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Donna Howell-Sickles brings a deeply personal and expanded vision of the American West—one shaped by her upbringing on a ranch and a lifelong commitment to portraying women as central, dynamic figures within it. In this conversation, Howell-Sickles reflects on influence, visibility, and the evolution of Western art, offering insight into how her work challenges tradition while honoring lived experience.
“I’ve never thought of myself as a Woman artist; I’ve always thought of myself as an artist. Without a doubt, being a woman has had an influence on the art I make, and on the reception I’ve received at times. I make artwork about the woman’s experience in the West from my perspective—undoubtedly, who I am has shaped my perception, my perspective, and my creative process.”
“Well, there are the obvious ones: Georgia O’Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, Helen Frankenthaler. There are so many good artists from the past that I never knew about. I only learned about the artists who were men in college; only in the last maybe 20 years have I overcome my educational bias and started looking at all the art created during different timelines, and discovered so many wonderful perspectives I did not know existed. I think most women artists are better respected and more accessible now—probably the internet has a lot to do with that.”
“When I first started doing artwork back in the ’80’s, there were not very many roles for women in Western art—and the roles that were there seemed to be very limited and stereotypical. My view of the West, having been raised on a farming and ranching operation, saw women differently. I saw them, and their roles, as an integral part of the whole picture with as much value as other roles. The women I knew growing up were strong and funny, capable, and there by choice. So, when I talk about women in my artwork, in the Western context, I suppose I am mirroring what I have always seen in Western women: the huge potential for life and laughter.”
“I hope it would start a conversation about the liveliness I see in almost everything Western—from its animals to its people.”
“What a great question… That is a fine line. My work has never been totally traditional in its style or in its content, but the longer you draw things, the better you get at capturing them. So now there are times when I deliberately leave something slightly unfinished, even though getting everything ‘just right’ is a pretty seductive process. But, I think my work is strongest when it implies rather than accurately depicts—when it leaves the viewer room to construct part of the story themselves, and leaves them feeling as if the drawing could move again…”
