on the drawing board: cowboy up!

I'm not sure why, but throw a cowboy hat on a guy and he's sure to get a second glance.  I certainly have a good 'ole time whenever I express the cowboy in me on paper.  And though I've painted many men in many situations, (the number of speedo/beach scenes must be up to a few dozen by now) it seems the cowboy pieces are what sticks in many peoples minds when thinking of my work.

On the drawing board: hair it comes!

Still a bit more to go on this piece, though the section shown here is mostly done.  Details, such as the body hair are still to come.

on the drawing board: morning wood

There is not a whole lot stuff going on, a lot of elements in this piece.  It's basically the figure, the hat, the bed linens and the wall.  So I felt like making the wall much more interesting than a solid painted surface.  I decided on a wood slat wall, well worn, with much of the paint chipped and flaked off.  It strengthens the whole western/cowboy tone.

on the drawing board: feeling retro

I certainly enjoy my cowboys.  I find myself wanting to do a cowboy themed piece almost every year. This time I find myself also revisiting a previous work, but in another way.  Many years ago I did a similar piece, not a cowboy but a nude figure sleeping. While I have particular themes I go back to time and again, I generally don't repeat a pose and activity, virtually the same scene, that I've done before.  But it's been a long time, and though it's a similar pose, it's a slightly different angle and it's a cowboy! 

New Release: "Waiting Out the Rain"

 

With the Spring season in full swing, there's plenty to do on the farm. But those outdoor chores will have to wait once Mother Nature decides to whip up an afternoon shower. Seeking shelter inside the barn, they shed their wet shirts and start to ponder what they can do to pass the time while waiting out the rain.

Being almost 2 years since I had last worked on a cowboy-themed piece, Waitin Out the Rain marks my return to one of my favorite genres. While the original is immediately available for purchase, it will remain with the Lyman Eyer Gallery through the end of my upcoming show Iconic.

Limited edition Gallery and Studio prints are available for purchase at the Special First Day Price through Midnight ET tomorrow. 

on the drawing board: refuge from the downpour

A close up of the cowboy's torso and his wet t-shirt flung over a beam.

on the drawing board: cowboy looks

It can be a challenge painting a face that's only an inch and a half long with chunky chalks, fingers and soft pastel pencils, let alone achieve the look and expression I want.  So when it happens first try it's a magical experience.

on the drawing board: into the west

There are just certain themes and settings that I enjoy visiting again and again in my artwork, and the cowboy theme is on my short list.  Maybe it's the connection to nature and the land, the idea of simple clean living, or maybe it's the images of sexy rugged men in stetsons and snug jeans the word automatically conjures in my head.

New Work: Rope

A measure of a cowboy's worth is his abilities at roping, a practice tracing back to the great horsemanship traditions of the Spanish conquistadors, to the cowboys and vaqueros of the Americas. This skill is at once delicate and rough, utilitarian and entertaining.

I released Rope last week. The original (which already has a buyer) will be one of the star pieces at my show next month in Provincetown, but limited edition Gallery and Studio prints are available for purchase.