July 2026 Print Club - The Rancher

There are some paintings that surprise you by becoming favorites, and The Rancher was one of those for me.

I wanted to paint a face that felt like it already had a story before I ever put brush to canvas. The deep lines, weathered skin, and that wonderfully serious expression gave me so much to work with. I imagined someone who had spent a lifetime outdoors—long days, hard work, plenty of Oklahoma sun, and probably more than a few stories he could tell.

But instead of painting him in the traditional browns and dusty neutrals we so often associate with Western art, I wanted to have a little fun with him. A lot of fun, actually.

That pink hat changed everything.

Once I added the violet, coral and bright pink, he became exactly the kind of Western painting I love creating. Something rooted in the old West but completely unexpected in color. I especially loved painting his face and letting those cool purples and blues sit right beside the warm reds and pinks.

The original The Rancher is 16 × 20 inches, and he became one of those paintings I found surprisingly difficult to let go of. I recently delivered the original to his new owner, and while there was a little tug at my heart watching one of my favorites leave the studio, that's also one of the best parts of being an artist. A painting gets to leave my easel and become part of someone else's home and story.

So for July, I wanted you to have The Rancher, too. I hope when you look at your print, you notice something new each time—the aged hair, the lavender shadows across his face, that enormous pink hat, or maybe just the expression of an old cowboy who looks like he's seen just about everything.

Thank you for giving my art a place in your home.