Theme Variations—The Skyliners
Apr 17, 2025 by Tempe Javitz
Theme Variations—The Skyliners
My grandmother Jessamine began using the big skies of
Montana and Wyoming as backdrops to her photos in a
distinctive way in the early 1920s. She called them in
one of her diaries “Skyliners.” In some of these images,
the subjects of the photos (often horseback riders) were
framed by the sky and sometimes reduced to shadows. Let’s
explore how these various photographs became one of her
favorite ways to display her artistic sensibilities.
A 1922 Pack trip into the Big Horn Canyon
Jessamine stopped just in time to catch this image.
The next photo has a typical title from the early nineteen
twenties, “Sundown of the Indian.” In reality it’s Bird in
the Cloud leading her horse just east of the Medicine Wheel
in the Bighorns, as noted on the negative. The date of the
photo is August 1923.
Jessamine would often pose her subject or catch the action as
riders were outlined on a ridge top or high in the mountains
so the sky would fill a large portion of the photo.
The next photo from August 1931 has amazing scenery and a single
figure gazing, probably in awe of the surroundings. It makes you
want to “step into” the photo and be there to absorb the majesty
of the mountains and the sky. We don't know the young lady's name.
At the top of the Bighorns with Cloud Peak in the
distance.
Jessamine’s son Victor was captured riding down from the top of a
hill. Here he is outlined with his cowdog trailing him--a perfect
silhouette with the sky as the backdrop. It's the essence of a
young cowboy in action. Luckily, we have her notation as to whom
this is.
My favorite of all these wonderful “skyliners” was taken in 1936
near Porcupine Creek in the Bighorn Mountains, not far from Bald
Mountain. The rider is Harry Sharp, whose horse Cherry knew many
tricks. Cherry is rearing up and Harry is waving his hat while
perched on the edge of a canyon wall. Kind of takes your breath
away. I wonder how quickly Jessamine’s shutter closed to catch
this scene. You couldn’t have paid me to pose for such a picture
in such a place.
Harry Sharp on Cherry, showing off...
I hope this exploration of another ‘variation on a theme’ with
Jessamine Spear Johnson’s amazing photographic skill has
brightened your day.
While you are waiting for more tales about Jessamine and her family,
I invite you to read my prior blogs or my book.
My website has all my prior blogs.
https://tempejavitz.com/
And here is the link to order my book: https://www.sdhspress.com/books/bighorn-visions
My grandmother Jessamine began using the big skies of
Montana and Wyoming as backdrops to her photos in a
distinctive way in the early 1920s. She called them in
one of her diaries “Skyliners.” In some of these images,
the subjects of the photos (often horseback riders) were
framed by the sky and sometimes reduced to shadows. Let’s
explore how these various photographs became one of her
favorite ways to display her artistic sensibilities.
A 1922 Pack trip into the Big Horn Canyon
Jessamine stopped just in time to catch this image.
The next photo has a typical title from the early nineteen
twenties, “Sundown of the Indian.” In reality it’s Bird in
the Cloud leading her horse just east of the Medicine Wheel
in the Bighorns, as noted on the negative. The date of the
photo is August 1923.
Jessamine would often pose her subject or catch the action as
riders were outlined on a ridge top or high in the mountains
so the sky would fill a large portion of the photo.
The next photo from August 1931 has amazing scenery and a single
figure gazing, probably in awe of the surroundings. It makes you
want to “step into” the photo and be there to absorb the majesty
of the mountains and the sky. We don't know the young lady's name.
At the top of the Bighorns with Cloud Peak in the
distance.
Jessamine’s son Victor was captured riding down from the top of a
hill. Here he is outlined with his cowdog trailing him--a perfect
silhouette with the sky as the backdrop. It's the essence of a
young cowboy in action. Luckily, we have her notation as to whom
this is.
My favorite of all these wonderful “skyliners” was taken in 1936
near Porcupine Creek in the Bighorn Mountains, not far from Bald
Mountain. The rider is Harry Sharp, whose horse Cherry knew many
tricks. Cherry is rearing up and Harry is waving his hat while
perched on the edge of a canyon wall. Kind of takes your breath
away. I wonder how quickly Jessamine’s shutter closed to catch
this scene. You couldn’t have paid me to pose for such a picture
in such a place.
Harry Sharp on Cherry, showing off...
I hope this exploration of another ‘variation on a theme’ with
Jessamine Spear Johnson’s amazing photographic skill has
brightened your day.
While you are waiting for more tales about Jessamine and her family,
I invite you to read my prior blogs or my book.
My website has all my prior blogs.
https://tempejavitz.com/
And here is the link to order my book: https://www.sdhspress.com/books/bighorn-visions
