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Theof theCowboy art continues to bring historicand cultural authenticity while keepingthe romance of the Wild West alive.By John O’HernIn the 1880s when colorphotography was beingdeveloped, there was apopular printing process calledphotochrom in which black andwhite negatives were colorizedand printed using lithographicplates—often 10 to 15 tinted platesfor each image. The popularity ofthe prints was enormous. DetroitPhotographic Company producedup to 7 million prints a year.One Detroit PhotographicCompany photochrom from1898 depicts a Round up on theCimarron in Colorado. It is basedon a photograph by the painter,photographer, and explorer WilliamHenry Jackson, who made morethan 80,000 photographs of theAmerican West.In 1898, Congress approvedan act that allowed privatecompanies to produce postcardsthat could be mailed for 1 cent(letters, at the time, cost 2 cents).The London firm, Raphael Tuck& Sons, produced an image ofa fully equipped cowboy, Kingof the West, in a landscapesuspiciously like the West ofEngland.These photographs, postcards,and reproductions helped promotethe romance of the West.The art of the cowboy has beena tradition since Charlie Russell(1864-1926) and FredericRemington (1861-1909) furtherromanticized the genre. TheRockwell Museum of Western Artnotes that in paintings of the West,“The cowboy became a rescuer ofdamsels in distress or a rider forthe Pony Express, tending to justabout everything but cattle on theopen range.”Russell brought experience,knowledge, and passion to hiswork. He worked on a cattleranch and lived for awhile withthe Blood Indians in Alberta,Canada. His paintings are intimateand accurate. Some early artistsembellished the romance withcowpokes using equipment thatwasn’t used until long after theperiod the art work was intendedto represent. Members of oneIndian tribe were outfitted in thegarb of other tribes. To people inthe know, seeing a Pueblo Indianwearing a Plains war bonnet wasstartling and laughable.George Catlin (1796-1872)was born in Wilkes-Barre,Pennsylvania, and went West withGen. William Clark to exploreIndian Territory. He eventuallyvisited 50 tribes and producedR.S. Riddick, The Snowy Crossing, oil, 40 x 42"55

Frank Tenney Johnson’s When All’s Quiet sold at the Scottsdale Art Auction this past fall for $575,000.more than 500 paintings whileFrank Tenney Johnson really gotmoonlight with a startling blastwho have become well-knownassembling a large collection ofinto his work, often using hisof heat and color as the cowboyinterpreters of the West, had aartifacts. Many artists of the Westfingers as well as knives andlights a cigarette, cupping thelong career in advertising. Today,collected artifacts not only for theirbrushes to achieve what someflame against the wind.painting in his studio in Carthage,beauty but to assure the accuracyartists call “The Johnson MoonlightThe romance and the grit of theMissouri, the Tennessee nativeof the paintings they made inTechnique.” Johnson createdlife of the cowboy and the cowgirlpaints tableaux from Marktheir studios. Catlin’s portraitsillustrations for Field and Streamcontinue as a major theme inTwain holding his own aroundeven impressed the French poetmagazine, many of them featuringWestern art. Sherry Blancharda campfire with a group ofand critic Charles Baudelairehorses and riders in moonlight.Stuart, for instance, paints horsecowboys to the classic buckingwhen Catlin showed his “IndianHis work is unmistakable. Hisinspired work with cowboysbronco at a rodeo.Gallery” in Paris. “M. Catlin hasspectacular painting Whenworking today or in historical“I always remember whycaptured the proud, free characterAll’s Quiet recently brought asettings.I do paintings or drawings whenand noble expression of thesespectacular price at auction. TheAndy Thomas brings humorI see great work I admire andsplendid fellows in a masterlypainting shows Johnson’s classicand storytelling to his paintingsmy stomach swirls,” Thomas says.way,” Baudelaire wrote.horse and rider in the cool blueof the West. He, like many artists“I suppose my desire to create56

