2026 Spirit Artist Statements

2026 Western Spirit Artist Bios

Kerry Adcock

Afton

Gratitude and Joy are words to live and paint by, for contemporary western artist, Afton, of Sidney, Montana. Along with bold originality, she incorporates her appreciation for what she is blessed to see and experience as she enjoys nature and the lifestyle of the American West, aiming to capture the spirit and thrill through each piece.

With formal training and diverse experience across several mediums, Afton embraces a mixed media approach to best express her artistic vision. Painterly strokes, energetic splashes, mysterious drips, and fine details are all part of her expressive and intuitive style. Afton’s eye for interior design often ushers in rustic texture and elegant metallic glazing, a natural complement to her earthy and authentic palette.

Since 2006, Afton has exhibited her work not only at her own

gallery and frame studio, Bold West Art, but also at a variety of other galleries, exhibitions, and events. She is also an Out West Art Show artist at The Russell venue in Great Falls, Montana, and notably, in 2013, her artwork was chosen by George Strait for his Sixty #1 Hits promotion.

Callie Andrew

I am a wildlife and landscape artist based in Wyoming, where the outdoors is both my refuge and my greatest source of inspiration. Through wildlife and landscape photography as well as handdrawn wood burnings, I strive to capture the quiet beauty, strength, and authenticity of the natural world.

I am especially drawn to wildlife in their natural habitats. Photographing animals safely and respectfully is at the heart of my work, allowing each moment to unfold naturally without disturbance. I aim to tell honest stories of wildlife as they live and exist in the wild, while also highlighting the vast landscapes that make Wyoming so unique—open skies, rugged terrain, and fleeting light.

Alongside photography, I create wood burnings entirely by hand. This slower, more intentional process allows me to connect deeply

with each piece, translating the same love for nature into a tangible, rustic medium. Both forms of art reflect my appreciation for patience, detail, and craftsmanship.

Spending time outdoors and experiencing God’s creation firsthand is a blessing I never take for granted. Whether behind the camera or working with wood, my goal is to share the peace, wonder, and reverence I feel in nature. Through my work, I hope to encourage others to pause, reflect, and develop a deeper appreciation for the wild places and wildlife that surround us.

Dan Andrews

Bio

"I strive to make each painting an emotional statement about a particular animal's nature," says wildlife artist, Dan Andrews. This commitment requires not only a detailed understanding of each bird or animal's physical characteristics, but their habits and habitats as well. As a native Coloradoan, Dan has learned about Rocky Mountain wildlife by spending many hours in the field. Recent field trips to Denali National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Bosque De Apache Wildlife Refuge, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and numerous locations in Colorado and Wyoming are very important in the generation of new ideas for Dan's paintings. Dan graduated from Colorado Institute of Art with an Associate’s degree in graphic design. Dan has exhibited his work at many national and local art shows including The Saratoga Arts Festival, Buffalo Roundup Art Festival and the Western Spirit Art Show. Recent awards include artwork selected for the 2024 Arkansas Quail Stamp, 2018 & 2022 Colorado Duck Stamp,1st Place 2018 & 2022 Wyoming Conservation Stamp Contest, People’s Choice award at the 2022, 2023 & 2024 Saratoga Fine Arts Festival, 1st place in oils at the 2023 & 2024 Saratoga Fine Arts Festival and Best of Show at the Casper Petroleum Annual Show.

Ariel Anton

Ariel Anton is a self-taught artist who specializes in acrylics. Starting out at age 14, she turned her early experiences with livestock and 4-H participation into the foundation for her expressive and heartfelt paintings of livestock, horses, and rural life. Ariel has a keen focus on capturing the small–often overlooked–details of animals, as she feels they bring a sense of wholeness and personality to the subject. Ariel received a B.S. in Agriculture Science at California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo, and earned a commission in the California Army National Guard as a Field Artillery Officer in 2022. Before attending advanced military schooling, Ariel worked on a Jersey dairy, often assisting births and newborn calves to ensure they had the best start at life. Her love of painting livestock grew during her short time at the dairy, as she developed a collection of photo references of her favorite calves that she could paint on her days off. Ariel is a member of Cowgirl Artists of America and has had a handful of recent awards for her work including “Best of Show” at the SLOPOKE Western Art Show in 2025, and “Best in Show” at the 2026 Red Bluff Western Art Show. At age 25, Ariel was also recently selected for Southwest Art’s 2025 “21 Under 31” young artists to watch.

Matt Atkinson

Bio

Matt Atkinson is a Colorado-based painter whose work is found in collections throughout North America and Europe. He has a degree in Studio Art from the University of Tennessee, and has won purchase awards, gold medals in oil and drawing, and awards of excellence in juried shows.

“My traditional oil paintings portray the American west from days gone by to present, including the landscapes, wildlife, and cultures that give the mountains their special feeling. I also work with tribal leaders, historians and museums to ensure historical accuracy in my depictions of mountain men, cowboys, and members of the Crow, Sioux, Cheyenne, Blackfeet, Navajo, Ute, Ojibway, and Arapaho people. To do this, I travel across the west, working with historians, models, and horse wranglers to arrange each scene Individually."

Will Baker

Catherine Barnes

Bio

Raised in St. Louis, MO, Cathy Barnes became a certified K-12 Art educator as she earned her B.A. in Art from Fontbonne University. An award winning Art teacher, Cathy retired from 30 years of teaching to move with her husband to Cheyenne, Wyoming. After providing years of guidance and inspiration to her students, retirement has now allowed her the time to fully pursue her own work.

The beauty and diversity of the Wyoming landscape and the Western way of life not only made the move to the state a dream come true for Cathy, but provides limitless inspiration and is the heart and soul behind her work. Working in pencil, colored pencil and charcoal, the careful rendering of the varied textures, colors, and intricate patterns that make up the flora and fauna is aimed at drawing the audience in and awakening them to the intricacies of creation.

Kevin Bartlett

Kevin Bartlett and his young family left the East Coast and moved West in 1996, and, with the exception of four years as a Texas resident, has lived in Farmington, NM. However, it was while living in Texas that Kevin’s interest in photography blossomed. Attending classes at a local junior college provided the basics and, with his first “real” camera - a Nikon D90Kevin was off and running. Kevin’s work straddles both contemporary realism and a fascination with capturing and displaying movement. Kevin’s work has been accepted by numerous art calls throughout the country. He has twice received Northwest New Mexico Arts Council’s Choice Award. As a result of participation in Farmington Museum’s Gateway to the Imagination National Juried Art Show, Kevin’s work is now a part of the Museum’s permanent collection. Kevin’s artwork recently received best in show recognition by Aurora Artist Guild in their 29th Annual Gateway to the Rockies Art Show in Aurora, CO.

Lori Blasch

Lori Segovia Blasch creates wildlife paintings defined by a compelling dialogue between realism and pop-infused graphic intensity. Following two decades as an industrial designer, she brings a disciplined design sensibility to her practice—where precision and instinct coexist on the canvas.

Inspired by the diverse ecosystems of Wyoming, Blasch studies the textures, movement, and presence of native fauna with careful attention. Her meticulous rendering captures the intricacies of feather, fur, and gaze, while saturated color fields and bold compositional framing introduce a distinctly contemporary edge. The eyes of her subjects serve as visual anchors, inviting sustained and intimate engagement. Her work navigates the boundary between faithful observation and stylized impact. By layering naturalistic detail with graphic clarity, Blasch creates compositions that are both grounded in the natural world and unmistakably modern.

Blasch continues to build a cohesive body of work that resonates with collectors drawn to technical mastery, vibrant color, and a refined yet contemporary interpretation of wildlife painting.

SR Bloodwolf

Sara comes from the Alpine forests of California, descended from performers in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, and legends of the old frontier. Sara’s great, great grandfather Sequah performed with Buffalo Bill Cody for crowds and sold a patented cure all “Prairie Flower” in blue glass bottles bearing his name. Her ancestry stretches to the eastern woodlands where her grandfathers were the physical inspiration for James Fenimore Coopers “Last of the Mohicans” tales, the very real exploits of her long hunter family and their fearlessness far beyond what was ever penned in his books.

Sara started painting as a child and has never stopped, selftaught, she paints daily and sometimes till dawn in her one hundred year old cabin in the woods. She attests that the characters in her family tree as well as an inherit passion for history and as the reason for her subject matter. The adventurer spirit passed down from her ancestors’ lives strong in her, and it’s not uncommon for her wanderlust to overtake her and find Sara traveling the back roads and ghost towns of the American West.

Sara has created artwork for a myriad of galleries and collectors from the Smithsonian, to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. She has created art for a number of well known brands from Gretsch Guitars to Guns N’ Roses, her work can be found in museums and many noted private collections.

Joanne Bornong

I am a Wyoming artist living at the base of the Bighorn Mountains and forever grateful for where I live and what I do. It is a gift to experience the natural beauty of this state and my art is an expression of the people, wildlife and unique environments that I call home. Classically trained, I incorporate a blend of academic realism with a touch of abstraction for a contemporary, energetic feel that invites the viewer to participate and linger within the painting. When people view my work, I hope they get a glimpse of me and my deep connection to Wyoming and its people, flora, and fauna. I could not ask for a more rewarding artistic life!

Kimberly Bowen

Kimberly's subjects include western and wildlife paintings depicting a rather contemporary modern, new west spirit. Her work has evolved over the past 25 years into a non-traditional twist of the American west along with other renditions that capture her interests.

Using a touch of realism mixed with impressionistic and near abstract strokes, Kimberly creates an illusion of the subject rather than the full specifics.

While horses have always been the biggest source of inspiration, over time, she has turned her attention to many other subjects: cowboys, bears, bison, and landscapes now grace her easel and have become the primary subjects.

She uses acrylic paints, texture, and a warm palette of earth tone colors. There are fun, serious, and serene designs with her subjects inviting the viewer to use their imagination to access and complete the story playing out on canvas.

Kimberly’s work has been displayed in a few select galleries, museums, and showrooms. She has also graced the walls of corporate and private collections throughout the US. She paints year-round in her Colorado home where she lives with her husband Dave and her son Cameron, who remain her biggest supporters and constant inspiration.

Molly Box (McCarty)

Molly Box (McCarty) is a contemporary wildlife artist.

Her passion for wildlife, fly-fishing, and the great outdoors can easily be seen through her work. Molly is best-known for her signature mixed media drawings and oil paintings of North American wildlife and fish/fly-fishing themed work.

"I believe very strongly in observing your environment and creating art based on your surroundings and experiences. I grew up in Wyoming and reside in Colorado, so I naturally have a love for the West and interest in wildlife. I’m an avid angler and outdoorswoman. I also believe that the American West is young, new, vibrant, colorful, and ever-changing so I try to reflect that in my work."

Karisa Brookshire

Karisa Brookhire is a self-taught artist born in to a farm and ranching family in SE Colorado. Karisa has lived and worked farming and ranching her whole life, is still actively doing so alongside of her husband.

Horses have always been a passion of hers from the beginning, riding as much as possible and sketching them on notebook paper growing up.

Farming and ranching have always been a full- time job with long days, hard work and dedication consuming almost all of her time. Horses and barrel racing is a favorite hobby of hers that she makes time to do a mist of her busy schedule.

In the fall of 2019, Karisa decided to purchase some art pencils and paper and start using her God gifted talent to start drawing after decades. It is a welcomed end to farming season in the late fall to be able to create her drawings for herself and others that want something personal.

In 2025 she applied and was accepted to her first art show at the Greeley Stampede Western Art Show where one of her pieces was purchased. Karisa is hoping to apply and exhibit her art in more shows and galleries in the near future.

Desirée Brothe

Desirée is a visual artist based in Cheyenne WY, working in printmaking, illustration and mixed-media sculpture. Her work focuses on symbolism from folktales and dystopia, and centers around birds, feminine forms, and humanity, utilizing commentary on a sense of place in culture. By day, Desirée acts as the Executive Director of Arts Cheyenne and a board member with the Wyoming Arts Alliance. She has worked for over 10 years in community and economic development at the local and state level.

Rodney Buxton

As a Baby Boomer, Rodney's early memories of family vacations to national parks consisted of many long hours driving to the park, getting out of the car for ten minutes to ‘view’ one site in the park, and then being herded back into the car for another long drive to next destination.

Consequently, those early memories were shaped more by the vivid postcards of the period that became an index of having ‘visited’ a national park, rather than the park itself. Over the years, those distant memories have lingered, fueled, in part, by further exposure to photographs by John Muir and Ansel Adams and the paintings of Claude Monet, Thomas Moran, Georgia O’Keefe, Mark Rothko, widescreen technicolor films of the 1950s and the poster artists of the WPA, in addition to those initial images from the postcards. It is the memories and influences that now shape his approach to creating art about national parks, monuments and forests.

