In Ramon F. Adams’ book Western Words,the author includes the phrase “shadow riders,” which referred to a cowboy who would frequently look down at his shadow to marvel at his getup.
Alex Ziv, The Junkyard King on Rattlesnake Road, gouache on paper, 22 x 30 in.
“When a cowboy really liked how he looked, he would watch his shadow,” says artist Gina Teichert, who adds that even Charlie Russell titled several works The Shadow Rider, all showing single riders decked out in their cowboy gear. “Hearing that phrase really made me think about Western tack, clothing and all this great material that exists in the West.”
Teichert turned the concept—authentic Western wear, gear and accessories—into the exhibition Shadow Riders for the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum in Elko, Nevada. The origin of the show goes back more than a year, when the rising California artist (and regular Western Art Collector contributor) held a solo show titled Cowboyology at the same museum in 2024. The exhibition, timed to complement the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering being held across the street, was a hit. The museum, pleased with her work and work ethic, invited her back to curate another show to be held during the 2025 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. The exhibition opens January 30.
Maeve Eichelberger, Summer Breeze, hand-formed and hand-etched acrylic, 26 x 13 x 12 in.
The show will feature four artists: Colorado-based Maeve Eichelberger, whose works are saddles and other tack made from hand-formed acrylic panels; New York painter Daniel Falcón, who examines the West’s intersection with fashion; California’s Alex Ziv, who offers unique examinations of culture that he layers over Western shirts and other objects; and Teichert, whose contemporary works speak to the people, animals and materials that are so iconic in the West.
Gina Teichert, Fringe Benefits, oil and acrylic on canvas, brain-tanned buckskin, leather paint and gold cord, 53 x 48 in.
“Working with the museum has been really collaborative and open-ended,” Teichert says. “When they initially reached out to me, they wanted something that would interact with the permanent collection and exhibitions. The museum is home to the original GS Garcia saddle shop, so it’s definitely a great place to see that Great Basin and buckaroo look. Maeve Eichelberger, for instance, can have her acrylic pieces hang right next to handmade rawhide reins. It offers an interesting juxtaposition. The idea is to mix it up.”
Daniel Falcón, Tierra Amarailla, oil on panel, 12 x 12 in
The exhibition opens January 30, and will not only complement the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering across the street but also the 2025 Bit, Spur & Rawhide Reins Contest at the museum. A reception for both Shadow Riders and the contest will take place January 31. The exhibition will hang through March 1. All of the works in the show will be for sale. —
Shadow Riders
January 30-March 1, 2025
Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum
542 Commercial Street Elko, NV 89801, (775) 389-1713
cowboyartsandgearmuseum.org
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