William Henry Jackson (1843-1942), Round up on theCimarron. Courtesy Library of Congress.is funneled into the area I mostadmire...painting realism.”Bill Nebeker bringsauthenticity to scenes of thehistorical West and contemporaryranch life in his sometimesmonumental bronze sculpture.He began as a whittler, becamean accomplished horseman, and,in 2009, received the ArizonaCulturekeepers Award given to“Arizona residents for makinga positive impact on the state’shistory, culture, environment and/or economy.” He was honored“for the historic and culturalauthenticity and importance ofhis bronze sculptures portrayingArizona cowboys and NativeAmericans as public monumentsin several cities, corporate offices,and private collections throughoutthe Grand Canyon State.”Sculptor Curt Mattson looksto the future. “My passion is theworld of the buckaroo and ofhorsemen and horsewomen, bothcontemporary and historic. This ismy background, combined withthe love of art and of traininghorses. It is vitally importantto me to leave a record of thebuckaroo of today, and to tell thelives of the historic horsemen ofthe West.”Raphael Tuck & Sons, King of the Plains, 1898-1924.Courtesy Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries.57

Chad Poppleton(435) 760-0311www.chadpoppleton.comLegacy Gallerywww.legacygallery.comPrice Range$2,000 to $15,000Chad Poppleton a resident of CacheValley, Utah, has been interested inart ever since he can remember. Hisinterest began while on the farm andranch with his grandfather workingwith the animals understandingattitudes and behaviors.Chad’s father, also an artist, taught himhow to draw and look at things throughan artist’s eye. Studying, sketching, lifepainting, and observing the animal’sbehavior allows him to identify theircharacteristics and relay that intothe canvas.His paintings are a reflection of hislove for the animals and the outdoors.High Wild and Free, oil on canvas, 30 x 40"58

Andy Thomas(417) 359-8787www.andythomas.comGreenhouse Gallery of Fine ArtSan Antonio, TXwww.greenhousegallery.comPrice Range$1,000 to $70,000Most of Andy Thomas’ paintings depictcowboys and characters of the 1870to 1900 era. It is important to him topaint a true image of the cowboy andhis physical world, but also to showsomething of their character.“These men cared about theirappearance. They were proud ofwhat they were, and their clothing letthe world know they were cowboys.Much of their money was spenton boots, hats and saddles. Theymostly rode range horses that weresmaller and tougher than grain-fedsaddle horses. Spending day afterday on a horse controlling a movingherd of cattle made them incrediblehorsemen…maybe the best the worldhas ever known.“The character of the cowboy isreally a reflection of their freedom.The cowboy life offered a chance toescape the rules and restrictions ofcivilized society and many youngmen took that chance. They soonfound the cost of freedom was morerisk and responsibility. Problems withrustlers, thieves, outlaws, and defiantIndians were their responsibility. Sobe it for the devil-may-care cowboy,”Thomas Remarks.High Tail to Freedom, oil, 36 x 48"The Fate of the Rustlers, oil, 48 x 36"59

