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| "The Wagon Boss" by C.M. Russell |
Some people assume that the term “western
art” refers simply to the American west: cowboys and cowgirls, animals of the
Rocky Mountains and the plains, and the ranch life. “Western art” conjures up the idyllic
paintings of Charles M. Russell for many people; and while these people are not
wrong, western art goes back a lot further than many people assume. According to art historians, western art can
be traced back to Stonehenge. Many art
movements fall under the broad term of “western art” including the Classical
period, medieval art, the Renaissance, Baroque art, and Modern art. This article could, in theory, go on for
pages and pages detailing every western art movement, however I will focus on
the type of western art featured on the Creations Studio website,
www.AntlerFurniture.org, and often featured in American west towns.
Charles M. Russell, as
noted above, is a huge name in Western Art.
He was a prolific artist, creating hundreds of paintings depicting the
Old West, especially scenes of cowboys and Native Americans. Having visited the C.M. Russell Museum
personally, I can say that his paintings, sculptures, and sketches truly
capture the wild feeling and sentiment of the west like none other I have ever
seen. Somehow he manages to work in the
feeling of greatness and loneliness that one encounters on the prairie, hair
blowing in the wind. The C.M. Russell
Museum is located in Great Falls, Montana in his last place of residence and a
breathtaking part of the museum includes his studio and part of his log cabin,
frozen in time. I highly recommend
making a trip to this museum if you have any appetite for western art. Charles Marion Russell is, however, not the
only one to capture the life and times of the west.
Frederic Remington was
another artist that captured the spirit of the American west in western
art. He is often credited for paintings
that inspired the romantic notion of the west, and many of his illustrations
were featured in popular American magazines such as Harper’s Weekly. While C.M. Russell painted pictures of
everyday moments and feelings from the plains, Remington sought to capture
high-drama action shots, portraying, for example, a Crow Indian preparing for
death by his cowboy captors in “Ridden Down.”
He offered the American public a more dramatic, dangerous image of the
west, which shaped many people’s ideas of the Old West for better or for
worse.
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Paul Surber painting, illuminated by
Creations Studio table lamps |
Paul Surber is a modern
example of western art. He paints
historically accurate Native American scenes, inspired by living near various
Indian reservations throughout his life.
His acrylic and oil paintings incorporate lively colors and eclectic
scenes of plains Indians, including stunning portraits that capture the quiet
pride and dignity of Native American chiefs.
His work can be found at Creations Studio, located in Whitefish,
Montana. The website, AntlerFurniture.org,
features several of Surber’s original paintings as well as western furniture,
rustic lighting, and Native American dress.
Creations Studio offers one-of-a-kind heirloom quality western art and
antler furniture.
Creations Studio offers
various pieces of western decor, featuring antler art and furniture by owner
Dean Grommet. Grand furniture pieces
incorporate hair-on hides, buckskin, moose antlers, elk antlers, red deer
antlers, fallow stag antlers, authentic buffalo nickels, polished marble and
granite, fine quality leather, and ornamental iron work. Grommet also co-owns Acutech Water Jet Cutting & Fabrication
with Josh Boyce, offering the Flathead Valley water jet cutting, laser cutting,
and plasma cutting services. WaterJetCut.co showcases Glacier Jet’s many projects and services.
Special thanks to PBS’ American Masters, the C.M. Russell
Museum, and Absolute Astronomy’s Online Encyclopedia for information on the
featured western art and artists in this article.
