Artful Painter

Kyle Buckland's bold paintings are deeply rooted in the philosophy and approach of the impressionists. As a teenager, his interest in art began to edge out the interests of most youth - skateboarding, team sports, or playing in a band. He became an art nerd in high school, using every available moment to devour the small selection of art books found in his school library. He didn’t just read books, though. He went outside and painted. And painted. And painted.

That hard work paid off. Kyle has won many awards for his impressionistic paintings. His work is represented in hundreds of private, public, and corporate collections around the world. His paintings are filled with rich colors and luxurious brushwork. Surprisingly, some of his largest works are painted outdoors! Kyle captures the experience of painting outside on his inspirational YouTube channel he calls The Artful Souls. There you can watch him paint on canvases measuring up to 48 by 48 inches.

Kyle now resides in a small nineteenth-century farmhouse/studio in Abingdon, Virginia, with his lovely wife, Jennifer. However, if you knock on his door, you likely won’t find him home. He’s probably painting either out back in his stand-alone studio or somewhere out in the beautiful Virginia countryside. One thing is for sure: wherever you find Kyle Buckland, whether he’s painting outdoors or in his studio, or teaching a class of eager students, you can be certain he is making a difference.

Mentioned in this episode:

Kyle Buckland
Website: http://kylebuckland.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylebucklandfineart/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylebucklandfineart
The Artful Souls YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5gnh7Yrr_7OQtdWDoDZEw

Frank Brangwyn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Brangwyn

John F. Carlson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Carlson

Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting (paid link) https://amzn.to/38MAms2

Emile Gruppè https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emile_Gruppe
Gruppè on Painting: Direct Techniques in Oil (paid link) https://amzn.to/3o2bcvY
Gruppè on Color: Using Expressive Color to Paint Nature (paid link) https://amzn.to/3aVJZHG
Brushwork for the Oil Painter (paid link) https://amzn.to/3hwqyqc

Charles Muvalli https://charlesmovalli.org/home

David Lussier https://www.davidlussiergallery.com

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Steven Walker captures the essence of the impressions of a long meditative walk along the back alley street of a small town or a quiet, rural road. His paintings often capture the warm light of the golden hour just after sunrise or just before sunset. Long shadows and warm glowing light arrest the eye in a narrative to be completed by the viewer. As the sun sets, and streetlights flicker on, Steven shifts to painting moody nocturnes that invoke feelings of a quieter time. His paintings are imbued with rich color, evocative light and shadow, and tantalizing design and composition that lure the viewer into his painting.

Steven discovered his love for art at an early age. After earning a bachelor's and master's degree, he began the arduous road to becoming a professional fine art painter. He began painting full time at what may have seemed to be the worst possible time: during the dismal economic aftermath of the mortgage industry meltdown of 2008. Undeterred, and with the loving support of his wife, he threw himself into painting, continually honing his skills as a painter. The result of his hard work includes winning many awards and extensive gallery representation over the years.

His determination to grow as an artist shows in the maturity of his work. Steven Walker’s paintings are a reflection of not only his skill and maturity as a painter, but also reflects his artistic poetry expressed with transparency and light.

Mentioned in this episode:

Steven S. Walker
Website: https://stevenwalkerstudios.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenwalkerstudios/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.s.walker
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUiKo1K79pgvA7pMSpFYrkA/

David Boyd, Jr.
https://www.davidboydjr.com

Jon Bradham
https://www.jonbradham.com

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Gàbor Svagrik presents Ralph Oberg, Matt Smith, Skip Whitcomb, and Dan Young in Four Directions - Common Paths.

The Artful Painter has reached a new milestone: this is episode number 50. The first episode was published a little over two years ago in September of 2018 featuring artist Ralph Oberg.

The idea to do this show began to form after I attended a week-long event sponsored by the Booth Museum in Cartersville and Plein Air Painters of America. I participated in two workshops during that PAPA event conducted by Matt Smith and Ralph Oberg. I also attended lectures given by Len Chmiel, Skip Whitcomb, Dan Young, and Jill Carver. It was a truly transformative event for me.

It’s only fitting that In this episode I return to this show’s roots by featuring a delightful and inspiring conversation between four friends: Ralph Oberg, Matt Smith, Skip Whitcomb, and Dan Young. The conversation was recorded by Gàbor Svagrik - who also was an early guest of the Artful Painter. Gàbor and I reconnect and talk about his experience filming these four friends. I’m indebted to Gàbor for allowing me to share this conversation with Artful Painter listeners.