Bill Nebeker CA(928) 445-7170www.billnebeker.comTrailside Gallerieswww.trailsidegalleries.comThe Hayden Hays Gallery at theBroadmoorwww.haydenhaysgallery.comGreat American West Gallerywww.greatamericanwestgallery.comPitzer‘s Fine Art Gallerywww.pitzersart.comGoodnight Trail Gallery, Mancos, COwww.goodnighttrailgallery.comMountain Spirit Gallerywww.whiskeyrow.us/mtnspirit/mtnspirit.htmlPrice Range$1,000 to $60,000Bill Nebeker has been amember of the CowboyArtists of America for 35years, has been presidentof the CAA three times, andis also a Prix de West artist,in the Autry’s Masters ofthe American West, and theEiteljorg Museum’s Questfor the West. His sculpturesare in the permanentcollections of the NationalCowboy & Western HeritageMuseum, Booth Western ArtMuseum, Eiteljorg Museumof American Indians andWestern Art, Phoenix ArtMuseum, The PhippenMuseum and several others.He is recognized as oneof the top sculptors ofcontemporary, workingcowboys and their horses,as well as intriguing andrespectful portrayals ofNative Americans.Rowdy, Rough & Rank, bronze, 32 x 26 x 18”Charles MarionRussell (1864-1926)Purchase InquiriesDuane Braaten(406) 727-8787dbraaten@cmrussell.orgPrice RangeFeatured in The Russell: TheSale to Benefit the C.M. RussellMuseum2013 Live AuctionEstimate: $550/750,000Montana can boast that itproduced one of the greatestartists in American history:Charles M. Russell (1864–1926). Although Montana wasRussell’s adopted state, hechose to live there his entireadult life. From his earliestdays as an artist to the end ofhis career, Russell depictedthe bucking bronco; it is oneof his most enduring subjects.The watercolor High,Wide and Handsomewas shown in a specialexhibition of Russell’s artat the Calgary Stampedein 1919. The title refers toa high-stepping horse—inthis work, the bucker thatRussell skillfully articulateswith surprisingly bright,complementary colors. Thework is a highlight of TheRussell Live Auction to beheld at the Best WesternHeritage Inn, Great Falls,Montana, on March 16,2013. For more informationon The Russell, please visitwww.cmrussell.org.High, Wide and Handsome, 1919, watercolor, gouache,pencil on paper, 16 x 12½”60

Sun Up, bronze, ed. of 25, 23 x 18 x 10", 2010They Called Him Jackson Sundown, bronze, ed. of 25,31 x 16 x 14", 2011D. Michael Thomas(307) 684-2347dmichaelthomas@collinscom.netGrand Teton Gallerywww.grandtetongallery.comWind River Gallerywww.windrivergallery.comHeritage Gallerywww.heritageonlinegallery.comBozeman Trail Gallerywww.bozemantrailgallery.comPrice Range$500 to $250,000D. Michael Thomas, a Wyoming native,has been sculpting for more than 30years. Working on cattle ranches instilledThomas with a love of the West and itsrich history. Raised in an artistic family,he grew up with such heroes as WillJames and C.M. Russell.Thomas has traveled throughoutthe West showing his sculptures atvarious art shows and has accumulatedmany awards. His most recent awardsinclude the 2010 Purchase Award at theCheyenne Frontier Days Art Show and Sale,and the 2010 Wells Fargo Gold Award atthe Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale in Cody,Wyoming.Over the past few years, Thomashas remained busy sculpting life-sizemonuments. Good Ride Cowboy, a lifeand-a-halfsize monument in memoryof the late Chris LeDoux, was erectedin Kaycee, Wyoming, in 2010. LeDoux,who won the National Finals Rodeo inOklahoma City in 1976, was riding thehorse Stormy Weather, which is depictedin the monument.Talk About Your Cowboy, titled from aphrase in the University of Wyoming’sfight song, is a life-size monumentnow displaying on the University ofWyoming’s campus. As an alumnus,Thomas was selected to create thesculpture for the University.Nate Champion’s Last Run, a one-and-aquarterlife-size monument, which sits infront of the Gatchell Museum in Buffalo,Wyoming, depicts Nate Champion, alocal hero during the Johnson CountyCattle War of the 1890s. Champion wasa small cattle rancher who alone held off50 gunmen for seven hours. Althoughhe was shot seven times and killed, hestopped the invasion of Johnson County.Thomas enjoys researching the historyof the West, which is reflected in hisbronze sculptures.His home and studio are located inBuffalo, Wyoming.61

