Posts by Gregory Mayse

Rodeo Dust: From Lens to Canvas

Rodeo Dust: From Lens to Canvas

September 22, 2026 | by

Capturing the Spirit of Cheyenne Frontier Days Through Western Oil Paintings   “It’s the ropes and the reins, the joys and the pains. And they call the thing rodeo,” sings Garth Brooks in one of his hit songs from 35 years ago. In late July, on a toasty 95-degree day in southern Wyoming, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo calls my name—not as a bull rider, bronc buster, or roper, but as a photographer here to capture reference images for a series of paintings I will finish during the coming year. Held annually since 1897, Cheyenne Frontier Days(CFD) has earned the
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Inspiring Artists in the West

Inspiring Artists in the West

October 8, 2025 | by

  As the July morning sun rises and the horses are saddled up, a group of artists eagerly awaits the opportunity to photograph and paint the West on Cottonwood Ranch in Cokeville, Wyoming, about a three-hour drive south of Jackson. Artists have been gathering here since 2010 to learn from several of the leading Western painters in the country.  The 500-acre Cottonwood Ranch has been in the family of Charles Dayton since 1912. Dayton, an experienced corporate consultant and award-winning Western artist, hosts the annual Painting the West Artist Gathering and Studies Show. Painting the West is a workshop for
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