Denise came to Jay as a model a little differently than most of his faces for the Quick Draw. The band Cowboy Celtic (formerly Great Western Orchestra) played in Great Falls early in 1999. We went to see them in a tiny theatre on main street where Denise was the lead female singer, dressed in a beautiful hat, long skirt, and tall boots. Jay was captivated. He bought the cassette tapes sold by the band and sent me on a mission to invite Denise to sit for him at The Calgary Stampede. It was not hard for me to arrange. Denise and Dave Wilkie lived in the town of Turner Valley, Alberta, where I had come from.

“Denise was a great model. She sings really well, and she was fun to work with. I bought the tapes of her band and have played them over and over as Lynn and I travelled up and down the highways from Calgary to Santa Fe. When I finished the Quick Draw of her, we bought bottle of good red wine and ended the night laughing and telling stories with friends.“

– Jay Contway