Whether he is depicting a day in the life of a pioneer family, working cowboys, dedicated ranch hands, or snow-covered fields, Grant Redden brings authenticity and a sense of immediacy to each scene. He does so as he continues to master his craft and seek ways to touch what he describes as “a raw nerve of emotion that is inside each of us.”
Collectors eagerly seek out Redden’s paintings, and he has earned many awards and honors, including becoming a member of the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America (CAA) in 2012. “Membership in the Cowboy Artists of America has been a real blessing,” he says. “I work hard to measure up, and they inspire me to get better.”
Read the full article in the November/December 2020 issue.
Feeding the Flock
Oil
24” by 40”
“This painting won the Gold Medal for Oil Painting and the Anne Marion Best of Show in 2017 at the annual Cowboy Artists of America show in Oklahoma City. It is a theme I have studied: my sheep and my daughter as the model. The West was won by the women as much as the men, doing what had to be done to survive and taking care of animals, crops, and the homestead, all while bearing and raising children. It was a team effort with the men, working from daylight to dark. I painted the sky and foreground, distant houses, and old fence at least 10 times, trying to get it right. I built up many layers of paint, but I love the texture that results.”
Riding the Palomino
Oil
30” by 20”
“The photo reference of the rider and horse came from a spring branding of calves. I usually take some liberty with my reference, placing the figures and animals in different settings, often of pure imagination informed by years of observation of the Western landscape. My own memories of riding through pastures, gathering cows, enjoying the click of shod hooves upon dry stony ground, and the smell of horse, leather, and rabbit brush under a blue dome of sky creates a thrill I try to create for others through my paintings. The textures I develop through layers of paint in the foreground and the figures enhance my enjoyment of the subject.”