As an award winning artist, he has been capturing photographic images of his travels to U.S. national parks and monuments for the past fifteen years and creating photoillustrations of those images. This interest led to the creation of his business On and Off the Road: Creative Images by Rodney Buxton. He has expanded on many of the more

advanced techniques in Adobe Photoshop to create original digital photo-illustrations for expressionistic and dreamlike purposes to create his vision of these national parks. What previously had been strict photographs are now photoillustrations, painterly images growing out of his emotional reactions to travel sites that are transformed into vivid memory images.

Andrew Call

Andrew Call is a photographer, writer, reader, and artist living in Laramie, Wyoming. His work blends documentary and conceptual storytelling to capture the natural world through traditional landscape and wildlife photography, portraits, experimental digital manipulations, and a mix of graphic design and creative writing. Whether snapping a picture of the rugged expanse of wyoming wildlands, crafting intricate mirrored botanical reflections in his flora chroma series, or exploring the narrative potential of short fiction, Andrew's work reflects a deep-but-evolving connection to Wyoming and the weird world we call home. In addition to his artistic work, Andrew actively supports Wyoming’s creative community through arts leadership, grant development, educational programming, and professional storytelling work that helps expand opportunities for writers, photographers, and visual artists throughout the state.

Natalie Campbell

Born and raised in Willits, California, Natalie Campbell grew up immersed in the world of horses. Summers were spent riding, competing in local horse shows, gymkhanas, and rodeos, while high school years saw her as a member of the Willits FFA Horse Judging Team and a competitor in barrel racing and pole bending through California High School Rodeo. After graduating, she met her husband, Gabe, and together they raise a small herd of beef cattle in Laytonville, California, alongside their two sons.

After her children were born, Natalie took a ceramic sculpture class at Mendocino College, which sparked her exploration of different art mediums. Her passion for horses and the western way of life quickly became the focus of her work. With years of studying equine conformation, she brought this knowledge to her art, translating the grace and strength of horses onto her paper.

Primarily working with pastels on black paper, Natalie captures the beauty of the world around her, infusing each piece with the same passion and energy that drives her. Despite being a newer artist, she has already earned multiple awards in local competitions and has shown her work at national exhibitions.

Bobbie Carlyle

"I create monumental bronze sculptures that capture bold strength and provocative intelligence. My figures go beyond first impressions to challenge the intellect and cause the viewer to look within themselves for greater meaning. My work reflects my love for classic sculpture, while presenting a modern approach with its presentation and a psychological approach for connection to the struggles and triumphs of life." Bobbie Carlyle is an internationally renowned sculptor whose works are installed in countries around the globe. She is currently working with architects, landscape architects, land developers and art representatives on numerous other installations, commissioned pieces and fountains. Her subjects range from wildlife to Western, to figurative and liturgical sculpture. She is internationally known and recognized for her piece entitled "Self Made Man", which depicts man carving himself and his future from the raw stone from which he emerges. She recently installed a commission piece for the Los Angeles Public School District. In addition, she is one of only five artists included in the current process to create a memorial sculpture for Benjamin Banneker planned for placement within the Memorial Core of Washington, D.C.

Earning a Fine Art degree from Brigham Young University and with over 40+ years of experience, Bobbie Carlyle’s work is influenced by Michaelangelo, Solon and Gutzon Borglum, Rodin, Daniel Chester French, and Leonardo Bistolfi. Further, her own life’s struggles with its hard-won insights, as well as her seven children, have been inspirations to many of her works.

Sherry Cobb-Kelleher

Sherry Cobb-Kelleher, a Colorado-based painter, creates stunning artworks inspired by the western lifestyle. Working primarily in oil, she also employs charcoal and watercolor as secondary mediums. Her roots run deep; growing up on a farm and ranch in Southwestern Colorado has given her a profound connection to her subjects.

Sherry's work revolves around authentic scenes from ranching life, capturing animals, people, and their environments. She seeks to portray moments that tell the stories of those who inspire her. Her distinctive style is marked by her mastery of light and strong foundations in drawing and composition, allowing her to bring to life the intricate details of the world she treasures.

Some of her earliest memories involve watching her mother and grandmother paint, instilling in her the ability to view the world through an artist's lens and encouraging her to find her unique voice through her love for animals.

Over the years, Sherry’s artwork has received numerous accolades. She won the Director's Choice and Patron's Award at the 2019 "CowGirl Up!" Exhibition & Sale, and the Patron’s Choice Award in 2022. That same year, she was honored with the "Best Associate Award" at the WAOW 52nd National Exhibition for her piece “Evening on Buttermilk Creek.” In March 2023, she was recognized as “The Artist of the Year” by the Cowgirl Artists of America. Most recently, she won the Western Category in the December 2023 PleinAir Salon organized by PleinAir® Magazine.

Sherry’s artistic journey reflects her passion for the western lifestyle and her unwavering dedication to capturing its essence through her art.

Jimmy Devine

Jimmy Devine, a native of Brooklyn, New York, has been involved in professional art since his graduation from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana. Devine has worked as a Fashion Artist, a Television Art Director, Sports Illustrator and now devotes his time to the painting of cowboys. Specializing in western art, history and the Wyoming traditions have enabled him to depict his subject matter with startling realism.

"After a number of years of illustrating for different publications, I am now enjoying painting scenes of Contemporary Cowboys and, recently, Rodeo Cowboys. Using many mediums, I paint in a realist style. The opportunity to paint the American Cowboy of the West is the inspiration that drives me to paint."

Kellie Dillinger

Kellie Dillinger grew up in Minnesota. After a few years living overseas, she now calls Kansas home.

Kellie is a self-taught artist who enjoys the outdoors and spending time working on her families Bison Ranch. She cares for the animals which are the inspiration for her artwork.

Bison and horses are her favorite subjects.

Acrylic was Kellie's main medium. After a 2023 trip to Kentucky to take an oil workshop, she's never looked back. Her work has been shown in multiple galleries in Kansas and she is a member of the Columbian Artists Group.

David Dorsey

The Sandhills of Nebraska have always been home to western artist David Dorsey. Growing up on a ranch in rural Rock County instilled a love of the land and the ranching way of life for him. He began drawing from an early age and was always encouraged by his family to paint and draw. Dorsey attended college and obtained an Art degree, but the love of the land and people drew him back to the family's ranch. He stayed there, like most ranchers do, and enjoyed the changing of the seasons and all that comes with that, putting up hay, weaning calves, surviving dry years and dealing with the wet years. There was always a love of art within him, and he began to paint again after several years of not putting a brush to canvas. " I began missing the creative process and started to paint and draw again and have just never stopped. " Dorsey said. That love of creating led him to Valentine Ne. in the spring of 2012, where he began pursuing his artwork on a full-time basis. " I just love to capture the lifestyle of the people that live on the land and make a living there, they inspire me. They are tough and resilient, and their faces have such stories to tell." It has been those faces and individuals and capturing those moments in ranching and living in the west that has allowed him to participate in several local and national shows in the past few years. From Arizona to Montana, to juried shows in several states, Dorsey enters many national shows each year and was recently featured in the Art Of The West magazine. " It was a thrill to be in the Art of The West magazine with so many amazing artists " . " I have been attending the Black Hills Stock Show , a western art show for several years and really look forward to going each year. " Dorsey will have new paintings and drawings on display this year. You can find him in the Alpine/Ponderosa room at the BHSS. Dorsey states " I am blessed to be able to do what I do, I am thankful and grateful every day for the opportunity to be able to capture the people of the west."

Elizabeth Dryden

Texas native Elizabeth Dryden is a Contemporary Southwest Artist making a wave and grabbing the attention of the Western art scene and beyond. The many layers intertwined together in her mixed media work make each piece a lawless mystery to unfold. While colorful and lively in spirit, there are volumes of information to be discovered below the textured surface. Dryden is inspired by the mystery of the desert as a whole but focuses her artwork on the enchanting and indestructible flora and fauna that reside there. The subjects of Dryden’s work are primarily cacti and indigenous animals, which she uses metaphorically to express various life virtues hidden within the brushstrokes of paint and various paper and textured mediums.

The natural beauty of the American Southwest and Western lifestyle has always fascinated Dryden. She breaks down subjects and themes into a magical exploration of color and shape. Further exploring cacti and various desert inhabitants in bright, vibrant Southwest scenes, she combines the paradoxes between longstanding traditional ideals against modern society. Buffalo Bill Cody, Dryden’s ancestor, holds the “Wild West” dear to her heart, often choosing the subject of bison in her work.

Dryden, a sixth generation Texan, grew up in Dallas and has recently married a professional bronc rider Cody Martin, and moved to Grand Junction, CO. As a signature member of the Cowgirl Artists of America and having participated in several past Art of the Cowgirl events, she is hopeful to use her creativity to celebrate the life of the values and virtues of the West.

Recent projects include designing the first commercial women's cowboy boots for Dixon Boot Company, album cover art for country artist Craig Bowen “A Good Place to be From”, collaborations with Double D Ranchwear, Fringe scarves and Sweetwater Pillows.

Alison Ehmig

Alison Ehmig sold her first painting at 15 years old and has been a professional painter since then.

Her artwork has been in multiple national and regional shows and has earned awards for composition, use of medium and subject choice. She has been published in Art 365, Artistonish and Art of California Magazine. Her work is in corporate collections, including CALPERS, Firestone Winery and Annandale Country Club, and private collections, including former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan and entrepreneur David Murdock.

Alison has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 2004. The Western states’ rural and wilderness scenery provides continuing inspiration for both her realistic and abstract paintings.

Alison’s artwork can be viewed on Daily Paintworks.

Maria Elsen

E. Lynette Fransen

Step into the creative world of…E. Lynette Fransen where variety is the spice of life.

Moving to Casper in 1988, little did I know the direction my interest in art would take. A teacher’s affirmation in grade school and painting with a neighbor before we moved set the stage for what was to come. With the encouragement of friends and the inspiration that Wyoming offers, I soon was engaged in the art world while raising three boys and being a wife. In the beginning of my career, I focused primarily on painting dogs capturing their unique personalities and that special look of an animal friend. Winning the Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year with one my dog pieces definitely gave me enthusiasm to keep painting. The abundant wildlife in Wyoming fostered additional inspiration to expand my art line to include bison, elk, wolves, grizzly and black bear to name a few.

In September 2009, I had the privilege of being the Artist in Residence in Yellowstone National Park's Old Faithful Inn. That gave me a foot in the door that continued for many years in Yellowstone. I had the privilege of showcasing my art work at the beautiful Lake Yellowstone Hotel in Yellowstone National Park for many years. My work is displayed at several gift shops in Yellowstone and other galleries around the country. In the last few years, I also began painting horses—a favorite subject matter that started as a child.

My love for the Lord has inspired me to do many spiritual paintings. My depiction of the “Lion and Lamb” has been a popular piece in my portfolio. For a complete viewing of my work, please visit my website at: ruthsimages.com. Check out my Facebook page at Ruth’s Images-Art by E. Lynette Fransen or Instagram @ruthsimages.

Linda French

Linda is a lifelong learner and teacher with a passion for animals. After retiring from teaching special needs students for 32 years, she has shifted to teaching pastel tips and tricks to artists for the past 16 years with an emphasis on pets. Linda’s pastel artworks have been described as being so realistic that it’s hard to tell the photo from the picture; her pet portraits are so lifelike that they can “walk off the canvas”. She strives to bring emotion and joy to the viewer as well as to bring out the true spirit of her subjects.

Known for her commission works nationwide, she also paints the retired K-9’s for the Loveland Police Department. She has won numerous awards in shows, including ‘Best Woman Artist’ through the American Association of University Women. Her works can be viewed at: www.lincolngallery.com/our artists and www.lindafrenchart.com

Howard Fullmer

As an artist, Fullmer explores the intersection of found materials, environmental stewardship, and transformation through work with salvaged .22 caliber bullet brass. Collected from outdoor shooting ranges near his home, the brass tells a story through its natural weathering, which gives it a unique range of values and textures. The discarded brass, once spent in the pursuit of sport or recreation, is reimagined and given new life.

Fullmer's work also serves as a commentary on the use of guns, reflecting on the role they play in society and their impact on both identity and the environment. The process of collection, cleaning, and reusing the brass is integral to his practice. As the ranges are often located near water sources, he also recovers discarded lead. Although the amount of lead may seem small in the grand context, he believes every bit contributes to a broader effort to reduce environmental impact and prevent contamination. Fullmer's work is both a meditation on the value of discarded objects and a reflection on their potential for transformation. It serves as an artistic exploration and a quiet call to reconsider the environmental consequences of our actions. His fine art can be found in private and public collections and shows throughout the United States, where it continues to inspire, intrigue, and foster conversation.