Gàbor’s film also coincides with a special exhibition being held at the Steamboat Art Museum in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The show title is Four Directions - Common Paths: Friendship, Inspiration, and Craft - A Thirty Year Connection. The show runs from December 4, 202o through April 10, 2021. It features 25 works each from Ralph Oberg, Matt Smith, Skip Whitcomb, and Dan Young.

Mentioned in this episode:

Four Directions - Common Paths - a film by Gabor Svagrik
https://sojournfineart.com/learning-about-art-artists-art-collecting/steamboat-art-museum-show

Steamboat Art Museum
https://www.steamboatartmuseum.org/current-exhibit

Gàbor Svagrik
https://svagrikfineart.com
https://tucsonartacademyonline.com
https://sojournfineart.com
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/gabor-svagrik-teach-educate-inspire-7
https://youtu.be/NJ7-8McK9-4

Ralph Oberg
https://www.ralphoberg.com
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/ralph-oberg-mountain-painter-1
https://youtu.be/h7boK6YLwpg

Matt Smith
https://www.mattsmithstudio.com
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/matt-smith-impressionistic-naturalism-2
https://youtu.be/Ckmi4Q3TNck

Skip Whitcomb
https://www.skipwhitcomb.com
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/skip-whitcomb-purity-of-vision-21
https://youtu.be/7gRitYn0xL8

Dan Young
http://danyoungstudio.com
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/dan-young-always-a-student-5
https://youtu.be/pN4XOZLdhq4

Plein Air Painters of America
https://www.p-a-p-a.com

Priya Gore
https://www.karibufineart.com

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Paul Foropoulos is a Greek artist born on the tiny, beautiful island of Samos, Greece. Today, he and his wife divide their time between their home in Clearwater, Florida, and Samos, Greece. Not only does he paint, but he is also a sculptor, he designs jewelry, and he teaches art classes in his own fine art studio classroom.

Paul is an avid scuba diver and loves to paint the extraordinary underwater views he sees while diving. His large underwater oil paintings mesmerize the viewer with a mix of bold and subtle colors depicting the rich variety of sea life enchantingly illuminated by sunlight filtered through water. Paul’s subject matter is not limited to underwater scenes. He exuberantly wields his brushes, knives, and oil paints to create vibrant, colorful contemporary, urban, figurative, seascape, and landscape paintings.

My wife and I met Paul Foropoulos and his wife, Dina, when we traveled to Greece last year with another couple. Paul kindly made arrangements for us to stay on his home-island of Samos. It’s a quiet, enchanting island devoid of crowds of tourists. As we dined on fabulous Greek food, we learned of Paul’s remarkable journey to become an artist. It’s a journey that took him from his quaint island home of Samos, to the big city of Athens, and then to Lebanon and beyond. Today, I’m glad to have the privilege of sharing with you Paul Foropoulos’ inspirational story of painting along life’s path.

Mentioned in this episode:

Paul Foropoulos
https://www.paulforopoulos.com

Paul Foropoulos Studios of Fine Art Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/Foropoulos-Studios-of-Fine-Arts-1588090254786178/

Paul Foropoulos Studios of Fine Art on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/foropoulosstudiosoffinearts/

Vianna Szabo’s Website:
https://www.viannaszabo.com/

Vianna Szabo’s YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/ViannaSzabo

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Stephen C. Datz paints the American Western landscape in his own clear voice. Strong, angular design, rich harmonious colors, and a striking interpretation of the landscape are hallmarks of Stephen’s style. It took hard work and determination on his part to get here. In this episode, Stephen talks about how his unique voice developed.

He was frustrated by how unprepared he was to make a living in fine art after earning a BFA from Colorado State University. He flailed for a few difficult years as he tried to figure out how to thrive as a fine art painter. Stephen’s father encouraged him to take a workshop from artist Skip Whitcomb. It was just what he needed. That workshop opened his eyes to the value of painting outdoors and gave him access to real-world, practical business advice.

But there was a problem. In seeking gallery representation, one gallery owner made a frank observation about Stephen’s work: his work was derivative, looking much like the paintings of his workshop instructors. Rather than be dismayed by the criticism, Stephen viewed it as an encouragement to allow his artistic voice to emerge with confidence. He made the determination to be true to himself and his vision. The result? A stunning body of work that is truly unique. And, galleries – including Mark Sublette’s Medicine Man Gallery – took note.

Stephen’s love of the landscape remains strong. He frequently explores the western landscape near his home in Grand Junction, Colorado, with his plein air gear. If you are hiking deep in the high desert and red rock country of Colorado and Utah, it's possible you might just get a dazzling glimpse of Stephen C. Datz painting the rhythm and geometry of nature.

