By Dawn Dorsey
Prints are a democratic art form. While not everyone can afford or even find an original painting by Bev Doolittle or Howard Terpning, prints by these artists are much more accessible.
We asked 11 print galleries across the country to name their top artists and then talked to those artists about their careers. You may be familiar with their names and artwork, but here’s a chance to learn more about them as they discuss life, motivation, inspiration, and art.
Holyman of the Blackfeet by Howard Terpning |
Howard Terpning
Pitzer’s of Carmel, CA
“Since my first trip west when I was 15, I’ve been fascinated with the land and its history,” Howard Terpning says. “There’s never a shortage of inspiration. My ideas come from observing nature, looking at photographs, and reading history books. I’m always looking forward to my next painting.”
Terpning’s primary subject matter is 19th-century American history and Native American culture. “For my audience and for myself, mood and historical accuracy are important,” he says. Terpning says his evolution as a painter has been dictated by his changing interests. “I don’t think my technique has changed much over the years, but now my subject matter is more focused on spiritual ceremonies,” he says. “I like to help tell the stories of Native Americans.”
Terpning is also represented by Settlers West Galleries in Tucson, AZ.
Welcome the Dawn by Nancy Glazier. |
Nancy Glazier
Big Horn Galleries, Cody, WY
Nancy Glazier says experience has taught her that a successful painter must start with enthusiasm for a subject rather than a desire to create art that is marketable. “You can get in trouble painting what you think people will like,” Glazier says. “I’ve learned that when I’m excited and have a lot of energy, that spirit is reflected in my paintings. That’s what people respond to.”
Glazier credits much of the appeal of her work to the fact that she lives close to the wilderness she loves. “It’s essential for me to get the details right,” she says. “Many people who buy my work are outdoor people—nature lovers, hunters, trappers, taxidermists, and guides. Anatomy and accuracy are important to them.”
Glazier is also represented by Antiques & Art, Clyde Park, MT; Burl Jones Rochejaune Gallerie, Livingston, MT; and D.E. Gallery, Bozeman, MT.
Just About Home by Tim Cox |
Tim Cox
Toh-Atin Gallery, Durango, CO
Tim Cox has lived on ranches all his life and says he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t drawing cowboys and horses. After he married his high-school sweetheart—a world-champion barrel racer—the couple lived on several remote ranches, exchanging hard labor for room and board before buying their own working ranch. Although Cox’s list of formal art studies may not be long, his detailed paintings are true to the life he lives, and his love for that life shines through.
Cox finishes only about 10 paintings each year, so the prices of his paintings are out of reach for some of his fans. “I like to make prints because many people I paint for don’t have a lot of money, and prints are more in their price range,” he says.
Cox is also represented by Cowhorse Gallery, Canyon, TX; Eagle Creek Enterprises, Blooming- field, NM; Fen- tons, Ruidoso, NM; Rocky Mountain Publishing, Blackfoot, ID; and Woods Art Gallery, Ada, OK.
A Tapestry Woven by Angels by Dale TerBush |
Dale TerBush
Dale TerBush Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
“I’m an emotional and spiritual individual, and I believe that comes through in my paintings,” Dale TerBush says. “I am thankful that God gave me this gift, this language, and it gives me great satisfaction when people understand what I’m saying.” Describing his career, TerBush says, “The excitement of the gift is the journey, both for me and for those who enjoy my work.”
Though TerBush paints recognizable landscapes, he says his work is not representational. “It’s more important to me to find the energy and light that exist in the landscape than to replicate a particular scene,” he says. “I believe the center of all spirituality is light.”
TerBush has developed a trademark style of painting light and the landscape that is easily recognizable. Viewers often comment on the “TerBush style”—as does the artist, who says, “Sometimes when I’m working, I step back to look at what I’m doing and say, ‘Now, that’s a TerBush painting.’”
TerBush is also represented by Artifacts, Cambria, CA; Danela Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ; May Galleries, Scotts-dale, AZ; Mountain Art Gallery, Ruidoso, NM; and Southwest Mercado, Albuquerque, NM.
Prayer for the Wild Things by Bev Doolittle. |
Bev Doolittle
B&R Gallery, Canyon Country, CA
“When I first saw a print of one of my paintings, I thought it was awesome,” says Bev Doolittle. “It was 1979, and my paintings had been evolving—and taking longer to produce.” Today she completes only two or three paintings a year, most of which become prints. Each painting takes Doolittle three to six months to complete, and about half of that time is spent on research and planning. “Making prints allows me to put all my energy into each piece and take as much time as I need,” she says.
Doolittle, who is busy illustrating a children’s book due out later this year, says ideas for paintings sneak up on her everywhere. “My husband and I spend a lot of time in old Indian canyons, which are a rich source of inspiration. We also do a lot of camping and traveling. Later this year we’re going to Africa for the fifth time. It keeps calling me back—there’s just no place like it.”
Doolittle is also represented by Art Works Etc., Fountain Valley, CA; Howard/Mand-ville Gallery, Edmonds, WA; Impressions Ltd., Scottsdale, AZ; Natureworks Art Gallery, Farmingdale, NY; and Obeidi’s Fine Art Gallery, Anchorage, AK.
Snagged by Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt. |
Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt
Settlers West Book and Print Shop, Tucson, AZ
After spending a morning working horses on his ranch near Deming, NM, Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt offers a straightforward explanation of the appeal of his work. “People like my drawings because they’re honest. I live the life I portray.” Not one to seek inspiration from books or photographs, he looks to his surroundings for creative material. “I can’t dream up ideas that have any validity. For me, the only way is to draw from my experiences on the ranch.” Shufelt has worked horses and roundups across the country for years and gets his ideas while he’s out riding with the cowboys. “I can’t imagine creating artwork any other way,” he says.