A Professor of Illustration at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Fullmer guides students in the art of visual storytelling and creative exploration. He holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a BFA in Illustration from Brigham Young University. While his career as an illustrator focuses on traditional techniques and digital media, this work with brass represents a distinct artistic practice. A father of three, he currently resides in Springville Utah with his wife of 30 years, Margaret, his black lab, Ned and a cat named Carl. Ironically, his current hobby is metal detecting.

Phillip Garrison

Phillip R. Garrison is a retired attorney/judge from Springfield, Mo. who has been fascinated with Western photography as a result of traveling and photographing the West for many years including shooting his first rodeo in 2004. His portfolio includes landscape, still life and architectural images, but his emphasis is on rodeo and western life.

Scott Gelander

SG LEATHER TREE ART

My journey as an artist is deeply intertwined with the rhythm of nature and the raw beauty of leather. I've had a 30+ years career in the leather industry, with a specialty in everything related to upholstery leather, from furniture to aircraft to automotive. One day I noticed how the fiber structure of thick leather resembles the fiber structure of wood - that was my "aha" moment. I then began transforming leather strips into one-of-a-kind, durable rugs and wall art that bring the essence of the outdoors to interior spaces.

Each piece serves as a tribute to sustainability, creativity and the enduring bond between art and the natural world. This is more than a craft for me - it is a passion, a further way to honor nature. Trees not only provide the seasons, food and shelter, but they're also significant for oxygen production, regulating the water cycle and so much more that contributes to the health of ecosystems and the overall balance of nature. I am honored to be able to inspire others to see (and feel) the extraordinary within the everyday around us.

Inquiries https://www.sgtreeartrugs.com

Grant Gering

Grant grew up in Cheyenne and attended East High School. Born in western Nebraska, with the family homestead still going strong today, he’s stayed connected to western lifestyle throughout his years. He was a volunteer for CFD for many years, and has stayed involved through his family. With inspiration from the Wild West and Native American cultures, he looks to combine traditional western esthetics with bold colorful, fiber art with a unique and modern style.

Lauren Gonzales

Lauren Gonzales was born and raised in the beautiful State of Wyoming, where her love for the outdoors deeply inspires her art. Lauren specializes in beading animal skulls using materials like seed beads, leathers, and metals. She loves the challenge of working with perfectly imperfect skulls, letting her detailed beadwork bring out their distinctive features and untold stories. Recently, Lauren’s work has been featured in several events, including the Art for Art Immersion Experience and Auction, the Life in the West Art Gallery, the Stampede Western Art Exhibition as well as the 44th Annual Western Spirit Art Show and Sale. These opportunities reflect her dedication to her craft. Lauren invites you to explore her creations and connect with the beauty of the American West through her art.

To see more of Lauren’s work, follow her on Instagram @thebeadandbonestudio.

J.

W. Gregory

J.W. Gregory is drawn to the balance between precision and emotion. His work focuses on the American West, expressed through graphite on clayboard. Using this medium, he explores light, texture, and form with a graphic sensibility shaped by years in design. His goal is to translate the strength and quiet beauty of the West into images that invite lasting connection. These works are his way of honoring the landscapes and wildlife that continue to inspire him.

Wayne Heim

Wayne Heim is a Western fine art photographer whose work explores identity, memory, and storytelling through painterly photographic imagery. He spent part of his youth in western Wyoming, south of Jackson Hole, where the landscape and mythology of the American West became a lasting influence on his creative vision.

Working closely with living historians and historical reenactors, Heim creates narrative-driven images that exist between documentation and imagination. His photographs focus less on recording events and more on evoking the emotional weight of lived experience — suggesting the stories surrounding a moment rather than explaining them. Themes of resilience, solitude, duty, and loss often run quietly through his Western work.

Heim earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Art and later built a national career as an awardwinning medical illustrator, where he was trained to communicate complex ideas through clarity, structure, and intentional visual design. That discipline continues to shape his photographic process, guiding how he simplifies scenes, controls light, and directs the viewer’s attention toward story.

For more than fifteen years, Heim has collaborated with living historians across the United States, developing photographic bodies of work that explore the emotional and psychological dimensions of historical experience. Working under the K4 Studios banner, Heim continues to explore the mythology of the American West through narrative fine art photography. His work will next be exhibited at the Great Western Art Show in Great Falls, Montana.

Catherine Holt

A love of the outdoors, nature, and wildlife led Catherine to painting what she loves most, while finding joy and harmony in each and every day she paints. Having grown up in Wyoming, has given her great appreciation for wildlife and what nature leaves for her to find. As a self-taught artist her art is a humbling opportunity to learn new things and to challenge herself and to continue to learn and to refine her work. Her work for the past 40 years has been art conservation and restoration. She has recently retired and can now devote her time to her craft. Catherine’s paintings are found in galleries throughout the west.

Holly Hooper

Holly L. Hooper is an interdisciplinary artist and art educator living in central Utah. Raised on a farm, her rural upbringing continues to shape her imagery. With a dedication to the hands-on process, she works primarily in printmaking, painting, and alternative-process photography. Her art explores themes of time, place, heritage, and the enduring spirit of the American West. She has received awards in reduction-cut printmaking and tintype photography, including recognition at the Utah AllWomen Art Show and the Springville Museum of Art. Her work is included in the State of Utah’s Alice Merrill Horne Art Collection and has been exhibited throughout the Intermountain West.

Suzette Howard

Suzette brings to the canvas a lifetime of deep admiration for horses. Suzette has little formal training through workshops, yet has worked her entire life through self study and hopes to make art her full time career in the near future. She applies the techniques she has learned by training her own horses to her art. The parallels between training horses, creating art, and conducting business in the work place never cease to amaze her. In each circumstance, you need to be as soft as possible, but as firm as necessary. Using a particular bit or spur with a horse assists to translate your vision to the horse, just as a brush or paint is used to translate your thoughts to the viewer. It can be as simple or as complicated as intended. “With each piece I am grasping for that next level of understanding. It is like trying to hold smoke. Once a piece is finished I can’t really remember how I did it and every piece is different. Both a blessing and a curse, illusive and ever changing, the subject I want to convey seems always just out of reach. “

Olga and Aleksey Ivanov

Much has been said, written and discussed about this dynamic duo. Olga and Aleksey Ivanov are clearly a team built on ingenious creativity, mythology, technical precision, playful storytelling combined with a traditional execution proving masterpieces each time they offer a painting.Olga and Aleksey Ivanov are considered two of the top Egg Tempera Fine Artists in the country today. Their modern approach to an ancient art form shows reverence to the medium. Both artists work in tandem depicting images that reflect exquisite compositions full of whimsy, intellect and trickery.Renaissance art, the Colorado landscape and images of contemporary Western life infuse the work of Moscow-born artists Olga and Aleksey Ivanov, a husband-andwife team who collaborate on every painting they produce. Employing the ancient and somewhat temperamental medium of egg tempera, they create images that might be interpreted as inventive, playful and often ironic icons of our times.The Ivanovs began their creative lives together as artists working individually. Now all of their works are collaborative. It’s quite a process and they worked out how to do it with a few paintings started that travel from Olga’s easel to Aleksey’s and back. The Ivanovs’ paintings are unique because of their subject matter, joint execution and medium. Olga and Aleksey live and create in their mountain home called #hylandstudio in Evergreen, Colorado.

Sonja Jackson

Sonja Jackson was born in Newcastle Wyoming in 1971. She has lived in the Cowboy State most of her life. She currently resides in Cody WY and has lived there since 2001. The area where she grew up and loves so much has been the biggest inspiration for her artwork. Hiking and searching for references for her next painting is what she loves to do the most aside from working on her art. She discovered her interest in painting in high school and art has always been a huge part of her life even when it wasn’t her main career. Sonja attended college at the University of Wyoming and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Although art was always her passion and calling, she started her nursing career in 1994 and raised two children. Now that her children are grown and starting their own lives, Sonja now has more time to devote to doing what she loves most. She became a fulltime artist in January 2024.

Sonja did not receive formal training in Art at a University. She had an early calling and interest in painting and continues to learn and improve her art through a variety of avenues. She aLends classes and workshops frequently to continue to learn and grow as an artist. She loves to try new techniques and learn from her idols and mentors, but her individual style shows through in everything she creates. Wildlife and Western Art are the genres of art that Sonja excels at most, but she is also a talented landscape artist as well. Oil paint is her medium of choice.

Iwona Jankowski

I am an artist living and working in my home studio in Magnolia, Texas. I was born in Poland. I graduated from the School of Visual Arts in Gdynia, Poland. In 1981, my family and I moved to the United States, where I continued my art education at Houston Community College toward a computer science/computer graphics major. I worked in digital graphics, graphic design, and multimedia until 2004.

Since then, I have developed my "Mottled" style that merges abstract and expressionism with a touch of realism. To express feelings, I create my subjects on an abstract background, with special attention to realistic eyes and focusing on specific moods. I show secondary transparent images to suggest movement or a specific scenario. In my paintings, I don’t intend to replicate photorealistic objects but to capture the utmost uniqueness of life. In illustrating my subjects,

To insinuate an idea, I often pay no attention to exact shapes, textures, or real colors and emphasize a small fragment, sometimes a very tiny detail. That approach leads me to concentrate on what I feel and not what I see or know about the subject. Also, it helps me to effectively use visuals to depict a story.

My art captures just an indication of a subject, leaving the rest for my viewer’s imagination to create a unique picture.

Member of National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society (NOAPS)

Juried Member of the American Academy of Equine Art (AAEA)

Signature Member of Women Artists of the West (WAOW)

Associate Member of American Women Artists (AWA)

American Impressionist Society (AIS) ij@ijartstudio.com www.ijartstudio.com

Stan Johnson

Hello, I'm Stan Johnson

From an early age, I have always felt at home in the outdoors. It has been in that setting that I have come to appreciate the wonder and attraction of the natural world. So much so, that I felt the need to capture some of that wonder in the art form. Watercolor has been my choice of artistic medium due to its ability to capture opaqueness and transparency that lives in that natural world. With the help and guidance of watercolor artist Pam McLaughlin, I have been able to expand on my ability to capture some of that wonderment.

Tyrel Johnson

Tyrel Johnson is an artist who has united his passion for sculpture and his love of woodworking to create artwork that is rich with meaning and design. His contemporary use of wood paired with a traditional approach to sculpture have limitless potential. It is this potential that excites him the most. The youngest of 16, Tyrel grew up working with his siblings in his fathers’ bronze foundry throughout high school and into his early 20s. The family is adept at the lost wax foundry process including traditional monumental scaling, sculpting, and casting. By the time he graduated high school he had helped sculpt and cast several monuments as well as many castings of well known sculptors. In his early twenties, Tyrel moved into high end construction specializing in framing custom roofs by hand as well as fine trim carpentry. His construction company was always fully booked due to his ability to deliver high quality service as well as his calm honest demeanor. Highly driven, he spent seven years studying anatomy, in great depth, during his late twenties. He then turned his focus to design in his early thirties. He knew he didn’t want to share his work until his skills were sharp, but more importantly; he wanted his method of expression to form organically. His dream of becoming an artist when he grew up held a personal caveat. That his skills would be such that he could express himself freely without sacrificing quality. He proceeds guided by his motto, “An artistic mind is only free when the hands are capable of executing the dreams they are asked to imitate”.

Lori Jones

Lori Jones grew up on a large cattle ranch in Northwestern Colorado, where she and her sisters learned the value of hard work, the weight of responsibility and a deep love of the land. Horses were always at the tip of her pencil and remain one of her favorite subjects, along with the family and friends that she gets to cowboy alongside on a daily basis. Lori works from her own references, capturing her life on the ranch in great detail, and creating images that are deeply personal to her. She and husband David raise Quarter Horses and Angus Cross cattle on their ranch in South Central Kansas, and when she's not in her ranch studio, she can be found horseback in the great wide open or chasing grandkids and dogs beneath the spectacular Western sky.

Stephanie Jones

Valeriy Kagounkin

Wesley Karchut

I have been a full-time artist for over 25 years and describe myself as a craftsman of watercolor. My work is largely shape driven with an emphasis on design, draftsmanship and clean color. With a background in commercial illustration, I look to find the art in most any subject, no matter how ordinary. My work spans most subjects limited only by compelling intrinsic design.

