Cowgirl Style
Cowgirl Style
My husband & I just returned from the "Cowgirl
Up!" Invitational Art Show at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, in
Wickenburg, Arizona. As a new artist in
this annual exhibition, which features four days of events and receptions celebrating
200 pieces by 58 of the country’s top women western artists, I was giddy to view
the exhibit and see new works by women I’ve followed for many years. Seeing their art, and more art in Sante Fe on
the way home, reminded me of what I was going to write about this time: individual
style.
Viewing the show, I was drawn to particular pieces in one of
two ways: I either immediately identified the artist’s signature style: DonnaHowell-Sickles’ joyous cowgirls; Rebecca Tobey’s or Star York’s distinct animal
sculptures; Dinah Worman’s landscape compositions; Barbara Meikle’s colorful textures,
to name a few. Or, I didn’t immediately recognize
the artist, but the piece was so different from the rest that I investigated it
further to remind me who did this glorious thing: V Vaughn’s captivating
creatures; Maura Allen's pop-flavored figures; Jennifer Cavan’s & KathyBeekman’s glowing buildings; Terry Cooke Hall’s traditional imagery in luminous
colors; Stephanie Revennaugh’s “painterly” bronzes- again, naming only a few. Unlike most western art lovers, I have little
interest in tightly-rendered scenes of the past, and I’m sorry I didn’t spend
much time viewing the more traditional imagery portrayed in traditional styles.
That’s the beauty of art though, there’s something for everyone, as the red
dots on those pieces attest.
Whether the image has been done before, and as with everything
-think of how many movies released lately are remakes or sequels- it most
likely has, artists invited to this show are unique in their approach and
individual style.
Google any renowned artist with a recognizable style and you’ll
find a lot of knock-offs, but most of us want to produce art that’s recognized
as our own. Style is personal, like a
fingerprint, and develops over time, but it can be mimicked by artists who lack
it. Art-makers are influenced by artists
whose work moves us, but rather than copy someone else’s art, an artist's style should be an amalgamation
of imagination-what they have to say- and their influences- how they choose to
express it.
Technique is learned, and the same technique can be used in
different types of art. Building on thousands of years of art, it’s difficult
to rely on technique alone to express something in a new way. I thought my paintings were pretty fresh till
I saw WHD Koerner used bold purple strokes on his cows 90 years ago. Our technique may be similar, but our styles are
very different. Though Duke Beardsley wasn’t the first to paint a row of riding
cowboys, his individual interpretation and creative use of the image makes it
synonymous w/ his work to anyone familiar with contemporary western art. If someone paints that row of cowboys -and they do- it’d better be significantly
different or the artist is branded a copycat. This is why no one paints Campbell’s soup
cans.
Art, like fashion or cars, changes through the years, but I
surmise that a person well-versed in fashion can identify Chanel designs (as
well as knockoffs) over the years, much like one can spot all the Volkswagens in
a sea of cars, because the trademark style of those brands is inherent and
visible in their varied creations. This
is what artists want - for our individual style to be identified regardless of
our experiments in medium, technique, or subject matter.
Beside the fact that almost every artist made the trip to Arizona
for the Cowgirl Up! reception, my biggest surprise was how kind and welcoming these artists were to a shy newcomer like myself. When I gushed all over meeting Donna
Howell Sickles at a roping, she said, “Let’s snap a selfie!” Encouraging words from Lindsey Bittner Graham
and others bolstered me. I left this
experience humbled, inspired by the art and artists, and energized, excited to
create my best work yet.
In Aunt Linda & Uncle Tony's yard before the first big reception.
Meeting Donna Howell-Sickles was a treat! She's as joyful and beautiful as her paintings!
We stayed with my Aunt Linda, who's always been a support. She and my Uncle Tony live in the area.
Ron & Mary Ann of Illinois purchased my one-hour quick draw painting in a lively auction.