Biography

Deb Schmit started oil painting at the tender age of 5, and exhibiting her work around the age of 12.  Her first paintings sold around this time, and from then on her passion for art grew. Her first impressions came from studying the illustrations and paintings of Frederic Remington and Charlie Russell, as she created cards and letters with cowboys and native american figures riding across the pages.

During her 20s and 30s, she worked part-time at her art, supporting herself through a wide variety of unusual jobs including; bank teller at a Japanese bank, whole-foods baker, and graphic artist.

In 1995 she began her life as a working cowgirl in Montana, where she and her husband put together the Ten Cent Ranch.  The ranch is the site of an old homestead, one of the grandest of its time, located on Bird Creek just east of Cascade.  Here they run a small cow calf operation of about 150 mother cows on 2500 acres.  Its a place of astonishing vastness, where prairie and mountains meet sky.  Square Butte and the Rocky Mountain Front are often the backdrops to many of her paintings.

Today Deb works full-time as an artist and continues to help out on the ranch.  “Its in my blood.  The inspiration I find here fuels my art, and one could not exist without the other.”

Largely self-taught, Deb’s painting style is reminiscent of 19th century American and European art.  Her work depicts rural farm and ranch life, with the people, livestock, and wildlife she encounters daily.

Deb Schmit is an award winning artist.  Her paintings have been juried into many regional and national exhibitions.  She is a member of the Oil Painter’s of America, American Women’s Artists, and the Montana Painter’s Alliance.

For a list of past and upcoming shows and events, see below.

Galleries or dealers may want to see more information on AskArt.com

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2018 – The Russell Art Auction and Sale – CM Russell Museum, Great Falls MT.  The Burden of Beauty.

2017 – Out West Art Show – Heritage Inn, Great Falls, MT.

2017 – Heart of the West Art Auction – Bozeman, MT

2017 – Montana Painter’s Alliance – Judith Basin Paint-Out and Exhibition at Trask Ranch.

2017 – Lewistown Art Center – MPA – Paintings of Judith Basin and Surrounding Area.

2016 – Heart of the West Art Auction – Coeur d’Alene, ID.

2016 – Heart of the West Art Auction – Bozeman, MT.

2016 – Hockaday Museum of Art – Montana Painters Alliance summer exhibition.

2016 – Montana Painter’s Alliance – Spring Paint-Out.

2016 – Invitation to join Dick Idol Signature Gallery, Whitefish, MT.

2016 – Lunch Pail accepted into the American Womens Artists Online Showcase.

2016 –  Art in Action – 2016 The Russell Auction and Sale to Benefit the

               C.M. Russell Museum – Meadowlark Country Club – Great Falls, MT.

2016 – Russell Art Auction and Sale – A Valiant Heart accepted by invitation.  Great Falls, MT

2015 – Dana Gallery’s Icons of the West – Jack Richeson Award of Excellence for Orphan.

2015 – The Birds Exhibition – Lovetts Gallery, Tulsa OK.

2015 – The Russell Art Auction and Sale – Malos Pollos accepted by invitation – Saturday Live Auction.

               Great Falls, MT.

2014 – The Lollipop Guild Exhibition at Lovett’s Gallery in Tulsa, OK.

2014 – The Russell Art Auction and Sale – Ceste de Flores – Friday First Strike.  Great Falls, MT.

2013 – Invitation to join Lovett’s Gallery in Tulsa, OK.

2013 – Clymer Museum Art Auction

2013 – The Russell Art Auction and Sale.  A Little Overdressed earned most bids in the silent

               auction.  Harvest Wagon accepted into the Saturday live auction.

2012 – Al Swanson Gallery – duo exhibition Untold Stories with Deb Schmit & Amy Brakeman Livezey

               Helena, MT.

2012 – The Frog Hunters accepted for the invitational Clymer Museum Art Auction.  Ellensburg, WA.

2011 – Juried into Dana Gallery – Icons of the West with Frontier Girl.

