April Spotlight- Les Herman

I spent my childhood exploring the rim rocks surrounding Billings, MT and teen years calling the “North Entrance to Yellowstone” Gardiner, MT home. I’ve always loved art…drawing and painting my way through childhood, high school and college. A hitch in the Army shortly after high school, I returned from Vietnam back to Gardiner. As a returning veteran, I accepted a summer job as a fire lookout on Mt. Holmes in Yellowstone Park. Later, as a wildland firefighter while going to college, I eventually received my BFA from the University of Montana. The seasonal jobs in wildland fire suppression ultimately became a full-time career with the federal government. We lived in Yellowstone for 8 years before moving to Boise.

Aviation and wildland fire suppression provided endless opportunities to travel to some of the most inspiring and beautiful places in the world. I seldom left home without a sketch pad, pen, pencils and watercolors. After 34-years of federal service I retired and entered my first plein air event in Livingston, MT. I believe that was in 2010. I was intimidated and way out of my comfort zone, but I loved it. I joined PAPI in maybe 2012. Painting outdoors is the best! Plein Air Painters of Idaho has been a huge motivator to get outdoors and paint. The ever-growing number of members is an inspiration providing opportunities to paint new places, share the experience and exchange ideas.