Mavis “Jo” Orchard, 84, of Ten Sleep, Wyoming, said that she found inspiration for her original hide and fabric art in nature, especially on the Orchard Ranch.

“Beauty was all around us on the ranch,” Orchard said. “The art was there no matter where you looked. It was beautiful.”

Orchard had first moved to Thermopolis in 1978 to attend veterinary technician school with her young children. Instead of going to work for a veterinarian , as planned, she was wooed by local rancher, Kenny Orchard.

“I became a rancher’s wife because he told me I would probably be able to do more vet work on the ranch with the cattle than I could ever think of doing by myself or with a veterinarian,” Orchard said.

Although she had been raised in Iowa, Orchard had always dreamed of living in Wyoming

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