Videos Login Subscribe Renew E-edition
logo
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
  • News
  • Features
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Letters
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds
    • Place a Classified
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • Legal Notices
    • Read Statewide Legal Notices
  • Archives
    • News
    • Features
    • Opinion
      • Columns
      • Letters
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Place a Classified
    • Advertise
    • Contact us
    • Legal Notices
      • Read Statewide Legal Notices
    • Archives
Spotlight on the Arts: Floyd Day
Ouray County resident Floyd Day has painted nearly 1,000 cows since moving here in 2000. His work will soon be on display at the 610 Arts Collective in Ridgway. An opening reception will be at 5 p.m. Sept. 1. Photo courtesy Floyd Day
Feature
By Katie Langford Special to the Plaindealer, on August 23, 2023
Spotlight on the Arts: Floyd Day

Floyd Day’s artistic muse hasn’t always been cows, despite drawing and painting nearly 1,000 of them since moving to Ouray County in 2000.

Before moving to Ridgway with his family, before he considered himself an artist at all, Day was a civil engineer who taught himself to draw by sketching cartoons out of the newspaper. He expanded his medium from pencil to charcoal over the years, creating art whenever he had free time at home alone, and he began using pastels nearly 30 years ago after a friend gifted him a set during a month-long illness. After retiring, he began painting for at least one or two hours every day.

“I’ve always drawn nature scenes,” Day said. “I painted dogs and horses, and when we lived in South Carolina I painted water birds, herons and egrets. We came out here around 2000 and my wife started painting wild horses, so I thought, ‘I’m going to do the cows and ranches out here.’” Day was drawn to cows – specifically the beef cattle that graze on ranches throughout Ouray County and the San Juan Mountains – because of their unique personalities, which shine through whether they’re strutting through fields, shaking their heads or nursing their young.

Day finds his subjects by simply driving around the county, including along County Roads 5, 23 and 24 and Last Dollar Road.

He’ll take dozens of photos of the animals that catch his eye, then drive to higher elevations to take photos of backdrops he might include in his work, before going home to sort through his photos.

Out of about 40 photos of cattle, Day will narrow it down to five or so potential subjects before painting one or two, he said.

Sometimes he comes back to the same animal several times, like a bull who is featured in four pieces in different postures. While Day isn’t secretive about his love for painting some of Ouray County’s largest residents, he hasn’t talked about his paintings with the ranchers and workers he encounters out in the field. He doesn’t even share which ranches the cows are from – until now.

At an upcoming show at the 610 Arts Collective, Day said he will highlight the different ranches his muses come from, which include Fisher Ranch, Wolf Cattle Co., Weber Ranch, Last Dollar Ranch and Ferguson Family Ranches. The show will also include pieces featuring local wildlife such as elk, moose, bighorn sheep and turkeys.

“This show is my impression of our area. We’re kind of divided between mining, hiking and jeeping and ranching, and I think the ranching area is a really fantastic place between the cows, horses, elk and deer. It’s a beautiful place,” Day said.

The show opens at 5 p.m. Sept. 1 at the gallery at 610 Clinton St. The opening reception is free to attend.

Smoke blankets Ouray County as wildfires burn in region
News
Smoke blankets Ouray County as wildfires burn in region
By Mike Wiggins 
July 11, 2025
Heavy smoke and haze choked Ouray County for a second straight day Friday as a series of wildfires churned through tinder-dry trees and brush in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah. The Colora...
this is a test
Signs of trouble in Ouray
Main, News...
Signs of trouble in Ouray
City halts production after public backlash over size, appearance of wayfinding signs
By Mike Wiggins mike@ouraynews.com 
July 9, 2025
Ouray business owners and residents threw up a symbolic stop sign in front of the city council on Monday, urging city leaders to pause or altogether abandon plans to install dozens of new wayfinding s...
this is a test
Go Fourth and celebrate
Main, News...
Go Fourth and celebrate
July 9, 2025
The crowd cheers as a fire department tanker truck sprays the wet side of the street during the July 4 parade in Ouray. Ouray Tourism and Destination Marketing Director Kailey Rhoten said cellular dat...
this is a test
Main, News...
County scrambles to pay for road repairs from rockfall
Leaders pull from multiple sources to cover $300,000 tab, look to replenish emergency fund
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
July 9, 2025
Ouray County is scraping together money to pay for emergency repairs on County Road 361 while looking for ways to replenish its emergency fund in anticipation of other disasters. During a work session...
this is a test
News
Hot Springs moves forward with upgrades
Council OKs bathhouse design contract; pipeline replacement, heat exchange system on tap this fall
By By Lia Salvatierra and Mike Wiggins lia@ouraynews.com mike@ouraynews.com 
July 9, 2025
A series of much-anticipated upgrades to the Ouray Hot Springs Pool is coming together, with the city beginning infrastructure replacements this fall and searching for ways to pay for building a new b...
this is a test
News
Foyster named to Planning Commission
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
Pam Foyster of Ridgway has been appointed to the Ouray County Planning Commission with her term ending April 30, 2028. Foyster, a semi-retired nurse, also serves on the Ridgway Planning Commission. Bo...
this is a test
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Editor Picks
News
Woman rescued from Ouray Via Ferrata
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
A 42-year-old Denver woman was rescued on July 3 after she fell and broke her leg while climbing in the Ouray Via Ferrata, according to the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team. The woman was climbing the upstr...
this is a test
News
County pauses changes to event center fee schedule
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
Fees to use the Ouray County 4-H Event Center and Fairgrounds will not change for now. Ouray County commissioners decided Tuesday to hold off approving a new fee schedule until they better understand ...
this is a test
News
Sex assault trial reset for January
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
The trial of a man accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in 2023 has been rescheduled for January. Seventh Judicial Chief District Judge Cory Jackson scheduled an eight-day trial to begin ...
this is a test
News
County OKs relocation of Log Hill mailboxes
By Plaindealer Staff 
July 9, 2025
Ouray County commissioners unanimously approved a plan Tuesday to relocate a series of mailboxes for Fairway Pines subdivision residents on Log Hill Mesa. The board approved a memorandum of understand...
this is a test
A patriotic way to celebrate the Fourth
Columns, Opinion...
FROM THE PUBLISHER
A patriotic way to celebrate the Fourth
By Erin McIntyre 
July 9, 2025
"Are you the newspaper? Are we gonna be in the paper?" These are questions I hear when people see me taking photos at parades. I usually shrug my shoulders and smile, because the truth is I don't know...
this is a test
Facebook

Remote-triggered avalanche in San Juan Mountains

First responders receive first COVID-19 vaccines

Ouray County Plaindealer
Office address:

195 S Lena St. Unit D
Ridgway, Colorado 81432
970-325-4412

Mailing address:
PO Box 529
Ridgway CO 81432

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 Ouray County Plaindealer

  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Accessibility Policy