Leaning Easel Fine Art

This is the second painting in the Gold Buckle series, the first being ‘Gold Buckle Dreams’. Rodeo was a big part of my early life and so it’s a subject I enjoy painting. It allows me to take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the rides that stick out for me. I hope you enjoy this painting as much as I do.

Mitre Peak is one of the most photographed peaks in the South Island of New Zealand. This iconic peak is named after its distinct shape and is in the Fiordland National Park. On the shore of Milford South, Mitre Peak is the tallest mountain in the world to emerge directly from the sea. This amazing peak is just over a mile high. Painting this iconic peak was a great pleasure. My goal was to accurately depict this iconic peak & yet show the drama that surrounds it. What a beautiful place and a great painting for your home.

Most of my memories from childhood have something to do with riding bulls. I was obsessed! If I wasn’t riding, I was thinking about bull riding. As a young boy, nothing was safe. I rode anything & everything, including my mom’s sheep and the calves that stood still long enough. By high school, my main reading material was Pro-Rodeo Sports News. After school, my bull riding career didn’t’ go as planned. My ‘gold buckle dreams’ were ended due to an injury on a bull in Phoenix. I haven’t ridden for years, but the memories of those days still stir emotion. I hope this painting stirs emotion in those who see it. Feel free to contact me concerning this, or any other of my paintings.

This is the third painting in the Gold Buckle series. I’ve always had a connection to the old west and the cowboy way of life both past and present. It allows me to remember my past in the rodeo arena. The love of the cowboy way is alive and well and I hope this painting is enjoyed by all who see it.

The cowboy life is far from easy. They work long days out in the elements, take very few days off and do it for very little money. However, there is a freedom & peacefulness in the life of a cowboy. Some of my most memorable moments was just me and my horse alone with my thoughts enjoying the beauty around me. This painting represents one of those moments for me. Just a cowboy, alone with his thoughts enjoying some solitude as he heads back to the barn.

I have always had an interest in the history of America; specifically the old west and Native American life. My goal for this painting was to depict this Native beauty in somewhat lowlight and yet show the reflective light back onto her face. My concept for this painting was not just a portrait, but to convey mystery and beauty. I asked myself many times during the painting process “What is she thinking in her moment of silence?”. My hope is that the viewer might ask similar questions.

For me, it's a great honor to depict a day in the life of cowboys on the ranch. I think coming from a ranching family has given me a deep connection to ranch life and the animals that work along side us. There is nothing like life on the ranch.

Growing up in a ranching family has given me a deep appreciation for the work ethic and freedom of the American cowboy. Cowboys, both past and present have always been of interest to me. Painting the American cowboy is not just a job, it’s truly an honor. This painting depicts this old cowboy enjoying the beauty of the sky from the back of his horse.

I’ve spent a lot of time around horses & there are very few things in life more graceful & beautiful than a horse running free. I love the black horse & the background of the blue sky. What a beautiful animal!