Recent Exhibitions and Awards

Pikes Peak Watercolor Society Biannual International Exhibition – Gold Medal*

California Watercolor Society 56th International Exhibition

Cheyenne Frontier Days 45th Annual Western Spirit Art Show

Yellowstone Art Museum 58th Annual Auction 78th Grand National Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York 93rd Annual Exhibition – Allied Artists of America, New York

Oil Painters of America - Plein Air Invitational

Coos Art Museum – “Expressions West Invitational”

Roswell Museum –Small Painting Exhibition *

2008 Colorado Springs Cottonwood Art Academy Members Show *

International Museum of Art - El Paso, Texas

Colorado Mountain

Club Invitational Show *

North Valley Art

League National Show

- Redding, California

Colorado State Fair

Estes Park - “Lines into Shapes”

New Mexico 18th

Annual Small

Painting Exhibit * *awards recognition

Debra Keirce

Join my art journey at DebKArt.com

Debra has earned several honors in acclaimed art circles. She is proud to be a US coast guard artist, and winner of the 2022 George Gray award. She is the recipient of a rare artist residency at sea with crew on the U.S. National Security Cutter Stone. Also, eleven of her paintings were commissioned and are hanging prominently in the newly remodeled Boston Langham 5 star hotel. Debra is an Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master, (ARCALM) and holds signature memberships in the National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society, American Women Artists, Southwest Artists, and Miniature Artists of America. She is also a juried member of several societies, including Copley Society of Art (as well as their juried portrait registry,) Salmagundi Club, International Guild of Realism, Women Artists of the West, and American Artists Professional League.

Debra had a career as a biochemical design engineer in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Her project management and problem solving skills serve her well in her art career. She has studied painting and drawing with many instructors and programs over the years, but is currently working through the Ani Art Academies curriculum that was created by trompe l’oeil painter Anthony Waichulis. In 2010 she turned her passion for the visual arts into a full time career.

Reenie Kennedy

An award-winning artist, Reenie Kennedy focuses on her love of wildlife and often combines that with her exquisite floral artworks. She has been prominently featured as the cover artist in noted art publications and has been juried into important traveling exhibitions as well. She studied art at San Diego State University and has learned from renowned artists James Gurney and Kathleen Dunphy. Her work was most recently published in Acrylic Works, 9, 10 and 11,The Best of Acrylics from 2022 - 2024. No one said it better than John Updike: “Art offers space – a certain breathing room for the spirit.” I am constantly amazed, and always intrigued, that art has an endless supply of lessons to teach me . . . and nature an unending supply of inspiration. The idea that I will never finish this journey is a fantastic way to envision the fun I will have in uncovering more paintings as they emerge, so to speak, from the canvas. Reenie Kennedy is a member of the prestigious International Guild of Realism (IGOR), The Women Artists of the West (WAOW), The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society (NOAPS), The International Society of Acrylic Painters, Signature Member (ISAP), and The California Art Club.

Ryan Kennedy

I live in the beautiful region of Northern Colorado, where I find inspiration in my deep passions for God, my family, and the great outdoors that surround me. I have worked to refine and develop my skills in various mediums, particularly drawing and carving. My art has garnered international recognition from the esteemed Art Renewal Center, and this year I am honored to be a part of both the Colorado Governor's Art Show and the Western Spirit Art Show. Through my artistic endeavors, I strive for excellence in every piece I create, to convey beauty, and to honor Christ.

Joy Keown

Joy Keown is a traditional watercolor painter who is inspired by the beauty and wonders of nature. She has a K-12 art endorsement and has studied with many well-known artists including Robert Bateman, Rod Lawrence, & Stephen Quiller. She was an Artist in Residence in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2013 where she studied the work of early landscape painters. She has received Best Watercolor award in the Western Spirit Show twice, and Best of Show in the Wyoming Watercolor Society Show twice. She has had solo shows at the Nicolaysen Art Museum, the Rock Springs Fine Arts Center, and the West Nebraska Arts Center. Her work is included in several public collections, including the State of Wyoming, Rocky Mountain National Park, Rock Springs Fine Arts Center, Ivinson Memorial Hospital, and most recently Little America in Cheyenne. She has taught watercolor at the Cooper Center, the Eppson Center, and Art Uncorked at the Old West Museum. Her body of work includes landscapes, portraits, and wildlife. Her love for the natural world has led her to make conservation the focus of her work.

Damian Kinsella

Damian Kinsella is a California-based still life and landscape painter whose work reflects deep ties to place and memory. Raised in California’s Central Valley and Tehachapi Mountains, he now lives and works in the Los Angeles area with his son.

Danielle Kirby

"A celebration of the untouched West—timeless, and much of it the same as it’s been for generations—my work highlights my preoccupation with the skies and landscapes of the American West, including the animals that live there. I have a particular soft spot for the vast, empty plains of southeastern Wyoming: a perfect stage for the drama of the clouds and colors of the expansive sky.”

Prior to pursuing art full time, Danielle spent 13 years as a graphic designer. She spent several years teaching herself to paint, and considers learning a never-ending pursuit. Today, she lives in southern Wyoming with her husband and two boys where they enjoy caring for goats, gardening, and living a quiet life on the prairie.

Danielle’s award-winning work can be found in the permanent collection of the Wyoming State Museum, as well as many private collections across the U.S. She is a member of Cowgirl Artists of America, and an associate member of Women Artists of the West. Her work can be seen in galleries in Wyoming, Colorado, and Arizona.

Leslie Kirchner

www.lesliekirchner.com

Leslie Kirchner is a professional western and wildlife artist. Her goal is to create work that resonates with viewers giving them a window into the natural world. Reference material for her work is obtained through field experience, photography, and observing wildlife in their native environments. She has worked with cougars, bobcats, wolves, and birds of prey .Her home and studio is in a small, rural mountain community. She feels it important to connect with and portray each animal's uniqueness and individual personality, using paint and brushwork to capture the personality, mood and movement of her subjects through the exploration of color, composition, and the use of positive and negative space in her work. She shows her work throughout the country and is a Signature member of American Women Artists, Women Artists of the West, International Guild Of Realism, and Artists For Conservation, as well as being a member of Oil Painters of America. Her work appears in shows including NatureWorks, Rocky Mountain Oyster Club, American Women Artists National Exhibitions, Cheyenne Spirit of the West, and Women Artists of the West Annual National Exhibitions among others. The landscape, animals, and atmosphere of the west inspire her- not only for exploring, but as a means of bringing the drama and beauty to her painting. She hopes to draw the viewer into her paintings and give them a sense of her inspiration for each piece of work and the animals in them.

Steve Knox

Steve is a high school art teacher in Cheyenne, Wyoming, He serves on the Arts Cheyenne board of directors, Program Director of the Cheyenne Art Haus and is a founding and active member of the Wy/Art Coalition. When Steve isn’t teaching, painting, or advocating to better Cheyenne’s art scene, he can be found with his young family, exploring and enjoying the outdoors.

If you run into Steve at any of his events, you’re almost guaranteed to also be introduced to his family. Steve and his wife, Mary, have three boys and a daughter, who were all named after towns in Wyoming; Dayton, Afton, Bridger and Clarke. They are raising the kids to love and appreciate the arts and their Wyoming roots. From supporting local Art Walks to traveling to the next art fair, the family is always ready for the next adventure that art has them taking. Steve draws his inspirations from his time spent engaged with nature. A lifetime immersed in exploring the wild has provided an abundance of ideas that need created. If only the paintbrush could keep up.

Sarah Konrad

Sarah has explored multiple avocations, each one providing inspiration for those that follow. Spending her twenties guiding backcountry expeditions led to a fascination with ice and snow and graduate degrees about glaciers. Time on snow led to Olympic competition in cross country skiing and biathlon. An unexpected conversation with a friendly artist led to a magical invitation, and she soon found herself making prints.

Printmaking on a small scale challenges her to abandon fine detail and instead capture the essence of the subject. An individual skier is known by the bend of an arm, the tilt of the head. An aspen tree grows knots in a particular pattern on the trunk and cannot be mistaken for a birch. Water appears blue but is filled with colorful reflections of the paddler. Carving these essential traits into linoleum or wood brings her a deeper recognition and understanding of the natural and athletic worlds.

Lilly Kuiper

Lilly Kuiper is a multimedia based artist attending the University of Colorado Colorado Springs for her Visual Art degree, who focuses on themes of the environment, nature, and our human connection to it. Lilly flourishes in her academic setting, preparing to graduate next spring by perfecting her artistic craft through projects, mentorship, and more. She hopes to bridge the gap between the beauty, frailty, and intimacy of the human/nature relationship through her work.

Ryan Lee

Ryan A. Lee is a Colorado-based artist whose work blends contemporary perspectives with themes rooted in Western culture and personal narrative. Born and raised in the Denver area, Lee attended Denver East High School before continuing his studies at University of Kansas. Over the years he has built a reputation for bold storytelling, dynamic compositions, and a willingness to explore the intersection of community, history, and identity through art.

Lee’s work has been widely exhibited across the West and beyond, including appearances in the Western Spirit Art Show & Sale in Wyoming, the OutWest Art Show & Sale in Montana, and exhibitions throughout Colorado. His work has also been featured in publications such as Western Art Collector and Westword. In 2024, Lee received multiple honors, including Best in Show at Memento Mori Gallery and Best of Show for the “Community” exhibition in Lakewood, Colorado.

Beyond the gallery, Lee is deeply committed to community engagement. He contributes to public art projects, supports prison arts initiatives, and donates a portion of his sales to organizations serving underserved youth. Through both his artwork and service, Lee continues to use creativity as a way to connect people, spark dialogue, and give back to the communities that shaped him.

Paul Lippart

Brandt Metalworks was founded by artist Paul Brandt Lippart. Raised in Wisconsin, Paul spent his childhood assisting his veterinarian father on farms and in zoos, developing a deep respect for animals and the people who care for them. That early exposure continues to influence his work today.

Paul has been welding in various fields for most of his life, bringing broad technical experience into his artistic practice. In 2005, he began creating metal art and furniture, and in 2014 he founded Brandt Metalworks to turn his passion into his profession. For the past fifteen years, he has lived and worked on a farm in Windsor, Colorado, where he fabricates each piece by hand—welding just steps away from the cows and calves he raises.

His work reflects a fascination with animal form, strength, and character, expressed through steel with refined craftsmanship and thoughtful detail. In addition to maintaining an inventory of available pieces, Paul designs and fabricates custom works of available pieces, Paul designs and fabricates custom works and commissioned sculptures and furniture, collaborating closely with clients to bring meaningful, one-of-a-kind ideas to life.

Tanner Loren

Born in Cody Wyoming in 1984, the middle child of six children. Tanner spent his early years working cattle on a ranch owned by his aunt and uncle. This ranch life instilled a deep love and respect for the Cowboy and western way of life, which resonate through his bronze sculptures. He was first introduced to sculpture after high school, when hired at Caleco Foundry in Cody, Wyoming in 2004. After two decades of experience in bronze foundry work, while working hand-in-hand and being mentored by world class artists, he developed a passion for sculpting and creating his own pieces. It was here he developed his own style while getting a glimpse of life as a working artist. Learning the foundry arts became a pivotal point in Loren's career. This experience also gave him the knowledge and confidence to make the move from casting other artists’ work, to crafting his own full time. Tanner still does most of his own foundry work on each of his sculptures.

In 2023 Tanner married his best friend Stephanie, who brought three young boys into the marriage, making Tanner a first-time father. His family is the pride and joy of his life.

Early in 2025 Loren’s career was put on hold due to severe health issues culminating with a diagnosis of a brain tumor. He had lost the use of his hands, and his eyesight began to deteriorate rapidly, making it almost impossible to sculpt. In September of 2025, Loren underwent successful brain surgery and has since recovered and returned to the studio.

Allie Louise

Allie Louise (b.2000) is a self-taught artist based in Livingston, Montana curating photo-realistic art with soft pastels in both color and black and white, in hopes of bringing a new light to the medium. She began her art career in 2022, found her way into the pastel world, and has dedicated herself to creating art that is visually compelling, thought-provoking, and that invites viewers to engage with the subject matter on a deeper level. She has since been featured in The Russell Auction, Southwest Art "21 under 31", Yellowstone Art Museum, Pastel Journal, Coors Western Art Young Guns, and more.

She is drawn to subjects with history, faces that tell a story, bonds built over decades, and landscapes that carry both beauty and time. Her approach is observational and detaildriven, with an emphasis on expression, composition, mark making, and subtle emotional gestures as the foundation of the storytelling from piece to piece.

Soft pastel allows her to work with a high degree of realism while preserving the visible marks of the medium. Texture, layered color, and quiet imperfections are intentional, helping the work feel artistic, timeless, and grounded. She finds peace in the thousand of tedious pastel marks that make her work what it is. She also works in colored pencil and charcoal to achieve the same portfolio efforts.