Mentioned in this episode:

Stephen C. Datz http://www.stephencdatz.com

Pastel Artists Featured on the Artful Painter

Victoria Taylor-Gore
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/victoria-taylor-gore-quiet-surrealism-22
https://youtu.be/R0Yg4Jx02K8

Skip Whitcomb
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/skip-whitcomb-purity-of-vision-21
https://youtu.be/7gRitYn0xL8

Lorenzo Chavez
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/lorenzo-chavez-47
https://youtu.be/iXUtWElgZfU

Other Artful Painter Episode Mentions

John Pototschnik
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/john-pototschnik-40
https://youtu.be/dD6Kuvy9rmg

Dan McCaw
https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/dan-mccaw-45
https://youtu.be/yQvRqGz8ie0

Books

The Art Spirit (by Robert Henri)
https://amzn.to/377Hn5F (affiliate link)

The Elements of Color (by Johannes Itten)
https://amzn.to/2J5rncC (affiliate link)

Unknown Terrain: The Landscapes of Andrew Wyeth (by Beth Venn, Adam D. Weinberg, Michael G. Kammen, Whitney Museum of Art)
https://amzn.to/3kZewWd (affiliate link)

Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic (by John Wilmerding, Anne Knutson, Kathleen Foster, Michael Taylor, and Christopher Crosman)
https://amzn.to/3nQKdTy (affiliate link)

Akademichka: The academic dacha through the eyes of Nikolai Timkov (by Alexander Borovsky)
https://amzn.to/3l3XNRw (affiliate link)

Everett Ruess: A Vagabond for Beauty (by W. L. Rusho)
https://amzn.to/3pRy3LU (affiliate link)

Desert Dreams: The Art of Maynard Dixon
https://amzn.to/3q0PtWm (affiliate link)

About the Artful Painter

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.creative/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carl.olson.9847/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

Send an email: https://carlolson.tv/contact

Make a donation: https://carlolson.tv/donate

Book recommendations: https://carlolson.tv/reading-essentials

Artists Sketchbooks: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter-sketchbooks

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Lorenzo Chavez paints the American Western landscape with passion. As he applies each stroke of color – whether he is using pastels or oil paint – he intimately captures the textures of the landscape. His emotional response to the colors, textures and light of the western landscape inspire him to paint. However, it is not so much the grandiose vistas that the West is famously known for that draws his attention. Rather, he is more often moved by the simple glimpses into nature.

In this conversation, Lorenzo invigorates our excitement for making art. He explores the importance of a painter’s emotional involvement with the landscape. He talks about his remarkable story of how he became a professional painter. He relates the moving generosity of his mentors: artists Ramon Kelley, Ned Jacob and Wilson Hurley. He shares some of the lessons he learned from his close friendship with them.

Plein air painting is an important part of Lorenzo’s painting experience. It’s inevitable that he would experience many adventures painting outdoors. in this episode he shares some of his exciting experiences with us.

Of course, there’s so much more to this conversation: he talks about judging juried shows, why he paints both with pastels and oil paints, a few book recommendations, tools he likes to use, the importance of having a good website and social media presence, and much more.

Though this conversation is over two hours long, it goes by fast! As you listen to this inspiring conversation, it is clearly evident that Lorenzo Chavez is a passionate painter of the emotional landscape.

Mentioned in this episode:

Lorenzo Chavez

Website: https://www.lorenzochavez.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorenzo.chavez.980

Books:

Zen in the Art of Writing (by Ray Bradbury) https://amzn.to/38DWV3P (affiliate link)

Oil Painting: Techniques and Materials (by Joseph A. Mugnaini) https://amzn.to/3pjLzru (affiliate link)

Drawing: A Search for Form (by Joseph A. Mugnaini) https://amzn.to/3eMALxj (affiliate link)

Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West (by Wallace Stegner) https://amzn.to/2Ug8RQT (affiliate link)

Sacred Paint: Ned Jacob (by Sandra Dallas) https://amzn.to/3phTkyb (affiliate link)

The Life and Art of Wilson Hurley: Celebrating the Richness of Reality (by Rosalyn Roembke Hurley) https://amzn.to/38vWuZ1 (affiliate link)

I'd Rather Be in the Studio: The Artist's No Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion (by Alyson B. Stanfield) https://amzn.to/3eM4pTk (affiliate link)

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.creative/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carl.olson.9847/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

Send an email: https://carlolson.tv/contact

Make a donation: https://carlolson.tv/donate

Book recommendations: https://carlolson.tv/reading-essentials

Artists Sketchbooks: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter-sketchbooks

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jeffrey T. Larson’s evocative paintings are stunning visual essays of beauty. His contemporary paintings are deeply rooted in academic realism. Because of the extremes in seasons in his home state of Minnesota, Jeffrey spends his time painting outdoors in its all-too-brief warm summers. His outdoor paintings glow and shimmer with the drama of light. Whether the scene is of a woman silhouetted against warm sunlight hanging laundry to dry outdoors, or a young boy is wading through a cool, sparkling stream – your eye is drawn to the beauty of the moment captured in Jeffrey’s expressive impressionistic brushwork.

