Ann Korologos Gallery presents Western Heritage, a group exhibition honoring the inherent beauty of the American West and its cultural heritages, viewing today’s vibrant, vital west in contrast to the fading marks of yesterday’s western settlers. Through the mediums of oil paint, mixed media, moku hanga woodblock printmaking and copper plate etching, Terry Gardner, Donna Howell-Sickles, Leon Loughridge, Joel Ostlind and Simon Winegar approach the American West from many perspectives. Western Heritage is on view at Ann Korologos Gallery in Basalt, CO from February 3 to February 28.
“Western Heritage features artists with an intimate knowledge of ranch life in the American West,” shares gallery director, Sue Edmonds. “Whether having lived the life of a cowboy, as Joel Ostlind did for decades in Wyoming, living and working amongst the ranchers, as Donna Howell-Sickles was raised in Texas, or observing the intersection of man and nature both in its modern-day vibrancy or state of decay, as depicted in the work of Terry Gardner, Simon Winegar, and Leon Loughridge, these artists each see beauty in the intersection of man and nature in the west.
Terry Gardner was born and raised in Missouri and moved to Colorado to paint outdoors as a plein air artist, diving deeply into various subjects and ways of life. Gardner visits ranches throughout the West, spending time with the ranchers, capturing the mood and nostalgia of this active, yet often forgotten way of life, recording both ranch hands, the lands they roam, and the cowgirls at the helm of sustainable ranching. Gardner strives to paint what is not visible to the eye by suggesting the mystery and intrigue of the past and present through his moody palette and subject matter.
Donna Howell-Sickles redefines the wary stereotypes that represented Western women during her childhood in Texas and New Mexico in the 50s and 60s. Using charcoal, pastel, and acrylic on paper or canvas, Howell-Sickles captures the mood and nostalgia of this active, yet often forgotten way of life. Howell-Sickles highlights women in the ranching culture, the joy, exuberance, hard work and capability of the women who run the show, portraying ranching women as she knew them: strong, capable, humorous and bonded as sisters. Her work is rich with symbolism and allusions to classical mythology that “fits the American West like a glove.”
Leon Loughridge lives in Denver, CO, where he uses the Japanese moku hanga technique to create rich woodblock prints of the American Southwest. Influenced by Japanese printmaking techniques, particularly the work of Hasui Kawase and Hiroshi Yoshida, Loughridge’s woodblock process starts with watercolor plein air sketches and intricate watercolor studies before picking up his carving tools. The contrast in the fluidity of watercolor versus the hard lines of a wood carving is artfully translated by Loughridge.
Joel Ostlind is a Wyoming native and expert draftsman who works out of his self-built studio made from reclaimed materials. Ostlind spent fifteen years herding cattle on large ranches throughout the American West, always with a sketchbook in his back pocket. His drawings found new life, with copper plate etchings as his medium, and are often hand-colored with watercolor or gouache. His subject matter depicts the full range of Western life, with his current focus on ranch hands, fishermen, log cabins, and day dreams.
Simon Winegar is a Utah-based painter inspired by his love for the natural beauty of the outdoors, including man-made additions like weathered barns and ranch houses. Winegar focuses on the ranches themselves, from the old and active barns, and the beautiful surroundings of Colorado and Utah. While his subjects vary, he most enjoys painting en plein air, “creating moods that are often romantic and thought-provoking,” shares the artist. Winegar’s landscapes are meant to beautify the world and move the viewer.
Western Heritage featuring Terry Gardner, Donna Howell-Sickles, Leon Loughridge, Joel Ostlind, and Simon Winegar will remain on view through February 28, 2024. For more information, please visit Ann Korologos Gallery at 211 Midland Avenue in Basalt, call (970) 927-9668 or email art@korologosgallery.com.
