04 Sep Editor’s Note: Romance and Reality

In each issue of WA&A, we journey into the vast landscapes, enduring myths, and ideological frontiers that shape American Western art, a genre as expansive and complex as the region it portrays. From its early, romanticized visions that helped define the West of our collective imagination to contemporary reinterpretations by both Native American and Western artists, the Western tradition has continued to evolve, sometimes questioning as much as celebrating the region.

Take, for example, the artist Michael Scott, who utilizes his creative talents to draw our attention to such critical issues as wildfires and the mass extinction of animals. The New Mexico-based artist has spent his career observing climate change, processing in large oil paintings his thoughts and feelings about what he’s witnessed. His work, in both scale and subject matter, directly confronts viewers with hard truths, asking us to consider what’s at risk. His work also exists as a counterpoint to the romanticized wildlife and landscape art enshrined in the Western tradition. Instead, Scott shows us the “constantly shifting, ambiguous state of nature,” as one curator puts it (“Michael Scott: Visions of Fire, Ice, and Extinction,” pg. 136).

The work of Thom Ross, meanwhile, asks us to reexamine the “historical folk heroes” of the West — those real people who have been flattened into mythological characters. His artwork reminds us that the stories we tell ourselves about this region “symbolize greater human experiences; a higher truth exists within the myth.” What can we learn about ourselves or our culture by rethinking these long-told tales? (“Between Truth and Tale,” pg. 148).

In this issue, we also discover the work of pastel artist Kim Lordier. Inspired by the early California Impressionists, her works transcend mere beauty to evoke strong emotion. We can feel what it’s like to be in these settings, with beauty acting as a balm for the complications of modern life. Lordier’s pastels are places we can retreat to again and again (“Beauty with Backbone,” pg. 122).

Architectural design out West also has its own distinct set of characteristics. In “Gravity-defying Architecture” (pg. 128), we discover a residence in Lake Tahoe that highlights its environment. The home, designed by Walton Architecture, climbs a steeply graded site, draws colors from the outdoors into the interior, and incorporates massive boulders and a water feature to connect the space to its surroundings. We also discover one man’s mission to restore a circa-1878 building in Denver, Colorado. Reflecting his love for Western history, the interior is furnished with period-appropriate items and artwork that conjure scenes of life from that era. This homage to the Old West has become the homeowner’s sanctuary, a place of rest and refuge (“A Window to the Western Frontier,” pg. 142).

In countless other ways, artists and architects define and share their visions of the Western genre, drawing from the region’s beauty, cultural diversity, and history. Throughout these pages, you’ll find work that honors the West’s historic roots and also challenges its tropes. We discover how creative people are responding to a region that represents a distinctly American archetype. We invite you to explore the West through their eyes and join us in admiring both its beauty and its complexity.