"Looking past the obvious, close observation and engagement of the subject is my process. Though my pieces are meant to look like photos at first glance, I am proud that up close, the viewer is able to see the hundreds of thousands of tedious pastel marks. My goal is to inspire those who see my work to look more carefully at the detail in the things around them. Much of my work begins with close study of the subject by reference photographs combined with written context or personal anecdotes as “research”. This balance allows me to create work that is not only recognizable, but emotionally accurate. Thus, pieces that feel familiar to those who know the subject."

B. Macaluso

B. Macaluso is a 20-year-old college student at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Raised in a small town, she learned about woodcarving and sewing from neighbors before discovering her love for drawing. While she now explores digital art due to its convenience and accessibility online, hands-on work has always been more fun. She has started exploring relief prints more; each carving offering an exhilarating gamble. The lack of an undo button means embracing imperfection and letting go of perfectionism. Slow cuts into linoleum demand patience, but the finality brings a rush that digital tools can’t replicate. B finds beauty in the finished prints, but more so in the process itself. Mistakes become unique textures, flawed lines adding character rather than errors to erase. Stories that carry long hours and the creative process. While B has a lot to learn, blending traditional techniques with modern tools reflects her artistic evolution while keeping a rooted connection to artistry.

Ginnie Madsen

I grew up in Chicago, earned a BFA from the University of Chicago and taught elementary school art in the Chicago area for several years. The roll of wife and mother of three, kept me busy the next 20 years. I eventually settled in Laramie Wyoming and with continued interest in Art, I received a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Wyoming. Upon graduating, I worked for the UW Art Museum for some time. This included traveling around the state with the Museum’s Art Mobile Program. I then taught drawing, sculpture and print making classes at UW for 10 years. I am now retired which has given me more time to pursue my own work. I am a print maker, and painter. My work usually develops from direct observation or recollections of situations and places I am familiar with. I paint in oils and watercolors. I have a print and painting studio in Laramie, WY. More examples of my work can be found on my web site, ginniemadsenart.com

Tamara Magdalina

Artist Tamara Magdalina was blessed to have parents who encouraged her artistic talent and taught her to see beauty and to love Nature “I began drawing when I was five years old," Tamara says “I knew I wanted to be an artist My gift came from my parents and from God My parents thought education was very important " Tamara went to art school for children in her home town of Abakan, Siberia, until the age of fifteen, then moved to Krasnoyarsk to study at the Junior Art Academy for the next four years It was there that she met her husband, Valeriy Kagounkin, and their life adventure began After her graduation from the Junior Art Academy, Tamara's volunteer work led her to paint posters for a paper factory and also big events happening around the area. After this service, with the help of God and the encouragement of her parents, Tamara decided to apply to the best art school in Russia. Tamara worked hard and studied endlessly and earned a place among the 15 students to attend the elite Moscow Art Academy of V. Surikov in 1981.

Her husband, Valeriy was accepted to the premier school the year after she entered It was a feat that hadn't been accomplished before "It is rare for two people from the same small town to get into this school,” Tamara says "But, for a husband and wife to both make it it was a rare accomplishment and a blessing "

After graduating, Tamara, her husband, and young son, Anton-named after a beloved professor at the college--moved back to Siberia and worked as an assistant professors at the Krasnoyarsk art institute there Tamara became Dean of the School In 1998, Tamara and her family traveled to the United States and visited many places, learning the beauty of the land, and the culture of the people.

They eventually settled in Sacramento, California, and her second son, Dennis, was born in the United States. "During our life together, we traveled a lot,” Tamara says of her family. Tamara strongly believes in the family and teaching the children. She and Valeriy's own two sons, Anton and Dennis, are very accomplished students, artists, and musicians in their own right. Today, Tamara continues to share her knowledge and teaches young children the joy and techniques of art. "The child is very eager to learn. They come into school with big eyes, almost a little scared," she says with a motherly smile "I want to teach them how to see beauty and love Nature It's a big responsibility to teach them Even more important than teaching at University, because people keep for their whole life what they gathered as children" In her school, Tamara teaches the basics of traditional European art "It is very interesting when a child sees something and wants to express themselves through art It is very beautiful " Tamara and her family make it a point to use their art to unite all cultures “Art has its own language," she says "We need to love each other, no matter what "

Tamara's goal is in expressing Gods creation through her works The nature and the land has the biggest passion for her

She has won a Silver Medal from the United Nations for her contributions to culture and history, as well as many awards for the paintings she has exhibited. Tamaras works found home in the Contemporary Museum of Moscow and Historian Museum of Siberia, as well as private collections in Japan, Germany, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, and the United States.

Paul Marcotte

Paul J. Marcotte is an award-winning wildlife photographer based in Colorado. Growing up surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains, Paul developed an early fascination with the natural world, sparking his passion for capturing its beauty through photography. His work emphasizes the intimate relationship between wildlife and the landscapes they inhabit, blending a deep respect for nature with technical skill. Over the years, Paul's striking images have earned him recognition in numerous publications, showcasing his unique ability to capture raw, untamed moments in the wild. His photographs often convey a sense of storytelling, immersing the viewer in the life of his subjects, whether it’s a solitary Mountain lion perched in a tree or a family of Coyotes navigating the winter snow.

In 2023, Paul’s extraordinary talent and dedication were recognized when he was named Photographer of the Year by the North American Nature Wildlife Landscape Photographer Association. This prestigious accolade solidified his place among the top wildlife photographers in the world.

Paul continues to travel extensively, seeking out new locations and species to photograph, all while maintaining his commitment to conservation and responsible wildlife photography. Through his lens, Paul hopes to inspire others to appreciate and protect the fragile ecosystems that remain on our planet. His work stands as both an artistic achievement and a call to preserve the wild beauty that surrounds us.

Susan Marion

Susan Marion grew up in the Northeast, but found her “home of the heart” in the Colorado Rockies. She earned a BA in Art from Metropolitan State University, Denver, but considers herself a self-taught artist. She has earned signature membership in the Colorado Watercolor Society and the Pikes Peak Watercolor Society, and is a member of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. Sue is also an exhibiting member of the Fremont Center for the Arts (Canon City, Colo.), the Florence Arts Council (Florence, Colo.), and the Sangres Art Guild (Westcliffe, Colo.). She works out of her home/studio in Florissant, Colo.

“ I’ve been wild about watercolor since high school art class, and have been working towards mastery of this medium for over 40 years. For me, painting is a dance between artist, water, paint, air, and paper – always in the moment, often unpredictable, and full of wonderful surprises!

I work exclusively in transparent watercolor techniques, utilizing glazing to build transparent layers of pigment. Using photographs that I take, my representational style of watercolor is characterized by the use of intense, saturated colors and strong contrasts in light and shadows. What inspires me to paint is often the commonplacethose easily overlooked visual details in everyday life: I paint a wide variety of subjects, but I’m especially proud of my growing collection of paintings portraying Native American powwow dancers.

In my work, I seek to convey the sensory and emotional experience of having ‘been there’ with what I’m painting. For me, paintings are a meditation on the subject of the piece, an archive of my presence with that subject, and an invitation for the viewer to share my experience.”

Robert Martinez

Robert Martinez is an Chicano & Arapaho Artist from the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. He creates bright contemporary paintings and unique mixed media drawings that use images from the past and present. You can see his work in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian National Museum for the American Indian in Washington DC, The Plains Indian Museum at the Bill Cody Center of the West, The Wyoming State Museum, The Nicolaysen and the Red Cloud Heritage Museum.

Corinne McAuley

As I have explored, played, created, and researched the talent of bead placement, I have found that working with beads allows for endless hours of beauty and creativity. Creating with beads came to me later in life. I have always felt artistic but had difficulty finding a creative path that would take me into the future. Beads found me in 2001, with one visit to a local bead store. I found something very appealing with the tactile textures and sizes of different types of beads. Working with beads over the years has given me the confidence to apply beads in unique and interesting ways creating art without any boundaries. The intent for my art is to be unique, one-of-a-kind, interesting, mind-provoking, and fun. The beads I use and the way I use them, have been a surprise for many, including myself at times. Beaded Tapestries were my first passion with beads, I have since expanded into mixed media art utilizing beads as the staple.

Deb McCahan

Palette knives with paint, paper pieces, and petri plates of microbes are three things Deb has up her sleeves and usually on them. A farm girl raised on the prairie of eastern Colorado, she finds comfort where she can see wide open skies and landscapes that stretch to the horizon. Views such as these, nature, and flowers inspire her art and most evenings Deb watches the sunset over the mountains from her Johnstown home.

Drawn to both art and science, she earned a degree in Medical Technology from UNC in Greeley and works as a clinical microbiologist. To balance creativity and lab work, she began teaching paper crafting. One major highlight that allowed for further creative development was in 2015 when she enjoyed an adventure of a lifetime photographing and blogging throughout New Zealand. These memories and images of the natural beauty of NZ were among the first landscapes she explored with paint. She began formal painting classes in 2019, and a 2022 plein air workshop with palette knife artist Carl Bork revealed her passion for impasto techniques. Her energetic, textured work evokes a sense of adventure, happiness and peace.

Deb has received awards at multiple plein air events including best in show and people’s choice. She is an exhibiting member and current board member of the Thompson Valley Art League in Loveland. Her work has been featured at the Western Spirit Art Show for two consecutive years and has been accepted into the National and Regional Fine Art Shows at Lincoln Gallery.

Mike McIntosh

Suzette McIntyre

Suzette McIntyre is a fine art photographer whose work explores the layered relationship between land, wildlife, and the human presence in the American West. With a foundation in traditional photography, her work has evolved into a multilayered approach that blurs the line between photographic realism and emotional ambiance.

Drawn to moments of tension and quiet resolve, McIntyre creates images that invite contemplation rather than conclusion. Her subjects—riders at dusk, a solitary wolf in winter, a charging herd—exist within spaces where beauty and conflict coexist, and where meaning unfolds slowly over time. Rather than documenting the West as myth or spectacle, her work reflects it as lived terrain—complex, reverent, and unresolved.

Her process often combines multiple photographic elements with subtle textural layering, allowing atmosphere, memory, and presence to inhabit a single frame. This approach encourages the viewer to pause, linger, and consider their own relationship to what is seen.

McIntyre’s work has been exhibited nationally and recognized for its ability to bridge photography and fine art. Through her Western-themed canvases, she seeks to honor the spirit of the land while acknowledging the layered truths that define it.

Rebekah McLain

Rebekah McLain is an award-winning, self-taught western artist known for her detailed pencil drawings of horses and wildlife. Her work reflects a lifelong love of the West - one that began with fields of horses just across the road and afternoons spent watching Roy Rogers, John Wayne, and many other cowboys of the silver screen. Those early memories, paired with the animals and western lifestyle she’s surrounded by today, continue to spark her inspiration.

Rebekah’s artwork has found homes in private collections across the U.S. and internationally. Working from her studio in Wyoming, she creates while raising her five children and often pulls inspiration from their family adventures, outdoor experiences, and the western way of life they share.

Mary Michael

Mary has worked some form of art since very young. It was noticed in school that she had an innate sense of proportion in her drawings which has helped her develop more detail and mobility in creating a softness to the bronze subjects she sculpts. She has made several monuments throughout Montana and is currently working on two more, one for the Emergency Responders and another for Livingston, MT of one of their cherished citizens. Mary’s work has been chosen for many of the Calgary Stampede trophy bronzes, awarded to the overall winners of their event. She was asked to create the handles of the current PBR trophy by Montana Silversmiths, being presented until 2058. Mary’s work has been shown throughout the western United States winning awards and merits and has collectors in several countries. While working on her current projects she is also fixing up a house she bought in Harlowton, MT where she lives with her two dogs, two cats, and two rescue chickens.

Gordon Middleton

I’ve always been a visual person. Quite simply, I enjoy looking at things that I find beautiful or thought provoking. While I appreciate the powerful images of photojournalism and the bizarre creations of the avant-garde, I’m not interested in becoming involved with those aspects of photography. So seeking the beauty in both natural as well as man-made places and things became my unconscious photographic drive.

