Object Lessons

Collectorʼs Focus: Western Still Life

In 1930, during a devastating drought in the Southwest, Georgia O’Keeffe noticed animal bones near her home in New Mexico. Their sudden appearance on the desert floor was fascinating to the 43-year-old painter. The Art Institute of Chicago writes that she was “captivated by the stark elegance of the bones and shipped some back to New York so she could paint them the following year. She noted, ‘To me they are as beautiful as anything I know…The bones seem to cut sharply to the center of something that is keenly alive on the desert.’”

Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986), Deer’s Skull with Pedernal, 1936, oil on canvas, 36 x 301⁄8 in. Museum of Fine Art, Boston. Gift of the William H. Lane Foundation, 1990.432.

That skull, and many others, would come to inform numerous works by O’Keeffe during her long and prosperous career. Though her paintings are sometimes seen outside the genre of Western art, O’Keeffe’s Southwestern works are very much part of the Western canon. And her skull paintings are some of her most iconic.

Symbols have power, and objects are often symbols. And, for a variety of reasons, the West is a very object-heavy segment of American culture. Consider these objects that require nothing more than their sight to conjure up stories of the West: cowboy hats, leather boots, saddles with silver trim, bits and spurs, bridles, whiskey bottles, cactus flowers, barbed wire, braided rope, tin coffee cups, cattle brands and, yes, animal skulls.

Medicine Man Gallery, Sky Spirits, oil on linen panel, 36 x 36 in., by Whitney Gardner.

Objects can transport viewers into adventures far beyond the surface of a canvas. When O’Keeffe was in New York painting her skulls, her heart was back in New Mexico wrapped in the desert sun’s warm embrace. Such is the case when objects command such a prominent place in our lives. Objects can tell stories, capture emotional experiences and pull a viewer back to a specific time and place. Whether it’s O’Keeffe’s skulls or Whitney Gardner’s flowers against Southwest skies, or even Brad Overton’s nostalgic exploration of Western toys and figurines, artists can use objects to whisk collectors away to grand narratives or something as simple as a gentle memory obscured in the past.

Legacy Gallery, Favorite Things, oil, 36 x 36 in., by Daniel Keys; Legacy Gallery, Arapaho and Cheyenne Designs, oil, 36 x 24 in., by Gayle Nason.

At Legacy Gallery, which represents works by some of the still life greats, such as Kyle Polzin and Daniel Keys, the category of still life serves a prominent role when it comes to stories of the American West. “Western still life is about reverence—for objects that carry memory, utility and beauty beyond decoration. In these works, the artists approach still life as a way to honor the tactile language of the West,” says gallery director Cyndi Hall. “Daniel Keys’ composition is lush yet deliberate, using light, surface and abundance to create intimacy and quiet drama. Gayle Nason’s work speaks to heritage and craftsmanship, where cultural objects are treated not as artifacts, but as living symbols layered with meaning and history. Kyle Polzin offers a quieter, contemporary interpretation—pared back, restrained and poetic—where subtle light and simple florals invite reflection rather than spectacle. Though visually distinct, these paintings share a commitment to authenticity and intention. Each artist understands that Western still life is not about excess, but about presence—how objects are chosen, arranged and illuminated. The result is work that feels timeless rather than nostalgic, grounded in tradition yet relevant to contemporary collectors. These paintings ask us to slow down and look closely, reminding us that the Western experience can be expressed through stillness as powerfully as through action.”

Legacy Gallery, Cottage Blooms, oil, 16 x 23 in., by Kyle Polzin.

Sean Witucki has championed still lifes for much of his career, and today his work is known around the country. Although he runs in numerous art circles, his Western imagery has captivated collectors due to its authentic objects and compelling compositions. In He Who Rides a Pony Must Someday Fall, Witucki paints some Western gear next to a cowboy drawing. “The quiet weight of these tools—the spurs, the rope and the worn gloves—reflect the reality of a life hard lived. The title is a reminder that if you choose to ride, you accept the risk. For myself, the core of this piece is the understanding that life will inevitably bring challenges that knock us down; we will all fall, but we must find the resilience to dust ourselves off and continue forward,” Witucki says. “Ultimately, I want you to realize that the painting is not complete until you bring your own narrative to it. My hope is that you don’t just see my vision, but that you recognize a piece of yourself within the frame. I want the painting to evolve as you do—changing as you change and revealing new layers of your own story every time the light of your life shifts.”

Blue Rain Gallery, Thunder Colt, oil on canvas, 60 x 48 in., by Brad Overton.

He Who Rides a Pony Must Someday Fall will be available at the First Strike Friday Night sale during The Russell on March 20 in Great Falls, Montana. The annual sale is hosted by the C.M. Russell Museum.

Collectors are urged to seek out these works, and explore how they can enhance their own collections through objects great and small. —