Thomas Moran stands at the pinnacle of the American art world. Few artists, if any, have had his influence and impact. Born in England on February 12, 1837, he first traveled to northwest Wyoming in 1871, when he was 34 years old. He joined (at his...
Maria Martinez was destined to become one of the most famous potters of all time. Her work is exquisitely simple but elegant: jet-black pots, coiled by hand and burnished to a soft, beautiful shine. Martinez initially created polychrome pots, decorated in multicolored patterns. In 1918, however,...
Gene Kloss was one of the major artists of the 20th century. She worked predominantly in three mediums — etching, oil, and watercolor — but is best known for her prints of New Mexican subjects. Born Alice Geneva Glasier in 1903, she began signing her name...
Sometimes, I get the opportunity to enjoy a really great piece of art that is atypical of the normal body of work for which that artist is known. I recently saw this portrait, painted on a leather drumhead, at the home of collector friends. Although...
WA&A publisher and art critic Tim Newton breaks down an iconic Western work Many times along the art trail, an artwork has brought me to a halt. Few pieces, however, have been as arresting as this one by the legendary Tom Lovell. I first saw this...
WA&A publisher and art critic Tim Newton breaks down an iconic Western work For almost 50 years, Fremont Ellis [1897–1985] painted some of the most vibrant scenes of the American West. Many of his creations were as vivid as the painting pictured here, and his confident...
Just a few miles west of Cody, Wyoming, Frank Tenney Johnson [1874 – 1939] built his studio at Rimrock Ranch in 1932. As a true cowboy-artist, few others had or have a better understanding of the anatomy of the horse, and even fewer have Johnson’s...
Despite the difficult realities for many out there, there’s also a lot of good news happening if you take the time to look for it. And you know from my past commentaries how important I feel it is to focus on the positive. So I’d...
These are the most challenging times that almost any of us can remember. But as we continue to face uncertainties and difficulties that are unprecedented, we have to remember that this is not the final verdict. In past issues, I’ve written about the positive effect that...
A few recent events have caused me to ponder our purpose and mission on this spinning globe. Most notable was the recent passing of one of the great minds in the Western art world, Peter Hassrick. Undoubtedly the foremost Western art historian of our time...