Cowboy Artists of America

For almost as long as there have been cowboys, there seem to have been cowboy artists, but it wasn't until 1965 that a full-fledged organization of such talent came into being. The Cowboy Artists of America began in June of that year. It was started by three well-known working cowboy artists of the time: Charlie Dye, John Hampton and Joe Beeler. These three, along with another friend, George Phippen, discussed the formation of such a group while enjoying cold beers at a tavern frequented by local cowmen and ranch workers from the Sedona area. Each brought to the group a respected reputation for genuine knowledge of the subject.

A few days after this first gathering, these four met in the Sedona studio of Charlie Dye and formalized their ideas. Thus began Cowboy Artists of America, an all-male bastion and the oldest and most prestigious Western artist's organization in the country.

The group was started at the exact time that the National Cowboy Hall of Fame celebrated its grand opening in Oklahoma City. Joe Beeler had been invited to show at the Hall of Fame opening and his show was a grand success. Hot on the heels of this event, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame invited the newly formed Cowboy Artists of America to exhibit the following year. Sales were not huge at this first Cowboy Artists group exhibit, but the crowds were good and enthusiastic. This was the beginning of a relationship between the Cowboy Artists of America and Cowboy Hall of Fame that lasted for several years.

New members were added to the Cowboy Artists over the next few years, with the roster leveling out at fewer than 40. These artists represented a wide geographical variance as well as a huge combined talent. The membership as a whole was greater than the individual parts and displayed a common concern and commitment to art and the West. Although it was not realized initially, this group was responsible for the revival of interest in Western history and the art that depicted all aspects of that life.

Each member had experienced the struggle of gaining recognition of his work. Now they were responsible for the revival of interest in all things Western. Through the exhibits this organization provided, knowledge and interest in the true West has greatly increased. They gave a fresh breath of air to the entire genre, influencing literature and movies as well as creating a renewed interest which rivaled that of works by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell.

To gain better control of their exhibits, Cowboy Artists of America split away from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame seven years after their association began. Cowboy Artists moved to the "birthplace" of their organization, back to where it had all begun. And their popularity did not wane. Today, the group reaches over 2.5 million dollars in gross sales at their annual exhibition.

Members now include few of the original painters, but a second generation of artists is now enjoying great popularity. Galleries worldwide clamor for works by this famous group of Western artists because of their reputation for honest depiction of real life. Though true to the styles of realism, Cowboy Artists are still able to create an air of romanticism in their works. In doing so, they help foster the sense of adventure, contemplation and reverence for a land and passion for an occupation that was almost forgotten. Even critics now admit their original prejudices were overly biased because of popularity and acceptance by the public for the reality dished up by these gifted artists.

The 40th Annual Cowboy Artists of America Exhibition & Sale will be held at the Phoenix Art Museum from October 22 to November 20. This unique exhibition will unveil more than 100 new works never before viewed by the public. The sale, on the evening of October 21, benefits the Museum and is one of the most successful fundraising events of the year.

Visit the website for Cowboy Artists of America at www.caamuseum.com to find out details and information about this organization, their exhibits and shows. Membership is by invitation only, after having been nominated by a current member, which keeps the roster small and refined.

Most museums across the U. S. have collections of Western art, and grow the collections annually. The Leanin' Tree Museum of Western Art in Boulder, CO, exhibits over 300 original paintings and bronze sculptures from the private collection of Edward P. Trumble; and the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, TX, has over 3 million artifacts in the collection, and included in exhibit areas are textiles, fine art and furniture and decorative art. Check at museums when you travel, too, so you don't miss a chance to see works loaned from private collections and corporate purchases. And local artists who have selected Western themes for their work can be great places to acquire low-cost originals depicting long-loved and cherished subjects of the West.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 15 No. 11 -- September 2005