“I like drawing, and I’m happy there’s an acceptance of it. I plan to continue as long as I enjoy it,” Shufelt says. One thing’s for sure—he’ll never run out of ideas. “There are more good stories out here than I’ll ever have time to draw.”
Shufelt is also represented by French Creek Gallery, Laramie, WY; Ontiveros Limited Edition Prints, Santa Maria, CA; Western Images, Rochester, NY; Wickenburg Gallery, Wickenburg, AZ; and Wooden Indian Gallery, Visalia, CA.
Rosetta Peak by Michael Atkinson. |
Michael Atkinson
Michael Atkinson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Atkinson’s watercolors walk the line between realism and abstraction. “Since they’re not strictly one or the other, purists on either side may not like them,” he says. Atkinson credits his architecture degree from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, as an important influence on his work. “I didn’t study art, so I don’t approach painting the way most artists do. I use the design principles of architecture, which are not as loose as what you learn in art school.”
“I try to do more than tell a story—I strive to create a mood. Sometimes I’m able to do this with the landscape itself, whether it’s majestic or intimate, and other times light and color play a large part,” Atkinson says. “A print needs strong composition and high contrast because subtleties can get lost in the printing process.”
Atkinson is also represented by Adagio Galleries, Palm Springs, CA; Artistic Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ; Center Street Gallery, Jackson, WY; and Marathon Gallery, Tucson, AZ.
Crossing Over by Scott Kennedy. |
Scott Kennedy
High Peaks Gallery, Breckenridge, CO
Living in Colorado, Scott Kennedy has ample opportunity to immerse himself in the breathtaking scenery of rolling hills and crystal streams that are the subjects of his paintings and prints. Using his Fort Collins home on the edge of the Rocky Mountains as a base, Kennedy fly-fishes, hikes, and dog-sleds year-round with his four children.
“I enjoy all the seasons,” he says. “Sometimes my kids and I go out in the evenings to fly-fish. I remember fishing with my dad and the special bond we had, and I want my kids to have those memories too.” Much of Kennedy’s work emphasizes families together in an outdoor setting. “I like to tell a story and convey the emotions I’m feeling,” he says.
Kennedy is also represented by Art Gallery of the Rockies, Fort Collins, CO; Deer Ridge Prints & Frames, Colorado Springs, CO; Lakewood Gallery, Tacoma, WA; Markay Gal-lery, Littleton, CO; and Master Gallerie, Wichita, KS.
A detail from The Hound of the Baskervilles by Charles Wysocki. |
Charles Wysocki
Markay Gallery, Littleton, CO
A 15-minute conversation with Charles Wysocki is an inspiration. “The word can’t is not in my vocabulary,” he says. “I learn from my mistakes and keep going. In high school I devised a credo for myself, which I still live by today: Follow the three D’s—desire, devotion, and discipline.”
Wysocki, who writes poetry in his spare time and is writing a novel “for fun,” says he believes people are drawn to the themes in his work: love, friendship, patriotism, and rural life. “In this day and age, with machines all around us, we are yearning for a more old-fashioned way of life,” he says.
Wysocki’s eclectic collections of whistles, tins, folk-art carvings, and steer horns often serve as props in his paintings. But he also incorporates his observations of humanity into his work. “I like to watch people in restaurants—how they move and interact,” he says.
Wysocki is also represented by Art Works, Fountain Valley, CA; Charles Wysocki Gallery, Lake Arrowhead, CA; Howard/Mand- ville Gallery, Edmonds, WA; Lake-wood Gallery, Tacoma, WA; and McCormick Place, Stow, OH.
Reaching Skyward by Adin Shade. |
Adin Shade
Joan Cawley Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
Adin Shade’s watercolors depicting southwestern subjects such as waterfalls, pine trees, and cacti focus on color. Without a particular subject in mind, Shade sprays water on special paper, then applies watercolor pigments. He contemplates the resulting drips and blends of color, allowing the design to take shape. “Every painting I do is a discovery—I never draw or use photographs,” Shade says. “It all comes from my imagination.” His images, he adds, are influenced by the many years he spent living next to the San Carlos Indian Reservation in Arizona.
“People tell me my paintings have a relaxed, spiritual look. Maybe that’s because of the harmonious colors I use,” says Shade. “If a painting doesn’t calm me as I work on it, I put it aside and begin another one.”
Shade is also represented by Adobe East Gallery, Summit, NJ; Courtyard Gallery, Buffalo Hill, MI; Coyote Woman Gallery, Harbor Springs, MI; Hugh Perry Gallery, Sedona, AZ; and Rosequist Galleries, Tucson, AZ.
Homenaje Al Valle by Amado Peña. |
Amado Peña
Santa Fe Trails Gallery, Sarasota, FL
“Even though my work appears to be regional, it is also universal,” Amado Peña says. “Part of it is the way I interpret my subjects—using an abstract style to tell a story. Each person who looks at the images sees and reacts differently. Viewers are free to let their imaginations take over.
“The best print artists respect the media and understand its limitations,” Peña says. “For me, the biggest challenge is being able to capture the radiance of color.” He began producing silk-screen prints when he was in high school in the 1960s but has since worked in a variety of media. “My art has really evolved, becoming more complex over the years,” he says.
Peña is also represented by Denver Buffalo Company, Denver, CO; Gallery Southwest, Tigard, OR; Peña Studio Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
Featured in “Portfolio” April 1998