Probably because of a life-long love of art and an awe of artistic talent, I was stopped by a display of school kids’ drawings in a bank lobby about 23 years ago. Among those art works from Peterson Grade School was an excellent rendition of a bighorn ram, so I stood and studied it. Got to wondering if the boy who drew it had ever actually seen a wild bighorn. Perhaps it was an early association with the Big Brothers organization, but for some reason I had to find out about that young artist.

A call to the teacher revealed the boy had never seen wild rams, so I proposed taking him where he could have that adventure. The teacher said his pupil belonged to a hard-working single mother who watched over him very carefully, and maybe it would be best for him, the teacher, to call and assure her George Ostrom was a trustworthy person.

That’s how I came to make the acquaintance of Martha Grande and her son Brandon.

Our first trip to lofty crags of Glacier Park didn’t get us close to a wild sheep, but I assured Brandon we’d find some sooner or later. We were both disappointed but had fun anyway. I had rigged up a 35 mm Nikon with a telephoto lens for him, so he was especially anxious to get some action. (This was several years before rams started hanging around Logan Pass.)

Our second trip was unforgettable. Bushwhacked up Lunch Creek to the second waterfall and spotted a band of rams high on ledges of the south face of Mount Pollock. Climbed to a goat trail above the sheep and worked to within a hundred feet. Spent several hours getting pictures of rams in the cliffs and later as they grazed near the waterfalls and on flowery hillsides at the base. Brandon got good shots and some of the ones I got have been used in books and my DVD. Maybe the best day I ever had photographing rams, and I know for sure it was the best one Brandon ever had.

Later, Brandon arranged for me to give a slide show at his school about climbing in Glacier. It was fun to throw in a few shots of his day with the rams. Didn’t see much of each other after that. Did hear about him taking art lessons at a seminar by famed wildlife artist Lee Cable, and I ran into him a few times in the early nineties at the golf course. After all these years, I didn’t know where he was or if his mother still lived here, but often thought of them.

Wonderful surprise. During a book signing at The Sportsman Ski Haus two days before the recent Christmas, suddenly there was Martha with a tall handsome young man. She asked if I remembered them, and while I was still in shock she said, “This is Brandon.” Gave them both a hug and had a warm visit.

Brandon graduated in fine art from Montana State then got accepted by the prestigious Los Angeles Art Center, getting his master’s in graphic art design with honors. He is now art director of an L.A. organization creating national prize-winning designs for brand name product clients. Brandon has traveled widely in producing his commercial design creations and appears to be going no place but up. One place where he did come down fast was at Junior National Ski Race Championships of 1999. Finished in the top 10.

Told him from the heart, “I’m proud of you, Brandon.” I feel blessed in being able to give a little boy a little boost, those 20 odd years ago.

G. George Ostrom is a national award-winning Hungry Horse News columnist. He lives in Kalispell.