Almost all art requires observation of some kind. An artist might be inclined to look at the action, the loud, the spectacle. Others turn away entirely as they search for the quiet, the contemplative, the subtle.
Behind the Bucking Chutes, oil, 24 x 36”Arizona-based painter Howard Post is one of those artists who turns away to find those quiet moments of life in the West, a key aspect of his career and studio that has served him well. “I do tend to look at things from a different perspective, which has been associated with my work for a long time now. Early on it was by accident because I never wanted to paint action scenes,” Post says from his studio in Tucson, Arizona. In some of his newest work, the painter shows the behind-the-scenes solitude of cowboying, rodeos and ranch life. Years ago, these works earned him a nickname. “They called me the Cowboy Degas. [French painter Edgar] Degas was more interested in dancers behind the curtain than the dance itself. I didn’t mind the nickname.”
Paint Stud, oil, 24 x 48”
Blue Bandanas, oil, 30 x 30”A perfect example of this Degas-linked style of painting is Behind the Bucking Chutes, showing two figures sitting quietly in abstracted panels of sunlight and shadows. For all the viewer knows, there could be bucking bulls or a roping contest happening 15 feet behind the figures, but Post ignores that for a calmer and more subtle scene that shows the delicate experiences that exist between the spectacles. The result is beautiful and introspective, and it can fill viewers with a reverence punctuated by silence.
A Good End to the Day, oil, 30 x 24”Post will be showing his newest pieces, including Behind the Bucking Chutes, at Desert Bound, a new solo show at Maxwell Alexander Gallery in Los Angeles. “Howard’s distinctive style has been a breath of fresh air in that Western genre for over 30 years,” says gallery director Beau Alexander. “We’re excited to introduce his art to a whole new generation of collectors. It’s an honor to have Howard doing a solo show in our Los Angeles gallery.”
Waiting for Company, oil, 24 x 24”
Six Mares, oil, 15 x 30”Some of the new works were inspired by reference material gathered years ago. Post was also drawn to a way of thinking that was held in high regard by Andrew Wyeth. “He said that most artists try to paint fresh subjects, but that it was also important to try to have new perspectives of the same subjects. I’ve taken that and applied [it] to my paintings that feature the quiet side of the West,” he says. “It really made me focus and look at my subjects, including some of the abstract qualities that appear in my work. For a long time I did only figurative work, then focused more on animals. Lately I’ve been revisiting the figure. It’s exciting for me.”
Range Bull in the County Road, oil, 10 x 8”Going back to Behind the Bucking Chutes, Post mentions that a painting can originate from very simple observations. “For that one, it was all about the vignette of the scene. Behind the scenes at a rodeo can produce all kinds of scenes. Some guys are back there gearing up, others are psyching themselves up and some are praying. During the national anthem, many will take their hats off and hold it to their chest. The idea is to go in without any preconceived idea about what is there,” he says. These observational details can be seen in works such as Blue Bandanas, A Good End to the Day and Waiting for Company, all of which include small details that might be missed by other artists or casual observers.
Sortin’ the Mares, oil, 30 x 40”
For some of Post’s other new works, he focuses almost solely on horses, a classic subject for the artist, who has ridden horses for much of his life. In many of the paintings, the artist paints each horse in a unique color, which allows a colorful arrangement within the design of the painting. “In rodeo, they use almost all quarter horses, so I use them a lot. They have a certain build to them and people who rodeo or work on ranches will recognize them right away,” he says. “As for color, I do a lot of different colors and that was planned. Years ago I made a decision that I didn’t have to stay true to reality. So I’ve done brown and white and gray, but also purple. They can be whatever I need them to be.”
Desert Bound will be on view at Maxwell Alexander Gallery through May 27. —
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