GordonMiddletonPhotography.com

Bailey Mueller

Bailey Mueller is a Wyoming raised storyteller and graduating senior with a camera in hand and a deep love for capturing the spirit of the West. From the age of six, Bailey could be found following her mom around with a camera, learning not just how to take pictures, but how to truly see. What started as childhood curiosity quickly grew into a passion for photography as an art form, a way to preserve moments, honor people, and tell the stories of everyday life. Growing up surrounded by livestock, wide-open spaces, and the grit of ranch life, Bailey developed a strong appreciation for agriculture and the outdoors. Her photography reflects the authenticity of Wyoming, early morning light in the barn, dust rising in the arena, weathered hands that tell generations of hard work. Her work has been showcased at Cheyenne Frontier Days, where she has captured the energy and tradition of one of the West’s most iconic events. Bailey’s talent and dedication have earned her numerous honors, including awards from Wyoming High School State Art competitions, the First Lady of Wyoming Award, and multiple Wyoming State Fair Champion Photograph titles. Each award represents not only technical skill but her ability to tell meaningful stories through a single frame. She will be attending Oklahoma State University to further pursue her passion for photography and storytelling. Bailey’s goal is to continue refining her craft so she can highlight the best in people, promote agriculture, and showcase the strong values and beauty of the great state of Wyoming. Through her lens, she hopes to preserve heritage, celebrate hard work, and remind others of the powerful stories unfolding in everyday life.

Eric Nelson

Eric was born in Detroit, Michigan and educated in the Detroit public school system. It was there that his talent for drawing and mechanical drafting was first noticed. His college years were spent at Michigan State University and Texas A&M where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture. He enjoyed a 23-year career as a golf course architect in Arlington, Texas but then changed careers due to the banking crisis of 2008. The next twelve years were spent as a sales representative in the construction industry before retiring in 2023.

Eric started painting in 1990 pretty much as a hobby and took his first lesson under a local artist named Dale Bedford. He participated in a few regional workshops but really enjoyed learning from art videos offered by the likes of Daniel Green, Morgan Weistling, Daniel Gerhartz, Jeremy Lipking, and Everett Raymond Kinstler, among others. His career in sales offered him more time to paint and visit art museums, soon his skills developed to the point where he was winning awards in regional competitions. Working full time never gave Eric enough time to paint but his desire to improve kept him putting in the work.

Eric now lives in Firestone, Colorado and is excited to be painting full time. His work shifts between oil, charcoal, and graphite within the theme of Western Art. His figures and portraits depict working cowboys, and Native Americans; he also enjoys painting wildlife and landscapes. One of his favorite artists was a well-known Frenchman named William Bouguereau (1825-1905). Eric tries to emulate his strong sense of design, paint quality and overall simplicity. His work can be viewed online at ericnelsonstudio.com.

Kadra Nevitt

A self-taught artist celebrated for her captivating and realistic depictions of the Western lifestyle, outdoors, and beloved pets. With a lifelong passion for art, Kadra's journey began at a young age, with early memories of coloring and correcting her brother's artistic endeavors. Her dedication to her craft only grew stronger, leading to the sale of her first commissioned piece at just 14 years old.

Kadra's artwork is characterized by its soft yet natural touch, often incorporating horses, rodeos, ranching, and pasture scenes inspired by her extensive experience as a horse owner and rider. Her pieces have been showcased in numerous Western art shows across the United States, galleries throughout the West and Midwest, and have been sold internationally. She has also been part of traveling exhibitions like Paint the Parks.

As an Associate member of the prestigious Pastel Society of America (PSA), Women Artists of the West (WOAW), Mid America Pastel Society (MAPS) and Cowgirl Artists of America (CGA), Kadra's expertise with pastels is complemented by her exploration of pencil and watercolor. Her artistic mission is to capture the essence of a moment, evoking emotions and touching hearts.

With her relocation to Kansas in 2020, Kadra finds inspiration in the heartland's rolling hills, vast skies, and rustic charm. Her art embodies the spirit of the American heartland –genuine, heartfelt, and deeply rooted in the beauty of the everyday. Kadra's goal is to create art that not only reflects the beauty of the world around us but also touches the heart, inspiring a sense of wonder, peace, and connection to the natural world.

Born in Enumclaw, Washington, Kadra's art career has been a journey of passion, dedication, and faith. With a humble spirit, Kadra credits her creativity to the ultimate artist, saying, "I'm just copying the greatest artist of all time – God." www.kadrasart.com

Gayle Nichols

Gayle Nichols is a Contemporary American Realist, third generation artist. Growing up in Oklahoma, she was always fascinated by drawing and painting. Gayle began her formal studies under widely recognized watercolorist Glenn Godsey and life drawing professor Carl Coker at the University of Tulsa. Gayle graduated from the University of Tulsa, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Design.

Gayle’s graphite drawings, watercolors and oil paintings are composed from photographs for visual information, then combines them to freeze brief moments in time and the ever changing beauty of nature. She paints a wide variety of subject matter trying to capture the emotional elements of the scene, the play on color, overall composition, accurate realism, while maintaining artistic integrity. Her perspectives come from personal experiences, her love of nature, different places she has traveled and explored. Gayle’s paintings are visual words of people, nature and moments of time. Nichols works are collected throughout the United States and can be found in corporate and private collections. Today, Nichols continues to carry on the tradition of drawing and painting in the mountains of central Colorado.

Theresa Otteson

Theresa Otteson is a distinguished fine artist whose work captivates audiences across the United States and beyond. A graduate of the University of Utah, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts, laying the foundation for a successful career in the arts.

For five years, Theresa served as the education coordinator at the Bountiful Davis Art Center, where she dedicated herself to fostering an appreciation of art among people of all ages. Her passion for teaching led her to leave this role and focus entirely on her artwork, allowing her creativity to flourish. Theresa has exhibited her paintings in numerous galleries nationwide, earning various accolades for her exceptional work. Notable achievements include purchase awards, the Best Portrait award from the International Guild of Realism, and an Exhibition Award from the American Plains Artist. Her artistic talents have also led to commissioned works for esteemed organizations, including the American Heart Association’s Go heART campaign. Her artwork is featured in prestigious collections across Japan, Europe, and the United States. She has work in private and public collections that include the Farmington City Building, the Davis County Courthouse in Utah, the Eccles Art Center, and the Sears Art Museum. She has participated in both solo and group exhibitions, including “Women's Work” at the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, “The Besendorfer Project,” and “Women of the West” shows at the Sears Art Museum. Today, Theresa continues to create in her studio full-time, while also sharing her knowledge through teaching. She conducts classes and workshops, including the Life Long Learning program at the University of Utah and online courses for the Smithsonian Studio Arts Program. Theresa is a member of the National Oil and Acrylic Society, American Plains Artists, Cowgirl Artists of American, American Artists Professional League, and International Guild of Realism.

Priscilla Patterson

Priscilla Patterson likes to say, “There are no coincidences!”

In 1983, Patterson was on her dream vacation in Alaska photographing brown bears on Kodiak Island when she learned that her job with Pacific Telephone would be surplussed later that year due to the breakup of the company. She returned home, arranged for early retirement from her management position and a few months later made her way back to Kodiak. She worked in the ad department of the newspaper to have an income, fished commercially one season, and later worked for the local art gallery. Having always been “good in art,” but without an art education, she knew it would be difficult to pursue anything in that field, especially living on an island with limited resources. But through library books and videos, she studied drawing and painting, and was drawn to the intricacies and challenges of transparent watercolor. She soon married a local pilot, and their association with the floatplane industry drew her to aviation art. Eventually she created enough work to submit to the American Society of Aviation Artists, and was accepted in 1994.

Over time, Patterson was invited to teach art at Kodiak Community College where she taught drawing, watercolor and oil painting for nearly 18 years. She is an award winning Artist Fellow member of the American Society of Aviation Artists, a member of the Canadian Aviation Artists Association, the Idaho Watercolor Society, Signature Member of the Montana Watercolor Society, the Coast Guard and Air Force Art Programs and the Cowgirl Artists of America. She holds a certification in Composite Drawing for Law Enforcement from Stuart Parks Forensics of Cataldo, Idaho. Patterson and her husband, a former Navy and Fish & Wildlife pilot, make their home in the Idaho Panhandle where she has rediscovered her love of horses and now focuses on equine art.

www.priscillapatterson.com.

Andy Pelster

Self-taught artist, Andy Pelster, was trained in technical drafting and has worked in bridge design in the Denver area for over thirty years. He has pursued fine art part-time from his home studio near Parker, Colorado since 2019.

Authentic Western Art has always held a special place in Andy’s heart. He was raised on a family-run cow-calf operation in Southeastern Colorado, and his family has been involved in agriculture in the area since the beginning of the Twentieth Century. His art is intended to celebrate contemporary ranch life and those who feed the world and preserve the West’s quickly vanishing open spaces. Those open spaces and big Western skies are also among his favorite subjects. Authenticity and realism are the driving force behind his highly detailed drawings. The result he strives for is an image reminiscent of a gelatin silver photographic print with a nostalgic but timeless quality. Andy’s works can be seen locally at The Cowboy Emporium in Downtown Cheyenne. His notable regional juried art shows include the Western Spirit Art Show, Greeley Stampede Western Art Show, Colorado Governor’s Art Show, and Lone Tree Art Expo. His drawings have appeared in Artist Magazine: The Best of Drawing, Western Art Collector, and Art & Color 365 magazines. See more of his work on Facebook and Instagram (@arpelsterart) and at www.arpelsterwesternart.com.

Audrey Powles

Audrey Powles is a rancher and photographer who lives and works on the Powles family ranch in the Sandhills region of Western Nebraska. Raised on a farm in the south central part of the state, she developed an early love for the outdoors and livestock, finding beauty in the everyday rustic. Audrey is self taught photographer and the ability to express her creativity through the lens has become a passion. Her approach to photography bridges the gap between high art and contemporary life in a way that mimics color palettes and dramatic lighting of the old masters. Her goal is to create artwork that has a classic beauty portrayed in a unique way; artwork that will elicit joy or foster curiosity and wonder.

Terry Reeves

Terry Reeves is an award-winning woodturning artist making unquie and beautiful art one pieces at a time in a small, oneman studioi located amongst the fertile grain fields near Decatur in central Illinois.

As a young teen, Terry drew creative pictures and cartoons for his and his squaintances enjoyment. Working with his hands accompanied with his endless imagination, Terry has the ability to implement and fabricate magnificent designs. The designs are his, or yours and have been honed to perfection since 2013.

Terry was inspired by Ray Allen, who was a magiciian at closed segment wood turning. After meeting Mr. Allen, Terry dove into the closed segment wood turning art world with vigor. Yet, Terry was lured by the intricate beauty of open segment wood turning. Terry is self-taught in this method and has great passion for both forms of art now. The elegant wood forms and complex designs presented Terry with the challenge he needed to recreate everlasting art through the beauty of wood.

Terry has a very strong tie to Wyoming. His wife, Mary Kay is the daugher of a Wyoming born and raised woman, the late Jean Hughes Whitted. Jean was the first of six children, all deceased however, many Hughes cousins proudly live in various towns throughout the great state of Wyoming, including Cheyenne! Therefore, Terry is proud and honored to be invited to exhibit his unique and beautiful art pieces at the Western Spirit Art Shwo in the CFD Old West Museum in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Heidi Romsa

My family farms and ranches nine miles west of Albin, Wyoming. Our daily lives are filled with western spirit which capture my eye and compel me to tell our story visually. Photography has been my passion for over 20 years. I’ve had the honor to have some of my works exhibited in galleries in Omaha, Nebraska; Louisville, Colorado; and Sheridan, Wyoming. My photos have also been commissioned to decorate the conference room of Patton & Davison LLC Law Firm in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

I love the baptism of dust at a small-town rodeo arena. My breath is taken away by the colors of the prairie meeting the wide-open sky and the quiet stillness of a summer evening at sunset. I find beauty in the contrast snow creates. The appearance of Meadowlarks in the Spring, the quirky-ness of livestock and the tenacity of cow dogs inspire me to notice the simplistic moments of Farm/Ranch life. These are the sometimes rare, curious, emotion evoking scenes behind my work.

I am honored to participate for my fourth time in the Western Spirit Juried Art Show & Sale.

Kristi Rose

Kristi Rose paints from the heart. Her heritage brings a deep love for the land, animals and history to her art. She is a fourth-generation cattle producer located southwest of West, Texas. Her great grandfather founded the family farm in 1872, which thrives to this day and was recently placed on the Sesquicentennial Farm Roster. As soon as she could walk, she headed to her grandfather’s ancient barn and pastures to be with the cattle and horses, making marks with crayons and pencils to celebrate favorite horses and cattle. Artistic inspiration came from being exposed to the work of Will James, C.M. Russell, and Frederick Remington at a very tender age. The little girl torn between desires to become a cowboy, an artist, and a nurse eventually combined all 3 careers. Time was scarce but she continued to draw and paint, doing commission work as time allowed. After a serious accident, her career as an ER RN transitioned to full time artistic commitment. Life changed in a moment but decades of experience as an accomplished horsewoman, reining horse breeder, competitor, and carded reining horse judge combined with experiencing the fragility of life firsthand in emergency nursing bring a unique outlook to her work. Daily life including time horseback and handling cattle during general ranch responsibilities and helping as needed at cattle works keeps her work authentic, fresh, and vibrant

She may use oils, graphite, pastels, chalk, or pen and ink to distill a poignant moment on canvas or paper. Self-taught, she continues to study fine art composition and technique. Kristi currently has membership involvement with the Cowgirl Artists of America, Oil Painters of America, and the National Portrait Society.

