I met pappy on a ranch in Kalispell Montana when I was 14. He is the dearest most genuine person you could ever meet. Pen & ink seemed to be too harsh to represent such a gentle man. Growing up as a cowboy is a tough life. It takes the courage & faith that most people don’t have today. For ninety years, Pappy left his brand of truth & honesty on so many lives.

"Pappy" 19” x 29” Pen and Ink

Tough is as tough does. I spent a time growing up on his ranch in Montana. Clyde left an indelible impression in my life, just as my pen and ink does as an art medium. The process requires a full commitment with every mark; an action that speaks louder than words. This was Clyde, a man of true grit.

"Clyde" 19” x 29” Pen and Ink

DAKOTA SIOUX INDIAN CHIEF
He was a warrior. A legend in protecting the rights of his tribe. Pen & ink depicts the harsh reality of a life embroiled in merciless conflict. Deep, dark eyes, and stern expression confirm Big Cloud was a man of vision.

"Big Cloud" 20” x 30” Pen and Ink

A ceremonial tobacco pipe used by some Native American Indians as a symbol of peace to seal a covenant or treaty. The feathers fan out widely as a promise of hope and love. They quickly wither to a few strands that feebly remain attached to the pipe. The intricate line work details a labyrinth of lies and deception in this farewell known as “peace”.

"Peace Pipe"26” x 31” Pen and Ink

Portraiture is one of the bravest choices an artist can make. The artist’s view can be brutally honest. “Lucky” was a Rodeo Clown. A Comic Genius. The funniest clown there has ever been. A person’s face can be viewed as a kind of road map to the life they have lived. “Lucky” was the saddest person I have ever known.

"Lucky" 20” x 30” Pen and Ink

FACE OF A NATION
“Bear Claw” expresses all the pride and pain of an Indian Nation. The black and white detail of pen & ink brings power and impact to the harsh reality of what the Indian people endured.

"Bear Claw" 19” x 30” Pen and Ink

Each drawing tool allows me to exploit a unique aspect of story telling. Pen and ink is a very unforgiving medium. There is no erasing. Your marks are full commitments. From extreme detail to large expressive layers of surface development, pen and ink depicts the most subtle nuances of value, yet defines vast areas simply with line.

"End Of The Trail" 18”x 24” Pen and Ink

THE CREATIVE PROCESS
The tapestry of the American West has many unique characters woven into it. Bold, resourceful, powerful men. I believe Art must also embrace these characteristics...it cannot be casual.

"Black Jack" 27”x 33” Pen and Ink

STORY TELLING
There is a haunting realism about the characters I choose to depict. They illuminate a graphic biography of an entire life’s story etched into an image.

"Straight Up" 27”x 33” Pen and Ink