal reference photography
Drawing and painting horses accurately
Avoiding unauthorized copying or derivative work
Developing individual artistic voice
At a time when misinformation about “changing an image by 10%” circulated widely online, the site took a firm stance on artistic integrity. Ridgway repeatedly emphasized the importance of original reference material and respect for fellow artists’ work.
She also provided guidance on artist communities and peer organizations, encouraging emerging artists to seek support, critique, and shared learning rather than isolation.
Exhibitions, Shows, and Professional Recognition
MontanaHorseGallery.com documented an active exhibition schedule, particularly during the mid-2000s. The site functioned as both archive and announcement board for professional milestones.
Notable exhibitions and recognitions included:
Participation in Charlie Russell-associated exhibitions in Great Falls
Inclusion in Equine Art Guild international shows
Awards in juried exhibitions, including first- and second-place honors
Featured artist recognition in newsletters and art publications
Inclusion in museum exhibitions in Montana and beyond
The site also highlighted collaborative exhibitions with artist guilds and community organizations, reflecting Ridgway’s integration into regional art networks despite her rural base.
Audience and Community Reach
The primary audience for MontanaHorseGallery.com included:
Horse owners and equestrian enthusiasts
Wildlife and Western art collectors
Fellow self-taught and rural artists
Online ACEO collectors
Visitors seeking art education resources
Unlike high-end gallery sites aimed at elite collectors, MontanaHorseGallery.com appealed to a broad, inclusive audience. The language was conversational, welcoming, and sincere. Visitors were often invited to contact the artist directly, visit the studio, or simply browse at leisure.
The site fostered a sense of personal connection, encouraging repeat visits and long-term engagement rather than transactional interaction alone.
Press, Media, and Cultural Visibility
While MontanaHorseGallery.com was not a mainstream media property, it achieved visibility through niche art networks, online guilds, newsletters, and exhibition listings. Its strength lay in sustained presence rather than viral exposure.
The site’s documentation of awards, juried shows, and museum inclusions served as a form of self-curated press archive. In this way, MontanaHorseGallery.com functioned as both portfolio and résumé, preserving professional history that might otherwise have been scattered across ephemeral listings.
Cultural and Social Significance
The long-term cultural value of MontanaHorseGallery.com lies in its role as a digital artifact of early independent artist web culture. Before social media platforms centralized artistic visibility, sites like this allowed artists to define their own narrative, pacing, and presentation.
Socially, the site affirmed the legitimacy of rural voices in contemporary art. It countered assumptions that meaningful artistic production required urban centers or formal credentials. Instead, it demonstrated how isolation, observation, and lived experience could produce work of emotional resonance and professional recognition.
The site also contributed to the preservation of Western animal imagery at a time when working ranch culture was increasingly marginalized or romanticized without nuance.
Evolution, Archival Status, and Legacy
MontanaHorseGallery.com evolved over time before eventually becoming inactive as a primary platform. Like many early artist-run websites, it was later preserved through web archiving rather than continuous maintenance.
The artist’s work continues to appear on newer platforms and marketplaces, reflecting broader shifts in how artists distribute and monetize work online. However, the original site remains uniquely valuable as an integrated archive—combining artwork, essays, lessons, exhibition history, and personal reflection in a single cohesive space.
For researchers, collectors, and cultural historians, the archived pages provide insight into:
Independent art marketing before social media
Rural artistic identity in the early digital era
Ethical discourse around reference use and copyright
The intersection of animal art, education, and community
Why MontanaHorseGallery.com Still Matters
Even years after its active period, MontanaHorseGallery.com continues to matter because it represents authenticity. It documents an artist’s voice without algorithmic filtering, institutional mediation, or commercial pressure to conform.
The site stands as evidence that art websites can be both professional and personal, educational and expressive, grounded in place yet accessible globally. Its legacy endures not just in the paintings it showcased, but in the values it articulated: respect for animals, respect for artistic integrity, and respect for the slow, observant life that informs meaningful creative work.