Slow and Easy Does It

Vicki Catapano’s paintings combine a mastery of brushstroke, color, exquisite realism, and authenticity. From the details of hand-braided hackamore of the Nevada buckaroo to the beadwork in Native American regalia, her work displays a passion and carefulness in preserving the ways of the Old West.

“I’m such a slow painter,” Catapano says. “Getting the elements of the Native regalia and the hackamore or spade bit accurate are of utmost importance. Every detail in each painting is critical and has to be precise and correct.”

Painting in the Old Masters style and technique of applying thin layers of paint, one layer over another, she tries to incorporate a loose, more painterly background to get a more contemporary look. Although she does preliminary sketches and thumbnails, she doesn’t have what she would describe as an absolute process, preferring that each painting is unique and takes on a personality and direction all its own.

Read the full article in the November/December 2025 issue.