In 1948, a young photographer named Gordon Parks spent weeks getting to know and aiming his camera at the gritty world of 17-year-old Leonard “Red” Jackson on the streets of New York City. The photo essay that resulted, “Harlem Gang Leader,” was published in Life...
Panoramic views of the Jemez Mountains greet David McElroy when he enters his studio on the high plains of New Mexico. A window in place of two garage doors provides unobstructed views, and, from time to time, a herd of grazing pronghorn antelope draws his...
Mosaic artist Marlea Taylor began her fine-art career in printmaking. But frustrated with the limits of working on paper, she decided to delve into mosaics, using tiles and repurposed broken pottery and plates. She hasn’t looked back since. “I’m a retired teacher and taught kindergarten through...
Jamie Burnes creates his art through encounters with environmental detritus. The found objects he uses in his sculptures reveal themselves as tree trunks, petrified wood, stones, and other natural materials. It’s the happenstance of life put into form. “My work is very process-oriented,” Burnes says. “I’m...
Through her work with animal rescues and sanctuaries, cleaning cages and transporting injured wild animals to urgent care, Allison Leigh Smith translates her intimate knowledge about each animal into a personal portrait. Her paintings contain more than just the animal. They reference subjective experiences with...
Spoken through the language of color, Roger Hayden Johnson applies a meditative sheen on his paintings of small rowboats. Devoid of figures or movement, the imagery rivets the mind. Johnson likens his repetitive use of small, often broken, and crudely repaired boats to Chinese scholar’s rocks...
Jennifer Johnson’s vintage poster paintings embody the deep-seated relationship Americans have with their national parks. As a child, Johnson grew up visiting, exploring, and camping in all of the national parks with her father, a plant pathologist for the National Forest Service. Her attachment to...
A few weeks ago, while typing away, I received a phone call from Jared Swanson. “Christine. I have some news.” What followed was an exchange about the direction and growth of Western Art & Architecture and our priority to provide readers with the absolute “Best of the...
When she couldn’t find a suitable chandelier for her Barbie’s townhouse, young Anita Lang disassembled her mom’s crystal bracelet and fashioned her own custom fixture. “I’ve always been passionate about creating beautiful homes, even when I was little,” says the Scottsdale, Arizona-based designer. “My mind...
For many of us, a trip to Egypt to view the rich tombs of the pharaohs would be a dream come true. The same longing applies to other sites of important ancient history, remarkable architectural achievements, and centuries-old works by master artists. Museums and exhibitions,...