Elizabeth Sage

Elizabeth Sage grew up on a working ranch in Northern California, where ranching and showing horses were an integral part of her life. When she wasn't riding, she was drawing or painting the western life as she saw it for as long as she can remember. At just 14 yrs old, her works were commissioned paintings for the Quarter Horse and Appaloosa Horse High Point Award Ceremonies marking the end of each show year. Her works were accepted in Colorado Springs galleries beginning at 19 yrs old, as well as showcased and sold in new model homes. Awards and recognition for her works continued throughout her life including recent Best of Show awards. Sage continues riding and participating in traditional spring/fall round ups and branding every year, carring a ready camera looking for ‘that speical moment’. Her work is considered detailed and story influenced’ with strong light and drama. Some of her many shows include: Mountain Oyster Club, Arizona; The Cowboy Heritage Museum, Oklahoma; Settler's West, Arizona; and the Cheyenne Frontier Days™.

People often say I paint stories—but in truth, every painting is an impression, a reflection of the artist’s vision. Once a viewer engages with the piece, their own story begins.

Over the past 20 years, I have created work that resonates on a personal level with those who see it. After exploring nearly every genre of art—from style to subject—I found myself returning to a place that has always brought me deep joy: the connection between the land, the horse, and the cowboys who live and work alongside both. This intersection is where my passion lies.

I'm drawn to old Americana, Buckaroo, Californio, and Traditional Western styles—rich with grit, heritage, and the spirit of possibility. My paintings reflect this rugged beauty, portraying men, women, and the horses they ride in compositions that honor both the traditional and the contemporary struggles and triumphs of ranch life and Western art. I work to capture a delicate balance between opposites: loose, expressive brushwork with lost and found edges, integrated with precise detail, strong design, and the drama of light and shadow. This contrast invites the viewer in, offering the freedom to imagine, relate, and discover their own moment within the piece—a story uniquely theirs.

Ricky Sanders

Ricky started in community newspaper where he won numerous awards for photography, layout and writing. He then spent 25+ years in advertising operations experience (creative, production and photography studios). Now, Ricky is developing into a fine art landscape and travel photography with focus on additional gallery shows and eventually photography workshop instruction. His work can be seen at www.illumescape.com.

Amber Scally

I am Amber Scally, a charcoal artist specializing in American Realism and wildlife drawings. I live and work in Martinsdale, Montana.

As a story teller, I love capturing a moment and studying it in depth while I draw. I want to translate every detail, every texture as accurately as I can. I generally work from my own reference photos or those of close friends who share the same experiences I do. I learn something from every subject I draw, whether it is a mule deer or a cowboy.

I use powdered charcoal on panels, applying the medium with soft bristled paint brushes. I use a variety of sponges to blend and numerous types of eraser to pull out details and texture. Each work is sketched on paper before being transfered to the panel. A drawing is finished when I look at it and no longer see a drawing but the subject in the drawing. They are then sealed and varnished like a painting. Every work of art has a story to tell. The way it speaks to each viewer will be different, that is the true beauty of art. Through my work, I hope to build a greater respect and sense of knowing for rural and western life.

Doug Schneiter

My paternal genealogy literally translates to “a woodsman who cuts”, which fits me well. I have always enjoyed time in the forest and making things from wood. I followed that passion through college, earning B.A. and M.S. degrees in Industrial Arts and Sciences at UNI and CSU. That path led to nearly thirty years of teaching until retiring in 2014. I have kept busy since retiring with my woodturning and teaching woodturning throughout the U.S., at Symposia and club demos and workshops. My work has been featured in U.K. Woodturning and American Woodturner magazines. My current work reflects the times that I have spent exploring both ancient and contemporary Pueblo cultures and art in New Mexico.

I am currently represented by Cowboys and Indians Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Chessney Sevier

A great source of Chessney Sevier’s artistic inspiration comes from her mother’s artistic example and the simple beauty of the Nebraska Sandhills where she grew up. On a rodeo scholarship, Chessney attended Chadron State College and later graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Fine Art in 1998. She first began her artistic career as a graphic designer for a leading outdoor recreation company. Later, after moving to Wyoming in 2001 she became a full-time professional painter and printmaker. Today, the Wyoming landscape and culture influence her work more than anything else. Chessney lives outside Buffalo, Wyoming.

Leslie Singer

As a figurative painter, Leslie Singer focuses on capturing unique moments in time, going beyond traditional portraiture to capture mood or evoke emotion, without necessarily defining it. She approaches each work as a study of light and shadow upon which she builds, embellishes, and then erases. Her paintings most often depict strong, independent women and have been described as both feminine and feminist. Leslie began her art studies at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts in New Orleans and at Georgetown University and continued painting studies at The Art Students League of New York and Scottsdale Artists School. She has studios in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Scottsdale, Arizona. Her work has appeared in galleries across the U.S., and her painting “Katya” was recently selected as the cover of the book “My Last Innocent Year” written by Daisy Alpert Florin and published by Macmillan. Leslie’s works are owned by collectors in the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Cerrina Smith

Cerrina Smith is a Training and Curriculum Specialist for the Department of Defense and works at F. E. Warren Air Force Base Youth Programs. In her spare time, she enjoys taking photos. Her love for photography has resulted in numerous national and international awards. Most recently, she received first place in the single photo- conceptual category for her photo titled, Feeling Deflated for the 2024 International Golden Shot Photography Awards. She was also the thirdplace winner for the 2024 International Minimalist Photography Awards under portraits for her piece titled, Rainy Day. In addition, Cerrina has been published in National Geographic Your Shot and Daily Dozen, Cowboys and Indians Magazine, and All About Photo Magazine. She also placed second in Photo Essay for her piece titled Small Town Rodeo for the 2022 International MPA Mobile Photography Award 12th Annual Competition. Cerrina Smith’s photography often celebrates the beauty in everyday moments. She often practices “the art of noticing” and feels there is wonder and loveliness that surround us if only we take the time to look. Cerrina feels the storytelling aspect and emotional impact of a photo is of utmost importance. Her work is considered very eclectic, and she incorporates a variety of subjects ranging from fine art, portraits, street, nature, animals, minimalism, miniature, conceptual, and of course anything that celebrates the spirit of the West! Although her passion is photography, she also loves to experiment in other art mediums such as painting and mixed media. Cerrina Smith lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Nancy Smyth

Nancy Smyth, a distinguished artist based in Hobe Sound, Florida, has embarked on a remarkable artistic journey that seamlessly bridges her past corporate life with her lifelong passion for art. Although Nancy's path to becoming a fulltime artist began later in life, her creative pursuits have been a constant companion since childhood. A graduate of Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, she has transformed her love for art into a thriving career, specializing in realistic portrayals of animals, from beloved pets to majestic wildlife.

Smyth’s artistic style is deeply rooted in realism, a choice that reflects her dedication to capturing the essence and soul of her subjects. Her primary focus is on equine and canine portraits, but her repertoire also includes landscapes, seascapes, and still lifes, demonstrating her versatility and willingness to explore new horizons in her work. Primarily a pastelist, Nancy also delves into acrylics, oils, and watercolors, showcasing her adaptability and commitment to mastering various techniques and mediums.

A testament to her artistic prowess, Nancy Smyth has been recognized and celebrated in numerous exhibitions and art shows across the country. Her work has been prominently featured in esteemed galleries such as the A E Backus Museum, The Booth Museum, CFD Old West Museum, Palm Room Gallery and the Phippen Museum, earning her accolades and awards, including first-place honors and honorable mentions. Her pieces, such as "Noble" and "Take Me Home...With You," “Tail Winds” and other artwork have gained significant attention in regional and national competitions, affirming her place in the art world.

Nancy's long-term aspirations include expanding her client base and continuing to participate in art shows while honing her skills to achieve new heights in her craft. Her dedication to creating art that resonates emotionally with viewers and collectors alike is driven by her desire to make people happy through her work. Nancy Smyth’s journey is a testament to the power of following one’s passion, even when it defies conventional advice, and her art continues to touch the hearts of many who encounter it.

Sarah St George

My biggest treat as a child was a fresh box of crayons, life just did not get any better – the colors, the sharp tips, and the waxy smell. I’ve graduated from my crayons to soft pastels, but am still thrilled by the array of colors and the possibilities they present. Their intense, pure pigment allows for an immediacy and versatility in my artwork. Inspired by the beauty of nature, my paintings are impressionist landscapes where my goal is to distill the essence of a moment. Painting in plein air allows me total immersion into the environment, where I can feel a deep appreciation of nature’s ephemeral light and the true unfiltered color of the landscape. My studio work is a direct extension of my passion for the outdoors, I work from both studies done in plein air and personal photographs. Does life get any better than time in nature with a box of pastels?

Sarah’s artistic foundation began at Wittenburg University in Ohio and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. For the past 25 years, Sarah has been a graphic designer, but has always had a passion for the fine arts. After years of painting watercolors, she discovered pastels and fell in love. A New Jersey native, Sarah’s sense of adventure led her to settle in Alaska, Nevada, and Santiago, Chile. For the past 25 years, she and her family have called Colorado home.

Sarah is a Pastel Society of America

Signature Pastelist, Pastel Society of New Mexico Signature Member, an International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS)

Master Circle Pastelist, and a Master Signature member of the Pastel Society of Colorado. Her paintings have appeared in shows and exhibitions throughout the United States.

Danuta Tomzynski

Born/raised in Los Feliz village, Los Angeles, a neighborhood of Native American, Spanish & Mexican culture was Danuta’s childhood backdrop. Being first generation Polish-American, she long ago connected with the similarities between Southwestern/Mexican craftwork and Polish art & handcraft especially leather craft. That area of Los Angeles is uniquely situated in the foothills of the Hollywood Hills & Griffith Park where Danuta rode horses in one of the country’s largest urban parks and is characterized as “urban wilderness" & a backdrop for many Hollywood westerns. Danuta’s childhood family home, in that neighborhood, had two southwest oil paintings of both the Taos Pueblo and a 1940's Mexican marketplace, she still owns both paintings. Danuta’s parents encouraged creativity. Her first art class was at Barnsdall Park, in Hollywood, in a Frank Lloyd Wright building mere blocks from her home. She was 5 years old. As a teen, Danuta was honored to have a watercolor hang in the Barnsdall Gallery at the annual Art Show at that same park. After attending Immaculate Heart High School and Otis Art Institute, focusing on fashion design, Danuta worked in the apparel industry for ten years creating clothing, textile & graphic designs, including fashion magazine publishing. Later, she pursued painting murals, interior paintings, portraits, home/retail interior design and theater set design. Then, in 2009, Danuta gravitated toward painting southwestern imagery at her second studio in the wine country of Temecula, California, an area also steeped in the Early California rancho esthetic. The Early California history, Spanish, Mexican, Native American, Southwestern, Western, & New Mexican history remains a fascinating area of interest that Danuta is continuing to explore & feature in her paintings.

Debra Trent

Debra's passion for art began with a love for horses and the culture of the American West. From age nine she immersed herself in the creative process of drawing, then painting the subjects she loved.

A self taught artist, Debra has been juried into many prestigious shows and museum exhibitions since 1993. She has received numerous awards and has been featured in books and magazine articles. Her work is in the permanent collection of museums.

"The greatest joy in art for me comes from the initial spark of inspiration, followed closely by a sense of completion with each new painting. I simply love what I do."

A story teller has the power to captivate, evoke deep emotions, impress and inspire. An artist gets to do that visually. There is something thrilling about a blank canvas. It invites and intimidates at the same time. My story as an artist begins and ends in nature. Raw, transcendent, solitary. The animals captivate me, and the wilderness provides infinite inspiration

Carol Walker

Carol’s passion for photography started at an early age, with animals as her favorite subjects. She studied literature and photography as an undergraduate at Smith College, and continued her education in photography after graduating, studying portraiture and nature photography. She has traveled all over the world photographing wildlife for the past 35 years. In 2000, Carol started her business Living Images by Carol Walker, LLC, specializing in photographing horses. Carol’s images masterfully showcase the beauty of horses with her stunning images of horses at liberty. She sells her fine art prints from her website as well as in several galleries in Colorado, and has won numerous awards.

