Legacy Gallery’s exhibition The Painted West offers the opportunity to look at the breadth of experiences and interpretations by artists of the American West. The exhibition and sale will be held March 10 through 20 at the gallery’s location in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Bill Anton, Cattle Thief’s Calling Card, oil, 32 x 40”
The work of the cowboy doesn’t end at sundown. Bill Anton’s Cattle Thief’s Calling Card depicts two men on patrol at night. Anton says, “I want the viewer to feel the drama of atmosphere and the mystery of a Western night.” Night light appears blue because in low-light conditions, the light sensitivity of our eyes shifts to the blue end of the spectrum. Anton’s challenge in this painting was to depict the moody blue light as well as the white horse illuminated by the direct moonlight. In his nocturnes, Anton follows in the footsteps of Frank Tenney Johnson and comments, “In my mind, he was the pinnacle of Western painters when it comes to creating mood. He injected color into his moonlight scenes to extol the beauty of the night. Some have criticized him for taking that liberty, but I believe that any time a painter tries to be too accurate, he is missing the entire point of painting.”
Tom Browning, On the Move, oil, 16 x 14"
John Moyers, Autumn Pilgrimage, oil, 24 x 36”
G. Russell Case, Kaibab Autumn, oil, 30 x 50”
Although loosely and evocatively painted, John Moyers’ Autumn Pilgrimage exhibits his knowledge of Native American habits and artistry that backs up his philosophy of painting. He says, “When I paint, I have to be as accurate as I can be…It’s all about being authentic.” Autumn Pilgrimage recalls the paintings of E. Martin Hennings of the Taos Society of Artists but with a 21st-century twist. His abstracted aspens and leaves envelop the people on horseback as well as the chief in the foreground, making them one with the environment. He has a wide range of chosen topics and explains,“I paint what excites me. Maybe for two months all I want to do is landscapes, then maybe Native Americans and then Mexican pieces. The more you paint, the more comfortable you get with the process. Hopefully, I’m improving all the time.”
David Mann, Medicine Ridge, oil, 30 x 24”
Tom Browning often says his paintings are about “a convincing sense of light and dust.” Both are present in abundance in his painting On the Move. He began drawing horses and wildlife when he was 7 and continues to find new ways to depict their energy and that of their riders. His rapid brushstrokes often barely cover the texture of his canvas and encourage the eye to fill in the details. In On the Move, highlights on the rider’s hat, shoulders and sleeve make him stand out against the trees of the dark background. Browning became a full-time artist when he was 23.
G. Russell Case’s landscapes are deeply felt interpretations of a scene rather than literal representations. Yet, he has absorbed the essence of the Southwest, producing paintings that invite the viewer to picture the imagined scene. In Kaibob Autumn, he leads the eye through the composition from the group of three Native American horseman on the left, to the stand of yellow cottonwoods and up to the top of the mesa. Case, who often paints in plein air, says, “What I love about painting our natural world are those moments of the day that seem to transcend and make you stop breathing so there is no distraction.”
Matt Smith, A Mogollon Winter, oil, 14 x 14”
C. Michael Dudash, Nomads of the West, oil, 40 x 58”
David Mann paints scenes of Native Americans in the late-19th century. Two years as a Mormon missionary among Apache, Navajo, Pueblo and other tribes brought a deep understanding of Native culture. Medicine Ridge is a complex composition. A warrior on horseback commands the foreground. Other riders in his party are framed between his horse’s legs and another creates the middle distance riding directly behind him. Mann engages Native American models and researches plains regalia to insure the authenticity of his paintings. —
Upcoming Show
Up to 60 works
March 10-20, 2022
Legacy Gallery
7178 Main Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 945-1113, www.legacygallery.com
Powered by Froala Editor
