When Craft Becomes Art
Author, playwright, and critic Anthony Burgess once said, “Art begins with craft, and there is no art until the craft has been mastered.” Since men like Russell and Remington started coming West more than 150 years ago, paint and clay have depicted the life of the North American cowboy and
A Promise Kept
During his 16 years of formal art training, Valeriy Kagounkin has studied everything from painting and sculpture to Italian fresco, mosaic, and stained glass. While he now focuses on capturing the American West on canvas, he also feels a duty to serve the community with his other skills. One of
Patience and Precision
Randal M. Dutra has enjoyed a varied career in art for more than 46 years. He began his studies in 1975, working from life at a Canadian game farm, and in 1977 he enrolled at the Art Students League in New York. During his early art career, he also learned
Discipline, Control, and Wisdom
If you log onto Rick McClure’s Facebook page, you might think for a minute that you’ve wandered into an online Buddhism class where the teacher has become the student, asking his former pupils to critique his teaching skills. “Generous and sincere,” offered one. Another responded, “Doesn’t hesitate to share all
Beautiful Blendings
Acclaimed sculptor James G. Moore—Jim to friends, family, and a growing population of enthusiastic collectors—is leading a very good life, enjoying a mix of work and play that any creative person would envy. “My great joy is to be on the water,” he says. “I kayak; about twice a week
‘Color is Everything To Me’
In early August, Kathy Anderson was hard at work in the studio at her home in Redding, Connecticut. She had just returned from a 12-day reunion in Montana with members of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters and was preparing to head to Vermont the following week to paint with
Chasing Perfection
There are things you have to give up if you’re going to run a ranch, raise a family, and pursue a career as a wildlife artist all at the same time. Chad Poppleton, who took over the operations of his dad’s ranch in northern Utah’s Cache Valley a year ago,
The Studio of Edward Aldrich
After getting married in 2002 wildlife artist Edward (Ned) Aldrich and his wife Kerry set up housekeeping in Golden, Colorado. Within three years, however, they realized they wanted more land, so they moved to a home on a mountainside just west of Denver. The downside of their new home was
