Here are two ranching women whose art inspires me to create pictures with words. I hope you enjoy seeing their work and learning a bit about them.
Mary Ross Buchholz
Likin’ His Job by Mary Ross Buchholz
I first discovered Mary Buchholz’s art in Western Horseman magazine, which has featured her work on both covers and in articles. It is challenging to capture the essence of a horse in a drawing. Mary gets it just right. With her rendering of a nostril’s flare, the wispy mane of a colt, and the soulful gaze of a horse’s eye, I feel as though I am staring at a living, breathing animal.
Mary’s website says her art is “Dedicated to preserving her Western heritage.” She and her husband own and operate a ranch in rural West Texas. Mary’s artwork reflects her ranching experience and brings authenticity to her work.
To learn more about Mary Buchholz and browse some of her artwork, please visit the link below. Although Mary paints, draws, and sculpts, I am most captivated by her drawings.
https://www.maryrossbuchholz.com
If you have an opportunity to visit the hill country of Texas, InSight Gallery in Fredericksburg will feature her work in their upcoming show: Trailblazers and Traditions – Celebrating the Great American West: Reception with the Artists on Friday, October 4th from 5-7 pm.
Jan Mapes
Better Than Starbucks by Jan Mapes
Jan Mapes is a cowgirl and artist whose work celebrates the west, horses, and the spiritual beauty of nature. I had the pleasure of working a branding with Jan at the Hayes Ranch in Orchard, Colorado, a few years ago. She is the real deal, and it was a joy watching her work a rope in the branding pen. Jan and her husband, Jim, operate a ranch in Southeast Colorado, where they raise cattle and horses.
Jan works in a variety of mediums. I am most drawn to her sculptures. I feel the expression of her subject’s emotion and their vitality. Jan says that the sanctuary of a life outside is where her art begins. In a July 2014 article in Cowboys and Indians Magazine, Jan said, “My work will never be done, for this isn’t really work, but a journey of exploration.”
Here is a video interview and tour of Jan’s studio by Western Horseman magazine:
Jan’s sculpture, Tribute, of Boots O’Neal, the legendary cowboy of the historic 6666 Ranch in West Texas, won the prestigious Steel Dust award in 2021. Both Jan and Mary Ross Buchholz visited the 6666 Ranch in 2019, where they watched the 86-year-old cowboy work cattle. Jan created the sculpture after returning home.
Tribute by Jan Mapes
Jan’s sculpture of a cutting horse working a cow was chosen as the official trophy of The National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA).
To see more of Jan’s work, please visit her website, where there is also a list of galleries carrying her work. https://www.janmapes.com/the-artist.html
If you are interested in Western art and able to attend the National Western Stock Show in Denver in January, the Coors Western Art Exhibit and Sale is a great opportunity to see a number of great artists’ work, and maybe bring something home to enjoy.
