Posts by Jenny Lang

Unique Views of the West

Unique Views of the West

April 7, 2025 | by

“This is my own expression of the visions of the West that I’ve grown up with, my experiences,” artist Maeve Eichelberger says. “It’s great to be included and to share my stories as well, because I think it doesn’t always have to be so historical, but we each have our own personal histories as well.” And Eichelberger’s expression of the West she knows has been making a splash at Western art shows and galleries, and stands out because of her unique sculpting medium—acrylic. From acrylic saddles to acrylic Western shirts and chaps that give the illusion of being made from
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An Artist Friendship Lasting Decades

An Artist Friendship Lasting Decades

March 18, 2025 | by

“Bob and my relationship goes beyond art, and I think that’s the important thing,” artist Robert Krogle says of his friend, Robert Rodriguez. “It’s art that has drawn us together and kept us together in this really unbelievable, close relationship that I think a lot of people wish they had in their lives.”   Krogle and Rodriguez are both Western artists and will each be showing 15 to 20 available works at the Out West Art Show at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls, Montana, from March 20 to 22. They have known each other since the late 1960s when they
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‘Its All About Having That Touch’

‘Its All About Having That Touch’

February 7, 2025 | by

“I’m geared to winning the rodeos, painting live, and really being a real cowboy,” says artist and competitive roper Bradley Chance Hays. And that’s exactly what his life has looked like so far. Hays has been pursuing rodeo and art since he was a child growing up in Oklahoma. He started training in bull riding and roping when he was about 12 years old, which was also about the same time he started seeing art as a possible career path. “I illustrated a children’s book called ‘Dragonfly,’ and it was published by Ozark Publishing out of Arkansas,” Hays says. “It
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Sustainable Art from the Fabric of the Cowboy’s Life

Sustainable Art from the Fabric of the Cowboy’s Life

January 22, 2025 | by

Brad and Sundie Ruppert didn’t start out as textile artists. But an on-a-whim experiment with beaver felt hat scraps changed everything for this collaborative artist couple. The artists, based in Norwalk, Iowa, started out doing sculpture with found and thrifted objects, plus wood and metal custom signage. Eleven years ago, they made a custom sign for Greeley Hat Works in Greeley, Colorado, and toured the facility while they were there to install the sign. “While on the tour, Brad picked up the rings that they cut off of the brims of the hats right before they shape them and asked
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Going Back in Time

Going Back in Time

April 10, 2024 | by

Lights. Cameras. Fog machines. Actors dressed in kerchiefs and gun belts. “I’m familiar with the whole setup because this is what I do on a small scale,” says renowned Western artist Morgan Weistling. But he’s not talking about a reenactment or a photo shoot for reference photos—he’s talking about the film set of new TV series, ‘Elkhorn,’ where he is the official set photographer. ‘Elkhorn’ is a Morningstar Entertainment mini-series that premiered April 11. “It’s about the early life of Teddy Roosevelt, when he loses his wife and mother and decides to go out West to become a cowboy, to
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Where Function Meets Fine Art

Where Function Meets Fine Art

March 20, 2024 | by

Functional art, artwork that is both attractive and practical, is nothing new to the art world. Art glass vases, clay vessels, and even bronze door knockers or bookends apply. But these works don’t seem to be included in many shows. Last year, artist Eric Bowman made a splash at the Prix de West with his tetrapycht screen—and he’s doing it again at the Night of Artists at the Briscoe Museum this year.   Bowman, known for his stylized Western scenes, got the idea for the original screen from his love of craftsman furniture. “The idea just popped in my head one
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A Family Affair in Great Falls

A Family Affair in Great Falls

February 19, 2024 | by

Fifteen shows, hundreds of artists, and dozens of events —that’s what makes Western Art Week in Great Falls, Montana so appealing. This year, there’s another key stat for the Winborg family: three generations of artists from the same family, who share the same studio space, all participating in Western Art Week. Larry C. Winborg, his son, Jeremy Winborg, and Jeremy’s daughter, Swede Winborg, will all be in attendance. “We’re a family of artists,” Larry Winborg says. The patriarch of this art family, Larry has been an artist for over 60 years, and has been participating in Western Art Week for
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Dusting Off the Cobwebs

Dusting Off the Cobwebs

December 13, 2023 | by

Something I’ve heard over and over again since I started working at Art of the West is how supportive the art community is. Through my work as the creative and production director, I thought I understood what that meant as I saw how artists support each other at shows I’ve attended and how we work to support artists through the work we do with the publication. But, after attending an artist workshop last fall, I have an even greater understanding of what that support means and how powerful it is. I’ve always been a creative person and have found joy
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Scottsdale Artists’ School: 40 Years of Artist Education

Scottsdale Artists’ School: 40 Years of Artist Education

July 25, 2023 | by

Every great artist has to start somewhere. Pursuing a career in art can be challenging, and many of the artists we interview for Art of the West credit a particular workshop or instructor as being the launch pad to where they are today. Where better to gain these experiences than an art school? As Scottsdale Artists’ School (SAS) in Scottsdale, Arizona, celebrates its 40th anniversary, we want to recognize the opportunities it provides for aspiring artists. The school was established in 1983 and provides art education opportunities for adults, teens, and children. All instructors are professional working artists, and many
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Wandering the Colorado Plateau

Wandering the Colorado Plateau

January 5, 2023 | by

Lorenzo Chavez is an admired landscape painter living in Parker, Colorado. A native of New Mexico, he fell in love with Colorado when he studied at the Colorado Institute of Art in 1983, graduating with honors. He started working as a commercial artist out of school, then turned to fine art in his mid-20’s and has been doing that ever since. This past April, Gallery East at the University of Utah Eastern in Price, Utah hosted an exhibition titled “Wandering the Colorado Plateau,” featuring 45 works from artist Lorenzo Chavez. Each piece was inspired by or painted on location in
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