Western Art – Artists are the visual storytellers of a society’s timeline. As such, they are the translators of cultures, events and emotions, and must be ever evolving.
I was on a journey that would change the work that friends and patrons were used to.
I was prepared for the quizzical looks and questions that always seem to start with “what are you doing?”
Of course, it is complicated, I am an artist! I knew I had to evolve and adapt, not only to the continued, unpredictable economy, but also to a new age of art collectors – my generation have enough art! Seeking an art form with a lower price point than bronze led to the conception of Short Branch Mercantile. I wanted to elaborate on the “Saloon Girls” western art and rekindle my inspiration; an ode to the muse, if you will.
I was inspired to do a photo shoot, and tell the story of the girls; the first shoot took place in 2013 and the end product was “each star’s a pool of water.” I found new inspiration and was prepared to settle back into the creation of new bronzes. Then, Judi Combs of The Arizona Fine Art Expo saw the images and encouraged me to sell them as prints. The response was nothing short of amazing. People loved them.
I wanted to further develop the story of the girls. In October 2014, I put together another photo shoot – “Bucking the Tiger.” Numerous other products are currently being planned for the future.