As the air chills and it becomes too cold to paint outdoors, Jeffrey turns to painting indoors. Carefully staged, each still life brims with quiet beauty and drama. His subject can be a rack of artisan bread loaves, or an old Art Deco style Electrolux vacuum cleaner, or a pack of clementines still in their plastic packaging, or an old child’s tricycle all rusted and worn. Meticulously painted and finished - sometimes over a period of several months, these paintings never appear stiff. They are monumental works of beauty.

Jeffrey T. Larson was born in 1962 in Two Harbors, Minnesota, and grew up in the Twin Cities. He was trained in the manner of the Old Masters at the prestigious Atelier Lack – founded by artist Richard Lack. It was a place whose traditions and training methods reached back through impressionism and the 19th-century French academies. Jeffrey's training provided a firm foundation in the fundamentals that allowed his artistic voice to flourish. The road to becoming a professional artist was not an easy one. Jeffrey is quick to acknowledge he often lived on the edge of frustration. In time he learned to enjoy the business side of being an artist and his success at making a living as an artist grew as he and his wife Heidi – also an artist. His story is beautifully told in filmmaker Joe Hawkins’ documentary titled: Jeffrey T. Larson.

Jeffery’s paintings may at first invoke a sense of nostalgia in the viewer. Yet, his paintings are timeless. The subject matter at first may seem prosaic and mundane, but there is clearly much more present in the painting. Jeffrey draws you into the painting and invites you to take a closer look and observe what he has found. And, as you stand there immersed in experiencing that painting, Jeffrey T. Larson is already off on his way on another mission to finding deeper beauty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Jeffrey T. Larson

Website
https://jeffreytlarson.com

Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art
https://greatlakesacademyoffineart.com

Jeffrey T. Larson Documentary Trailer: https://vimeo.com/333773434

Jeffrey T. Larson Documentary: https://vimeo.com/452505900

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.creative/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carl.olson.9847/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

Send an email: https://carlolson.tv/contact

Make a donation: https://carlolson.tv/donate

Book recommendations: https://carlolson.tv/reading-essentials

Artists Sketchbooks: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter-sketchbooks

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Dan McCaw believes that art is a “collaboration between the heart and mind.” The result of that often contentious, frustrating collaboration are paintings that expose the artist’s soul. Dan’s paintings are rich with thick texture, vibrant colors, and strong contrasts. As a contemporary impressionist painter, his works are highly sought out by collectors and people who love art. His paintings dance between the realms of representational, figurative, and abstract expressionism. Dan is always exploring, always experimenting.

I first discovered Dan McCaw about twenty years ago when I found his book, A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art, on the shelf of a Borders book store. Of course, Borders is no longer. However, Dan’s wisdom lives on in this rare and highly sought after book. This wasn’t just another how-to-paint book. Dan went beyond that. He explored such topics as opening your heart, rendering versus expression, developing a point of view, broadening your perceptions, enjoying your journey, and much more.

In our conversation in this edition of the Artful Painter, Dan continues his exploration of things that affect an artist’s growth. In a world where people are so quick to take sides and condemn those who do not agree with them, it certainly takes courage to create. Dan wants to help artists break out from the chains of oppressive, opinionated art-making dogma and learn to freely express themselves in their paintings. The challenge is much like that of a child who uses exuberant colors to paint a tree, but are crushingly chided for not painting the leaves of the tree the color green “like you are supposed to.” Dan McCaw is on a mission to help artists continue painting their purple trees.

Mentioned in this episode:

Dan McCaw: https://www.mccawcontemporary.com/dan-mccaw

Dan McCaw's Book: A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art https://www.amazon.com/Proven-Strategy-Creating-Great-Art/dp/1929834195 (affiliate link)

Nancy Vance Website: https://nancyvance.com

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.creative/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carl.olson.9847/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

Send an email: https://carlolson.tv/contact

Make a donation: https://carlolson.tv/donate

Book recommendations: https://carlolson.tv/reading-essentials

Artists Sketchbooks: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter-sketchbooks

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Alex Hillkurtz is a renowned storyboard artist for feature films, television, and commercials. His film credits include Argo, Almost Famous, It’s Complicated, and many others. In contrast to the fast-paced world of storyboarding, Alex enjoys the slower pace of sketching and painting in watercolors. He lives in Paris, France - a city that provides an endless source of inspiration for Alex’s architectural and landscape watercolors. As Alex roams the streets of Paris, a small cafe nestled under bright red awnings on street corner may catch his eye. Observing intently the scene before him, he endeavors to capture not just the form, but also the essence and feel of the place.

