For the past 10 years she has been traveling throughout the western United States sketching, painting, interviewing and photographing cowgirls. As the American West undergoes transition and transformation Lynda has been tirelessly committed to preserving the spirit and stories of western ranch women and cowgirls so that these important yet vanishing pages of history would not be forgotten. A book and exhibition of her artwork and interviews will be the culmination of a decade-long project.

In the mid-80's her watercolors were recognized by Millard Sheets, renowned artist of the California School. Sheets juried a competition and awarded the sweepstakes prize to Lynda for a watercolor portrait. He subsequently arranged solo shows, generating sales of her work and the teaching of workshops.

Throughout the 70's and 80's Lynda gained a reputation as a portrait painter. Her commissioned portraits, among many others, included five presidential portraits for the University of Oregon. In 1991 one of her watercolor portraits received the Gold Medal of Honor from New York Knickerbocker Artists.

Lynda is married to Pulitzer-prize winning photographer Brian Lanker and is the mother of three children, all of whom are involved in the arts.