Duane Bryers’ first mediums were soap and ice, into which he would carve his subjects in three dimensions. It was a far cry from where he would end up later in his career as part of the Tucson 7, a group of prestigious Southern Arizona artists whose works are still celebrated today.
Still Hoping, oil, 18 x 24 in.
Bryers is the subject of a major new exhibition at Settlers West Galleries in Tucson, Arizona. Duane Bryers – A Lasting Legacy opens March 28 and will feature 50 original works from the multi-talented artist whose career began in illustration and comics before flourishing in the American West.
My Friend Charlie, mixed media, 12 x 9 in.
“As I look through this great collection of work by Duane Bryers, the variety of subjects reflects back on his perspective of life,” says gallery owner Stuart Johnson. “Given his early years as a trapeze performer at a traveling circus in the Midwest, Dick was always doing what he loved, and it showed throughout his work. He had such a great sense of humor, and his love of art stretched from the classics to the modern. Parties at the home of Dee and Dick Bryers always brought conversation to the foreground and laughs aplenty when the Tucson 7 got together. Duane Bryers represents a high point in American art, with a glow that the illustrators and artists of the period brought to each canvas. It was an honor to have known him.”
Cowboy and the Lady, oil, 16 x 20 in.
The artist moved to Tucson in 1958 and later became friends with fellow East Coast illustrators who moved to Tucson in the 1960s and 1970s. They were Harley Brown, Don Crowley, Tom Hill, Bob Kuhn, Kenneth Riley and Howard Terpning. In 1997, the Tucson Museum of Art brought their art together for an exhibition and dubbed them the Tucson 7. The name stuck. Today, the only living members are Terpning and Brown. Bryers died in 2012, a month shy of his 101st birthday.
“Dick Bryers was a good friend and a fine artist,” says Terpning. “We have one of his beautiful works in our living room that I enjoy every day. His professional skills coupled with a vital personality are evident in all his many paintings.”
Fireflies, oil, 24 x 36 in.
Brown recalls fond memories of his artist friend. “The world around Dick Bryers was an inspiring place to be. His life, filled with love so heartening; his art, brilliant and motivating,” Brown says. “I well remember when he had just turned 70 and declared, ‘I’m just getting started.’ Always filled with joy, he kept true to his word. Those glorious times with Dick Bryers have stayed with all of us, and he forever lives on in our memories.”
Works from the new show will go live on the gallery’s website starting on March 13. An opening reception will take place March 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. —
Settlers West Galleries 6420 N. Campbell Avenue » Tucson, AZ 85718 » (520) 299-2607 » www.settlerswest.com
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