His beautiful architectural watercolor paintings are born from a three-step process: first, he does a very light pencil sketch. Next, he creates darker, loose marks with a fountain pen. Finally, he applies gorgeous flows of watercolor washes. Alex's compositional and design choices feature strong elements of linear perspective. Your eye is drawn into Alex's paintings, yearning to satisfy your curiosity about the scene before you. It’s clear that Alex Hillkurtz’s broad illustration and storyboarding experience in the film industry leaves an indelible imprint of the language of cinema in his watercolors.

Mentioned in this episode:

Alex Hillkurtz:
Website: https://www.alexhillkurtzart.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hillkurtz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexHillkurtzArt

Alex Hillkurtz's video course:
Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/1092-architectural-sketching-with-watercolor-and-ink

Alex Hillkurtz's new book:
Sketching Techniques for Artists: In-Studio and Plein-Air Methods for Drawing and Painting Still Life, Landscape, Architecture, Faces and Figures, and More
https://amzn.to/2Rump9P (affiliate link)

Bill Peet: An Autobiography:
https://amzn.to/2RzVaec(affiliate link)

David McNeill: https://www.davidmcneillart.com
John Pototschnik: https://www.pototschnik.com
Shanna Kunz: https://www.shannakunz.com

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.creative/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carl.olson.9847/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIo1YmQXnMm21b-Slkr69Tg

Send an email: https://carlolson.tv/contact
Make a donation: https://carlolson.tv/donate
Book recommendations: https://carlolson.tv/reading-essentials
Artists Sketchbooks: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter-sketchbooks

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bill Anton was the first professional painter I ever met. It was a chance encounter. In the late 1990’s my family and I were vacationing in Jackson, Wyoming. One evening I decided to walk into one of the several art galleries that lined the square. It was intimidating, as I had never set foot in an art gallery before. As my eyes adjusted to the interior lighting of Trailside Gallery, I became enthralled at the dozens of paintings hanging in the gallery depicting Western scenes.

Only two people were in the gallery when I took my first timid steps into it. One person was a woman working for Trailside. And the other person was man wearing a black cowboy hat. The woman greeted me and explained that the paintings before me were by an artist named Bill Anton. I told her I didn’t know who he was. So, she offered, “Let me introduce you to him.” She led me to the man wearing the cowboy hat and said: “This is Bill Anton." I don’t remember what I was said at the time, but I do remember his kindness towards me - a rookie who knew next to nothing about art! After that brief encounter with Bill I spent the next couple of hours closely examining each of his extraordinary paintings. It was a transformative moment for me. It was at that moment that I decided I wanted to be able to paint like this one day.

Indeed Bill’s remarkable paintings of the Western landscape, the equine figure, and the human figure are without equal. There’s a cinematic feel to his paintings. Bill's focus when painting is not about technical execution, but, rather, about mood and passion. The visual poetry of his paintings profoundly affect you as a viewer. It’s a visceral feeling - one I well remember that evening walking into Trailside Gallery - even though it’s been over twenty years ago. You are drawn in to sit by a warmly glowing campfire. You feel the chill of the high desert air set in as the sun casts its last rays upon the distant peaks. You hear the snorts and neighing of the horses and the stamping of their feet. The smell of dust and musk from a long day’s ride linger in your nostrils. You see it, you smell it, you feel it. And that’s just the way Bill Anton wants it. Each painting demonstrates his deep seated passion for painting the west.

Mentioned in this episode:

Bill Anton Website: http://www.billantonstudio.com

Video: Under the Spell of the West from Western Horseman: https://youtu.be/G3r2C7Mq3xU

Ralph Oberg in episode 1 of the Artful Painter https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/ralph-oberg-mountain-painter-1

Matt Smith in episode 2 of the Artful Painter https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/matt-smith-impressionistic-naturalism-2

Skip Whitcomb in episode 21 of the Artful Painter https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter/skip-whitcomb-purity-of-vision-21

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.creative/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carl.olson.9847/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIo1YmQXnMm21b-Slkr69Tg
Send an email: https://carlolson.tv/contact
Make a donation: https://carlolson.tv/donate
Book recommendations: https://carlolson.tv/reading-essentials
Artists Sketchbooks: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter-sketchbooks

This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.