Twenty-one years ago, Carol began photographing wild horses. As she followed several herds in Wyoming, Colorado and Montana, she became aware of how precarious their situation on public lands has become and since then, she has dedicated herself to educating people with her photographs and stories about wild horses. She is one of the leading advocates working to keep America’s wild horses wild and free on our public lands. Her four multiple award-winning coffee table books are: Wild Hoofbeats: America’s Vanishing Wild Horses, Horse Photography: The Dynamic Guide for Horse Lovers, Galloping to Freedom: Saving the Adobe Town Appaloosas and the newest, Blue Zeus: Legend of the Red Desert. Proceeds from the sales of Carol’s artwork and books fund her work to keep America’s wild horses wild and free. As one of the leading advocates for America’s wild horses, she dedicates herself to stopping the roundup and removal of wild horses from America’s public lands and keeping our wild horses wild and free with her Wild Hoofbeats Blog and her new Podcast Freedom for Wild Horses. Carol sees her artwork as an ideal vehicle for enhancing and expressing her advocacy for wild horses.

Holly Walter

I love painting the natural world. I enjoy the challenge of capturing the texture of fur, creating the color and sheen of feathers and finding the expressive soul in the eyes of an animal, this is what keeps me intrigued. I have a degree in Advertising Design, but my passion is in painting. I am self taught in watercolor, oils, and acrylics. I have always loved animals, maybe it was the countless hours I would spend studying all the yellow iconic National Geographic's, Outdoor Life, or Field and Stream magazines. Or maybe it was the excitement of watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom or Nature on PBS and I didn't want to miss any of it! When I was in grade school struggling with all of the boring school stuff I loved drawing and wildlife is what I would naturally focus on and it still excites me today! I love the honesty and rawness of nature. I can't imagine a world without the wonder of animals! Besides my two beautiful daughters, wildlife is one of my favorite parts of creation and I love watching animals in their natural habitat.

I now live in the mountains of Buena Vista Colorado. I connect with nature daily and see Elk, Moose, Deer, Ducks, Geese, Birds, Bobcats, Bears, Antelope, Mountain Goats, BigHorn Sheep, Turkey and occasionally make time to fish. There are endless amounts of wildlife to study and photograph. It is a magical place to paint, cook, hunt, camp, hike, explore, fish and call home. The town of Buena Vista is a friendly welcoming community. I love Colorado and all of the adventure and inspiration it has to offer.

Joe Watkins

Growing up in rural Utah, I have alwasy been fascinated by the mountains, deserts, and wildlife of the American west. After a career as an illustrator/photographer in the U.S. Air Force I decided to pursue my dream and become a full time wildlife artist.

My work has been purchased and sold through the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Pheasants Forever, the Rocky Mountain Mule Deer Foundation, The American Paint Horse Foundation and Ducks Unlimited.

I have been featured in several publications to include Artists of the West, Wildlife Artists of the World, Southwest Art, and Artists for Conservation 2024 and 2025 editions. I am a signature level member of both the International Society of Scratchboard Artists and Artists for Conservation.

Current Gallery Representation:

Going to the Sun Art Gallery, Whitefish, Montana

Western Skies Fine Art, Afton, Wyoming

Two Old Crows Gallery, Pagosa Springs, Colorado

The Turquoise Tortoise Gallery, Tubac, Arizonia

Rimrock Art Gallery, Billings, Montana

My wife Virginia and I follow the climate with residences in Star Valley, Wyoming and Green Valley, Arizonia.

Carol Ann Welch

Carol Ann Welch is an emerging artist working from her home studio in North Texas. The subjects of her oil paintings reflect a lifelong love for animals, specifically wildlife and livestock of the American West. Her work draws the observer into the scene’s atmosphere and mood, so that they sense the subject’s breath and spirit, sparking an empathetic connection. Her innate love of nature and animals was nurtured by time spent on the family farm, horseback riding and working cattle. Roaming the woods along the Trinity River brought her memorable encounters with wildlife that shaped her lifelong artistic vision. Today, she still seeks out such encounters, whether in her own backyard, or on trips to the Rockies and Great Plains.

A second-generation artist, she was inspired to paint by her mother’s landscapes. At thirteen, she joined her mother in studying oil painting with S.A. Flynn of Grand Prairie. She was awarded an art scholarship to Tarrant County College, where she studied for two years before earning her B.A. in Art from the University of Dallas. Although she has painted throughout her life, she only recently began pursuing a fine art career. After 18 years as a selfemployed graphic artist and writer, she is now focused on oil painting.

A member of the American Plains Artists and Cowgirl Artists of America, Welch’s paintings have been shown throughout Texas, and recently in Wyoming. She is committed to the pursuit of excellence in her work as she paints nature’s stories.

Rick Welch

Rick Welch is a professional photographer from North Texas. His subjects are varied, but his favorites are nature and wildlife. He especially enjoys macro photography in order to draw attention to small things in nature that are easily overlooked. “I like to show people the world through my lens.” Welch has an AAS degree in media communications and photography from Tarrant County College. He has worked as a portrait photographer and classic car photographer. Having retired from a commercial career, he now enjoys shooting what, when, and where he wants. His work has won awards online and in local shows.

K. W. Whitley

KW Whitley was born and raised west of Austin, Texas. She attended the University of Texas, with emphasis on art and design. Her interest in art was nurtured by her father, Ralph White, an accomplished artist himself and professor with the UT Art Dept. During her six years as an art director/illustrator, she won awards from the NY Art Director’s Club. Print and Creativity magazines, and several Addys.

From an early age KW’s love of horses was evident. Her mother, always an encouraging factor in KW’s achievements, often said her child’s first word was “horsey”. KW showed hunters, dressage and event horses, and always said the discipline and knowledge gained through enduring the training needed for this type of riding helped tremendously in later endeavors.

After moving to the big ranch country of west Texas, she spent years working cattle for Foard County rancher Buster Borchardt, who ran a large cow/calf operation. KW has since traded her cowboy boots for hiking attire, often spending time exploring the dramatic canyons, slots, and badlands of the caprock escarpment of Texas, parts of New Mexico, and the Wichita mountains of Oklahoma. She worked part-time for several years for Sharp lines, a non-profit corporation, transporting clients from her rural area to medical appointments within a 250mile radius, but now has returned to painting full-time in her Crowell studio. The rugged, rough and open country of the rolling plains, and the rustic grandeur of the Texas panhandle influence KW’s paintings in oil and a combination of gouache and colored pencil. Though still painting cowboy and equine works, she’s now doing paintings of a variety of animals, and landscapes from hiking experiences. Her works can be seen in various art shows in Texas, and other states in the US.

Sandie Whitman

Self-taught oil painter, Sandie Whitman, paints a range of subjects, from still-life to figurative and portrait, with a singular goal: to capture a quiet and tranquil perspective to preserve the less celebrated and, sometimes, overlooked moments of life. Her paintings are a subtle reminder to slow down and enjoy what we have around us.

Sandie is a member of the Oil Painters of America, the Portrait Society of America, the National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society and the American Plains Artists. She lives and breathes the quiet life in her hometown of Cheyenne, WY with her family.

Sandie is proudly represented by Deselms Fine Art Gallery in Cheyenne, WY

Michael Wilcox

Tally Willard

Contemporary Realist artist Tally Willard has pursued art her entire life. After graduating from Auburn University with a BFA in graphic design, she started her career as a graphic designer for a Fortune 500 company. She decided to make the transition to fine art as a full-time job in 2007. Her paintings have been exhibited in private galleries and museums across the United States, with such prestigious groups as Oil Painters of America and American Women Artists. Her bold canvases truly radiate her love and passion of color and the natural world around her.

“As an artist, my goal is to bring to the public, on canvas, a fresh interpretation of the past and present. I prefer an organic subject matter – I strive to paint drama and emotion into each by experimenting with colors, texture, and composition.” Tally Willard

Cody Winiecki

Cody Winiecki is a Loveland, Colorado based painter exploring the rugged life of the American West. His work is grounded less in spectacle and more in temperament. An interest in restraint, endurance, and the quiet discipline required to live and work in wide, demanding landscapes. Influenced by Stoic philosophy, Winiecki approaches Western subject matter as a study of character. He is drawn to the moments that test resolve without announcing themselves. The steadying breath, the measured pause, the acceptance of responsibility. In these spaces, strength is not performative. It is practiced. His compositions emphasize clarity, balance, and atmosphere, allowing mood and posture to carry as much weight as narrative.

While many artists vividly capture the dynamic action and rich pageantry of Western culture, Winiecki has chosen a different lane. His aim is not to amplify the noise of the frontier, but to explore its stillness. By focusing on composure rather than spectacle, he carves out a visual language centered on endurance, patience, and self-command.

The resulting work is contemplative and grounded images that suggest that fortitude often appears in quiet forms. Winiecki’s paintings invite viewers to slow down, to look beyond action, and to consider the kind of character forged in long horizons and honest labor. In a cultural landscape often defined by motion, his work lingers in calm resolve.

John Wolfer

John Wolfer is a contemporary artist and educator whose work investigates the enduring influence of the American frontier on cultural identity. Through photography, mixedmedia painting, and collage, Wolfer explores how nostalgia for Cowboy and Wild West mythology continues to shape beliefs, behaviors, and narratives in modern society. His compositions often feature plastic Cowboy and Indian toy figures, a deliberate choice that underscores the connections between play, make-believe, and reality. Through this playful yet critical lens, Wolfer examines myths of rugged individualism and limitless resources, questioning their impact on contemporary attitudes toward land, sustainability, and community.

Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wolfer serves as a Professor of Art at the University of Cincinnati – Blue Ash College, where he teaches courses in art and visual culture. He holds an MFA in Painting from Clemson University, and his academic work complements his studio practice by engaging with themes of history, memory, and cultural storytelling. Wolfer has exhibited regionally and nationally, including the Light of the West at Central Wyoming College and the Texas State Photo Rodeo at the Si Gallery in Austin, Texas. His work has won first place at the Hi Ho Silver Exhibition at the Ashton Gallery in San Diego, California, and Best in Show at the Gainesville (Florida) Fine Arts Association Biennial Exhibition: Things Unseen, affirming his contributions to contemporary art and interdisciplinary dialogue.

Valeria Yost

My home and studio in northern Idaho sits amoung the mountains and the wildlife I love to portray. I have been an artist forever. From as early as I can remember my life has always been centered around art. Hours spent in teh woods and the mountains with family are my favorite places. Elk, deer, moose, porcupines and my other favorites, horses surround me. Other wildlife from the National Bison Range in Montana and a recent trip to photograph foxes, wolves, cougars, grizzly bears, lynx, and Bobcats have given me many opportunities to capture them in my favorite medium, acrylics. Golden Open Paints allow me to extend the blending time and work with the fine details. Bright colors throughout my paintings oranges, purples, maroons are a common thread that ties my animals into sometimes intimate portraits, and other times into the grand scenes where the animals call home.

27 years ago Wild Wings welcomed me into their publishing company and now I work with Wild Wings and Art Brand Studios. They handle licensing and publishing and my work can be found on multiple products. I am self-taught, but I have had the opportunties to take workshops from some of the great artists who helped me improve my art. Terry Issacc, Sir John Seery-Lester, Paco Young, Robert Bateman, Gregg Beecham, and Juliet Chaman. I have shown artwork from coast to coast. Starting with the SEWE in Charleston South Carolina, to the Phippin Memorial in Preston, Arizonia and the Cattlemans Show in Paso Robles, California.

I spend many happy hours in my studio, paiting full time. I am an Associate member of NOAPS and WAOW. I will be featured artist at the Anaconda Wildlife Show in September of 2026. My work will soon be handled by the Going to the Sun Gallery at Whitefish, Montana.

I believe I was given a gift to share the beauty of the world that surrounds me from tiny details to majestic landscapes, hummingbirds to moose.

Jory Zurcher

Jory Zurcher is an artist based in Buffalo, Wyoming who works primarily in oils, graphite, and leather. His art reflects his connection to rodeo, the western way of life, and the animals and traditions it represents. As the son of a professional bull rider, he spent many hours in the car traveling to rodeos where he developed his love of art and rodeo. He attended Casper College where he obtained an A.S. in Agribusiness and Chadron State College where he obtained a B.S. in Art Education. He received academic and rodeo scholarships competing in the team roping, calf roping, and saddle bronc riding.

Through painting and leatherwork, he is able to create a balance of fine art and functional art. Whether it is a pair of chaps to ride a bucking horse, a painting, or a drawing, he is honored that others can find enjoyment in his work and he considers it a blessing to create and learn each day.

Frank Zurey

I am a nature photographer.I photograph all things in nature from flowers to wildlife to landscapes. I have been producing fine art nature images for over 25 years and displaying them at numerous galleries. I also sell photographs through a stock agency. I belong to North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) and Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers (RMOWP). I have been managing a photography and writing contest for RMOWP for the last 19 years. I also have memberships in a number of galleries.