2011 – 100 Mile Radius – Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art.  Five women interpret their local

               surroundings through art.  Fran Carlson, Lisa Easton, Christine McKay, Deb Schmit

               & Laurie Stevens.  Great Falls, MT.

2011 – Invitation to join A.L. Swanson Gallery, Helena, MT.

2010 – Clymer Museum Art Auction.  Ellensburg, WA. Roping for a Wreck.

2010 – The Russell Art Auction and Sale.  A Place in the Wild.  Great Falls, MT.

2010 – Oil Painter’s of America’s Western Regional Exhibition – A Long Way Home.

               Mountain Trails Gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

2010 – Juried membership into the Montana Painter’s Alliance.

2009 – C.M. Russell Art Auction with A Soft Place to Land.  Heritage Inn – Great Falls, MT.

2009 – Big Sky Art Festival open air exhibition – Big Sky, MT.

2009 – Master’s in Minature invitational silent auction to benefit the C.M. Russell Museum.

               Included works Tail Wind and Just a Thought.

2008 – C.M. Russell Art Auction with Highland Dreams & A Passing Presence. Heritage Inn – Great

               Falls, MT.

2008 – Master in Miniature Art Auction for the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, MT.

               Accepted works: Apple Girl and Sleepy Cat.

2008 – National Lewis and Clark Trail Foundation Plein Air Paint Out and Art Auction.

2008 – Oil Painter’s of America 2008 Western Regional Exhibition.  Highland Dreams.

               Devin Galleries – Coeur d’Alene, ID

2008 – Guest artist at the Montana Painters Alliance spring paint out in Ennis and Virginia City.

2008 – Commissioned painting for the Blackfoot River Brewing Company, start of The Harvest Series.

2007 – Master’s in Miniature – Art Auction at the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls Montana.

2007 – Juried membership into Oil Painter’s of America.

2006 – C.M. Russell Quick Draw Artist

2006 – Master’s in Miniature – Art Auction at the C.M. Russell Museum.

2006 – Art for the Arts – Art Auction in combination with the Lewis and Clark Ballet – A Tremendous

               Journey preformed by the Missouri River Dance Company.

2005 – Master’s in Miniature Art Auction for benefit of the C. M. Russell Museum.

2004 – AFTA, Arts for the Arts – Benefit Art Auction for the Missouri River Dance Co. – Paris Gibson

               Museum of Art.

2004 – Big Party Small Art Exhibition – C.M. Russell Museum of Art.

2003 – Juried into C.M. Russell Western Art Auction.

2002 – Equinox Exhibition – Paris Gibson Museum of Art.

2002 – Great Falls Police Department Composite Sketch Artist.

2001 – ANA Exhibition, Holter Museum of Art.

2001 – Great Falls Police Department Composite Sketch Artist.

2000 – Tom Gilleon Oil Painting workshop.

1999 – Guest artist, Disney Imagineering Pastel Workshop with Sheila Rieman.

1999 – Guest artist, Disney Imagineering Oil Painting Workshop with Dan Goozee’.

1998 – Founding member of The Montana Art League.

1998 – Guest artist, Disney Imagineering Oil Painting Workshop with Ned Mueller.

1995 – Montana Wildflowers print series.

1990 – Honorable Mention – Montana Watercolor Society – Holter Museum of Art.

1989 – Featured Artist on the front page of Helena Independent Record – Montana Watercolor Society.

1989 – Ink Spot Award – Montana Watercolor Society – Holter Museum of Art.

1989 – Solo Exhibiton at B. Karlyn Gallery in Helena, Montana

1989 – Electrum XVII – Honorable Mention.

1988 – 2nd Place Award – Electrum XVI – featured in Helena Independent Record.

1984 – Founding member of SLAG – Seattle Library Artists Group.

1979 – 2nd place Electrum X, and tied for 2nd place (two awards.)

1978 – Electrum VIII – Honorable Mention.