As has often been said, timing is everything. This was especially true in the case of Utah artist Jason Rich. As he’ll tell you, the stars aligned, and his time as a career artist came quickly—before he had even finished his college education.
But let’s step back and follow the route that took Rich to his art career. His father, an elementary school teacher, owned a small horse farm in southern Idaho, where he raised and trained horses to sell. One of five siblings, Rich was the only one who worked alongside his father, growing not only to love—but to understand—the horses. Drawing those horses was instinctive—and he did it a lot.
Early years spent riding and training horses and driving cattle with cowboys made Rich as comfortable atop a horse as he is at his easel. It also supplied him with plenty of fodder for his art. As a result, he combined his two greatest loves into his vocation. Had he grown up in a Midwestern or Eastern city, maybe his subject matter would be different. Regardless, he knows he still would have pursued art.
Calgary Cowboy
Oil
48” by 32”
“Depicting action in paintings has always been a favorite for me. I enjoy the opportunity it affords to explore expressive brushwork and soft edges. The incorporation of red into this piece is a nod to the traditional red accents exhibited at the Calgary Stampede.”
Cooling Down
Oil
18” by 24”
“I thought yellow to be the perfect color to accentuate the heat of a hot day and a hard ride.”
