From Westerns to Santas

The Two Artistic Worlds of Cowboy Artists of America Member Tom Browning

As an artist, Tom Browning has two sides. On one side is his dedication to creating realistic Western paintings that include wildlife, horses, cowboys, and Native Americans and softer subjects that include women and children in vintage clothing. The other side has him painting Santa Claus in whimsical settings that include golf courses, beaches, and his workshop.

No matter what he is painting, the award-winning, internationally known Oregon artist is determined to capture the essence of his subject and to do so in a painterly style. Browning and his work have not gone unnoticed. In fact, he was voted in as a member of the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America (CAA) in 2009, the same year he earned the Prix de West Purchase Award for a painting he titled Dawn of a New Day.

Browning smiles as he recalls being voted into the CAA. He and his wife Joyce were vacationing in Scottsdale, Arizona, while the CAA was getting ready for its annual show in nearby Phoenix. He dropped off a few of his paintings for members to judge and continued on with his vacation agenda. “Later that day I got a call saying, ‘You’re now a CAA member!’” he says. “It was my first attempt and was totally unexpected. Joyce and I had to scramble to find something appropriate to wear to the show.”

Read the full article in the November/December 2026 issue.