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Elliot Eaton, Montana Artist

Numerous stories have been told about Elliott Eaton, however the best one was from the Salt Lake City Tribune. The SLC Tribune was covering the 1999 Charlie Russell Art Auction in Great Falls, and their on the ground correspondent, Nancy Hobbs, was describing to her readership the “Quick Draw” process and auction: 

A high point for many attending the auction is the "Quick Draw" event that challenges a dozen artists each night to create a work of art from a blank canvas, a pile of clay or an old weathered log. In 30 minutes. With throngs of people watching over their shoulders as they work. The results are miraculous, especially to the unartistically inclined who watched the silk being spun.

Eaton started with a blank sheet of paper and a vase of three delicate irises, and ended up with a vibrant watercolor bouquet, full of his trademark red poppies. He took a few minutes to frame it, walked around the ballroom showing it to potential buyers, and within an hour of finishing, saw it auctioned for a quick $1,000. Eaton volunteered his time, materials and 100 percent of the auction price to the C.R. Russell Museum.

Eaton began drawing and painting in his early teen years in Billings. He studied at Eastern Montana College (AKA: MSU-B) and in the early 1980s moved to Red Lodge and then to Roscoe to be closer to his subject matter. His early years were influenced by the Billings artist Leroy Green and his college art professor Ben Steele.  Additionally he has taken workshops from the who's who in watercolor expertise: Frank Webb, Zoltan Zabo and Charles Reid.  

Eaton was one of the original five artists that started the Stillwater Society in 1985. The five local Montana artists met occasionally for mutual support and to view one another's works-in-progress.  Likewise they shared ideas and worked to promote and exhibit their artworks in rural settings.  Over the years the group has grown and diminished, but is still active.

Eaton is best known for his Montana landscapes (in both watercolor and oils) that includes his favorite scenery: the Beartooth Mountains, the East Rosebud area, Paradise Valley and the beautiful streams and landscapes around the mountains and foothills. In addition to landscapes he is highly recognized for his floral scenes, as shown below. This outdoor painting entitled “Spring Riches” includes a batch of flowers that has arrived after a long winter. Frequently, Eaton’s floral paintings are a cross between the essence of flowers and abstraction, as he takes vague areas and adds details. 

"Spring Riches"
Watercolor on Paper
Signed LLC: Elliot Eaton

In Eaton’s watercolor above - he combines yellow columbine, striped petunias and red and white peonies.  The ingredient of red peonies provides a central focal point and highlights the adjacent striped petunias. The yellow columbines with their long orange stamens extending beyond their petals creates an area of interest in the upper left corner. Surrounding the columbines and white azaleas are sage leafy greens that anchors the composition and works to extenuate the flowers. All the while the white peonies serve as a border and frames the composition. Eaton’s understanding of design and composition means that he can deliver this work spontaneously within minutes.

Eaton creates his paintings as if he is putting entries into his daily diary.  He records his visits across the state of Montana and its changing weather.  By painting spring flowers he documents the changes from a long gray harsh winter to bright spring vibrancy.  The spring colors guide the flamboyancy of his brush work which captures the joy of longer warmer days yet cool evenings.  He is known for sharing his enthusiasm as well as his skills and talents with others that are interested in his watercolor techniques. These observers and students watch him throw paint and water on the paper using spontaneous creativity. It is with his dramatic gestures he quickly turns a piece of watercolor paper into a masterpiece.  Creating masterpieces time and again.  

Documentation and References:     

Example of Signature

  • Hobbs, Nancy, staff writer for Salt Lake Tribune, Legacy at Auction Collectors gather every March in Great Falls, home of the original cowboy artist, Newspaper March 28, 1999.
  • Webb, Jaci, Staff Writer for the Billings Gazette, Weekly Webb: From poppies to stormclouds, Eaton paints what he loves about Montana, Newspaper November 7, 2014.
  • Unnamed Staff Writer for the Billings Gazette, Stillwater Society artists present works, Newspaper February 24, 2005.
  • Website: Carboncountydepotgallery.org/news-events/newsroom.html/article/2023/06/23/elliott-eaton-quick-finish-artist-for-art-in-the-beartooths 
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©2023 Waller-Yoblonsky Fine Arts Blogspot
Waller-Yoblonsky Fine Art is a research collaborative, working to track artists that got lost and overlooked due to time, changing styles, race, gender and/or sexual orientation. Our frequent blogs highlight artists and art movements that need renewed attention with improved information for the researcher and art collectors. The blog was created by Mr. Waller and all written materials were obtained by the Fair Use Section 107 of The Copyright Act - for educational purposes only. #waller-yoblonskyblogspot #walleryoblonskyblogspot #ElliotEatonWatercolors  #ElliotEatonArtist #ElliotEatonMontana
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