Maia Chávez Larkin simultaneously pays tribute to the past while looking to the future in oil-and-ink paintings of contemporary Western life. She achieves that challenging feat through a self-assured style that combines the restrained elegance of classic early- and mid-20th-century illustrators, the exuberance of greats...
Jesse Littlebird’s joyfully provocative paintings remind some viewers of urban street murals. Still others note the undeniable influence of his Indigenous Southwestern heritage, evident in tribal figures, symbols, and patterns. Those with a taste for subversion might also savor his appropriate approach, championed by 20th-century...
Christy Stallop focuses on depicting Central Texas icons in vivid oil paintings that combine eye-catching realism and good humor. Take, for instance, Feathered Vigilante, from her series featuring the unofficial bird of Austin, where she lives 20 minutes west of downtown. “Grackles are everywhere here,”...
Western American art continues to captivate collectors and enthusiasts, with nationwide auctions and events showcasing artwork that honors the region’s culture, history, and diverse voices. From depictions of cowboy life on the ranch to groundbreaking Native American artistry and contemporary interpretations of Western life, the...
The Arizona Inn opened on December 18, 1930, with a dinner and dance attended by a select group of couples from the nearby University of Arizona. In four years, the establishment’s founder and owner, Isabella Greenway [1886–1953], would be sworn in as the first congresswoman...
Drunk Love in a Log Cabin Quilt by Denyse Schmidt As one of four original quilts Denyse Schmidt exhibited when she launched her business in 1996, the Drunk Love in a Log Cabin design became the “poster child,” she says. That fall, it was a backdrop...
The founders of the Salt Lake City, Utah-based WOW Atelier didn’t connect on the well-trod path of so many architecture firms; they didn’t meet in architecture school or while working for other designers. No. They became good friends while working at Nordstrom, Gregory Walker in...
He was still a kid, just 16 or 17, when Richard Serra spent an afternoon at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco’s North Beach. The future artist was working in a steel mill to put himself through school at the time. He used his fake...
Eight years ago, Denver, Colorado-based artist Robert Spooner relocated from a 200-square-foot studio to a 700-square-foot space, and his paintings reflected the expansion. The new studio allowed Spooner to progress to larger works and create his process of “extreme indirect painting.” [caption id="attachment_29057" align="aligncenter" width="366"] Spooner...
Bob Guelich’s monumental animal bronzes belong to the public, standing ready to be enjoyed and admired at zoos, botanical gardens, art museums, and college campuses nationwide. From a magnificent pride of lions that greets visitors at the San Antonio Zoo, not far from the sculptor’s...