Curt Mattson(623) 322-4826www.curtmattson.comBiltmore Gallerieswww.biltmoregalleries.comThe Hayden Hays GalleryAt The Broadmoorwww.HaydenHaysGallery.comPrice Range$200 to $28,000Growing up in California ina family of horsemen is thefoundation of Curt Mattson’swork. “It is a rich heritage thatI desire to share with othersand to honor those thatcontinue these traditions,”he says. “There is power in artWhen Three’s A Crowd, bronze, limited edition of 9, 20½ x 24 x 10"that expresses the passionI have for the horse and thepeople we interact withdaily that love them also.The life of the cowboy andbuckaroo is hard and requirescommitment, strength,and tenacity.” Whether itis a historical piece or acurrent day cowboy, Mattsonbelieves those constantshave not changed.John Peterson(509) 690-0286www.johnpetersonart.comPrice Range$500 to $8,000John Peterson’s passion asan artist has emerged overa lifetime of developing aGod-given talent from earlychildhood. “I can’t take allthe credit for my skills as anartist. It is a gift that I feel theresponsibility to develop,”states Peterson.His love for the outdoorsand Western history has beenthe main influence and theprimary focus of his work.Fleeing the Posse, oil on linen, 22 x 30”Peterson’s work portraysexciting and action-filleddepictions of 19 th -centuryWestern themes, emphasizingthe rugged independence ofthose who lived and traveledthrough the American Westat a time when that area wasbeing settled.62

Tom Dorr(602) 300-0926Legacy Gallerywww.legacygallery.comSouthwest Gallerywww.swgallery.comInSight Gallerywww.insightgallery.comSanders Gallerieswww.sandersgalleries.comEasin’ Em In, oil, 20 x 35”Price Range$1,400 to $20,000When Tom Dorr was 11, hisfamily moved to Coloradoand the love affair with thecowboy began. He traveledthe wild, wide-open places,gravitated toward theranching scenes, and studiedboth animals and people. Artopportunities developed forhim in a parallel way, as heconnected with a gifted highschool art teacher.When he won first place inoils at the Phippen MemorialShow and Sale in Prescott,Arizona, his career reallybegan to soar. At that sametime, galleries began sellinghis works as fast as he couldpaint. Best of all, Dorr wasfinally painting the cowboys,landscapes, and buildings hesaw in his mind.Happily making a livingwith his brushes, Dorr isadamant about accuratelydepicting the Americancowboy and preservingthat way of life. The bestcompliment he can receiveis when the cowboy he haspainted sees the work andtells him he got it just right.SherryBlanchardStuart, AwA, OPA(602) 738-4941www.sherryblanchardstuart.comOpen Range Gallerywww.openrangegallery.comSherwoods Gallerywww.sherwoodsgallery.comCaddo Trading Co.www.caddotc.comPrice Range$1,000 to $25,000Sherry Blanchard Stuartpaints both traditional andrepresentational with a richnessof color that illuminates theWest of Contention, oil on linen, 30 x 44”intensity of sunlight upon hervaried subject matter. Living inthe Sonoran Desert, her workis inspired by a love for theAmerican West and its uniquehistory.“A lifelong love for theAmerican West inspires me topaint...Figures, animals, andthe landscape all play a part inwhat I choose to paint.”63

Karen Boylan(406) 586-1564www.kboylanart.comWestern Art Gallery(605) 279-2822Price Range$1,000 to $10,000Best known for her detailedpaintings of horses andcattle, Karen Boylan’s workreflects years of ranchingwith her husband. RaisingBlack Angus cattle in theGallatin Valley outside ofBozeman, Montana, givesher endless inspiration andfuels the passion she hasfor her subjects. All heryears of ranching, countlesshorses in the saddle, and herinteraction with the cattleshe raises and the horseswith which she works havebeen invaluable in creatingthe energy and strength thatis present in her detailedpaintings.Collectors have come toappreciate the insight andintimate knowledge she hasfor her subjects.“Whether calving,branding, doctoring, or justmoving cattle,” Boylan says,“I love what I do and relishthe physical challenge as wellas the mental change that,hopefully, gives freshnessand new life to my paintings.”A Lot of Bull, oil, 20 x 16"Helen HornMusser(972) 524-3368www.helenmusser.comXanadu Gallerywww.xanadugallery.comPrice Range$300 to $4,500Helen Horn Musser has beenpainting for more than 30years. She paints about thepast, present, and future inlandscapes, portraits, still lifeand historical paintings thatare rendered to understandlife and humanity’s placewithin it.The Posse, oil, 16 x 20"64