Dust and Dreams

Pursuit of historical accuracy.

By John O’Hern

Charles Fritz studied history in college, and history is the backbone of his intensely researched paintings of the Old West. His pursuit of historical accuracy led him to retrace the route of Lewis and Clark’s expedition and to produce paintings illustrating passages from their journals and field notes effectively becoming An Artist with the Corps of Discovery, the title of a book of the paintings. Fritz paints in plein air and from life to capture the actuality and vitality of the landscape and his subjects.

Splain’n the Why illustrates a moment in the life of settlers from the east heading west. Stopped in the vastness of the prairie, a settler converses with his wife while an older couple looks on. Accompanied by their dog and their oxen, the older woman knits while her husband provides silent backup to the younger man. The personal dynamics are complemented by the cherished wooden armchair sitting atop their earthly belongs at the front of the wagon—all making this a real moment in the lives of real people.Legacy Gallery, Splain’n the Why, oil, 24 x 32", by Charles Fritz.

Travel in the Old West would have been impossible without the help of horses, oxen and mules. Miners used mules in the Grand Canyon to carry out their excavated minerals. As tourists began visiting the canyon, the miners found they could make more money ferrying tourists on canyon tours riding the sure-footed animals. In his Grand Canyon Pack Train, Dennis Ziemienski places the mule train in shadow against the sunlit canyon, creating sharp contrast but allowing there to be detail in the foreground. It is typical of his dramatic compositions using the techniques of graphic design he used in his earlier career as an illustrator and inspired by the poster illustrators of the early 20th century.Trailside Galleries, Cowboy Accommodations, oil on canvas, 22 x 28", by Bruce Greene.

Cowboys might better be called “horseboys” because of the close relationship they have with their equine companions in the hard work of ranching. In Cowboy Accomodations Bruce Greene depicts cowboys and horses settling in for the night far from their bunkhouse and stable. The cool moonlight contrasts with the warm light of the stove fire coming from the doorway. Greene began taking art classes in Dallas when he was 8 years old. He studied painting in college and later took part in the Cowboy Artists of America Mentoring Program, learning about painting and making friends. Today, a CA artist himself, he has a small ranch in Texas and often helps out at a larger ranch where, he recalls, “My good friend, Red Steagall, calls it ‘getting the dust in your nose.’ For me, that dust makes the difference.”Den Schofield, The Ranger, oil on canvas, 20 x 16"

Blue Rain Gallery, Honoring Ancestors, oil on canvas, 48 x 48”, by Roseta Santiago.

An Amish boy with his horse-drawn wagon challenges a steam locomotive in Lee Alban’s Race Against Time. Alban was trained in the techniques of the Old Masters at the Schuler School of Fine Arts in Baltimore. As he continues in his career he adds contemporary techniques that add to the breadth of his work. His narratives of cowboys in the West and women in the 1940s workforce display a sensitivity for his subjects, honoring both them and their work. The conveyances of the engineer and the wagoneer are in parallel universes which Alban paints with equal precision. Time, however, will claim the soft flesh of the horses and the locomotive will rust away.

Throughout this special section, collectors can immerse themselves in yet more imagery of the Old West, from Native Americans on mountaintops and in aspen forests to cowboys wrangling herds of steer.Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Grand Canyon Pack Train, oil on canvas, 42 x 48”, by Dennis Ziemienski.

Blue Rain Gallery, Journey Through a Martin Hennings Painting, oil on canvas, 48 x 60", by Roseta Santiago.

Lovetts Fine Art Gallery, Race Against Time, oil on panel, 24 x 36", by Lee Alban.

Since he was a boy, Wyoming-based artist Den Schofield has dreamed of capturing the wild stories of the American West. A graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art, he has worked as an illustrator for decades, eventually turning his attention primarily to his paintings. His oils Yellow Sky and The Ranger each depict a different aesthetic that illustrates the essence of the cowboy. The artist says that among the masters who’ve inspired his work are Winslow Homer, Frederick Remington, N.C. Wyeth and the French impressionists.Sharon Standridge, Dirt, Dust and Riding Drag, oil on linen, 11½ x 21½"

John Philip Wagner, The Snake Priest, oil on canvas, 30 x 24"

For John Philip Wagner, the places he’s lived throughout his life, like New Mexico and his current home of southern Colorado, have influenced his interests and artistic passion. “Early on, I loved the American West and dreamt of being part of the historic frontier with the gigantic skies and vast open spaces,” says the artist. Wagner is particularly passionate about Native American culture, often painting scenes involving Native Americans and regalia. “Later it all made sense when I planted my roots in New Mexico. In the late 1960s Santa Fe still had the flavor and the dust of a ‘frontier town.’ In time, I bought adobes in the country and built my studio in El Rancho which is on the dirt road near San Ildefonso Pueblo...My home is now in southern Colorado which is much like New Mexico with sage, cottonwoods and cactus, the sky is enormous and dramatic.”Den Schofield, Yellow Sky, oil on canvas, 20 x 16"

Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, represents Roseta Santiago, who paints Native American imagery in scenes that capture another prominent aspect of Western culture. Her oil Waitin‘ on Juanito depicts “a Jicarilla Apache man on his way to a feast day relay race. His eyes were mesmerizing with anticipation,” says the artist. In Honoring Ancestors, a Native woman stands atop a cliff overlooking a vast canyon below, an expression of calm and confidence etched on her face. Santiago’s work will be on view in the upcoming exhibition Homage to Oscar E. Berninghaus at Blue Rain Gallery from March 27 to April 18.John Philip Wagner, The Snake Priestess, oil on canvas, 30 x 24"